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Identifying Obsolete Media

This guide gives an overview of the different types of media that exist (or once existed) for storing digital data.

Hard drives

1.8 inch hard disk (1991-2014)

A somewhat unpopular type of hard drive that had a similar shape to the PCMCIA card. It was later mainly used as an internal drive for small laptops such as netbooks and the iPod classic.

From left to right: 5.25 inch hard disk, 3.5 inch hard disk, 2.5 inch hard disk, 1.8 inch hard disk.

2.5 inch hard disk (1988- )

A popular model mainly used in laptops, game consoles and other mobile devices.

Floppy disk

floppy (1971 - early 80s)

The development of the floppy started in 1967 and was commercialised by IBM in 1971. It was a relatively expensive storage medium mainly used by (small) businesses. Because floppies were often more expensive than the computers themselves, tape cassettes were mainly used for data storage during this period. This floppy is also known as the 8 inch floppy

  • Period: from 1971 to the early 80s
  • Dimensions:
    • width: 8 inches or approximately 20 cm
    • length: 8 inches or approximately 20 cm
    • thickness: approximately 0.2 cm
  • Storage capacity: 80 KB to 1.2 MB
  • Features:
    • Resembles the mini floppy, but is 7cm wider and longer
    • has no cutout to make the disk read-only unlike the minifloppy
    • exists in different versions (single-sided, double-sided, single density, double density)
  • References: https://obsoletemedia.org/8-inch-floppy-disk/

The large floppy on the left is the 8 inch floppy; bottom right a minifloppy and top right a microfloppy.

mini floppy (1976 - early 90s)

The mini floppy originated in 1976 as a replacement for the 8 inch floppy (see above) which was considered too expensive and large. They were mainly used for devices that did not have a hard drive, such as word processors and microcomputers. From the 90s they were replaced by the even smaller microfloppies.

  • Period: from 1976 to the early 90s
  • Dimensions:
    • width: 5.25 inches or approximately 13 cm
    • length: 5.25 inches or approximately 13 cm
    • thickness: approximately 0.2 cm
Storage capacity: 110 KB to 1.2 MB Features:
  • a smaller version of the floppy
  • has a square cutout on the top right which serves to make the disk read-only
  • not to be confused with the flippy disk; this has a self-made cutout on the left opposite the write protection cutout
  • exists in different variants: formatted for different operating systems (Mac, Amiga, PC DOS/MS DOS, DEC, Commodore) and in different densities (single density (SD), double density (DD), quad density (QD) and high density (HD)

The middle floppy is the mini floppy.

flippy disk (1976 - +/- 1985)

The flippy disk is a single-sided minifloppy with two write protection cutouts (one on the left and one on the right). This made the other side writable, turning it into a new single-sided disk. The flippy disk can therefore be considered as two single-sided minifloppies in one minifloppy. The cutout was usually made by the user. Because the two sides are separate from each other, they can contain different formats.

  • Period: from 1976 to mid 80s
  • Dimensions:
    • width: 5.25 inches or approximately 13 cm
    • length: 5.25 inches or approximately 13 cm
    • thickness: approximately 0.2 cm
  • Storage capacity: 2x80KB to 2x616KB
  • Features:
    • resembles the minifloppy, but has a second write protection cutout opposite each other
    • is always single-sided
  • References: https://obsoletemedia.org/5-25-inch-flippy-disk/

A flippy disk, recognisable by the cutout on the top left.

A puncher used to make a minifloppy into a flippy disk.

micro floppy (1982-1999)

The most common form of diskette from the 80s and also one of the most popular storage media. Exists in different forms: single or double sided and varying storage capacities depending on the operating system used on the computer. It wasn't until the arrival of the microfloppy HD (see below) that a diskette could be read by both Mac and Windows systems.

  • Period: from 1982 to the late 90s
  • Dimensions:
    • width: 3.5 inches or 9 cm
    • length: 9.4 cm
    • thickness: 0.3 cm
  • Storage capacity: 360 to 720 KB (400 to 800 KB when formatted for Mac)
  • Features: Has a read protection tab in the bottom left corner
  • Reference: https://obsoletemedia.org/3-5-inch-microfloppy-ds-dd/

Front and back of a micro floppy.

