Training Seminars by Media Sciences

Information About Training Seminars

Benefits of training are higher productivity, lower cost, and improved quality.

CD-R Recording: Methods that achieve interchange and longevity.

CD and DVD Volume and File Structure: ISO 9660, XA, El Torito, Joliet, HFS, Hybrid, and Rock Ridge.

The CD+DVD Institute: A broad introduction to CD and DVD discs and drives.

DVD and CD-RW Quality: Focussed on advances in high capacity and rewriteable discs.

The 4D Institute: A renowned course on diskettes, drives, duplication, and data interchange.

Short Courses: In-depth instruction in specific disciplines.

Helpful Topics

Home Page: What's new, quality alerts.

Quality Testing: Obtain test results for indicators that predict successful interchange.

Training Seminars: Learn fundamentals and the newest techniques from experienced instructors.

FAQs: Answers to frequently asked questions about interchangeable computer media.

How to Contact Media Sciences: by phone, fax, e-mail, Internet, or mail.

About Media Sciences: History and personnel.

Site Map: Guide to all resources on this web site.

Other Services: Personalized support, specs, reference and calibration discs, and a torque kit.

Product Certification: Vendor certification based on ISO Standards.

Publications: A Quality Tips book, papers, and a newsletter offer timely information.

ISO Standards: Listings and sources of international Standards for interchange.

Links for Professionals: Other web sites containing useful quality and technology information.

Freeware and Shareware for Computer Media: Conduct quality tests using these programs.

Benefits of Training Seminars

Do You Need Our Courses?

• Do you participate in activities involving CD, DVD, or diskette technology or quality?
• Do you interact with technical or quality professionals in your organization?
• Is a basic knowledge of media for mass storage important to your future success?

If the answer is YES to even one of these questions, our seminars are for YOU. Newly assigned professionals will gain a comprehensive introduction. Experienced personnel will receive a focussed, thought provoking review and an update on the latest technical issues and quality methods.

Learn the Right Way to Make CDs and DVDs

You probably have experienced quality problems and learned some hard lessons. How will you apply them to make sure they don't happen again? Here are tools and strategies for surviving and thriving in a competitive marketplace.

Discover the biggest mistakes professionals make in choosing processes and products, and how to avoid these pitfalls. Key topics include a review of the risks and rewards of optical storage, an understanding of the technology, and methods for evaluating quality.

Properly Evaluate Quality

Learn what you need to know to make smart decisions about CD and DVD quality. Acquire the basic skills that will enable you to achieve the elusive goals of interchange and longevity, plus tips for troubleshooting field failures.

Develop your personal plan for success that frees you from serious quality problems. Following through will help you to prevent disastrous failures, and to achieve higher productivity, improved quality, and lower cost

Why Do "Good" CD and DVD Discs Fail?

Functionality is not an acceptable quality indicator because each drive servo responds differently to defects. Even though all CD and DVD discs have powerful error correction capabilities, discs that work in some drives can unpredictably fail in others. Standards only define requirements for discs. Because there are no standards for drives, defective discs may be readable in one drive but not in another. Only accurate tests of disc parameters can predict successful interchange.

Drives contain critically important servos for radial tracking, focus, spindle speed, and data clocking that are sensitive to disc quality. Logical structure, sector formats, post-gap requirements, and mechanical specifications also influence CD and DVD interchange.

Problems associated with pre-mastering, duplication, or replication can generate defects that may not be initially detected. Predictable interchange and longevity can only be attained through knowledge, experience, and comprehensive tests that produce CD and DVD discs in full conformance with ISO, Philips, and DVD Forum standards.

Achieve Higher Productivity, Lower Cost, and Improved Quality

These are all benefits of a sound training program coupled with effective management. Use our courses to quickly acquire methods that enable you to assure interchange and longevity by properly acquiring and interpreting test results. Reviews from those attending include "One of the best courses I ever attended," "Far surpassed any previous training," and "An invaluable course."

Based upon ISO, Philips, and DVD Forum standards, these programs will;

• impart both fundamentals and the newest techniques that will result in superior product quality and performance; and
• enhance professional development by sharpening existing skills.

Participation will benefit you and your organization by;

• reducing training costs and time;
• utilizing the latest problem-solving techniques;
• meeting in an informal learning atmosphere with your peers; and
• interacting with objective leading authorities.

Open courses allow cross-disciplinary interactions with other participants and are cost-effective when professionals from your organization attend.

In-house programs can be tailored to your objectives, support open discussion of sensitive issues, and are a cost-effective way to include your entire staff.

