Editing DVD-RAM (section)

==Advantages==
[[Image:Panasonic DVD-RAM001.JPG|thumb|A DVD-RAM for [[DVD recorder]]s]]
[[Image:Mini-DVD-RAM with Holder.jpg|thumb|A miniDVD-RAM with DVD round holder]]
[[Image:Dvdramopen2.gif|thumb|How to open a DVD-RAM cartridge ([[Caddy (hardware)|caddy]])]]

* Long life&nbsp;— without physical damage, data is retained for an estimated 30 years. For this reason, it is used for archival storage of data.<ref>{{Cite web| title = Fujifilm DVD-RAM Disc | publisher = Fujifilm | date = 2006-10-17 | url = http://www.fujifilmusa.com/JSP/fuji/epartners/conAVProductsDVD-RAM_Disc.jsp | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061017122044/http://www.fujifilmusa.com/JSP/fuji/epartners/conAVProductsDVD-RAM_Disc.jsp | archive-date = 2006-10-17 | access-date = 2009-08-15 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| title = Update: Phase Change WORM | publisher = West World Productions and Gale Group | url = http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Update:+Phase+Change+WORM-a060300934 | access-date = 2007-12-29 }}</ref>
* Can be rewritten over 100,000 times for the lowest write speed discs (DVD±RW can be rewritten approx. 1,000 times). Faster DVD-RAMs allow fewer rewrites (3x speed: 100,000, 5x speed: 10,000) {{Citation needed|date=September 2007}}, but still more than [[DVD+RW]] or [[DVD-RW]]. (These are theoretical numbers. In practice they could be smaller depending on the drive, the treatment of the disc and the file system.)
* Reliable writing of discs. Verification done in hardware by the drive, so post-write verification by software is unnecessary. Software verification is disabled in all current DVD Video Recorders.
* Disc defect management designed to safeguard data.
* DVD-burning software may not be required&nbsp;— discs can be used and accessed like a removable [[hard disk]]. [[Mac OS]] (8.6 or later) uses DVD-RAM directly. [[Windows XP]] uses DVD-RAM directly for FAT32-formatted discs only. [[Windows Vista]] is able to write directly to both FAT32- and UDF-formatted DVD-RAM discs from within Windows Explorer. Device drivers or other software are needed for earlier versions of Windows.
* Very fast access of small files on the disc.
* Small 2 KB disc block size [[Fragmentation (computer)#Internal fragmentation|wastes]] less space when writing small files.
* Finalization not necessary.  For video recording use, other media such as DVD+RW (when used in [[DVD+VR]] mode) do not require a separate finalisation either as finalisation is automatic.  The table of contents can be overwritten in this latter media.
* Media available with or without protective cartridges; can be used in the cartridge by many devices.
* In some video recorders DVD-RAM can be written to and read at the same time, allowing one program to be recorded and a different one, or an earlier part of the same one (time slip recording), to be viewed at the same time.  DVD+RW recorders can achieve the same thing, and more recently some DVD-RW recorders achieve it as well (though only at the slower recording speeds).
* Usable with some high-end security digital video recorders, such as the Tecton Darlex, as a secure and long-lasting export medium.
* Holds more data when using Double Sided discs than dual-layer DVD+RW and DVD-RW - 9.4GB for DVD-RAM vs 8.5GB for DVD+RW DL and DVD-RW DL.
* Has write-protect tabs to prevent accidental deletion when used in a cartridge.