# Why do CDs/DVDs start from the inside out? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 8, 2006, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cds-dvds-start-from-the-inside-out/367878 "2006-08-08T16:59:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2006, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cds-dvds-start-from-the-inside-out/367878/1 "2006-08-08T16:59:48Z")
Is there any advantage to starting on the inside and going out? Or was there no difference, and it was basically a coin toss? ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2006, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cds-dvds-start-from-the-inside-out/367878/2 "2006-08-08T17:02:32Z")
Um, “start from the inside _and go_ out?” ---
**Author:** ![acaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5ac83/32.png) [@acaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/acaos)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2006, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cds-dvds-start-from-the-inside-out/367878/3 "2006-08-08T17:09:47Z")
CD-ROMs can be produced in multiple sizes (e.g. 8cm or 12cm); starting from the center allows the same positioning technique to be used no matter the physical size of the disc. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2006, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cds-dvds-start-from-the-inside-out/367878/4 "2006-08-08T17:19:45Z")
I’d think also you’d want any unwritten portion of the CD to be along the outer edges as those are the portions you’d mostly like handle or otherwise possible damage. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2006, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cds-dvds-start-from-the-inside-out/367878/5 "2006-08-08T17:20:17Z")
They also used to distribute music singles on the little 8cm CDs, but they never really caught on. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2006, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cds-dvds-start-from-the-inside-out/367878/6 "2006-08-08T17:26:35Z")
The part of the CD/DVD most likely to become damaged is the outer edge, since that’s the part that gets handled the most. You’ve probably noticed that when a disc goes bad, it’s the last song on the CD that starts skipping, or the DVD freezes up towards the end of the movie. I guess manufacturers figured, if some people don’t listen to the CD or watch the DVD all the way through right away, they won’t notice the defect until it’s too late to exchange it. Or something like that. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2006, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cds-dvds-start-from-the-inside-out/367878/7 "2006-08-08T21:41:36Z")
Would it be a help too that data tracks on the inside are closer together and the disc doesn’t have to spin as fast? Or have I misunderstood something? ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2006, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cds-dvds-start-from-the-inside-out/367878/8 "2006-08-08T22:01:34Z")
> [@Pushkin](#): > > Would it be a help too that data tracks on the inside are closer together and the disc doesn’t have to spin as fast? Or have I misunderstood something? The speed is varied to maintain the data rate, so the speed is fastest when reading from the center.