CD-R RECORDING

Understand What - Why - How

Discover Pitfalls You Must Avoid

Receive Answers to Your Questions

Know What to Do When You Return to Your Job

YOU WILL UNDERSTAND:

Color Books and Multimedia Extensions

Differences Between Types of Dyes

Importance of PCA and PMA Areas

Single Session, Multisession, and Packet

Purposes of Marks and Lands

Crosstalk and Intersymbol Interference

Causes of Media Degradation

Critical Functions of CIRC

Fundamentals of ISO 9660 and Packet

Mode 1, Mode 2, Form 1, Form 2 Sectors

Frame Structure Including Subcode

Important Role of Drive Servos

How to Select Media, Hardware, Software

Importance of the Recording Environment

Special Requirements for Replication

Key Indicators of Interchange and Longevity

OUTLINE OF THE SEMINAR:

BACKGROUND – History, Multimedia Extensions, Volume and File Structures

PHYSICAL STRUCTURE – Substrate, Groove, Dye, Metal, Track, Mark and Land, Coating and Label, Longevity, Degradation

DATA STRUCTURE – CIRC, Track Format, Sector and Frame Structure, EFM

DRIVE COMPONENTS – Read Laser, Data Channel, Error Detection and Correction, Radial Servo, Focus Servo, CLV Servo, Subcode, Clock, Sync

QUALITY INDICATORS – Itop, I11, I3, Asymmetry, Jitter, Crosstalk, Push-Pull, Radial Noise, Eccentricity, BLER, E11, E21, E31, E12, E22, E32, BURST Errors

PC BASED RECORDING SYSTEMS – CPU, RAM, O/S and Recording Software, HDD and SCSI Adapter, Recorder, Media, Environment

Receive an Invaluable Reference Manual Not Available Separately

• Summary of All Information Presented During the Seminar
• Supplementary Detail that Will Support Ongoing Growth
• Indexed for Quick Reference
• Informative Illustrations
• Useful Forms and Charts
• Extensive Glossary of Technical Terms
• Lists of Books, Publications, and Web Sites

CURRENT SCHEDULE: Pending.

TO REGISTER: Contact Media Sciences.

Print or save registration form

CD AND DVD VOLUME AND FILE STRUCTURE

Understand What - Why - How

Discover Pitfalls You Must Avoid

Receive Answers to Your Questions

Know What to Do When You Return to Your Job

YOU WILL UNDERSTAND:

Important Role of Sector 16

Function of the System Area

Volume Descriptor Purpose and Content

Use of Path Tables

Directory and File Name Requirements

Binary, Hex, Octal, Decimal Representations

Big and Little Endian Words

ASCII and UCS Character Sets

Sector and XA Subheader Structures

HFS Partition Maps and Master Directory Blocks

Special Uses of Directory System Use Bytes

Purposes of Hybrid Structures

Rock Ridge Subdirectory Relocation

Special Requirements of XA Formats

CD Boot Records and Boot Catalogs

How to Find the Standards

OUTLINE OF THE SEMINAR:

STANDARDS AND SECTOR STRUCTURE – ISO 9660 and Extensions, ISO/IEC 10149, XA

INFORMATION REPRESENTATIONS – Binary, Decimal, Hex, Octal, d-Characters, a-Characters, ASCII and UCS Characters

VOLUME SPACE STRUCTURE – System Area, Data Area, Descriptors, Path Tables, Directories, Files

ISO 9660 VOLUME AND FILE STRUCTURE – Directory and File Names, Descriptors, Path Tables, Directory Records, Files

CD-ROM XA EXTENSION TO ISO 9660 – Interleaving, Sector Subheader, Descriptors, System Use Areas

EL TORITO BOOTABLE EXTENSION TO ISO 9660 – Boot Record Volume Descriptor, Booting Catalog

JOLIET EXTENSION TO ISO 9660 – Directory and File Names, Volume Descriptors

HFS EXTENSION TO ISO 9660 – Directory and File Names, System Area, HFS Partition, Directory Records

ISO 9660/JOLIET/HFS HYBRID – Path Tables, Directories, Shared Files

ROCK RIDGE EXTENSION TO ISO 9660 – Directory and File Names, System Use Sharing Protocols, Subdirectory Relocation

TEST METHODS – Automated Software, Manual Sector Viewers

Receive an Invaluable Reference Manual Not Available Separately

• Summary of All Information Presented During the Seminar
• Supplementary Detail that Will Support Ongoing Growth
• Indexed for Quick Reference
• Useful Charts

CURRENT SCHEDULE: Pending.

TO REGISTER FOR THE USA: Contact Media Sciences.

TO REGISTER FOR EUROPE: Telephone David Coffey at Quantized Systems, +353 1 850-0064, or e-mail David Coffey at davec@quantized.com

Print or save registration form

The CD+DVD INSTITUTE

• Provide Comprehensive Knowledge • Emphasize Personalized Instruction • Explain What, Why, and How • Result in Immediate Action Plans •

Receive a thorough understanding of optical disc fundamantals that can be immediately applied to CD and DVD and also can be extended to future products.

