Tips, links, reviews: On digital storage.

Most people working in desktop publishing know about Zip and Jaz, but do not realize that 4.6 GB drives have been available for several years. They are all the more pleased to learn that this high-end class of storage works faithfully., the Pinnacle Micro Apex. 5.2 GB drives are now announced, but the advantage of Pinnacle Apex 4.6 GB is that this is mature technology. A promising technology is DVD-RAM, available from Creative Labs, Panasonic, Toshiba, Hitachi, Hi-Val, among others.

Inside the digital imaging technology center, the operations section of the FLAAR Photo Archive. We explain why normal MO disks are inadequate when doing full scale digital imaging at a professional level. Here a Pinnacle Micro Apex disk is used as an example of what is necessary to store large digital photography files. Instruction in digital imaging technology is a service of many universities and community colleges, but not all of them have the range of equipment available here.

People who visit the FLAAR digital imaging technology center ask for our opinion on what media they should purchase.

We have tested about every size and shape of storage drive, beginning with the 'Toray' and Panasonic PD Phasewriter system. Although many companies now make DVD-RAM, we prefer the Panasonic DVD Optical RAM drive because it can also read and write the older 650 MB PD Phasewriter disks, in addition to its own 5.2 GB disks.

Then we had defective disks and main unit for the Nikon Beluga direct overwrite system. It is natural that we do not recommend the direc overwrite system until it can be demonstrated that it functions.

Each rollout of a Maya vase is about 180 MB, even at just 87% of resolution of the Better Light digital system. Full res rollouts produced by high-end digital cameras are between 230 and 520 MB.

The largest file we could handle in Adobe Photoshop was 410 MB. Here is an opening for SilverFast to offer a format for such large files.

If you prefer the cost-effectiveness of CD-ROM, the most economical way to store digital files is having your own CD-burner. The newest software makes CD preparation easy. And the Hi-Val disks are only about $1 each. An Apex disk is about $130, the equivalent cost for CD-R disks, $7. The new 8x CD-burners from Smart-and-Friendly are real rockets.

In the meantime, we recommend DVD-RAM for storage of large digital files, a RAID array for digital files to which you need constant access, and CD-R as back up storage as well as for sending your files to other people.

Updated April 7, 1999.