Abstract: A BCA mark is applied prior to molding of optical recording media. A stamper including a BCA code is formed. The stamper including the BCA code is used in the molding of optical recording discs. This technique can be used in manufacturing of read-only type discs, recordable discs, rewritable discs, hybrid discs, discs readable from both disc sides, discs having multiple information layers, high-density discs, etc.

Abstract: An improvement to an optical recording apparatus is provided for adapting the apparatus for an optical recording format using multiple modulation levels. The improvement includes an electro-optic modulator (EOM) added between a light source and a first modulator, to regulate a power of the light beam supplied to the first modulator. A modulation interface is adapted to output a power control signal to the EOM, and the EOM regulates the power of the light beam supplied to the first modulator to a power level corresponding to the power control signal. The apparatus is further adapted to supply a formatted data signal directly from a formatter to the first modulator, without going through the modulation interface.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for protecting against copying of content recorded on optical recording media are provided. An area of an optical recording medium is designated to be ignored by a standards-compliant optical media player reproducing content recorded on the optical recording medium. Unreadable data is written to the designated area which is ignored by the standard-compliant optical media player. When an optical medium drive attempts to read the unreadable data in order to perform a one-to-one copy process on data recorded on the recording medium, the optical medium drive is unable to complete the one-to-one copy process.