Unit 2 Hardware

2.1 Optical Storage Media: High-Density Storage

光存储介质：高密度存储

2.1.1 Optical Laser Disks

光学激光盘（光盘）

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Optical laser disk technology eventually may make magnetic-disk and magnetic tape storage obsolete.

激光光盘技术最终可能使磁盘和磁带存储过时。

With this technology, the read/ write head used in magneticstorage is replaced by two lasers.

利用这项技术，磁性存储器中使用的读/写磁头被两个激光器所取代。

One laser beam writes to the recording surface by scoring microscopic pits in the disk, and another laser reads the data from the light sensitive recording surface.

一个激光束通过在磁盘上刻划微观凹坑来写入记录表面，另一个激光从光敏记录表面读取数据。

A light beam is easily deflected to the desired place on the optical disk ,so an access arm is not needed.

光束很容易偏转到光盘上所需的位置，因此不需要访问臂。

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Optical laser disks are becoming a very inviting option for users.

激光光盘正成为一个非常吸引用户的选择。

They are less sensitive to environmental fluctuations, and they provide more direct-access storage at a cost that is much less per megabyte of storage than the magnetic disk alternative.

它们对环境波动不太敏感，而且提供了更多的直接访问存储，每兆字节存储的成本比磁盘替代品低得多。

Optical laser disk technology is still emerging and has yet to stabilize; however,at present there are three main categories of optical laser disks.

激光光盘技术仍在不断涌现，尚未稳定下来；然而，目前激光光盘主要有三大类。

They are CD ROM, recordable CD-R and rewritable CD-RW,and magneto-optical disk.

它们是CD-ROM、可记录CD-R和可重写CD-RW以及磁光盘。

CD-ROM

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Introduced in 1980, the extraordinarily successful CD, or compact disk, is an optical laser disk designed to enhance the recorded reproduction of music.

1980年推出的非常成功的CD或光盘是一种激光光盘，旨在增强音乐的录制再现。

To make a CD recording, the analog sounds of music are translated into their digital equivalents and stored on a 4. 72-inch optical laser disk.

为了制作CD录音，音乐的模拟声音被翻译成数字等效声音，并存储在4上。72英寸激光光盘。

Seventy-four minutes of music can be recorded on each disk in digital format by 2 billion digital bits.

74分钟的音乐可以用20亿个数字比特以数字格式记录在每个磁盘上。

With its tremendous storage capacity, computer-industry entrepreneurs immediately recognized the potential of optical laser disk technology.

凭借其巨大的存储容量，计算机行业的企业家们立即认识到了激光光盘技术的潜力。

In effect, anything that can be digitized can be stored on optical laser disk :data, text，voice, still pictures ,music, graphics ,and video.

实际上，任何可以数字化的东西都可以存储在激光光盘上：数据、文本、语音、静态图片、音乐、图形和视频。

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CD-ROM (pronounced cee-dee-ROM) is a spin-off of audio CD technology.

CD-ROM（发音为cee-dee-ROM）是音频CD技术的衍生产品。

CD-ROM stands for compact disk read only memory.

CD-ROM代表光盘只读存储器。

The name implies its application CD-ROM disks, like long-playing record albums, are “pressed” at the factory and distributed with their prerecorded contents (for example the complete works of Shakespeare or the first 30 minutes of Gone With the Wind).

这个名字意味着它的应用CD-ROM光盘，就像长时间播放的唱片集一样，在工厂里被“压制”，并与预先录制的内容一起分发（例如莎士比亚的全集或《乱世佳人》的前30分钟）。

Once inserted into the disk drive ,the text, video images, and so on can be read into primary storage for processing or display; however, the data on the disk are fixed-- they cannot be altered.

一旦插入磁盘驱动器，文本、视频图像等就可以读取到主存储器中进行处理或显示；但是，磁盘上的数据是固定的，不能更改。

This is in contrast, of course, to the read/write capability of magnetic disks.

当然，这与磁盘的读/写能力形成了鲜明对比。

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The tremendous amount of low cost direct-access storage made possible by optical laser disks has opened the door to many new applications.

激光光盘带来的大量低成本直接存取存储为许多新的应用打开了大门。

CD-R and CD-RW

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CD-R and CD RW both allow user to store data on compact discs, but only data on rewritable CDs can be erased and overwritten.

CD-R和CD-RW都允许用户将数据存储在光盘上，但只有可重写CD上的数据才能被擦除和重写。

CD-R discs can only be written to once.

