A device for reading from or writing to optical recording media comprising a scanning beam generation means, a focusing means and a photodetector comprising at least two detector zones and serving to receive zeroth- and first-order diffraction beams from the recording medium. The object of the invention is to obtain a reduction in interfering influences in a signal derived from signals of the photodetector, a signal such as, for example, a focus error signal or a track error signal. This object is achieved by virtue of the fact that a beam splitting means is provided, which splits a light spot falling onto the photodetector into two separate partial spots. The device is, for example, a CD or DVD player, but in particular a recording and reproduction device for so-called DVD-RAMs or similar optical recording media.