Media Info

When the media info button is selected the display will change to a display similar to the one pictured below.

This display gives various information about the media loaded in the currently selected drive.

There are some speed lines of data displayed by this button.  Three for minus media and two for plus media that require further explanation.

1.     Media Code Speed.  This media speed rating is determined by comparing the loaded media id code against an internal database of known codes and speeds.

2.      Write Strategy Speed.  This media speed rating is determined by examining the data on the media looking for write strategies specific to certain media speeds.

3.      Current Drive Speed.  

a.      If a media is currently loaded, and it is a media the drive can write to, the speed rating is that returned by the drive for maximum speed.

b.      If no media is loaded, then the speed rating is that returned by the drive for its current speed setting.

The above three speed ratings allow you to determine the true media speed and the speed seen by the drive.  This is especially useful for those drives with hacked firmware to increase the speed of some media.  It allows you to easily see the true speed for the media should you wish to write at its true speed.

There is a BG Format Status  line of data displayed by this button that requires explanation.  There are four possibilities.

1.     Not Formatted  -  The media is not formatted and a background format process has not been started.

2.     Suspended       -  The format is not complete, the background format process was suspended and is currently not running.

3.     In Progress       - The background format process is currently running and not yet complete.

4.     Completed        - The format is complete.  A fully formatted DVD+RW was found mounted.

Write Strategy and OPC data.

Newer DVD-R/RW have write speed data contained on them that inform the drive the laser power and other settings to burn this particular media at a particular speed. Older media required the drive to 'know' the media which of course required users to constantly update firmware. This new approach allows the media itself to inform the drive how to burn it at particular speeds without the firmware needed to know the media. The 'Write Strategy" and "OPC" settings are lines of data showing these various settings. The meaning of them is beyond the scope of this article. They are provided because I can, and to allow comparison.

CD-R/RW Media

Media info can give limited information on CD-R/RW media.  There are over 100 manufacturers of CD media known by the program and this is displayed if a match is found.  The available write descriptors are also shown.