3-inch Compact Floppy (1982-1991)

This diskette was launched in 1982 by Hitachi, Matsushita and Maxell and had a similar shape to the Armstrad computers. It was also used for devices that didn't have a hard drive, such as word processors and microcomputers. From the 90s they were replaced by the even smaller microfloppies.

The 3 inch floppy essentially consisted of two single-sided disks. The disk had to be turned over to read either side A or B.

  • Period: from 1982 to early 90s
  • Dimensions:
    • width: 3 inches or 8 cm
    • length: 8 inches or 20 cm
    • thickness: about 0,2 cm
  • Storage capacity: 80 KB to 1.2 MB
  • Features:
    • similar to the minifloppy, but 7cm wider and longer
    • has no cutout for read-only mode unlike the mini floppy
  • References: https://obsoletemedia.org/3-inch-compact-floppy-disk/

A compact floppy of Maxell and Amstrad.

3,25 inch floppy disk (1983 - mid 1980s)

In the 1980s, different formats of diskettes were developed to create more compact drives and computers. The 3.25-inch floppy was developed by Tabor but also produced by 3M and Dysan. This diskette is also known as Flex Diskette because it had the same flexible housing as the 5.25 and 8 inch floppies. The microfloppy or 3.5 inch diskette became standard, which meant that the 3.25-inch diskette didn't last long.

Mitsumi Quick Disk / DataDisk 2.8-inch (1986 - 1990)

The Quick Disk was a model developed by Mitsumi. It was offered to other computer system manufacturers to integrate into their products. As a result, the Quick Disk exists in various sizes and is known under different names. It was also used in Nintendo game consoles (model: Famicom Disk System in the 3-inch x 4-inch format) and in MIDI keyboards and samplers.

Smith Corona's DataDisk 2.8-inch also used the Quick Disk. Despite the name of the diskette, the Quick Disk was used in the 3-inch x 3-inch enclosure. The disk was used in Smith Corona's Personal Word Processor (PWP) range, a computer system that was something of an electric typewriter and a personal computer.

  • Period: from 1986 until early 1990s
  • Dimensions:
    • width: 2.8 inches or about 7 cm
    • length: 3 inches or about 7.5cm
    • thickness: 0,3 cm
  • Storage capacity: 100 KB
  • Features: looks like a 5.25 inch floppy but smaller than the 3.5 inch microfloppy
  • Reference: https://obsoletemedia.org/2-8-inch-datadisk/

A DataDisk of Smith Corona (l) and a Famicom Disk System from Nintendo (r).

microfloppy HD (1987-late 2000s)

The most common type of diskette from the mid-1990s. Compatible with both Mac and Windows systems.

  • Period: from 1987 until late 2000s
  • Dimensions:
    • width: 3.5 inches or 9 cm
    • length: 9.4 cm
      • thickness: 0.3 cm

Front and back of the microfloppy HD. Also recognisable by the HD logo.

Microfloppy Extended Density (1988 - mid 1990s)

A diskette that could store twice as much data as the microfloppy HD and was launched by IBM. However, this format never really took off.

  • Period: from 1991 until mid 1990s
  • Dimensions:
    • width: 3.5 inches or 9 cm
    • length: 9.4 cm
      • thickness: 0.3 cm

Floppy Variants and Superfloppies

Bernoulli Box (1982-1994)

Bernoulli is a so-called superfloppy or high capacity floppy and also the first known product of Iomega. There were two versions: the Bernoulli Box I in a size similar to an A4 sheet of paper and the smaller Bernoulli Box II whose size was comparable to a minifloppy. The first version was available in capacities of 5, 10 and 20 MB; the second version in 20, 35, 44, 65, 90, 105, 150 and 230 MB. Five different types of drives existed that could read a maximum capacity of 20, 44, 90, 150 and 230MB respectively.

