Patent ID: 7281175

Claim:
A readout controlling apparatus for controlling reading conditions while reading data from a recording medium, comprising: an error correcting means for correcting errors in said read data; an error rate calculating means for calculating an error rate of said errors in said read data; and a control means for dynamically controlling and adjusting reading conditions; wherein the control means performs a control operation so as to determine a parameter that makes an error rate smaller before or during playback of the recording medium, the control operation taking the current value of the parameter signal and applying a first new parameter signal which has been adjusted above said current value of the parameter signal, applying the first new parameter signal, and measuring the resultant error rate, and then applying a second new parameter signal adjusted below said current value of the parameter signal, applying the second new parameter signal, and measuring the resultant error rate, the control means finally applying the one of the first and the second new parameter signals that makes an error rate smaller.