DVD vs. USB

Ang and I get asked all the time about the difference between getting session images on a DVD vs. a USB. Which one is better for your images? Let us spell out the advantages and disadvantages of each, and you can come up with an informed decision.

Why DVD?
DVDs, or “Digital Versatile Discs,” replaced the VHS format.  Invented by Sony, Toshiba, Panasonic and Philips way back in 1995, the shiny circular discs have been a popular staple for movies, file storage, and the like. The common everyday DVD reaches a storage capacity of about 4.7 GB, which is about the equivalent of 3,000 high quality images (from a 5 megapixel camera). They’re cheap, easy to use, and aren’t hard to find. But there are also a few drawbacks to the DVD, some things that you might’ve never heard about. First thing’s first: storage capacity. The aforementioned 4.7 GB is not a LOT of space, even if you are storing low-resolution images on there. You’re most likely going to want a bit more room. Another aspect of the DVD is its shiny, rainbow-colored side. Yes, it’s pretty to look at, but it is also VERY easy to scratch. Those of us who keep a pile of music CDs in their cars know this all too well. If your DVD of images gets all scratched up, chances are that you may not be able to access your data. Bummer! There is also the rumors of the dreaded “disc rot,” where (allegedly) the coating on the shiny part of the DVD (or CD) will literally get eaten away by its environment, or other hazards of everyday life. Whether or not this is true, is still to be proven. But I’m not too sure…I mean, do you have CDs from the 80’s? I know I do! They have never experienced disc rot, and I don’t know if they ever will! I suppose time will tell. Additionally, with the new models of Mac computers, disc drives aren’t even included! Thus, the DVDs are unusable (unless you fork over $79 dollars for an optical drive! Ouch!). Pros and cons aside, the DVD is a great medium for storage.

Why USB?
On the other hand, USB flash drives are a totally feasible option for image storage. They’re small, they fit in your pocket, (yes ladies, even our tiny pockets!), and they are often much larger (storage size-wise) than DVDs. These tiny storage devices have been around since the year 2000, and have only been getting better. The storage capacity of a USB flash drive ranges from a few megabytes to a few terabytes. This is an enormous leap for portable storage devices – you can store so much on them now! And since all computers currently on the market are equipped with at least USB 2.0 ports, they can be used with any operating system. Sure, it’s a little tricky for a Mac – formatted USB to be used in a Windows PC, but all it takes is a quick reformat and you’re all set. But with anything, there are some issues with USB flash drives. For one, they are susceptible to viruses. Because they act like a second (or third, depending on how awesome your computer is) disc drive, any virus that exists on your personal computer has a chance of hopping onto that flash drive. If you keep your computer virus-free, no problem! Secondly, there’s the issues relating to the connection between your computer and the USB flash drive. The teeny tiny connection points in your flash drive are very easy to break. Since they are repeatedly being plugged in and out of computers, the connections (to either the drive itself, or your USB port on your computer) can get damaged. Aside from misplacing your flash drive (which I do all the time), those are really the only problems I can see with USB flash drives.

So there you are! Feel free to do some of your own research, as well. There’s a myriad of information out there! Hopefully now you will be able to see some of the differences between DVDs vs USB flash drives, and why we offer your session images on each!