Hybrid disc and method and apparatus for discriminating same

A playback apparatus to distinguish an optical disc as one of a disc having a CD format, a disc having a DVD format and a hybrid disc, the hybrid disc including information recorded in the CD format and information recorded in the DVD format, the apparatus comprising:

• an optical unit;
• a processor which:
• controls the optical unit to first irradiate a CD laser beam onto the optical disc;
• determines if readable data exists in the CD format;
• determines if the CD format data includes identification data which identifies the disc as the hybrid disc, if the CD format data exists;
• sets up one of a CD playback mode and a DVD playback mode according to a user command, if the identification data identifies the disc as the hybrid disc;
• sets up the CD playback mode if the CD format data exists and the identification data is not found;
• and
• if the CD format data does not exist, controls the optical unit to irradiate a DVD laser beam onto the optical disc, determines if DVD format data exists, and sets up the DVD playback mode if the DVD format data exists.

A playback apparatus to distinguish an optical disc as one of a disc having a first format, a disc having a second format and a hybrid disc, the hybrid disc including information recorded in the first format and information recorded in the second format, the apparatus comprising:

• an optical unit;
• a processor which:
• controls the optical unit to first irradiate a laser beam corresponding to the first format onto the optical disc;
• determines if readable data exists in the first format;
• determines if the first format data includes identification data which identifies the disc as the hybrid disc, if the first format data exists;
• sets up one of a first format playback mode and a second format playback mode according to a user command, if the identification data identifies the disc as the hybrid disc;
• sets up the first format playback mode if the first format data exists and the identification data is not found;
• and
• if the first format data does not exist, controls the optical unit to irradiate a laser beam corresponding to the second format onto the optical disc, determines if the second format data exists, and sets up the second format playback mode if the second format data exists.