> >Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2003 08:58:53 +0100 >From: bob_hutton@standardlife.com >To: audities@smoe.org >Subject: Bonus material on CDs >Message-ID: > > >Technical question here: > >I know for years CDs have had CD-Rom bonus material, but why is it you >never see CDs with bonus DVD material? You can play a CD in a DVD player, >you can play CDs and DVDs on a computer, why can't you have DVD and CD >material on a single disc? (The reason behind this question is that I have >a CD player and a DVD player at home, but I only use a PC at work (don't >own one) which has the CD ROM drive removed). > As my day job is Production manager (I deal with all the CD plants & DVD plants and all the really UN-exciting - to the majority of people- aspects of the record industry) I can answer this for you - it's two completely different processes. You CANNOT have a CD with DVD video BUT you can have a DVD with bonus audio material. The DVD of course cannot play in your CD player. CDs can have video content but it is Quicktime or similar. It gets funky when you get into the world of DVD-A, DVD audio discs, which is again another format & while they can have video content, it is not DVD video quality (I am not an expert on this aspect of it but this is what I've been told). Because DVD is out-selling CD right now, the big push is music you can play on your DVD player via your home system. Again, the drawback is you can't play these in CD players. The SACD (Super Audio) format is getting a big push also because you CAN play these in a CD player (you cannot access the SACD audio however). They usually have two audio layers, a remastered regular audio layer and the 5.1 SACD layer (some of this is pretty amazing, I was at my mastering guy's studio - he does a lot of SACD for Sony - and it was wild.... you're standing in the middle of a band playing or something...). It makes my head hurt, personally, as it can be a little daunting and very reminiscent of the Beta/VHS wars. Have you tried buying a low-end strictly cass deck lately? A lot of audio places don't carry them any more. ---------- RE: copy protection From what I'm seeing thus far based on our releases & talking to EMI tech people. The copy protected cds are no longer technically cds - they are software as they come with a built-in driver/player ("Player.exe") you need to install if your drive doesn't do it automatically. The #1 problem is the disc just sitting there, not doing anything (finding the driver or following the prompts will solve this) Older computers and some portable players have problems, which will probably be solved once the EMI companies in the US adopt copy-protection (right now it is only Europe & canada) and the software is updated. There seems to be no problems if you have Macs. None of the tech bulletins I've read mention anything about "mining" software but i will definitely ask after reading about it here. The ratio of complaints (in canada) has been fairly small and is mostly to do with older computers and/or customers who don't really know how their computers work. Where there is an obvious unsolveable problem, EMI Canada will get you a non-protected disk if available (there is an 800-number on their copy-protected releases for customer support). We will probably be doing that once our IT guys are updated by EMI. Anyway, this is obviously a hot topic so my post here is strictly passing on some tech info that i have that may be helpful. As you know, I am an indie artist myself with my own indie label, so please don't direct any rants my way or ask for further tech support. I will be glad to pass on info as I get updated, but for Canadian auditeers, there is an EMI 800 number on their current releases to help you. I am the last guy you want to be tech support - I can barely figure out our toaster at home. As my band mates know, you also DON'T want me to be the guy driving you to the gig once you get into the town you're playing. Dig that crazy Bongo Beat! Visit my web site Http://www.bongobeat.com