A DVD drive is an electromechanical storage component that uses a red laser diode to read or write data on a spinning optical disc. While largely replaced by solid-state storage, they remain relevant in older industrial systems and media players. They rely on a precision optical pickup unit moving along rails to track the microscopic pits and lands on the disc surface.
The industrial controller still boots from a DVD drive, so make sure the laser lens is clean before you close the cabinet.
Related terms
CD drive
An optical disc drive designed to read or write data on compact discs using a laser diode.
Optical drive
A hardware mechanism that reads and writes data on optical discs using laser light.
HD DVD drive
An optical disc drive designed to read the discontinued high-density digital versatile disc format.