Game Storage Medium

Storage Devices
There are many different types of storage devices, most of which are used mainly in gaming. The 5 main forms of storage devices in gaming are CD, DVD, Blu-Ray, Hard Disk and Flash Memory. There are many different advantages and disadvantages for storage devices.

Advantages and Disadvantages
CD
CD's come in two different forms, CD-R and CD-RW. The cheapest one is the CD-R because it is a write once only CD. CD-RW is a rewritable CD which means it can be written over and new things can be stored on that CD again. CD-R has an advantage over the CD-RW because it is cheaper but because it can be written over CD-RW is also popular. The disadvantage of having just CD-R is that it can only be written on once which sometimes is inconvenient. CD's can also get damaged very easily also therefore this makes them vulnerable. Compared to the other forms of storage devices, CD's have small amounts of memory.
DVD
DVD's come in two different forms, DVD-R and DVD-RW. The cheapest one is the DVD-R because it is a write once only DVD. DVD-RW is a rewritable DVD which means it can be written over and new things can be stored on that DVD again. DVD-R has an advantage over the DVD-RW because it is cheaper but because it can be written over DVD-RW is also popular. They also have a large amount of storage space on them. The disadvantage of having just DVD-R is that it can only be written on once which sometimes is inconvenient. DVD's can also get damaged very easily also therefore this makes them vulnerable.
Blu-Ray
Blu-ray disks are a modern way of storage devices. They are very new to the world of storage as they were only released and introduced a couple of years ago. They have very large storage capacity which is a pro to blue-ray disks. They are very expensive to buy though which is a major disadvantage. Another disadvantage is that they only work in blu-ray optical drives, they don't work with normal CD and DVD drives. They can also be easily damaged.
Hard Disk
Hard Disks are the same as hard drives, which is the main form of storage within a PC or console. This is usually very large in capacity average size is about 250gb. They are also relatively cheap when it comes to buying them because they are so common and regularly made. They are cheaper than removable devices/media. Magnetic fields, knocks and heat can all damage the hard disk easily. Must not be taken out of the console or device because they will be damaged and then become corrupt.
Flash Memory

All modern devices and computers do use flash memory more and more now because it is becoming very very popular. They use flash memory via USB. It doesn't damage easily which means they tend to last longer. They also have large storage capacities. The larger the storage in the device, the more expensive the flash memory is which is a disadvantage to flash memory. Slower to access data on these than it is on hard drives. They get lost and stolen easily which is bad when it comes to using it for important things.
UMD
UMD stands for Universal Media Disc. This was made by Sony for their PlayStation Portable (PSP). A UMD can hold up to 1.8gb of data on it. If the disc can hold 1.8gb of data it means it is a dual layer disc, if it can only hold 900mb it means it is a single layer disc. An advantage for an UMD would be that they are specifically made for one type of console which means less confusion when it comes to buying games in shops etc. For example you go into a shop to buy a game but by it for the wrong console, this wont happen with this. A disadvantage for the UMD is that it is an optical disc, these discs can be damaged easily and once it is damaged, you have to buy a new disc because it ruins the UMD.
Magnetic Tape
Magnetic tape is used for recording and storing data. For example a computer years and years ago used to have a tape drive which is where you inserted a cassette tape and stored data on that. An advantage for magnetic tape is that it is a way to store data and it has been around for many years and years ago was a very reliable way of storing data, but that may not be the case now. A disadvantage for magnetic tape is that it is very old therefore it isn't used in modern day society. If any data is stored on a cassette there aren't many devices which can now access this data therefore sometimes data is wasted.
Anti-Piracy
Anti-Piracy is also known as copyright protection. This is where CD's and DVD's can't be copyrighted and copyright protection is put onto them. This also means 'pirate' copies of these data storage devices cannot be made. An advantage for copyright protection or anti-piracy is that it protects data on a CD or DVD which is good security. A disadvantage is that this law or form of protection isn't always followed or adhered to.