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Media Identification Code

Code indicating the manufacturer of DVD

Wikipedia contributorsAdapted for Fathomly · View authors
1 min read
Source updated August 30, 2026

The Media Identification Code (MID) is used on DVD-R, DVD+R and DVD-RAM discs to identify the manufacturer and to assist the DVD burner to select the best write strategy for the inserted media. The technology is inherited from the ATIP code used on CD-R discs.

If the DVD burner recognizes the discs it means that the disc has been tested by the drive manufacturer to achieve the best possible burn using an optimal write strategy. The strategy is stored in the firmware. Writing to a disc with no MID code or a code that is not recognized can result in inaccurate recording and data read-back problems.

01Displaying the MID

The following programs can be used to display the contents of the MID

With Windows

  • install DVDInfoPro by Nic Wilson (full 14-day trial available without any adverts)
  • install DVDIdentifier by Kris Schoofs (freeware)

With Linux

Ubuntu and other Linux systems have dvd+rw-tools installed by default, which provides a command to display the media data:

$ dvd+rw-mediainfo /dev/scd1 INQUIRY: [HL-DT-ST][DVDRAM GSA-4083N][1.00] GET [CURRENT] CONFIGURATION: Mounted Media: 14h, DVD-RW Sequential '''Media ID: TDK502sakuM3''' Current Write Speed: 2.0x1385=2770KB/s Write Speed #0: 2.0x1385=2770KB/s GET [CURRENT] PERFORMANCE: Write Performance: 2.0x1385=2770KB/s@[0 -> 2254431] Speed Descriptor#0: 02/2254431 R@3.3x1385=4584KB/s W@2.0x1385=2770KB/s READ DVD STRUCTURE[#10h]: Media Book Type: 00h, DVD-ROM book [revision 0] Legacy lead-out at: 2298496*2KB=4707319808 READ DVD STRUCTURE[#0h]: Media Book Type: 32h, DVD-RW book [revision 2] Last border-out at: 2045*2KB=4188160 READ DISC INFORMATION: Disc status: complete Number of Sessions: 2 State of Last Session: reserved/damaged Number of Tracks: 1 READ FORMAT CAPACITIES: formatted: 2254432*2048=4617076736 00h(800): 2297888*2048=4706074624 10h(10): 2297888*2048=4706074624 15h(10): 2297888*2048=4706074624

With Mac OS X

drutil status

Watch videos about Media Identification CodeExplainers and documentaries on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Sources and credits

This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Media Identification Code”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.

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