Why did GC use mini-discs

**GCfanboy** · 08-01-2001, 06:04 AM

Can someone help me out here? Why use mini discs? The Playstation 2's DVD roms can hold 4 point something gigs of space. That's about two and a half time more than Nintendo's mini discs. I know they prevent piracy but that's a big step in space there. Is there anyway that they can make discs that can hold more. Like hold cartridge sizes increased as time went on. But then again, couldn't they use mutiple discs, or multi-layer discs or compression or something to show that this format is just as good as the PS2's and Xbox's. Someone help me out here. Also, why do I hear people saying that Xbox has full DVD playback and that PS2 doesn't? What do they mean by full DVD play back? Why doesn't the playstation 2 have full DVD playback, and what the heck is full DVD playback. I'd think of it as putting the DVD inside the drive and it play. I'm confused, someone relieve me of all my questions.

**zmaster** · 08-01-2001, 01:38 PM

PS2's DVD Roms hold 4Gig's of space? There's a new one. If they hold 4GIG's of DVD, then that's just the DVD compatibilities. I'm pretty sure that the GCN discs hold more then the PS2 discs. As for the Full DVD Playback, refer to the 4GIG's of DVD space. It means that the X-Box can play any DVD, all the way through, while the PS2 has a limit of 4GIG's of DVD it can play. Keep in mind that I really don't know alot about PS2 or DVD, so all that I said could be wrong. But, I hope that helped a little.

**BigSky** · 08-01-2001, 01:48 PM

yeah, you are wrong

GC holds 1.5 Gig.
PS2 holds 4.7 Gig.
XBox holds 4.7 Gig.

On the XBox, and I have to assume the PS2, you can double the number of gigs for dual layered DVDs.

**zmaster** · 08-01-2001, 01:49 PM

Originally posted by BigSky
yeah, you are wrong

Oh well. Just trying to be helpful.

**BigSky** · 08-01-2001, 01:52 PM

a simple look at all the faqs at say IGN would have cleared the issue

**Mario's Dad** · 08-01-2001, 01:54 PM

GC disks should be plenty big for most games. They can also be dual layered and double sided which will give you a lot more space. Xbox uses DVD 9 which is dual layered and gets about 8.5 gigs.

**Pretendo** · 08-01-2001, 02:06 PM

Originally posted by GCfanboy
Can someone help me out here? Why use mini discs? The Playstation 2's DVD roms can hold 4 point something gigs of space. That's about two and a half time more than Nintendo's mini discs. I know they prevent piracy but that's a big step in space there. Is there anyway that they can make discs that can hold more. Like hold cartridge sizes increased as time went on. But then again, couldn't they use mutiple discs, or multi-layer discs or compression or something to show that this format is just as good as the PS2's and Xbox's. Someone help me out here. Also, why do I hear people saying that Xbox has full DVD playback and that PS2 doesn't? What do they mean by full DVD play back? Why doesn't the playstation 2 have full DVD playback, and what the heck is full DVD playback. I'd think of it as putting the DVD inside the drive and it play. I'm confused, someone relieve me of all my questions.

Nintendo decided to use the much smaller 8cm Mini DVD's to prevent software piracy. PSX/2 discs are either black or blue to do the same, but Sony opted to stick with the larger, standard size, as developers a la Square tend to be a little superfluous when it comes to pre-rendered video. Just because GCN's discs are smaller by no means condones them as more expensive. In fact in material value GameCube MDVD's are quite cheaper than the larger formats.

Lets also not forget that 1.56GB's of space can easily be doubled by multi-layering, and it's quite possible to have more than 3 layers per disc. But once more 1.56GB's is quite large. Take the 1GB Dremcast GDROM's, only a handfull of two disc titles where ever released. Also with new technologies such as MPEG-2/3/4 can compress data, but the output remains high quality, and GameCube certainly has the power to decode such decompression algorythyms on the fly.

FYI: Factor 5 has only used 200MB's or so for Star Wars Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II, which features excepional high-quality sound and cut-scenes from the movie.

**³¹¹** · 08-01-2001, 02:12 PM

only 200! imagine if all 1.5 g's were used....hopefully they are...mroe sound...and cutscenes...mmmm..

**Pretendo** · 08-01-2001, 02:18 PM

Originally posted by 311
only 200! imagine if all 1.5 g's were used....hopefully they are...mroe sound...and cutscenes...mmmm..

That would be l337

**³¹¹** · 08-01-2001, 03:03 PM

whats l337

**zmaster** · 08-01-2001, 03:58 PM

Originally posted by 311
whats l337

I think he meant 1,337.

**dragulongx** · 08-01-2001, 04:08 PM

Man I like it when I Pretendo can say something that are better replies than mine. I also like GCN disc because they're portable.

**³¹¹** · 08-01-2001, 04:13 PM

butthe thing is, will they come in smaller cases? or will they come in big dvd ones. cuz if they come in big ones, they aint that portable...

**BigSky** · 08-01-2001, 04:15 PM

portable???

non issue, we are talking a matter of inches in width, nothing more

**zmaster** · 08-01-2001, 04:16 PM

BigSky's right 311. Any CD is portable. All you need is large pockets.

**³¹¹** · 08-01-2001, 04:22 PM

but dude, what u gona carry it in.. do you want to sratch it???so how big is the case gonna be....
i dont wanna carry a disc in one hand, GCN in another and balance my controller when going to a friends...

**CubeFaN** · 08-01-2001, 04:46 PM

Most likely ninendo is gonna put the disks in a small DVD case. Why would they waste money and plastic by putting them in a regular DVD case?

Also who needs 4 gigs of space?

Small discs prevent piracy, you dont waste space and if you need space you can always double-side it or dual-layer it, small discs = faster loading times, and they are easier to develop for.

**tiny_prey** · 08-01-2001, 05:08 PM

nope, sorry...regular DVD cases.

but yea, in the future...space will be all about compression...not high compacity

**dragulongx** · 08-01-2001, 05:09 PM

Okay so far Nintendo is thinking of selling the GCN disc in smaller DVD cases probably the size of Game Boy boxes but thinner, but they might still use regular DVD cases because of instruction booklet size and the fact that they might not want to pay to make a smaller case. Plus have you even looked at that tiny circle inside your CD-ROM where you put the disc that thing is small so it can fit in your pocket easily. If you're worried about scratching well how did you keep your CDs?