Any problems with Springsteens DualDisc?

Forget the politics ... why aren't you guys doing something about these damn DualDiscs. I am pissed off that these huge record companies are bringing in these new disc formats (DualDisc, Copy Controlled discs), regardless that they are not in compliance with the Red Book CD standards. Hence, it is not surprising that many of you can't play these damn things on your CD or DVD players. These companies have no regard for their legal consumers !!!!! And they wonder why people feel it is right to steal music ?

Even better, make those CD-Rs devoid of the copy control and then distribute copies widely to all your friends or even in front of your favorite record store.

I still don't think Sony-BMG will get the message. Unfortunately, they keep forcing new technology on their customers, without regard as to whether it can be used in all CD players. Hopefully, DualDisc will suffer a quick death.

Sony Japan posted today Q&A about the DualDisc format...

The text below comes from a Japanese->English translation, so there might be errors...

"...DualDisc is a new disk that consists of the side (non-DVD side) only for music that records respect (DVD side) in accordance with the DVD standard put on the market by the music industry in the United States on October 26 last year and digital audio information. The side (non-DVD side) only for the music of DualDisc doesn't conform to compact disc (CD) standard.

Inquiries concerning notes and this case of the DualDisc use in the Sony product were published in the much more, and refer, please.

Moreover, please inquire of each music label company in sales companies that sell DualDisc or the sale origin about details and the how to buy etc. DualDisc.

Q&A concerning DualDisc use

Q1. Isn't DualDisc CD?

A1. The side (non-DVD side) only for the music of DualDisc doesn't conform to compact disc (CD) standard. Therefore, the CD logo is not put.

Q2. Can DualDisc be reproduced with PC equipped with the recorder or DVD player/DVD drive made by Sony?

A2. Because the side (non-DVD side) only for the music of DualDisc doesn't conform to compact disc (CD) standard, the reproduction on the side (non-DVD respect) only for the music of DualDisc is not guaranteed in the DVD drive made by Sony present for the recorder and PC DVD player/The DVD video contents recorded in DVD respect of DualDisc can be reproduced by the DVD drive made by Sony for the recorder and PC DVD player/However, because the digital versatile disc audio format is not supported in the DVD drive made by Sony for the recorder and PC DVD player/contents recorded by the digital versatile disc audio format in DVD respect of DualDisc cannot be reproduced.

Art,

Not that I am that crazy about the CD, it was released as a CD only in Canada and could be obtained online amazon.ca if you so desired. But, I agree it really bugs me when record companies unilaterally decide to release certain recordings exclusively with these new technologies (i.e. DualDisc, CopyControlled discs), not giving a crap that they cannot be played flawlessly on all CD or multiformat players.

Lawrence

I must say, I have seriously toyed with going partly back to vinyl for this and other reasons. Yet, I then come to reality when I realize why I was happy to abandon vinyl in the 1980s. Although, I am certain if I spent enough on a TT (etc) and tinkered enough the result would blow my emmlabs out of the water.

BTW did you ever try to play the DualDisc on your Cary player ? Does it work without any audio errors ?

Yes, I agree:

Here is a statement Meridian made regarding these DualDiscs. I believe Sony made similar warnings for some of their machines:

Meridian Issue Statement On DualDisc Compatibility

Meridian has issued a statement on the compatibility of the new DualDisc format and their own players. It is as follows:

Meridian has been fully aware of DualDisc since its inception, having carried out extensive tests on the new music carrier from the test-market stage onwards. Meridian endorses DualDisc, which offers wide compatibility across the vast majority of our players. This statement is being issued to give guidance to Meridian owners who wish to play the discs on their systems.

DualDisc is a two-sided music disc that aims to provide the maximum flexibility to those wishing to access or collect high-quality music on DVD. DualDisc has one or more DVD layers on one side, and a CD-compatible layer on the other.

On the DVD side, the majority of discs carry DVD-Audio content, which uses Meridian Lossless Packing (MLP) to provide state-of-the-art high-quality sound. The DVD side also carries a DVD-Video zone with the music in either stereo PCM and/or lossy-compressed stereo/surround formats. All DualDiscs must have, at minimum, a DVD-Video zone with high-quality music and some video content. Most titles include significant added-value material such as movie-clips, liner notes, interviews, concert footage, and other content. For more details, visit: http://www.dualdisc.com/

The DVD side of a DualDisc is 100% consistent with the DVD specification and will play in all Meridian’s past and present DVD-Video and DVD-Audio players.

The other side of the DualDisc contains a layer that is intended to be compatible with the majority of CD players. This layer is not compliant with the Red Book CD specification because it is thinner than a normal CD (typically 0.9mm rather than 1.1mm). This is primarily to keep the overall disc thickness below 1.5mm so as to minimise potential issues with slot-loading and caddy-based multi-disc players. DualDisc market tests showed that a small percentage of CD players, and especially DVD players, were unable to play the CD-compatible side reliably.

Because the CD side is not compliant with Red Book physical parameters, Meridian does not guarantee that the CD-compatible side will play without audible errors in all players. However, attempting to do so will cause no harm or damage whatsoever to our players.