CD, DVD, Blu-Ray media
18 products
Useful when choosing
Optical discs are still used for archiving photos and documents, for recording music for cars, for medical research, and for data distribution without the internet. The recorded disc cannot be accidentally changed and is not affected by viruses, making it convenient for archiving. Here you can find blank CD-R, DVD-R, and DVD+R discs from Maxell and other brands, including discs with a white surface for printing, as well as LTO backup tapes for servers.
How to choose
- Capacity. CD-R holds 700 MB – suitable for music and small files. DVD holds 4.7 GB for video and archives. Blu-ray discs hold 25 GB and more.
- DVD-R or DVD+R. Both formats are read by almost all modern devices. Older DVD players sometimes read DVD-R better, so for home recordings, it is the more reliable choice.
- Packaging. Discs are sold on a spindle (cake box), in a sleeve, or in individual cases. The spindle is the most economical for many recordings, while the cases better protect individual discs.
- Printable surface. Discs with a white printable surface are for printers that support printing on discs – convenient for gifts and corporate archives.
- LTO tapes. They are for tape devices in server systems and serve as a long-term archive for very large volumes of data.
What to watch out for
- For recording, you need a recording device that supports the respective format.
- Keep the discs away from sunlight and moisture and hold them by the edge, avoiding touching the recording side.
- For important archives, make at least two copies on different media.
- Record at a lower speed if the disc will be read in an old player – this often makes the recording more reliable.
- LTO tapes must match the generation supported by the tape device.
Compatibility
If your computer or laptop does not have an optical drive, you can add an external recording device with USB from the category of computer accessories. For faster copying and larger volume, also look at external disk enclosures, which turn a regular disk into a portable archive.