  • Period: from 1995 until 2003
  • Dimensions:
    • version I:
      • width: 21 cm
      • length: 27.5 cm
  • version II:
    • width: 13.6 cm
    • length: 14 cm
    • thickness: about 0.9 cm

A first generation (l) and a second generation (r) disk

Plasmon LaserDrive (1987 - 2005)

The LaserDrive from Plasmon is not actually a floppy, but an optical disc in a plastic housing that looks like a large floppy. The optical disc inside the casing had a diameter of 12 inches or 30 cm. There were four generations with increasing storage capacity: 2GB, 5.6GB, 12GB and 30GB. They could be written to once (WORM). Little information can be found about this format, but it seems they were mainly used in mainframe systems.

Optical Disk Cartridge (1987 - 1999)

This cartridge from Plasmon was an optical disc in a plastic casing, making it look like a superfloppy in the 5.25-inch format. Panasonic and IBM also developed read equipment for this format. Most discs could be written to once (WORM), but some were rewritable. It seems they were mainly used in mainframe systems.

  • Period: from 1987 until late 1990s
  • Dimensions:
    • internal disc diameter: 13 cm
    • width: 13.5 cm
    • length: 14.5 cm
    • thickness: 0.9 cm
  • Storage capacity: 200MB to 1.5GB
  • Features: looks a bit like a magneto-optical disc in the 5.25-inch format, but with a hole in the middle
  • References: https://obsoletemedia.org/optical-disk-cartridge/

SyQuest (1988-1998)

SyQuest is a removable storage medium that was particularly popular in graphic arts and print industries, and with Apple users. The disks were available in three variants which were only backwards compatible: 44MB (°1988), 88MB (°1991) and 200MB (°1994).

Besides the 5.25-inch format, SyQuests were also available in a 3.5-inch format (with capacities of 105MB and 270MB). However, these were never as popular as the 5.25-inch variant.

  • Period: from 1988 until 1998
  • Dimensions: width of 5.25 inch or about 9 cm
  • Storage capacity: 44MB, 88MB and 200MB
  • Features: has a write protection switch on the back
  • References: https://obsoletemedia.org/syquest-5-25-inch/

SyQuest disk of 88MB

Floptical (1976 - 1990s)

Floptical refers to a floppy disk that combines magnetic and optical storage in one disk similar to the microfloppy (floppy and optical). The main brands were Maxell, 3M and Iomega. The disk had a maximum capacity of 21MB. SuperDisk and HiFD are later formats that used floptical technology.

M.O. disc (1991-2009)

M.O. discs or magneta-optical discs are a form of optical discs stored in plastic casing. Available storage capacities ranged from 256MB to 9.2GB. They were very reliable storage media because after writing data to the disc, it was checked whether it had been successfully written. As a result, it took three times longer to write information on the disc than to read it. The disc could be formatted for Mac, Windows or other operating systems, among others.

Besides the 3.5-inch, a 5.25-inch variant also existed, but the latter was never popular.

  • Period: from 1991 to the late 2000s.
  • Dimensions:
    • width: about 9 cm
    • length: 9.3 cm
    • thickness: about 0.7 cm
  • Storage capacity: 256MB to 9.2GB
  • Features:
    • when the shutter is pulled open, an optical drive is visible
    • features a write protection tab in the bottom left corner
    • sometimes M.O. is indicated on the shutter
  • References: https://obsoletemedia.org/iomega-zip/

A 3.5-inch M.O. disc

Nomaï 44MB (1992-1997)

The Nomaï 44MB was a copy of the SyQuest 44MB which made them compatible with SyQuest readers. The Nomaï company was also convicted for this.

Iomega Zip Disk (1995-2003)

The Zip Disk is Iomega's other well-known superfloppy. The disk was available in three storage capacities: 100MB, 250MB and 750MB and could be formatted for Mac or Windows. Its low price and high capacity made it a popular medium until the breakthrough of CD-R, CD-RW and memory sticks.

