Variable speed writing on a CD-R, CD-RW and DVD-RW media

摘要

A system and method for writing to an optical media 112 are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, a write controller 102 monitors the amount of data in an optical writer's buffer 108. The write controller further monitors the rate at which data is being supplied to the optical writer's buffer. The writer controller interacts with the laser optics 110 and servo 114 of the optical writer to dynamically adjust the speed at which data is written to the optical media based upon the amount of data in the optical writer's buffer and the rate at which data is being supplied to such buffer. In a preferred embodiment, the write controller decreases the write speed if the amount of data in the optical writer's buffer drops below a threshold amount. Moreover, in a preferred embodiment, the write controller decreases the write speed if the rate at which data is being supplied to the optical writer's buffer decreases below a threshold amount. Also, the write controller increases the write speed if the amount of data in the optical writer's buffer is above a "safe" threshold. Thus, rather than the write speed being locked into a set speed for the entire write to an optical media, the optical writer varies its write speed to provide optimum performance while also avoiding buffer underrun errors.