Abstract: 1. A data storage system (1) comprises: —an optical disc (2) having a storage space (3) comprising blocks (4) of storage locations; —a disc drive (10), suitable for reading information from the disc, the drive being designed to automatically start reading a next block after having read a previous block; —a host (20), capable of cooperating with the drive; —the host being designed to send (5) commands to said drive, commanding said drive to read one or more sectors of data from said disc (2); —the host being designed to send a jump command JUMPm(X,Y;SAP) to said drive, for instructing said drive to jump to block Y after having read block X, the jump command JUMPm(X,Y;SAP) including a sequential access parameter SAP; —the drive being designed, in response to receiving a jump command JUMPm(X,Y<X;SAP˜0), to jump back to block Y after having read block X.

Abstract: A recording device has medium interface means (14) for interfacing with a storage medium (11) for recording data on the medium and retrieving data from the medium, and a host interface (15) for communicating with a host (13) via messages according to a protocol (ATA/ATAPI). The messages include a write command for writing data, and a read command for reading data. In existing protocols (MMC-3) unwritten areas are considered to be areas that are not yet formatted, and zero data is to be returned on a read command. The device has an error reporting unit (16) for reporting an error via an error message in the event that during reading an area is detected which is unwritten.

Abstract: A device for recording information on a storage medium (11) is arranged for formatting the storage medium. The device (12) has medium interface means (14) for interfacing with the storage medium (11) for recording data on the medium and retrieving data from the medium, and host interface means (15) for receiving commands according to a protocol (ATA/ATAPI) from a host (13). The commands include a format command. The device has formatting means (16) for formatting the storage medium according to a format process indicated by the format command. The formatting includes interrupting the format process until a point in time defined by a further command from the host. The advantage of interrupting the formatting is that no formatting in the background is performed, and therefore real-time performance of the device is not deteriorated by the formatting.

Abstract: The continuous update of the Recorded Area Indicator on a DVD+R disc leads to a loss in performance of the recorder. If the update is not continues the Recorded Area Indicator on the disc may not accurately reflect the status. In order to ensure that the Recorded Area Indicator accurately reflects the status but to avoid loss of performance the update of the Recorded Area Indicator is performed when a close track session command is issued to the drive signalling the end of the recording, regardless of whether the track or session on the disc remains open. During the recording the Recorded Area Indicator is kept and updated in the memory of the recorder.

Abstract: A recording device with loading means for loading a single record carrier comprises means for detecting not only that the loading means has reached its end position but also provides information that the loading means is currently loading or unloading the recording medium. This allows the recording device to start actions while the loading means is operating to prepare for the completion of the loading operation. A progress indication of the loading operation allows even better timing of actions by the recording device. A recording device may start filling a buffer once a certain progress of the loading operation is reached and the buffer size is sufficient to bridge the remaining duration of the loading operation. Thus the loss of information to be recorded is reduced.

Abstract: A disc recording device has a mode control unit (31) for switching the device either to a read mode or to a write mode. Reading and writing can be alternated for simultaneous recording and reproducing of video. A rotation speed control unit (37) sets the rotation speed of the record carrier, and has a speed selector (38) for selecting one of at least two speed settings for the read mode in dependence on an actual rotation speed of the record carrier during the write mode when switching from write mode to read mode. By setting the read speed to one of a limited number of settings the difference in rotation speed between said actual rotation speed and the speed in the read mode is limited. Due to the limited differences power dissipation is limited, while the performance of access time and playability of real-life discs is at a high level.