  • Period: from 1995 to 2003
  • Dimensions:
    • width: 9.8 cm
    • length: 9.9 cm
    • thickness: about 0.7 cm
  • Storage capacity: 100MB, 250MB and 750MB
  • Features:
    • like the Jaz Disk only issued by Iomega.
    • slightly larger than the microfloppy
    • the Zip logo is often applied to the disc's label
    • does not have a write protection tab
  • References: https://obsoletemedia.org/iomega-zip/

Iomega Jaz (1996-2002)

The Jaz disk was a so-called superfloppy with 1 and 2GB capacity that was only issued by Iomega. The Jaz disks were formatted for either Mac or Windows. However, they were never very popular, presumably due to competition from the CD-R and CD-RW

  • Period: from 1996 to 2002
  • Dimensions:
    • width: 9.8 cm
    • length: 10.1 cm
    • thickness: approximately 1.2 cm
  • Storage capacity: 1GB and 2GB
  • Features:
    • Like the Zip Disk only issued by Iomega. Is slightly larger than the Zip Disk and the other 3.5-inch (super) floppies
    • the Jaz logo is often applied to the disc's label
    • Does not feature a write protection tab
  • References: https://obsoletemedia.org/iomega-jaz/

SuperDisk (1997-2003)

The SuperDisk was a superfloppy launched by Imation. The superdisk is backwards compatible with double density (720KB) and high density (1.44MB) floppy disks. The Superdisk was launched at a time when the Zip drive had already broken through and at a time when prices for CD-R, CD-RW and USB flash drives were starting to fall, so it never became a commercial success.

  • Period: from 1997 to the early 2000s.
  • Dimensions:
    • width: 9 cm
    • length: 9.4 cm
    • thickness: about 0.3 cm
  • Storage capacity: 120MB (LS-120) and 240MB (LS-240)
  • Features: has the same size as the microfloppy, but has a different shutter and higher storage capacity. It looks like an optical disc inside the casing.
  • References: https://obsoletemedia.org/superdisk/

Sony HiFD (1998-2001)

The HiFD or High capacity Floppy Disk was Sony's attempt to replace its 3.5-inch floppy disk with a new model. The model is backwards compatible with the 3.5-inch floppy disk. It was launched in 1998. Due to problems with the drive and the popularity of the Zip disk and the emerging CD-R, the format never broke through. The discs had a capacity of 150 MB (°1998) and 200 MB (°1999). In terms of size and shape, the disc is quasi identical to the SuperDisk and the Caleb UHD.

Caleb UHD (1998-2002)

Caleb UHD was a format based on the floptical that had a 144MB capacity and was backwards compatible with the 3.5-inch floppy disk. It was marketed as the it drive and was best known for its low price. However, the format never broke through due to competition from the SuperDisk, Zip disk and CD-R. The company went bankrupt in 2002. In terms of size and shape, the disc is quasi identical to the Sony HiFD and the more popular SuperDisk

Iomega Zip U250 (2001-2003)

The Zip U250 was a variant of Iomega's Zip disk launched in 2001. It was also fully compatible with the Zip U250. The Zip series was discontinued in 2003 when it could no longer compete with CD-R, CD-RW and USB sticks.

  • Period: from 2001 to 2003
  • Dimensions:
    • width: 9.8 cm
    • length: approximately 10 cm
    • thickness: about 0.7 cm
  • Storage capacity: 250 MB
  • Features:
    • issued only by Iomega.
    • recognisable by its U-shape
    • the Zip logo is often affixed to the disc's label
    • does not have a write protection tab
  • References: https://obsoletemedia.org/iomega-zip-u250/

Tapecassette

Data8 (1987-1999)

Data8 tapes were 8 mm tapes used for storing data. It has the same shape as Video8 tapes, which was used for video recording. Data8 tapes were capable of storing up to 14GB, depending on the use of compression. Automated tapes that served for backup could store up to 60GB. Another name for Data8 is ‘’Exabyte‘’, after the manufacturer that marketed the tape. From 1996, Mammoth and Mammoth-2 were introduced, which have a higher storage capacity and are very similar to the Data8 tapes, but incompatible. Data8 tapes, however, can be read with the Mammoth drive.