• CD-DA • CD-ROM • CD-R • CD-RW • DVD-ROM • DVD-RAM • DVD-R • DVD-RW • DVD+R • DVD+RW • Blu-ray • HD DVD •

You will understand important CD and DVD quality issues including:

Why Functionality Does Not Validate Quality

How Defects can be Masked by Error Correction

Important Dual Objectives of Interchange and Longevity

CD, DVD, BD, HD DVD Physical Structures

Structure of Recordable and Rewritable Discs

Functions of CD/DVD R/RW Grooves and Wobble

Detailed CD and DVD Data Structures

Track Structures for CD-DA, CD-ROM, CD-R, and DVD

CD Mode 1, Mode 2 Form 1, Mode 2 Form 2 Sectors

Critical Differences Between Single and Multisession

CD Frame Structure and EFM Modulation

Merging Bits and Digital Sum Values

Blu-ray Data Encoding, PRML Decoding, and EDC/ECC

How Data Is Recorded Using Pit/Land Transitions

Angular Deviation and Spherical Aberration

Cross-Interleave Reed-Solomon Error Correction

Drive Components and their Effect on Quality

How Drive Servos Respond to Media Defects

Disc Manufacturing Methods and Pitfalls

Key Quality Indicators and Expected Values

Mechanical and Optical Quality Tests

Differences Between Standards and Specifications

Analog or Parameter Performance Tests

Itop, I11, I3, Asymmetry, Push-Pull, Crosstalk,

Jitter, Deflection and Deviation, Eccentricity

Critical CD Error Quality Indicators

BLER, E11, E21, E31, E12, E22, E32, E42, BURST Errors

DVD Quality Indicators Including Differential Phase Tracking, Tangential Push-Pull, PI and PO Errors

How Test Results Relate to Performance

Four Important Logical Verification Tests

Types and Sources of Test Equipment

Special Test Methods that Maintain Correlation

Key Interpretation and Troubleshooting Methods

FIRST DAY – DISCS AND DRIVES:

CD and DVD History and Technology – CD Discs, Multimedia Extensions, File Structures, Features, Limitations, Trends, Higher Capacity Methods

CD and DVD Drives – Optical Pickup, Data, Radial/Focus/Spindle Servos, Single and Three Beam, DVD, MultiRead, Mount Rainier

CD and DVD Physical Structures – CD/DVD/Blu-ray/HD DVD ROM/R/RW Discs and Tracks, DAO/TAO/SAO/Multisession, Packet, OPC, Pits and Lands, Tilt, Spherical Aberration, Protective Coating, Longevity and Degradation

Disc Manufacturing – Image Generation, Mastering, Master and Stamper Inspection, Molding, Testing, Capital Requirements

SECOND DAY – QUALITY INDICATORS:

Error Correction – Parity, Reed-Solomon Codes, Interleaving, CIRC Capability, Error Rates of Large Defects, Sources of Defects

CD and DVD Data Structure – Sector Formats, Frame Construction, Subcode, Eight-to-Fourteen Modulation, Merging Bits, DVD Sectors/Blocks/Frames

Electrical Parameters – Itop, I11, I3, Asymmetry, Jitter, Effect Length, Radial Tracking, Radial Noise, Radial Acceleration, Pre-Groove Requirements, DVD Radial Tracking, Eccentricity, Vertical Deflection and Deviation, Crosstalk

CD Errors – BLER, E11, E21, E31, E12, E22, E32, Burst, Dropout

DVD Errors – PI and PO Errors, Large Defect Length and Count

THIRD DAY – QUALITY EVALUATION:

Blu-ray Basics – Data Encoding, PRML Decoding, Picket and RS EDC/ECC

Inspection – Logical Verification, Visual/Physical/Optical Inspection

CD and DVD Standards – ISO/UDF/DVD Volume and File Structures, ISO/Philips/DVD Forum Disc Standards

Test Equipment – Types, Accuracy, Correlation, High Speed Testing

Quality System Management – Quality Functions, Standards and Specifications, Stability, Calibration and Test Discs

Test Procedures – Sampling Plans, Handling, Test Results for Parameters and Errors, Test Reports

Interpretation – Is the Disc Good? Why Is the Disc Bad?

Receive an Invaluable Reference Manual Not Available Separately

• An Important Resource
• Summary of All Information Presented During the Day
• Supplementary Detail that Will Support Ongoing Growth
• Indexed for Quick Reference
• Informative Illustrations
• Useful Forms and Charts
• Extensive Glossary of Technical Terms
• List of Resources

CURRENT SCHEDULE: Pending.

