Physical Vs. Digital Media

First, what is physical media? I believe that physical media is anything you can hold in your hands and must physically prepare for use. Unlike streaming or cloud-based files, you physically own the object. Physical media are a lot of things, such as film cameras, CDs, DVDs, cassette tapes, and vinyl records. So let's talk about how some of these physical media work. Vinyl records work by storing music in them by converting sound waves into physical groves on the disc with the “hills and valleys” replicating the original sound waves from the music. Now let's talk about CDs. CDs store audio as billions of microscopic bumps and flat areas called pits and land in a spiral track on the disc. A laser inside the CD player reads this physical pattern, converts it into an electrical signal, and translates it into the sound you hear.

Although physical media is pretty cool, there are some pros and cons that come from physical media. Let’s start out with the cons. First vinyls and CDs are pretty delicate, one scratch on your vinyl, and it’s ruined. It skips the tracks or there could be a bunch of buzzing. The same goes for CDs. One scratch, and it could mess up the entire physical pattern and both can break very easily. one snap, and it’s gone. That’s why they are very delicate, and they are also very expensive. Now let’s talk about some pros. Say your favorite movie gets deleted off your streaming platform, but you remember your parents stored some old DVDs and, luckily, they have your favorite one. A DVD will never be deleted unless it’s destroyed. Say you like collecting things, a collection of your favorite songs on Spotify will never be the same as the $1000 collection of vinyls and CDs that you can display. For physical media, you only pay once, it'sl;o not like a subscription, it’s a one time thing that you get to keep forever.

Electronic systems are used to build, keep, and share information on machines that connect to the internet, which is known as Digital Media. Various materials like songs, moving videos, audio shows, social networks, and internet games are included in Digital Media. Well-known examples like Apple Music and Spotify represent popular forms of Digital Media. By using these programs, song services are delivered directly to smartphones, tablets, and computers, which removes the necessity of purchasing physical CDs. Experts claim that Digital Media has created great ease for humans because songs can be streamed in any place when WIFI or phone data is active. The systems of finding, sharing, and hearing music have been completely transformed by Digital Media. 

There are positive results and negative results that come from Digital Media. A clear benefit is that knowledge, amusement, and contact with other people can be obtained with great speed. For instance, music lovers are enabled by Spotify and Apple Music to hear songs immediately from almost any location. Many people believe that Digital Media gives assistance to individuals who want to contact companions, acquire new abilities, and receive news of the world. On the opposite side, bad consequences are also found. Looking at phone screens for too many hours can damage rest, concentration, and body movement. Untrue stories can be widely distributed on the internet very fast, which makes the discovery of true facts very difficult. Safety of personal data and internet diversions represent extra difficulties for users. When Digital Media is handled with care, the good parts are increased while the dangers are made smaller. Artistic imagination is supported by Digital Media because Digital Media provides instruments for making movies, songs, and drawings. Simultaneously, bad behavior on the internet and comparing oneself to others on social networks can injure the peace of the mind.