  • Period: from 1987 to 1999.
  • Dimensions:
    • height: 6.2 cm.
    • width: 9.5 cm
    • thickness: 1.5 cm
    • tape width: 8 mm
  • Storage capacity: up to 14GB of compressed data; automated Exatapes could backup up to 60GB.
  • Features:
    • has a write-protect switch on the bottom left
    • possible logos or designations appearing on the tape are: D-Eight, D8, Data8, ExaTape
    • Not to be confused with the incompatible but similar in format AIT or Advanced Intelligent Tape and VXA tape. Both were also released by Exabyte
  • References:

DDS (1989-2010)

DDS tapes are basically DAT tapes that were used for storing data. There are seven DDS formats or generations: DDS-1 (°1989 - 1.3 and 2GB), DDS-2 (°1993 - 4GB), DDS-3 (°1996 - 12GB), DDS-4 or DAT-40 (°1999 - 20GB), DAT-72 or DDS-5 (°2003 - 36GB), DAT-160 (°2007 - 80GB), DAT-320 (°2009 - 160GB). DDS drives are usually up to two generations backwards compatible. That means the DDS-4 can read the DDS-2 and DDS-3, but not DDS-1. The DDS-1 reader can only read DDS-1 tapes.

HP Mini Data Cassette (1982-1985)

As its name suggests, the HP Mini Data Cassette is a small cassette for storing data. It was used in computer-like computing devices from HP, including the HP-41, HP-71 and HP-75.

The HP Mini Data Cassette looks exactly like Philips' Mini cassette, but has minor differences on the housing, such as a notch at the top.

QIC (1972-2000)

QIC is a series of tapes for storing data with quarter-inch tape. It is a tape containing two spools. They can store 200KB to 25GB. There are several versions, including QIC-11, QIC-24, QIC-104/111, QIC-120, QIC-121, QIC-150, QIC-525 and QIC-1350.

  • Period: from 1972 to the 2000s
  • Dimensions:
    • height: 15 cm
    • width: about 10 cm
    • thickness: about 1.5 cm
    • tape width: 0.25 inch or 6.35 mm
  • Storage capacity: 200KB to 25GB
  • Features: The cassette housing shows two relatively large spools. Is also known as ‘’Data Cartridge‘’ or ‘’QIC Data Cartridge‘’.
  • References: https://obsoletemedia.org/qic-data-cartridge/

QIC minicartridge (late 1970s - 1995)

The QIC minicartridge was marketed by 3M and is a small variant of the QIC tapes. There are two generations: the QIC-40 and QIC-80.

It was mostly used for personal computers thanks to its low price and small shape (the drive could fit in a 3.5-inch niche). Travan became the successor to this type of cassette.

  • Period: from the late 1970s to the late 1990s
  • Dimensions:'
    • height: 8 cm
    • width: 6 cm
    • thickness: about 2 cm
    • tape width: 0.25 inch or 6.35 mm
  • Storage capacity: 40MB to 120MB
  • Features: A small version of the QIC similar in size to the Travan (reading device resembles a 3.5-inch diskette reader). The cassette housing shows two relatively large spools.
  • References: https://obsoletemedia.org/qic-minicartridge/

Iomega Ditto (1992-1999)

This is a broad range of cassettes developed by Iomega, which came in various formats. They were based on either QIC Minicartridge, QIC-Wide, Travan, or QIC-Ex. Some had a tape width of 0.25 inch, others 8 mm. Because the Ditto was based on QIC or Travan, they were compatible with these cassettes.

Ditto was developed for backups for personal computers and had capacities from 125MB to 5 GB. Data was compressed, effectively doubling the capacity.

