Last updated on January 23rd, 2024 at 02:17 am
A MiniDVD disc has a diameter of 80 mm (3 inches). Popularly used with DVD camcorders, it has a storage space of 1.4 GB.
In comparison, a standard DVD has a diameter of 120 mm and a storage space of 4.7 GB.
A MiniDVD disc is popularly called a 3-inch DVD. The “3-inch” refers to its diameter.
MiniDVD Versions
A standard DVD, as explained above, holds 1.4GB of data.
There are dual-layer MiniDVD discs available as well.
There’s the 2.6GB MiniDVD version. There are also the single-layer, dual-sided, 2.8GB MiniDVDs.
The other type is the 5.2GB MiniDVD version. This is the dual-sided dual-layer MiniDVD.
MiniDVD vs mini DVD(cDVD)
A MiniDVD disc should not be confused with a mini DVD.
A mini DVD is a CD (compact disc) formatted as a DVD. Also known as cDVD, it can store DVD-quality video.
A cDVD’s size is that of a regular CD or DVD – 120mm instead of 80mm.
A cDVD can be played on a computer CD-ROM drive and a DVD-Drive.
You can play a MiniDVD on a DVD player but not a mini DVD (cDVD).
A MiniDVD can only be played on a DVD-ROM drive.
MiniDVD Use
Camcorders
MiniDVDs were once popularly used in DVD camcorders. The smaller disc enabled camcorder manufacturers to reduce the size of their cameras.
DVD camcorders can record 30 minutes of MPEG-2 quality in SP mode on a MiniDVD. In LP mode it would be 60 minutes.
Learn more about DVD camcorders and DVD-RAM camcorders. The latter support MiniDVD-RAM and MiniDVD-R discs.
Gaming
Nitendo used a proprietary MiniDVD for its game console, the Nitendo GameCube.
These MiniDVDs store about 1.5GB of data. They aren’t standard MiniDVDs. You can’t play these discs on a computer DVD drive or a DVD player.
MiniDVD for Sale
MiniDVDs are no longer popular these days of HD video. However, they are still sought after by folks who own functioning DVD camcorders.
The good news is they’re still available for sale.
Here are some MiniDVD brands still available for sale.
TDK MiniDVD Disc
This blank MiniDVD comes with a 2x write speed.
You can store 30 minutes of MPEG-2 quality video on it.
This disc should work on any DVD camcorder that supports DVD-R.
Check out this TDK MiniDVD-R.
50-Pack MiniDVD Disc Set
Branded MiniDVDs are hard to come by these days. They’re no longer manufactured. You may find limited units here and there, online.
If you need a big quantity of MiniDVDs you may want to opt for this generic MiniDVD which comes in a pack of 50.
These made-in-China MiniDVDs support a write speed ranging from 1x to 8x.
The manufacturer claims that the DVDs are of A+ grade quality.
Users have reported that these MiniDVDs work well with their DVD camcorders and even with GameCube.
Check out the 50-Pack MiniDVD-R offer.
Memorex 5-Pack MiniDVD-R
This set of 5 MiniDVD-Rs comes with a 4x write speed.
Pick this offer if you’re looking for a branded MiniDVD-R.
They would work well with DVD camcorders.
Check out this Memorex MiniDVD pack.
Panasonic LM-AF30U3 MiniDVD-RAM
If you own a functioning DVD-RAM camcorder, you would need Mini-DVD RAM discs.
An advantage of a MiniDVD-RAM disc is that it’s rewriteable and you don’t have to finalize it before playing it back.
This Panasonic MiniDVD-RAM comes in a set of 3 discs. Each disc will offer you 30 minutes of video recording.
Check out this Panasonic MiniDVD-RAM disc set.
MiniDVD Player
You’ll have no problem playing a MiniDVD on a computer DVD drive or a DVD player.
You may also play a MiniDVD disc on a dedicated MiniDVD player like the Samsung DVD-L25.
It’s also called a portable or hand-held DVD player. It measures a mere 4.3 x 6.7 x 1.3 inches (WxHxD).
This DVD player will play only 3-inch DVDs.
It comes with a 2.5-inch TFT LCD color screen. It’s powered by a rechargeable battery that can last up to 2.5 hours of normal disc playback.
It supports standard alkaline batteries as well. Apart from MiniDVDs, this portable player also supports MP3, WMA and also JPEG (still images).
Check out the Samsung DVD-L25 MiniDVD player.
References
DVD Production: A Practical Resource for DVD Publishers
By Mark Ely, Phil De Lancie
