Frequently Asked Questions About CD-R and CD-RW Discs

Please contact Media Sciences if your questions are not answered on these pages.

Why are ISO Mode 2 image files that I create not properly recorded to the disc?

The answer is in the history of CD formats. The CD-ROM Standard, ISO 10149 allows three formats; Mode 0, Mode 1, and Mode 2. Mode 1 should always be used for data, while Mode 2 is used only for error tolerant information such as audio or uncompressed video.

CD-ROM/XA added two new formats for multimedia applications, neither of which is the same as ISO 10149 Mode 2. CD-ROM/XA Mode 2/Form 1 is acceptable for data storage while CD-ROM/XA Mode 2/Form 2 should only be used for audio or video, never for data.

Identification of Mode 2 in recording software may be sloppy, sometimes referring to XA Mode 2/Form 2, at other times XA Mode 2/Form 1, and rarely ISO Mode 2. This is a common cause of recording problems.

The best solution is to use Mode 1 unless a multimedia application demands CD-ROM/XA. This avoids the Mode 2 confusion outlined above, and also utilizes additional Mode 1 error correction that is critical to successful interchange of computer data. ISO Mode 2 and XA Mode 2/Form 2 formats do not contain this additional error correction.