  • Period: from 1992 to 1999
  • Dimensions: Various formats, similar to QIC Minicartridge, QIC-Wide, QIC-EX or Travan
  • Storage Capacity: 125MB to 5GB (uncompressed)
  • Features: Only produced by Iomega and often marked with the Ditto label
  • References: https://obsoletemedia.org/ditto/

Travan (1995-2001)

Travan is a data cassette based on QIC but with a tape width of 8 mm. It was marketed by 3M and Memory Systems for consumer-market backups and mass storage. Various generations existed, from TR-1 to TR-7.

QIC-EXtra (1996-2000)

QIC-EX is a modification of the QIC format by Verbatim. The cartridges were elongated to fit larger reels. They were available in 0.25-inch tape format for compatibility with QIC Minicartridge drives and in 8 mm tape format for compatibility with Travan drives. At least two generations exist: TR1-EX and TR3-EX.

  • Period: from 1996 to 2000
  • Storage Capacity: 500MB to 2.2GB
  • Features: An elongated version of QIC cartridges branded by Verbatim
  • References: https://obsoletemedia.org/qic-ex/

Reels

9 track tape (1964-2003)

9 track tape was developed by IBM for use in IBM System/360. The tape itself is 15 mm wide and wound onto a single reel. Two generations exist: the 2400 series and the 3400 series. It was used for over thirty years in mainframe computers.

Optical discs

floppy ROM (1977-1985)

A floppy ROM is a flexi-disc vinyl that was used for storing data (software) in audio form. A flexi-disc is a gramophone record in a thin and flexible vinyl, in LP form. It was mainly used until the 1980s to distribute software via computer magazines. Apart from that, it was little used.

  • Period: from 1977 to 1985
  • Dimensions: diameter of about 30 cm
  • Characteristics: Looks like an LP, but more flexible, and you could also play it on an LP player
  • References: https://obsoletemedia.org/floppy-rom/

CD-ROM (1985- )

CD-ROM was developed by Sony and Philips and is an extension of the Compact Disc format. They are physically identical to the CD, but store data differently. Like the CD, they can come in various sizes (such as the mini CD-ROM or business card CD-ROM). CD-ROMs are more stable than CD-Rs because they are pressed instead of burned, but old CD-ROMs cannot be played on modern computers due to incompatibility with current operating systems.

  • Period: since 1985
  • Dimensions: diameter of 12 cm (but smaller sizes and other shapes exist) and a thickness of 1 mm
  • Storage capacity: 650 MB to 737 MB
  • Characteristics: the different optical discs are difficult to distinguish, especially if the disc is printed. Sometimes they can be recognised by their logo. CD-R, CD-RW and CD-ROM each have their own logo
  • References:

CD-R (1992- )

CD-R is an optical disc developed by Philips and Sony for data storage. CD-Rs are a WORM medium. This means you can write data to them once, which can then be read multiple times as long as the disc is not formatted. It is possible to write data to the CD in multiple sessions. They typically have a capacity of 74 minutes (audio) or 650 MB (data).

Although they were developed in 1992, they only became popular at the end of the 1990s as prices began to drop. CD-Rs have an average lifespan of 10 years.

  • Period: since 1992
  • Dimensions: diameter of 12 cm (there are also mini CD-Rs with a diameter of 8 cm) and a thickness of 1 mm
  • Storage capacity: 650 MB
  • Characteristics: the different optical discs are difficult to distinguish, especially if the disc is printed. Sometimes they can be recognised by their logo. CD-R, CD-RW and CD-ROM each have their own logo. (Re)writable discs can be distinguished from pressed discs by a coloured (usually green or purple) sheen.
  • References:

Gold CD-R (1993- )

The Gold CD-R is an optical disc for data storage, like a regular CD-R, but with a gold underlayer. They are said to have a longer lifespan than standard CD-Rs. They were sold by Kodak, among others, but also by other brands.

  • Period: since 1993
  • Dimensions: diameter of 12 cm and a thickness of 1 mm
  • Storage capacity: 700 MB
  • Characteristics: a CD-R with a gold underlayer
  • References: https://obsoletemedia.org/gold-cd-r/

CD-RW (1997- )

Like the CD-ROM and the CD-R, the CD-RW is an optical disc based on the Compact Disc. The big difference with the CD-R is that CD-RWs can be rewritten up to 1,000 times. This requires less pronounced patterns burned onto the disc, so more sensitive reading equipment is needed to read the discs. Old CD-RW drives cannot read newer CD-RWs that need to be read at a higher speed.