CD-R光盘只能写入一次。

Both types of discs look very similar to CD- ROM discs.

这两种类型的光盘看起来都与CD-ROM光盘非常相似。

Recordable CDs are commonly used to store music files, allowing home users to make high-quality personalized music CDs.

可刻录CD通常用于存储音乐文件，允许家庭用户制作高质量的个性化音乐CD。

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CD-RW discs can be written to and erased similar to a floppy disk.

CD-RW光盘可以像软盘一样写入和擦除。

Consequently, they are a good for large file storage, as well as for creating a“master" disc before burning a CD-R disc (most CD-RW drives can write to both CD-RW and CD-R discs, but some CD and CD-R drives cannot read CD-RW discs).

因此，它们适合大文件存储，也适合在刻录CD-R光盘之前创建“主”光盘（大多数CD-RW驱动器可以同时写入CD-RW和CD-R光盘，但有些CD和CD-R驱动器无法读取CD-RW光盘）。

CD-R and CD-RW drives also read CD-ROM discs.

CD-R和CD-RW驱动器也可以读取CD-ROM光盘。

However, CDs will be eclipsed by DVDs, once that technology becomes improved and standardized.

然而，一旦技术得到改进和标准化，CD将被DVD所取代。

Magneto-Optical Disk

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Magneto-optical disk offers promise 预示着that optical laser disks will become commercially viable as a read-and-write storage technology.

磁光盘承诺预示着作为一种读写存储技术，激光光盘将在商业上变得可行。

The 5/4-inch disks can store up to 1,000 Mb.

5/4英寸磁盘最多可存储1000 Mb。

At present，magneto-optical disks are too expensive and do not offer anywhere near the kind of reliability （that users have come to expect of magnetic media. ）

目前，磁光盘价格太高，无法提供用户对磁介质所期望的那种可靠性

In addition, the access times are relatively slow ,about the same as a low-end Winchester disk.

此外，访问时间相对较慢，与低端温彻斯特磁盘差不多。

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As optical laser disk technology matures to reliable, cost-effective，read/ write operation, it eventually may dominate secondary storage in the future as magnetic disks and tape do today.

随着光学激光磁盘技术向可靠、经济高效的读/写操作发展，它最终可能会像今天的磁盘和磁带一样主导辅助存储。

2.1.2 DVDs

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The acronym DVD (for digital versatile disc, or digital video disc) refer to a relatively new high-capacity optical storage format that can hold from 4.7 GB to 17 GB, depending on the number of recording layers and disc sides being used.

首字母缩写DVD（数字多功能光盘或数字视频光盘）是指一种相对较新的高容量光学存储格式，可容纳4.7GB至17GB，具体取决于所使用的记录层和光盘侧面的数量。

A standard single-layered，single-sided DVD can store 4.7 GB of data; a two-layered standard enhances the single-sided layer to 8.5 GB.

一张标准的单层单面DVD可以存储4.7GB的数据；双层标准将单面层增强到8.5GB。

DVD can be double-sided with a maximum storage of 17 GB per disc.

DVD可以是双面的，每张光盘的最大存储容量为17 GB。

The DVD was initially developed to store the full contents of a standard two-hour movie,  but is now also used to store computer data and software.

DVD最初是为了存储标准两小时电影的全部内容而开发的，但现在也用于存储计算机数据和软件。

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DVD-ROM technology is seen by many as the successor to music CDs ,computer CD-ROMs, and prerecorded VHS videotapes that people buy and rent for home viewing --in other words, read-only products.

DVD-ROM技术被许多人视为音乐CD、计算机CD-ROM和预先录制的VHS录像带的继任者，人们购买和租赁这些录像带用于家庭观看，换句话说，就是只读产品。

DVD-R is DVD recordable (similar to CD-R).

DVD-R是DVD可记录的（类似于CD-R）。

The user can write to the disk only once.

用户只能向磁盘写入一次。

DVD-RW is DVD rewritable (similar to CD RW).

DVD-RW是DVD可重写的（类似于CD RW）。

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The user can erase and rewrite to the disk multiple times.

用户可以多次擦除和重写磁盘。

Only one-sided disks can be used for both DVD-R and DVD-RW.

DVD-R和DVD-RW只能使用单面磁盘。

Most DVD drives can play both computer and audio CDs，but you can't play DVDs in a CD drive.

