Finalizing (also spelled finalising) an optical disc is the process of writing out support data such as DVD menus, directory data, and the like to an optical disc in order to make it playable on a system other than the one it was recorded on. As a general rule, finalization means that the disc cannot have any additional data written to it. It is the last step in the
DVD authoring
DVD authoring is the process of creating a DVD video capable of playing on a DVD player. DVD authoring software must conform to the specifications set by the DVD Forum.
DVD authoring is the second step in the process of producing finished ...
process.
The term is also used as an alternative word for the "closing" of a
CD-R
CD-R (Compact disc-recordable) is a digital optical disc storage format. A CD-R disc is a compact disc that can be written once and read arbitrarily many times.
CD-R discs (CD-Rs) are readable by most CD readers manufactured prior to the i ...
, in which
Table of Contents
A table of contents, usually headed simply Contents and abbreviated informally as TOC, is a list, usually found on a page before the start of a written work, of its chapter or section titles or brief descriptions with their commencing page numbe ...
data and the like are written out to enable the computer to read a CD. Like DVD finalization, a closed CD-R cannot receive any additional data.
Some recording formats, such as
DVD+VR
The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kind ...
, do not require finalization before they can be played.
Optical disc authoring
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