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vr6ofpain
05-28-2005, 02:19 PM
My girlfriend and I were at Tower Records today and she wanted to get the new Rob Thomas album. She brought it up to me, because she remember me saying some things about Dual Discs (negative things!) and asked if she should get it. I explained to her once again about the problems they have, then recommend that she just pick up the normal CD version. She came back annoyed saying that they only have the album in Dual Disc, and it was confirmed by the store clerk, that they only make this album in Dual Disc.

She ended up picking it up, because it was only sale for $12 and they would be willing to give her 75% store credit if it caused her any problems. I figured hey she wants it, and I am curious if they really do cause problems in some players (though there is no way this disc will ever see any car player as far as I am concerned...too risky), so I told her it was a good idea.

Why are companies doing this? Producing an album only on Dual Disc. Seems like some plot to try an get them mainstreamed. I'm gonna have to see if the album is availible on a normal CD online.

N. Abstentia
05-28-2005, 06:22 PM
The only player I've seen that won't play the CD layer of DualDisc's is my cheapo computer DVD-Rom. it does play the DVD side just fine.

If your player is old and decrepit...time to upgrade! Besides, if you have a player that won't play it, just make a copy of it and play the CDR in that player.

shokhead
05-29-2005, 06:31 AM
The only player I've seen that won't play the CD layer of DualDisc's is my cheapo computer DVD-Rom. it does play the DVD side just fine.

If your player is old and decrepit...time to upgrade! Besides, if you have a player that won't play it, just make a copy of it and play the CDR in that player.

Isnt it against the law to make a copy?

N. Abstentia
05-29-2005, 11:11 AM
Only if you do it with stolen equipment.

Woochifer
05-29-2005, 11:56 AM
Get used to it. If the incompatibility issues are viewed as minor, then look for DualDisc to take over as the standard release format for new music very quickly. It's a single inventory format, meaning that retailers can just mix DualDiscs in with regular CDs and do not have to dedicate separate bins for DualDiscs.

Already, the new Bruce Springsteen and Matchbox 20 albums are DualDisc exclusives, and DualDisc is viewed by the music industry as the most promising product out there right now to spur sales of CDs, and give consumers reasons to buy their music rather than download MP3s. Given how CD purchases have lost market share, while DVDs and video games have dramatically gained market share, the music industry basically has two options: lower CD prices or add value to the albums. DualDisc is something that adds value.

IMO, DualDisc is generally a good development because the CD is a long-in-the-tooth technology that lacks the versatility and perceived entertainment value of other newer home entertainment options such as DVD and PS2/Xbox/Gamecube titles. By adding a DVD layer, music albums can now include video content, high res audio, and/or other interactive features that CDs cannot include. Another nice side benefit of DualDisc is that the majority of the DualDiscs I've seen thus far also include a 5.1 surround mix (albeit in low res Dolby Digital). Basically, DualDisc addresses the CD's lack of value added features, while remaining mostly backwards compatible with existing CD players, and the record companies are releasing the DualDiscs with the same list prices as regular CDs. It remains to be seen if these extras included with DualDisc will work to reverse the trend.

My main misgiving about DualDisc is that it pretty much kills any momentum for SACD, and relegates that format to niche status. Also, even though DualDisc can include high res DVD-A tracks, most of the discs I've seen do not include high res audio tracks. SACD had the potential to serve as the successor to the CD because it had a hybrid backwards compatible disc format from the start. Sony and Universsal had planned to standardize their new releases around the SACD/CD hybrid, but that never materialized and with both companies on board with DualDisc, that will never happen.

DualDisc was originally conceived because engineers could not figure out how to make a DVD/CD hybrid disc. The DVD/CD hybrid was originally conceived to allow for DVD-A and CD audio to share the same disc. But, they gave up and created this flipper disc format instead, and in the process, the record companies have opted for a hodgepodge of features that vary from disc to disc (i.e. not all of them include videos, not all of them include high res audio, etc.).

I've already played the Bruce Springsteen DualDisc in two car CD players with no problems. At home, I just play it on the DVD player because the lyrics pop up on screen.