大多数DVD驱动器可以同时播放电脑和音频CD，但不能在CD驱动器中播放DVD。

DVD Forum Receives TOP Information Technology Industry Award for Creation of Unified Specification for Next Digital Multimedia Era

DVD论坛因为下一个数字多媒体时代创造统一规范而获得顶级信息技术行业奖

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The DVD Forum today announced that it has received the 1997 PC Magazine Award for Technical Excellence in the category of“Standards"，in recognition of the Forum's successful development of the DVD-ROM specification.

DVD论坛今天宣布，它获得了1997年PC杂志“标准”类技术卓越奖，以表彰论坛对DVD-ROM规范的成功开发。

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“New standards are particularly important, since they promise to bring higher levels of technology innovation and market compatibility to today' s technology users," said Michael J. Miller ,editor in-chief of PC Magazine.

《PC杂志》主编迈克尔·J·米勒表示：“新标准尤其重要，因为它们有望为当今的技术用户带来更高水平的技术创新和市场兼容性。”。

“DVD-ROM is a compelling technology that was chosen because it's a familiar format that brings a wealth of new computing, educational, gaming and entertainment possibilities to the user.”

“DVD-ROM是一种引人注目的技术，之所以选择它，是因为它是一种熟悉的格式，为用户带来了丰富的新计算、教育、游戏和娱乐可能性。”

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In the Award citation to DVD ROM technology, PC Magazine referred to DVD as the format that will replace the CD- ROM as the primary means of PC content distribution".

在DVD ROM技术奖中，PC杂志称DVD是将取代CD-ROM作为PC内容分发的主要手段的格式”。

Representatives of three companies involved in development of the specification, Hitachi Ltd., Matsushita Electric Industrial Company (Panasonic) and Toshiba Corporation, accepted the award on behalf of the DVD Forum in a ceremony held on November 17 at COMDEX'97 in Las Vegas.

11月17日，日立有限公司、松下电器工业公司（松下）和东芝公司三家参与规范开发的公司代表在拉斯维加斯COMDEX'97举行的DVD论坛上接受了该奖项。

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"Products based on specifications defined by the DVD Forum are now shipping in volume to the worldwide computer and consumer electronics markets, and the Award for Technical Excellence adds to the market's validation of the success of the standards process”, said Koji Hase, General Manager of the DVD Products Division at Toshiba Corporation and a founding member of the DVD Forum.

“We are extremely pleased to see the work of the DVD Forum recognized as one of the key technical achievements in the personal computer industry, particularly as the Forum expands the scope of its work with a larger ,global membership in 1998.”

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“The members of the DVD Forum developed the DVD-ROM specification as the best technical approach and also the best approach for customers in the marketplace," said Sakon Nagasaki,director of the DVD Business Development Office of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. (Panasonic).

“Acceptance of the format illustrates how standards making efforts advance the goals of the entire electronics industry.”

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In addition to its role in development of the DVD-ROM and DVD-Video standards, the Forum has proposed the format for recordable DVD,known as DVD-R,and rewritable DVD, known as DVD-RAM,to international standards bodies.

除了在DVD-ROM和DVD视频标准的制定中发挥作用外，论坛还向国际标准机构提出了可记录DVD（称为DVD-R）和可重写DVD（也称为DVD-RAM）的格式。

Work is also continuing on definition of a DVD Audio specification.

DVD音频规范的定义工作也在继续。

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“The mission of the DVD Forum is to define a smooth migration path from CD to DVD technology by working with the widest possible representative group of manufacturers and technology end- users in the converging industries of computers and consumer electronics" ,said Dr. Yoshita Tsunoda ,a member of the Executive Staff of Hitachi,Ltd. and Chairman of the DVD Forum's DVD-RAM Working Group.

"The different working groups have already completed definition of three separate DVD technology standards, and we have begun work on developing next generation specifications that will provide compatible products well into the next century"

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Recipients of the PC Magazine Awards for Technical Excellence are named by a team of editors, senior contributors and PC Labs personnel after months of evaluation and discussion.

PC杂志技术卓越奖的获奖者由编辑、高级撰稿人和PC实验室人员组成的团队经过数月的评估和讨论后提名。

PC Magazine, the sponsor of the Technical Excellence Awards,is a 1.175 million circulation magazine published by Ziff-Davis Inc.

PC杂志是技术卓越奖的赞助商，是Ziff-Davis股份有限公司发行量117.5万份的杂志。

PC Magazine is published 22 times a year in print, quarterly on CD, and continuously on the World Wide Web.

《个人电脑杂志》每年出版22次，每季度发行一次CD，并连续在万维网上发行。