File Size Explanations
The following may help to explain why some data storage tapes,
hard drives, CDs, DVDs, etc. don't hold as much as they claim to.
The larger the amount of data, the more the measurement goes out
by. For example, a 4 gigabyte DAT storage tape doesn't really hold
4 gigabytes, it holds 4,000,000,000 bytes which is only 93.13225%
of it's rated capacity, or 3.725 gigabytes. An 8.5 GB dual layered
DVD really only holds 7.91 GB. A 4.7 GB single layered DVD really
only holds 4.37 GB. Too bad that marketers are so eager to round
up binary numbers to their advantage, because it makes calculations
of how much data you can fit on it very difficult.
Note below that when abbreviating binary numbers you should use
upper case (i.e. K, M, G & T), but when stating rounded divisions
of 1000, lower case should be used (i.e. k, m, g & t). Also
note that when abbreviating BYTES, always use upper case B, because
lower case b means BITS (there are 8 bits in 1 byte).
1,024 bytes |
= |
1 kilobyte (KB), or 1,000 bytes (kB)
is really 97.65625% of a kilobyte. |
1,048,576 bytes |
= |
1 megabyte (MB), or 1,000,000 bytes (mB)
is really 95.36743% of a megabyte. |
1,073,741,824 bytes |
= |
1 gigabyte (GB), or 1,000,000,000 bytes (gB)
is really 93.13225% of a gigabyte. |
1,099,511,627,776 bytes |
= |
1 terabyte (TB), or 1,000,000,000,000 bytes (tB)
is really 90. 94947% of a terabyte. |
|