Major Record Labels Launch Hybrid CD/DVD Format
by Ken Porter
A consortium of the big record labels (BMG, EMI, Warner Music Group, Sony Music and Universal) have officially launched the following:
DualDisc, the hybrid CD/DVD format, officially became a reality today with the release of thirteen titles into the small test markets of Boston and Seattle. DualDiscs are double-sided, on one, Compact Disc compatible digital audio at 44.1kHz 16-bit and on the other, DVD-Video, with the possibility of including high-resolution DVD-Audio content.
This announcement begs the question "Do we really need yet another audio disc format? We already have CD, SACD, DVD-A, and MP3s on CD-R or CD-RW. As for DVDs, we have DVD-ROM, DVD+ROM, DVD-R, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW and DVD+RW. Am I forgetting any?
Comments
Vinyl ;-)
Ken, to me this does not look like a new format, but rather two successful formats on one platter. You would be able to play this disc on your existing hardware, which has not been the case with most of the other formats after the CD was successfully introduced.
Volker, You are correct, and perhaps I should have phrased my question a bit differently. Yes the DualDisc will play in both CD players and DVD players, and this is a good thing. I guess I just don't see the point. What does a dual format disc get you over a 2 disc set ( 1 cd/ 1 dvd )? Perhaps there is a savings of materials in the production, but that was never a large part of the purchase price; not by a long shot.
With the huge varieties of standards, formats, and media types that exist today, I think it will all come down to price. If the DualDisc is priced similar to a CD, it will take off. If the Record companies price it similar to a DVD product, no one will buy them.
Laserdisk... ;-))
I do love the SACD format. I was speechless, the first time I heard what my audio system can produce ... especially the remastered ones: Pink Floyd (Money) or The Police
