Overview - ISO/IEC 17342:2004 (DVD-RW 80 mm & 120 mm)
ISO/IEC 17342:2004 defines the mechanical, physical and optical characteristics of 80 mm (≈1.46 Gbytes/side) and 120 mm (≈4.70 Gbytes/side) DVD re‑recordable (DVD‑RW) discs to enable reliable interchange between media and drives. The standard specifies requirements for pre‑recorded, unrecorded and recorded signals, the data and information‑zone formats, the unrecorded zone, and the recording method - plus test and measurement conditions used to verify conformance.
Key topics and requirements
- Dimensional and mechanical characteristics: overall dimensions, clamping zone, information zone layout, mass, moment of inertia, runout and balance requirements that affect drive compatibility.
- Optical parameters: substrate thickness, refractive index, reflectivity (recorded and unrecorded), polarity of reflectivity modulation and birefringence limits to ensure correct read/write performance.
- Operational signals: quality and formats of high‑frequency (HF) read signals, jitter, random errors, defects and servo signals (radial/tangential push‑pull, differential phase tracking).
- Data format and addressing: frame structure, identification data (ID), error detection codes, information‑zone and unrecorded‑zone formats to support interoperable data exchange.
- Measurement & conformance tools: reference measurement devices such as Pick‑Up Heads (PUH), normalized servo transfer functions and specified test conditions for recorded and unrecorded disks.
- Environmental and safety criteria: test, operating, storage and transportation environments; safety and flammability considerations relevant to media handling and manufacturing.
- Recording method and write strategy: prescribed approaches and test practices for writing to DVD‑RW media to ensure reliable recorded signal quality.
Practical applications - who uses this standard
- Optical disc manufacturers and media suppliers: to design and produce DVD‑RW discs that meet interoperability requirements.
- Drive, PUH and optical pickup designers: to tune servo, optics and firmware for correct tracking, focus and read/write performance.
- Test laboratories and QA teams: to perform acceptance testing, conformance verification and manufacturing quality control using defined measurement procedures.
- System integrators, duplication services and archival professionals: to select compatible media and drives for reliable data storage, duplication and long‑term preservation.
- Firmware developers and device manufacturers: to implement addressing, error detection and read/write strategies consistent with the DVD‑RW format.
Related standards
- Complementary ISO/IEC standards cover other optical media (CD, DVD and rewritable formats) and may be consulted for cross‑compatibility, media labeling and broader optical‑storage system requirements.
Keywords: ISO/IEC 17342, DVD‑RW, 80 mm DVD, 120 mm DVD, optical disc standard, DVD re‑recordable, mechanical characteristics, optical parameters, data format, servo signals, conformance testing.