Methods, optical recording apparatus using such methods and optical recording medium for use by the methods and the apparatus

Methods and an optical recording apparatus using these methods are described in which an optimum write power of a radiation beam in the apparatus is set by writing a series of test patterns on the optical recording medium, forming a read signal from the patterns and processing the read signal. Such processing involves fitting a function, preferably a straight line, to parameters obtained from the read signal without having to perform a differentiation step. An optical recording medium for use by the methods and the apparatus is also described.