TO REGISTER FOR THE USA AND CANADA: Contact Media Sciences.

TO REGISTER FOR EUROPE: Telephone David Coffey at Quantized Systems, +353 1 850-0064, or e-mail David Coffey at davec@quantized.com

Print or save registration form

DVD AND CD-RW QUALITY

• Update Your Knowledge of DVD Optical Storage • Introduce Rewritable Technology • Provide Answers to Your Questions •

• DVD-ROM • DVD-RAM • DVD-R • DVD-RW • +RW • CD-RW •

This one-day seminar provides important information to professionals who would benefit from a supplement to previous training and experience. Attend the three-day CD INSTITUTE to receive a comprehensive introduction to optical storage technology including all information from this seminar.

You will understand important quality issues including:

Methods for Achieving Higher Capacity

Dual Layer DVD Structures

Parallel and Opposite DVD Track Paths

DVD Lead-In Complexities

RS-PC Error Correction

8-to-16 Modulation

Single-Beam DVD Pickup Heads

Differential Phase Radial Tracking

DVD Recordable-Rewritable Capabilities and Limitations

Public and Private DVD Standards

MultiRead Drive Specifications

Crystalline and Amorphous Solid Phases

Rewritable Phase Change Layers

High Speed Rewritable Challenges

OUTLINE OF THE SEMINAR:

PHASE CHANGE REWRITABLE SYSTEMS – Metastable States, Quenching and Annealing, Multilayer Construction, Write Strategies, OPC, CD-RW

DVD DISC – Dual Side, Dual Layer, Physical and Dimensional Characteristics

DVD PHYSICAL TRACK – PTP, OTP, BCA, Lead-In, Data Zone, Middle Zone, Lead-Out

DVD LOGICAL AND DATA STRUCTURE – UDF, DVD Video, Data Frame, ECC Block, Physical Sector

DVD STANDARDS – ISO, ECMA, DVD Forum

DVD DRIVES – Spindle, Pickup Head, Radial Tracking, Focus

DVD QUALITY INDICATORS – Reflectivity, Amplitude, MTF, Asymmetry, Cross-Track, Jitter, PI, PO, Differential Phase Tracking Amplitude/Asymmetry/Tangential Push-Pull

DVD RECORDABLE-REWRITABLE – DVD-RAM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, +RW, Quality Indicators, Tradeoffs

Receive an Invaluable Reference Manual Not Available Separately

• Summary of All Information Presented During the Day
• Supplementary Detail that Will Support Ongoing Growth
• Informative Illustrations
• Useful Forms and Charts

CURRENT SCHEDULE: Pending.

TO REGISTER: Contact Media Sciences.

Print or save registration form

The 4D INSTITUTE

The 4D INSTITUTE provides you with diskette quality tools to compete in a high technology environment demanding high quality and low cost. Presenters are Bill Proctor of P/A, Inc. (over 25 years of experience in magnetic media), and Jerry Hartke (president of Media Sciences).

FIRST DAY – INTRODUCTION: Modern Quality Methods, Basic Magnetics, the Write/Read Process

SECOND DAY – DRIVES: Drive Fundamentals, Drive Quality Measurement

THIRD DAY – DISKETTES: Diskette Construction and Manufacture, Diskette Handling, Diskette Quality Measurement

FOURTH DAY – DUPLICATION: Data Interchange Fundamentals, Duplication Quality Measurement, Performance Estimating, Modern Inspection Methods

CURRENT SCHEDULE: Pending

TO REGISTER: Contact Media Sciences.

SHORT COURSES

DISKETTES AND DRIVES – THEIR SELECTION AND USE: A practical, comprehensive introduction to characteristics of blank diskettes, drives, and duplicated media providing broad coverage of all major quality issues (two days).

CURRENT SCHEDULE: Pending

EFFECTIVE UTILIZATION OF THE MEDIA LOGIC ML5000: Interpretation of diskette test results and methods necessary to ensure that your tests accurately characterize the media, applicable to all test equipment (one day).

CURRENT SCHEDULE: Pending

BASICS OF STATISTICAL PROCESS CONTROL: This proven approach to quality management produces both improved quality and lower cost as tangible benefits of its clear, straightforward approach (two days).

CURRENT SCHEDULE: Pending

DISKETTE INSPECTION AND HANDLING: Visual and mechanical inspection techniques and handling methods that enhance confidence in diskette interchangeability (one day).

CURRENT SCHEDULE: Pending

STANDARD DISKETTE RECORDING FORMATS: Detailed introduction to diskette physical and logical formats and test methods resulting in a thorough understanding of this important subject (one day).

CURRENT SCHEDULE: Pending