Constant Linear Velocity - Zoned Constant Linear Velocity

Zoned Constant Linear Velocity

Zoned Constant Linear Velocity (ZCLV) is a modification of CLV for high speed CD and DVD recorders. Early model recorders were CLV drives. The recording speed on such drives was rated in multiples of 150 KiB/s; a 4X drive, for instance, would write steadily at around 600 KiB/s. The transfer rate was kept constant by having the spindle motor in the drive vary in speed and run about 2.5 times as fast when recording at the inner rim of the disc as on the outer rim. Some high-speed recorders use the zoned CLV method (ZCLV), which divides the disc into stepped zones, each of which has its own constant linear velocity. At higher speeds, ZCLV offers a compromise between CAV, which enables faster seek times, and CLV, which enables greater storage capacity. A ZCLV recorder rated at "52X", for example, would write at 20X on the innermost zone and then progressively step up to 52X at the outer rim.