# 80 mm optical disc

> mini optical disc form factor

**Wikidata**: [Q104387899](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q104387899)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/80-mm-optical-disc

## Summary
The 80 mm optical disc is a mini optical disc form factor defined by its 80-millimetre (8 cm) diameter. It is a subclass of the optical disc designed to encode binary data for physical distribution and archival, but in a smaller physical package than the standard 120 mm format. Common variants include the Mini CD, MiniDVD, and the Nintendo GameCube Disc.

## Key Facts
*   **Diameter:** 80 millimetres (8 cm).
*   **Classification:** Instance of a form factor; subclass of optical disc and miniature object.
*   **Aliases:** Also known as 8 cm optical disc, mini optical disc, mini disc, pocket disc, pocket optical disc, 80 mm disc, and 80mm optical disc.
*   **Standard Comparison:** Visually and functionally similar to standard optical discs but reduced in size; often compared directly to the standard 120 mm disc.
*   **Capacity Context (Mini CD):** Specifically regarding Mini CDs, the format has approximately one-third the storage capacity of a standard 120 mm disc.
*   **Primary Variants:** Includes Mini CD, MiniDVD, and Nintendo GameCube Disc.
*   **Distinction:** Explicitly different from the MiniDisc format.

## FAQs
### Q: What are the common names for an 80 mm optical disc?
A: It is frequently referred to as a mini optical disc, 8 cm disc, mini disc, or pocket disc.

### Q: How does the 80 mm disc compare in size to a standard optical disc?
A: The 80 mm disc is significantly smaller than the standard 120 mm (12 cm) optical disc. In the case of Mini CDs, this smaller size results in one-third the storage capacity of the standard version.

### Q: What are specific examples of the 80 mm optical disc format?
A: Notable examples include the Mini CD, the MiniDVD, and the proprietary Nintendo GameCube Disc used by Nintendo GameCube platforms.

### Q: Is the 80 mm optical disc the same as a MiniDisc?
A: No, while both are small optical formats, the 80 mm optical disc is classified as distinct from the MiniDisc.

## Why It Matters
The 80 mm optical disc represents a significant evolution in physical media form factors, addressing the need for more portable and compact data storage solutions. While standard 120 mm discs became the industry standard for music and data, their size was often inconvenient for portable devices and specialized applications. The 80 mm format solved this by retaining the optical storage mechanism—useful for binary data encoding and archival—while reducing the physical footprint to a "pocket" size.

This miniaturization allowed for the creation of specialized media, most notably the Nintendo GameCube Disc, which demonstrated the format's viability for high-density video game storage in a compact console environment. Furthermore, the Mini CD and MiniDVD variants offered a convenient medium for distributing small software packages, drivers, or short video content without wasting the capacity of a full-sized disc. By offering a "miniature object" version of a standard storage class, the 80 mm disc provided flexibility in hardware design and physical data distribution.

## Notable For
*   **Compact Form Factor:** Reducing the standard optical disc diameter from 120 mm to 80 mm for increased portability.
*   **Gaming Application:** Serving as the exclusive physical medium for the Nintendo GameCube platform.
*   **Storage Efficiency:** Offering a "pocket" sized alternative (Pocket disc) for data transport.
*   **Miniature Classification:** Being distinctively classified as a "miniature object" within the hierarchy of optical storage.

## Body
### Physical Characteristics
The 80 mm optical disc is an optical storage medium defined by its specific form factor. It is flat and circular, sharing the physical properties of the broader optical disc class, but is distinguished by its 80-millimetre diameter. This size reduction categorizes it as a miniature object.

### Relationship to Standard Optical Discs
The entity functions as a direct smaller-scale alternative to the standard 120 mm optical disc. While a standard disc is primarily used for mass data distribution, the 80 mm variant serves niche or specific hardware requirements.
*   **Capacity:** In its Mini CD variant, the disc encodes binary data with one-third the storage capacity of a standard 120 mm disc.

### Specific Formats
The 80 mm form factor serves as the parent or class for several specific media types:
*   **Mini CD:** A compact disc format with smaller diameter and reduced capacity.
*   **MiniDVD:** An optical storage format using the DVD standard in the smaller 8 cm size.
*   **Nintendo GameCube Disc:** A specific proprietary disc format used exclusively by Nintendo GameCube platforms.

### Nomenclature and Identity
The format is recognized under various aliases, including "8 cm optical disc" and "pocket optical disc." It is explicitly defined as distinct from the MiniDisc, a separate format with different technical specifications.