Two main servomechanisms are used, the first one to maintain a correct compass between lens and disc, and ensure the laser beam is focused on a limited laser spot on the disc. The second servo moves a head along Cassette to CD the disc's radius, in keeping the beam on a groove, a continuous spiral data path.

Because keeping a constant transfer relation for the whole disc is not so important in most contemporary CD uses, to keep the rotational speed of the disc safely close while maximizing data rate, a pure CLV approach needed to be abandoned. Some drives commission in partial CLV (PCLV) scheme, by switching from CLV to CAV only when a rotational limit is reached.