I can't comment on this particular project, but I know that similar projects have allowed adding images to the unused portions of the disc. A given region of the disc cannot be both image and data, but the disc can contain an inner region of data and imagery in the outer unused portion.

DVD codec probably allows for a certain amount of error correction to recover from scratches, images can still look readable to humans despite a bit of noise, I wonder if there’s enough overlap there to meet in the middle and have an image that also stores data

A bit like those AI images that were also working QR codes from a while back.[1]

Would be a really interesting challenge to find the point where maximally useful data meets a maximally good image.

[1] e.g. https://www.reddit.com/r/StableDiffusion/comments/141hg9x/co...

Even if that is possible for a pristine disc, you really do want that error recovery for discs people are actually expected to use.

It supports putting data files either at the inner or outer rim, but it's at the cost of image space. So yes it can play, but not much storage.

Sounds like a mixed mode disc where it defaults as an audio CD, but has the data portion available for data.

I bet someone will come up with breakthrough eventually that allows for both an image and a mostly readable CD.