DualDiscs also include an LPCM Enhanced Stereo mix of the album on the DVD side. LPCM is an uncompressed audio encoding format and Enhanced Stereo refers to the fact that the audio mix of the album on the DVD side is at a higher sampling rate (48 kHz/16-bit) than that of a CD (44.1 kHz/16-bit).
Where Can I Play A DualDisc?
Use the DVD side if you have a DVD player in order to enjoy the entire album in enhanced audio and the additional DVD features. The DVD side plays wherever a DVD plays - including many gaming consoles and computers. In a PC, the DVD side acts like a DVD-ROM on DualDiscs that include computer extras and Web links. The CD audio* side plays on all but a limited number of CD and DVD models.
What are prices like for DualDiscs compared to regular CDs? Here’s a sample of three well-known recordings.
AC/DC’s “Back In Black” (1980) goes for $13.49 in the remastered digipack on CD and $13.99 on DualDisc, at Amazon.com. Here’s what you get on the DVD-side for the 50 cents price difference: “Entire album in enhanced LPCM Stereo * The film The Story of Back in Black, featuring interviews with the band, archival footage, and in-studio performances of "Hells Bells," "You Shook Me All Night Long," "Rock And Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution," "Shoot to Thrill," and more * Discography.”
Avril Lavigne’s “Under My Skin” (2004) sells for $13.49 on CD and $14.99 on DualDisc. The DVD-side gives you “Entire album in enhanced LPCM Stereo * Music Video for #1 single "My Happy Ending" and "Nobody’s Home" * Behind the scenes footage * Photo Gallery.”
Miles Davis’ “Kind of Blue” (1959) sells for $8.99 on CD and $14.99 on SACD and DualDisc and has the following bonus material: “Entire album in 5.1 Surround Sound and enhanced LPCM Stereo * 25-minute making-of documentary, Made In Heaven, featuring black-and-white film and stills, the voices of Miles Davis and Bill Evans, plus interviews and more.”
Judas Priest’s 2005 release, “Angel of Retribution”, will sell for $20.99 for the limited edition CD + DVD two disc set and $14.99 for the DualDisc version. Both feature the documentary “Reunited”, plus 7 live video tracks, but the DualDisc documentary is shorter by ten minutes.
I would advise you to not buy anything in the DualDisc format until the manufacturer of you’re A/V equipment certifies it the format as being safe.
References:
http://www.dualdisc.com/
http://www.sonybmg.com/dualdisc/faq.html - watch the video
http://www.highfidelityreview.com/news/news.asp?newsnumber=14918904
More than 50 titles were part of the initial rollout of DualDisc in November, 2004 including:
Article comments
1 - Lono
As a huge music nut, this portends very well for the future. It sounds like they are having issues which will keep me away for at least a year. However, I own both DVD and CD copies of too much music. Fleetwood Mac's the Dance, S&G live a Central Park... stuff like that.
Another example of what would be awesome is I have some amazing concert videos like U2's elevation tour in Boston on DVD that I would just love to be able to listen to in my car.
2 - Eric Olsen
thanks T-man, super explanation and info on availabilities!
3 - Tom Johnson
Lono, you can a program like DVD Audio Ripper to rip the audio to wav and/or mp3. I've used it quite a bit, it works great (sometimes it chokes on the track of the DVD where the layer change occurs and you have to re-rip that track.) Worth the $29.
4 - TDavid
I wonder if this will be a big issue for older CD drives?
I bought AoR by Priest last night and it wouldn't load in either of two older CD drives we have (only 24 months old or so), but it loaded in a newer machine just fine. Didn't try it in the Mac box yet.
I just ripped it down (320/44) on a newer machine and then copied from the ripped files to the older machines.
5 - Triniman
I would recommend that no Priest fan buy the DualDisc version of Angel of Retribution. The documentary "Reunited" is apparently 10-minutes shorter than the version on the separate DVD from the limited special edition. That edition costs more, but if you consider yourself a HUGE Priest fan, there is only one choice here.
6 - Martijn
Is a DualDisc region protected?