  • Period: since 1997
  • Dimensions: diameter of 12 cm and a thickness of 1 mm
  • Storage capacity: 650 MB to 700 MB (or 74 to 80 minutes audio)
  • Characteristics: the different optical discs are difficult to distinguish, especially if the disc is printed. Sometimes they can be recognised by their logo. CD-R, CD-RW and CD-ROM each have their own logo. (Re)writable discs can be distinguished from pressed discs by a coloured (usually green or purple) sheen.
  • References:

The CD-RW logo.

DVD-R (1997- )

DVD-R is a storage medium for data, based on the DVD and developed by Pioneer in 1997. It is similar to DVD+R, but both formats are incompatible. Initially, they had a capacity of 3.95 GB, but by 2000 this increased to 4.7 GB. In 2005, a dual layer version was developed (the so-called DVD-R DL) with a capacity of up to 8.5 GB.

There is also a smaller version suitable for camcorders.

  • Period: since 1997
  • Dimensions: diameter of 12 cm and a thickness of 1 mm (the mini DVD-R has a diameter of 8 cm)
  • Storage capacity: 3.95 to 4.7 GB (single layer) and 8.5 GB (dual layer)
  • Characteristics: DVDs consist of two pieces of polycarbonate pressed together. So they are in fact two CDs of 0.6 mm attached together. You can distinguish DVDs from CDs if you see a groove in the middle of the edge of the disc. (Re)writable discs can be distinguished from pressed discs by a coloured (usually green or purple) sheen.
  • References:

The DVD-R logo

Left a DVD-Video, right a DVD-R.

DVD-RW (1999- )

Like the DVD-R, the DVD-RW was developed by Pioneer and is based on the DVD. DVD-RWs have a capacity of 4.7 GB.

  • Period: since 1999
  • Dimensions: diameter of 12 cm and a thickness of 1 mm (the mini DVD-RW has a diameter of 8 cm)
  • Storage capacity: 4.7 GB (mini DVD-RW has a capacity of 1.46GB)
  • Characteristics: DVDs consist of two pieces of polycarbonate pressed together. So they are in fact two CDs of 0.6 mm attached together. You can distinguish DVDs from CDs if you see a groove in the middle of the edge of the disc. (Re)writable discs can be distinguished from pressed discs by a coloured (usually green or purple) sheen.
  • References:

DVD+RW (2001- )

DVD+RW was developed by the DVD+RW coalition (Philips and Sony) and is a storage medium based on the DVD. It is similar, but not compatible, with DVD-RW.

  • Period: since 2001
  • Dimensions: diameter of 12 cm and a thickness of 1 mm (the mini DVD-RW has a diameter of 8 cm)
  • Storage capacity: 4.7 GB
  • Characteristics: DVDs consist of two pieces of polycarbonate pressed together. So they are in fact two CDs of 0.6 mm attached together. You can distinguish DVDs from CDs if you see a groove in the middle of the edge of the disc. (Re)writable discs can be distinguished from pressed discs by a coloured (usually green or purple) sheen.
  • References:

DVD+R (2002- )

DVD+R is a storage medium which, like DVD-R, is based on the DVD. It was developed by the DVD+RW Alliance (Sony and Philips) in 2002. It is similar but incompatible with DVD-R. Like DVD-R, there is a single and a dual layer version.

