Burning Discs

Open Burning Suite supports burning a wide variety of optical disc formats using native SCSI/MMC commands. This guide covers all burning features and options.

Supported Image Formats for Burning

Note: Other image formats (NRG, MDF/MDS, IMG, CDI, CCD) are automatically converted to BIN/CUE before burning. Conversion happens transparently — just select the image and burn.

Build on the Fly

Build on the fly lets you burn files and folders directly to disc without manually creating an image file first. Open Burning Suite builds a temporary ISO image from your selected content and burns it in a single operation.

How It Works

1. In the Write / Burn Disc view, select the Build on the fly source mode.
2. Choose your source content:
   • Source Folder: Select a folder — all its files and subdirectories are included on the disc.
   • Individual Files/Folders: Add specific files and/or folders from different locations. Drag and drop is supported.
3. Set the Volume Label (disc name) and File System (ISO 9660, Joliet, UDF, etc.).
4. Select your target drive, write speed, and burn options as usual.
5. Click Burn — the image is built and burned automatically.

Supported File Systems for On-the-Fly Burning

Notes

• The temporary ISO image is created in the system temp directory and automatically cleaned up after burning (or on failure/cancellation).
• All burn options (verify, simulate, multi-copy, overburn, etc.) work with on-the-fly mode.
• For very large data sets, ensure sufficient free disk space for the temporary image.
• On-the-fly mode uses the same native ISO builder as the Build view — the same file system features and compliance guarantees apply.

Write Modes

Open Burning Suite supports multiple standard write modes:

TAO — Track At Once

• Writes one track at a time with gaps between tracks.
• Best for: Data discs, single-track audio CDs, incremental multi-session discs.
• Allows adding more sessions later (if disc is not closed).

SAO — Session At Once

• Writes an entire session in one pass without link blocks between tracks.
• Uses a CUE sheet to define the track layout for the session.
• Best for: Audio CDs (ensures gapless playback), multi-track discs, exact disc duplication.
• Multi-session IS possible: the session can be closed while leaving the disc appendable.
• CD media only. Both SAO and DAO use SCSI Write Type 0x02 (Mode Page 05h).

DAO — Disc At Once

• Writes the entire disc in one pass and always finalizes it.
• Uses a CUE sheet to define the track layout for the disc.
• Best for: Final disc copies, game disc preservation, discs that must be playable on all players.
• Multi-session is NOT possible — the disc is always closed and finalized.
• Supported on CD and DVD-R media. For DVD-R, uses Write Type 0x02 (DAO) in Mode Page 05h.

RAW Modes

Raw write modes send complete sector data including sync patterns, headers, and ECC/EDC to the drive. These are used for exact disc duplication where the application controls all sector formatting.

• Best for: Exact 1:1 disc copies including subchannel data, copy-protected gaming discs.
• Requires drive support for raw writing.

Incremental (Packet Writing)

• Writes data in fixed-size packets with incremental track recording.
• Best for: Packet writing, UDF formatted discs, drag-and-drop disc usage.
• Data block type: Mode 1 (2048 bytes).

Burn Options

Basic Options

Advanced Options

Multi-Session Options

Blu-ray Specific Options

BD-R Recording Modes

M-DISC (Millennial Disc) Options

M-DISC uses an inorganic stone-like recording layer for archival longevity (estimated 1,000+ years). Open Burning Suite automatically detects M-DISC media via the disc manufacturer identifier and applies the following optimizations:

M-DISC Write Speed Limits

M-DISC Best Practices

1. Always verify after burn. M-DISC is for permanent archival storage — verify every burn to ensure data integrity.
2. Use the lowest practical speed. While M-DISC supports up to 4x (DVD) or 6x (BD-R), using 2x produces the most reliable engravings.
3. Use an M-DISC-certified drive. While any drive can read M-DISC, only certified drives have the higher laser power needed for writing.
4. Finalize the disc. Always close/finalize M-DISC after burning to maximize long-term readability across different drives.

Media Type Override

You can force a specific media type if automatic detection doesn’t work correctly. This is useful for unusual disc types or drives with limited detection capabilities.

Image Decryption

Open Burning Suite can decrypt encrypted disc images before burning:

• OBS Encrypted Images (.obse) — Images encrypted with the built-in disc encryption feature (AES-256-CBC). You will be prompted to enter the decryption password when an encrypted image is selected.
• PS3 Encrypted ISOs — PlayStation 3 game ISOs can be decrypted before burning using one of three key sources: an IRD file (.ird), a disc key file (.dkey), or a 32-character hex disc key. The decryption panel appears automatically when a PS3 ISO is detected.

Multi-Copy Burning

When burning multiple copies, Open Burning Suite will:

1. Burn the first copy
2. Eject the disc
3. Wait for you to insert a new blank disc
4. Automatically detect the new disc and begin the next copy
5. Repeat until all copies are complete

Simulation Mode

Simulation mode performs all the steps of a real burn — including laser calibration and data transfer — without actually writing to the disc. This is useful for:

• Testing your system before committing to a real burn
• Verifying data transfer speed can sustain the selected write speed
• Checking for potential errors in the image file or CUE sheet

Note: Not all drives and media combinations support simulation mode. The drive will report an error if simulation is not supported.

CUE Sheet Support

For multi-track audio CDs or mixed-mode discs, Open Burning Suite parses standard CUE sheets to determine:

• Track layout and ordering
• Audio vs. data track types
• Pre-gap and post-gap durations
• Index positions within tracks

When using SAO or DAO write mode with a BIN/CUE image, the CUE sheet is converted to an MMC-compliant CUE sheet and sent directly to the drive for precise track control.

Progress Tracking

During a burn operation, Open Burning Suite reports:

• Percent complete — Overall progress of the burn
• Current speed — Actual write speed (e.g., 8.0x)
• Bytes written — Amount of data written so far
• Elapsed time — Time since burn started
• Remaining time — Estimated time to completion
• Status messages — Detailed log of the burn process

Tips & Best Practices

1. Use lower speeds for audio CDs. A speed of 4x or 8x typically produces better audio quality than maximum speed.

2. Always verify critical burns. Enable “Verify After Burn” for important data to ensure the disc is readable.

3. Use DAO for exact copies. Disc At Once mode produces the most accurate copy of the original disc.

4. Test with simulation first. If you’re unsure about your configuration, use simulation mode to test without wasting a disc.

5. Close the disc when finished. Unless you specifically need multi-session support, close the disc to ensure maximum compatibility.

6. Enable buffer underrun protection. This prevents failed burns caused by data transfer interruptions.

Next: Reading Discs →