An optical recording system includes a laser light source that provides an incident recording light signal for recording information on an optical recording medium, an optical detector for detecting a reflected write pulse from the optical recording medium, and a light source controller for controlling recording laser beam power of the laser light source according to a mark formation effectiveness signal generated by a signal generating device. The signal generating device includes an analog peak value detector for detecting a peak value of the reflected write pulse from the optical detector, at least one sample-hold circuit for sampling the reflected write pulse to obtain at least one amplitude value, and a processor for generating the mark formation effectiveness signal according to the peak value and the amplitude value.