Conventional 12 cm disc (left) compared to 8 cm disc (right)
A Sony camcorder using MiniDVD media

MiniDVD or 8 cm DVD (also "3 inch DVD") is a DVD disc with a reduced diameter of 8 centimetres (3.15 in). It has been most commonly used in camcorders due to its compact size.[1] The most common MiniDVDs are single layered and hold 1.4 GB of data, but there are variants that can offer up to 5.2 GB of storage space, through a combination of dual layers and dual sides.

8 cm DVDs were originally used for music videos and as such became known as DVD single, similarly to how 8 cm optical discs were previously used for music singles on compact discs (i.e. CD single and miniCD). However the MiniDVD format has been mostly used as recordable discs in DVD-based camcorders during the 2000s; a single layer disc can record up to 30 minutes of standard definition video.[2] A number of movies and TV shows have also been released on the format in the mid-2000s, usually targeting children using low-cost small players.[1]

Nintendo used a very similar disc-based format for the GameCube.

MiniDVD capacities

The most common MiniDVDs are single layered, which can hold 1.46 GB of data, however, there also exists dual layered 2.6 GB versions,[3] dual sided single layer 2.8 GB versions,[4] and dual sided dual layer 5.2 GB versions. A double sided MiniDVD can hold 2.8 GB of data (1.4 GB x 2), however, a dual-layer MiniDVD can only hold 2.6 GB of data due to the limitations when manufacturing dual layered discs. A double sided dual layered disc can hold 5.2 GB of data (2.6 GB x 2), with the MiniDVD-RAM version of the double sided, dual layer disc being able to hold 5.6 GB of data (2.8GB x 2).

Mini DVDs are also available in +R, +R DS, +R DL, +R DL DS, +RW, +RW DS, -R, -R DS, -R DL, -R DL DS, -RW, and -RW DS variants, just like their full sized counterparts. (DL=Double Layer, DS=Double Sided).

Comparison of 8 cm (MiniDVD) capacities with 12 cm (standard DVD)
Physical size Single layer capacity Dual/Double layer capacity
8 cm, single sided[5]1.46 GB2.66 GB
8 cm, double sided[5]2.92 GB5.32 GB
12 cm, single sided[6]4.7 GB8.5 GB
12 cm, double sided[6]9.4 GB17.0 GB

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Kid Vid and the Mini-DVD". Sound & Vision. 2005-02-06. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  2. ↑ Biersdorfer, J. d (2005-02-24). "On Only 3 Inches of Disc, 30 Minutes of High-Quality Video". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  3. ↑ "Mini DVD+R DL 2.6GB 2.4X Branded 3pk Jewel Case". Duplication.ca. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  4. ↑ "Maxell Mini DVD-RAM VIDEO 60 Minute 2.8 GB". Duplication.ca. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  5. 1 2 80 mm DVD - Read-Only Disk (PDF) (Standard) (3rd ed.). ECMA. April 2001. p. 4. 268.
  6. 1 2 120 mm DVD - Read-Only Disk (PDF) (Standard) (3rd ed.). ECMA. April 2001. p. 4. 267.
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