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Date: | Tue, 6 Apr 1999 05:00:33 -0500 |
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Bob Kasenchak wrote:
>Always keep in mind that every record executive knows (God I hope)that
>you can squeeze almost 82 minutes of music on to an audio CD. At least
>that's the very longest one I've ever encountered (and I check; every day).
>Therefore a 2CD set 20 mm/60mm is a bloody disgrace and clearly gouging the
>consumer. But who's suprised?
Just because you "can" do something doesn't necessarily mean you should.
The issue of short CDs and the use of two discs when the music could have
been "squeezed" onto one has been discussed before here several times in
the past.
Without getting into the subject of quality vs. quantity, there is
a technical justification in many cases. The Sony/Philips "Red Book"
standard specification for the production of Compact Discs sets an absolute
limit of 74 minutes and 33 seconds* as the maximum duration of a CD. Any
disc that having a longer duration is in technical violation of the
standard and may have playback problems on some CD players.
Although some CDs having longer durations have been manufactured, they are
rarely seen coming from major labels. The majors typically have house
rules that prohibit violation of the Sony/Philips standard. In addition,
most pressing plants (the places that actually make the CDs) will not
accept a tape or CDR master that exceeds the standard duration.
Speaking as an engineer who has actually recorded (mastered) a number of
CDs, I would never risk producing a CD exceeding 74 minutes.
* references:
Carasso, M. G.: The Compact Disc Digital Audio System", Philips Technical
review 40 (6) pp151-55, 1982.
Pohlmann, K.C.: "The Compact Disc Handbook", Oxford University Press,
pp.49, 1989, 1992.
Nick
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