DualDisc
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DualDisc is an optical disc format for storing digital data promoted by the RIAA. Essentially, DualDisc is a combination of a compact disc (CD) with a DVD, with one format on one side of the disc and the other on the opposite. The audio-only side is not a true CD; it does not conform to CD specifications and may not play on all DVD or CD players.
The inclusion of additional contents is considered an incentive to slow down copyright infringment file sharing. As of early 2005, several music albums are released in the United States in this format only.
There has been some controversy surrounding the DualDisc format as of late, as a German inventor of the DVD Plus specification claims that DualDisc is in violation of its essential patents. There have also been reports of problems playing the CD side of DualDiscs on some players. Onkyo has issued a statement recommending that consumers not use DualDisc titles on Onkyo equipment.
High profile releases in this format include Nine Inch Nails' remastered The Downward Spiral and new album With Teeth as well as Duran Duran's Astronaut and Jennifer Lopez's Rebirth.
Bruce Springsteen's new album Devils & Dust by Columbia Records was released on 26 April, 2005. This album was released in the United States only in the DualDisc format, showing its adoption by today's popular artists. In Europe and Canada, it was released as a CD+DVD package, containing all the content of the DualDisc.
External links
- Official Website (http://www.dualdisc.com)
- DualDisc licensing (http://www.dualdisclicensing.com/)
- "DVD Forum Approves DualDisc" (http://www.gizmodo.com/archives/dvd-forum-approves-dualdisc-016158.php), a 14 June 2004 Gizmodo entry
- The Music Goes on Side A and the Flip Side Is a DVD (http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/21/business/media/21dual.html?ex=1401595200&en=935183cee9a4bd49&ei=5007&partner=USERLAND)
- DualDisc rollout challenged by Euro patent holder (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/08/09/dualdisc_rollout_threat/)
- Reuters' 'DualDisc' headaches for record industry (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5626691/9)
- Onkyo USA statement about compatibility (http://www.us.onkyo.com/faqs_detail.cfm?detail=1&id=140)