  • Period: since 2002
  • Dimensions: diameter of 12 cm and a thickness of 1 mm
  • Storage capacity: 4.7 GB (single layer) and 8.5 GB (dual layer)
  • Characteristics: DVDs consist of two pieces of polycarbonate pressed together. So they are in fact two CDs of 0.6 mm attached together. You can distinguish DVDs from CDs if you see a groove in the middle of the edge of the disc. (Re)writable discs can be distinguished from pressed discs by a coloured (usually green or purple) sheen.
  • References:

Fujifilm PhotoDisc CD-R (2004 - )

The Fujifilm PhotoDisc CD-R is an optical disc developed by Fujifilm in 2004 for data storage. In fact, it is a regular CD-R with a black underlayer which was claimed to offer better protection against sunlight and UV radiation. The dye also differed from the normal CD-R and was said to offer better protection against heat and sunlight. Despite the name, the CD-R was not only intended for photo storage, but, like the CD-R, all sorts of data could be stored on it.

Memory sticks and cards

CompactFlash (1994- )

The CompactFlash was the most successful medium in the early years of memory cards. It was mainly used in digital cameras and is still used there. There are two types: type 1 with a thickness of 0.3 cm and type 2 (CF2) with a thickness of 0.5 cm

Memory stick (1998-2005)

The Memory Stick is a series of flash memory cards developed by Sony and used exclusively in a number of Sony portable products in the 2000s, including cameras, camcorders, TVs and Playstations. The Memory Stick is the first generation and had three models. The Memory Stick was about the size of a chewing gum tablet.

Models:

  • Memory Stick (°1998): this is the first model. They were available in white or purple and had a capacity of 4 to 128MB
  • Memory Stick Select (°2003): this had two sides of 128MB. By turning the card over, either the A or B side could be read.
  • Memory Stick PRO (°2003): this model came from a collaboration between Sony and SanDisk and greatly expanded the capacity of the memory stick.

Characteristics:

  • Period: from 1998 to mid-2000s
  • Dimensions:
    • width: 2.3 cm
    • length: 5 cm
    • thickness: about 0.3 cm
  • Storage capacity: 128MB (Memory Stick), 256MB (Memory Stick Select) up to 4GB (Memory Stick PRO)
  • Physical characteristics:
    • about the size of a chewing gum tablet
    • mainly appears in the colours purple, white, black and blue
  • References:

Secure Digital (SD) card

The SD card was developed by a coalition of SanDisk, Panasonic and Toshiba to compete with the Memory Stick. On the side (left side), the card has a slider to make it read-only. Depending on the format (SDSC, SDHC, SDXC), the card has a capacity of 1MB to 2TB.

USB flash drive (2000- )

The USB flash drive was introduced in 2000 by Trek Technology and IBM. It had a storage capacity of 8MB at the time. Due to its larger storage capacity, small size, and transfer speed, it quickly became a popular medium. They come in various forms, but always have a USB interface.

Memory Stick Duo (2002 -)

The second generation Memory Sticks were developed by Sony because there was a need for smaller memory card formats for cameras, mobile phones and the Playstation Portable. The Memory Stick Duo is slightly smaller than an SD card and about two-thirds the length of the Memory Stick. The first model had a storage capacity of 128MB and was quickly replaced by the Memory Stick PRO Duo. Other models followed, which had a faster transfer speed.

Models:

  • Memory Stick Duo (°2002): maximum storage capacity of 128MB
  • Memory Stick PRO Duo (°2003): available in storage capacities of 512MB, 16GB and 32GB
  • Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo (°2006): maximum storage capacity of 32GB, but has a high transfer speed
  • Memory Stick XC (°2009): maximum storage capacity of 2TB
  • Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo HX (°2011): available in storage capacities of 8GB, 16GB and 32GB and called the fastest memory card by the manufacturer.

Characteristics:

Memory Stick Micro (M2) (2006-2011)

The Memory Stick Micro is the smallest format of the Memory Stick, launched by Sony and SanDisk. It was mainly used in PDAs (pocket computers) and mobile phones. It came in various storage capacities and models:

  • Memory Stick Micro: had storage capacities of 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, 8GB and 16GB.
  • Memory Stick XC Micro and Memory Stick XC-HG Micro had storage capacities up to 2TB

In 2009, Sony announced that Sony Ericsson phones would use microSD instead of the Memory Stick Micro, and from 2011 the format was no longer available.

Characteristics:

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