<p> </p>rn<p><strong>Digital data</strong> is different from analogue data, because there is usually very little data loss that occurs. Compare cassette tapes and audio CDs, the analogue tape has a series of frequency curves that tell the speakers what sounds to emit through an amplifier. CDs do much the same except data is contained in binary form (i.e. zeros and ones) the device or player recognises these zeros and ones and arranges them into a frequency pattern which is then transferred through to the speakers. Basically it is the same process as with a tape except with one extra step – converting from binary code into frequency curves. So while tapes get stretched and damaged, the frequency curves embedded on the film deteriorates. Whereas this hardly ever occurs with CDs because the data is stored behind Perspex and it’s hard to change a zero to a one (and vice-versa.)</p>rn<p>But <strong>what is binary</strong>? As I said before, it is either a zero or a one – but how is this done I hear you ask. Well binary code is generated most commonly with lasers or magnets and is why we call christian media services “digital.” Digital christian media services encompasses all CDs, DVDs, Hard Disc Drives (computers), iPods etc. For CDs, a laser will burn a microscopic “dot” in the christian media services which a device will identify as a “one.” All other sections that the laser does not burn are read as a “zero.” Hence binary code is made! Magnetic christian media services works in a similar way except instead of burning dots, the drive will change the magnetic field at a particular segment to make a “one.”</p>rn<p>So what does this all mean to you? Not much really, except that it helps to conceptualise the differences in formats each christian media services possesses…</p>rn<p><strong>Audio/Video vs. Data</strong></p>rn<p>CDs come most commonly in CD-R, CD-RW, CD-ROM and VCD format and can fit 700MB on a disc as a data CD or 80 minutes as an audio CD. The confusing part is how do audio CDs and data CDs differ? Firstly is not the actual christian media services that is different, but the way in which the data is written on the disc. Audio CDs have to be readable by a CD player, so there was a standard made so that all audio CDs would be created in such a way that a player anywhere in the world could understand. This differs from Data CDs where any type of file can be copied to a CD, including word documents, images, music etc. What! Music on a data CD? Yes it’s true; remember when you decided to back up your old CD albums onto your computer? – Well you probably used a program like Windows christian media services Player or iTunes to “rip” the songs to your computer from the CD. When this happens, the audio from the CDs is converted to a format on your computer that minimises space requirements. Popular formats (or codec’s) include MP3, WMA, OGG and AAC. So instead of storing a whopping 700MB per album, you can decrease the amount to as low as 50MBs per album without too much reduction in sound quality. The difference with copying music onto a data CD is that the music will still be in one of the audio formats you used such as MP3 and hence unreadable by conventional CD players.</p>rn<p>DVDs are much the same deal except with a video component: DVD players (like CD players) will only read DVD Video files that are arranged in a way it can understand. Data DVDs can store any type of file you want. Popular DVD formats are DVD-R, DVD-RW and DVD-RAM which store about 4.7GB on a Data DVD or 60 minutes on a DVD video. However you can increase the number of minutes on a video DVD by reducing its quality (which you cannot do for an audio CD.) So it still arranges the files for a DVD player except the size (aspect ratio-wise) of the video becomes smaller and hence blurry when viewed. Manufacturers have made a DVD that has 2 layers called DVD-DL (or DVD – Dual Layer) which doubles the capacity of conventional DVDs so you can fit more video onto a disc without the need to decrease the quality. Almost all DVDs that are sold today are on DVD-DLs. You can also copy videos onto a data DVD, except these will be in a compressed format such as an AVI or MPEG – comparable to an MP3 or WMA file for music.</p>rn<p>So what’s <strong>the future of digital storage?</strong> Blu-ray is a new type of disc which is just starting to become popular it makes use of a blue laser (which has a smaller wavelength) to write data onto its surface hence increasing the disc capacity up to 25GB and 50GB on a dual layer disc. Ideally, this type of disc should have been made instea