Test Media

Review Pages

1. Introduction
2. ABEX TCD Series
3. ABEX TDR Series
4. ABEX TDV Series
5. Philips SBC-444A
6. CD-Check Test Disc

Test Media - Page 2

ABEX TCD Series

ABEX TCD series discs are designed for measurement and adjustment of the focusing/tracking servo characteristics and error correction performance of compact disc players when playing a test CD with various kinds of defects. The signals recorded on the TCD disc series are shown in the following table:

Table-1
TNO	Contents	Time
1	Menuetto	3'15"
2	2eme Gymnopedie	2'32"
3	Overtunre Miniature (Casse-noisetter, Op. 71a)	3'02"
4	Marche (Casse-noisette, Op. 71a)	2'36"
5	Claire de Lune	3'09"
6	Nocturne (Op.9-2)	3'12"
7	Danse de la Fee Dragee (Casse-noisetter, Op. 71a)	2'26"
8	Danse Arabe (Casse-noisette, Op. 71a)	2'29"
9	Fantaisie-Improptu (Op. 66)	2'51"
10	Hungarian Dance No. 5	2'02"
11	Prelude <Raindrop>	3'38"
12	Maiden's Prayer	3'15"
13	Valse des Fleurs (Casse-noisette, Op. 71a)	3'08"
14	1ere Gymnopedie	2'54"
15	Danse des Mirlitons (Casse-noisette, Op. 71a)	2'06"
	Total time (including pause time)	43'05"

- Eccentric Test CD

1. Purpose: These discs are designed for measurement and adjustment of the tracking servo characteristics of a CD player when it is used to play an eccentric compact disc.

2. Disc specifications

2.1. Eccentricity of TCD-714 (280±15micrometers)

2.2. Recorded: The signals recorded on the disc are shown in Table-1

2.3. Center hole diameter: 15+0.04mm

2.4. Scanning velocity: 1.25m/s

- Scratch Test CD

1. Purpose: These discs are designed for measurement and adjument of the tracking servo characteristics and error correction performance of CD players when playing a scratched compact disc.

2. Disc specifications of TCD-721R

2.1. Recorded: The signals recorded on the disc are shown in Table-1.

2.2. Scratch Specifications

TNO	Width of scratch
1	0.0mm
2	0.4mm
3	0.6mm
4	0.8mm
5	1.0mm
6	1.2mm
7	1.4mm
8	1.6mm
9	1.8mm
10	2.0mm
11	2.2mm
12	2.4mm
13	2.6mm
14	2.8mm
15	3.0mm

2.3. Center hole diameter: 15+0.04mm

2.4. Eccentricity of track radious: 0+20micrometer

2.5. Scanning velocity: 1.25m/sec

- Defects Test CD

1. Purpose: This discs is designed for measurement and adjustment of the error correction performance of a CD player when it is used to play a defective compact disc. This disc contains three types of defects: interruption, black dots, and fingerprints.

2. Disc specifications of TCD-726

2.1. Recorded: The signals recorded on the disc are shown in Table-1

2.2. (a) Interruption: Dropout of pits is simulated by varying the length of the pit (see Fig-1)

2.2 (b) Black dots: Stains and foreign materials on the disc surface are simulated in this section (see Fig-2)

2.2. (c) Fingerprints: Fingerprints are simulated in this section (see Fig-2)

TNO	Description
1	None
2	0.5mm interruption
3	0.7mm interruption
4	0.8mm interruption
5	0.9mm interruption
6	1.0mm interruption
7	ø 0.4mm black dot
8	ø 0.6mm black dot
9	ø 0.8mm black dot
10	ø 1.0mm black dot
11	ø 1.0mm black dot
12	None
13	ø 65micrometers fingerprints
14	ø 65 / ø 75micrometers fingerprints
15	ø 75micrometers fingerprints

2.3 Scanning velocity: 1.25m/sec

- Limits

The local defects and the various scratches that the TCD series test discs includes is not supposed to passed from all drives. For example, we can see at the following test report of the AOpen CRW4048 with firmware v1.07 that manufacturer is satisfied from the drive's ability only to pass up to 1.2mm scratch, and not the full 3.0mm.

We have to understand that the limits of the TCD series are sometimes over the limits that CD standards state. If a drive can work over its limits it is possible that will read the defect area of the disc without any problems...Making a drive working out of its limits however, indicates that a lot of work is done in the firmware that is time consuming. Not all companies can spend much time to improve a drive's ability to read damaged/defect media.