Appendix D – Disc Creation Hints & Tips
Discs for Distribution
Many users ask how they should make discs suitable for mass distribution.
There are many software packages available for discs mastering. R-Quest does
not recommend any specific package over another. However there are some
basic recommendations. These are:
For creating CD data discs for distribution, use ISO 9660 Mode 1 unless your
application specifically requires CD-XA Mode 2. Error correction is higher in
Mode 1, and legacy systems are more likely to read this format.
If you intend to duplicate the disc, do not use Packet writing software (e.g. Direct
CD, PacketCD, Spira). These types of disc contain bad blocks because of the
way that the Packet system writes them. Masters containing bad blocks
(intentional or not) are rejected as unreadable. Certain copy-protection systems
utilise bad blocks, and since this equipment is not designed to defeat such
systems (see illegal copying / piracy section at the front of this manual) they are
rejected.
R-Quest does not recommend using re-writeable media (such as CD-RW, DVD-
RW, DVD+RW or BD-RE) for distribution. While these discs are generally
reliable, they are not as reliable as record-once (CD-R, DVD-R, DVD+R, BD-R)
media when used across a large number of ‘end user’ readers, and are more
susceptible to finger prints, dust and other contaminates. We therefore
recommend only using write-once media for general data/audio/video
distribution.
