The compact disc has been around since 1978, developed by Phillips and Sony. The reason it was developed was to take over for the Laserdisc as the industry standard digital audio disc. Since its invention, we have seen many updates on the compact disc technology. The most recent being the CD-R and DVD discs. With the CD-R, you can now burn your own discs at home, and then modify those discs at a later date. DVD technology allows us to record video onto a disc, where we used to only be able to record audio and data. As time rolls by, and the disc industry advances, we are presented with new forms of these technologies. The two new contenders are Blu-Ray discs and HD-DVD, here’s a little information about each of these new disc types.
1. Blu-Ray
This type of disc, also known as Blu-Ray Disc, is the next generation of optical disc. It was developed by the Blu-Ray Disc Association, a group of consumer electronic/PC/media manufacturers, including: Apple, HP, Mitsubishi, Phillips, Sony, and others. The Blu-Ray disc type was mainly developed for recording, rewriting, and playing back high-definition (HD) video. It’s also perfect for storing large amounts of data, exceeding previous DVD-R disc storage capabilities. It can hold more than 5 times the amount of information that a traditional DVD can hold, up to 25GB single layer, and up to 50GB dual layer. One of the main differences of the Blu-Ray disc is the type of laser that the disc is read with. Normal DVDs are read with a red laser, the Blu-Ray discs are read with a blue-violet laser. The main benefit of this change is the wave length of the laser types. The traditional red laser has a wider focus, so the blue-violet laser can be focused more precisely allowing more tightly packed data. This equals more data in less space on the disc, this results in the additional storage space available on the new Blu-Ray discs. These new discs are backwards compatible with regular DVDs, which they are expected to replace in the near future.
2. HD-DVD
HD-DVD discs, High Definition Versatile Discs or High Definition Digital Video Discs, are very similar to the Blu-Ray discs. This disc type is being developed by a group of consumer electronics/PC companies, headed by Toshiba. They also use a blue-violet laser to read the contents of the disc, which results in an increase in storage capacity compared to normal DVD discs. The HD-DVD can store 15GB single layer and 30GB double layer, making their storage capacity 10GB per layer smaller than the Blu-Ray. But Toshiba has announced a triple layer disc that can hold 45GB of information, and the HD DVD discs can hold both HD DVD and regular DVD information on one disc.
Right now these two disc types are battling it out to become the next generation of DVD disc technology, conjuring up images of the battle between Betamax and VHS in the 80’s. I guess we’re all wondering who’s going to come out on top? In my honest opinion, I believe that Blu-Ray will become the new standard. Both disc types offer HD capability and large data storage capacity, so it’s kind of hard to say which is better. The Blu-Ray, with its greater maximum storage capacity and the fact that it’s being backed by more of the large consumer electronic/PC/media manufacturers, I believe will win the battle. But it’s all still up in the air, so only time will tell.
http://www.content.onlypunjab.com/Article/New-CD-and-DVD-Technology----Blu-Ray-and-HD-DVD/4200320092003285381
Thursday, October 11, 2007
CD Player, Changer, and Recorder Buying Guide
The Basics: CD Players, Changers, and Recorders
Single-disc CD players were the first players available when CD technology was introduced in the early 1980s. They performed only the very basic transport functions: play, stop, fast-forward, reverse, and pause.
When the other varieties of multiple-disc players came out (magazine cartridge changers, carousel changers, and mega jukebox changers), sales of single players dropped. Even worse for single player sales was the advent of DVD-Video players. In addition to handling DVD, these machines have no problem playing CD. Nevertheless, single-disc CD players still have many advantages over all these other options that many audiophiles are still willing to pay a premium for. The theory is that having one transport, with only one type of laser pickup that is optimized for CD, will produce a better sound than a DVD player or changer can. True audiophiles feel that the mechanics of multiple-disc changers degrade the transport as well, affecting the sound. There are also people who have no need to load any more discs than the one disc they wish to listen to.
Originally intended for the professional and high-end markets, mega-CD changers caught on with the general public, and as with most electronics, the prices fell quickly. When first introduced, these had a capacity of about 20 discs. By today's standards, those are tiny. Many manufacturers have mega-changers with a 400-disc capacity; some are even able to link to another changer, doubling that capacity. People can store their entire CD collection in these players. The only question that remains after deciding to get a mega-changer is what to do with all those empty CD boxes?
Just as quickly as large multiple-CD changers took over the market, DVD changers have replaced them. Manufacturers learned that it doesn't take much to add DVD capabilities to their CD changer line. Currently, the number of CD-only changers is dwindling, with DVD changers rapidly taking over much of the space on retail shelves.
CD recorders have become the norm of CD player purchases. They come in two varieties--those capable of recording only to CD-R (recordable) and those that record to both CD-R and CD-RW (rewritable). CD-R was introduced as a "write-once" format for recording audio in 1992, a few years after recording was made available for computer data storage. CD-R allow you to record up to 80 minutes of content separated into as many as 99 tracks. Once the table of contents (TOC) is finalized, a CD-R cannot be recorded on again. These discs are playable on most CD players, but some CD and DVD players are not compatible with CD-R. When using dedicated audio CD-R recorders, you must use discs specified for audio recording. Computer-grade (data) discs, though less expensive, are not suitable for audio recordings.
CD-RW let you record, erase, and rerecord on a disc, although different discs are designed specifically for data or audio use, so make sure you purchase the right ones. During the initial copying with a dedicated audio CD-RW recorder, single tracks can be changed and rerecorded. After the disc is finalized, the entire disc must be erased before it can be recorded on again. Many conventional CD players cannot read CD-RW, as the recording layer's reflectivity is not high enough for typical laser pickups to read.
How to Shop
Single-disc CD players generally have a more solid frame, a well-designed remote control, and perhaps a higher resolution D/A converter--20 or 24-bit resolution compared to the standard 16-bit.
Whether they copy only onto CD-R or to both CD-R and CD-RW, CD recorders produce incredible digital copies. Looking at spec sheets, you'll see that the difference in sonic performance is infinitesimally small, inaudibly so. Therefore, you can safely purchase a player from online sources or your local retailer. Computer CD burners work only with a computer interface; do not try to purchase one for your home stereo system. Avoid any low-price option with flimsy plastic trays--the physical mechanics of players is most likely where initial failure begins.
Digital outputs are a nice feature, but make sure they use the same type that your receiver or preamp accepts, assuming they have digital inputs. Digital connections come in two flavors: coaxial, which uses an RCA jack; and optical, or Toslink fiber optic, which uses a special optical jack. Digital outputs are recommended to use for making a recording to another digital format.
http://products.howstuffworks.com/cd-players-changers-and-recorders-buying-guide.htm
Single-disc CD players were the first players available when CD technology was introduced in the early 1980s. They performed only the very basic transport functions: play, stop, fast-forward, reverse, and pause.
When the other varieties of multiple-disc players came out (magazine cartridge changers, carousel changers, and mega jukebox changers), sales of single players dropped. Even worse for single player sales was the advent of DVD-Video players. In addition to handling DVD, these machines have no problem playing CD. Nevertheless, single-disc CD players still have many advantages over all these other options that many audiophiles are still willing to pay a premium for. The theory is that having one transport, with only one type of laser pickup that is optimized for CD, will produce a better sound than a DVD player or changer can. True audiophiles feel that the mechanics of multiple-disc changers degrade the transport as well, affecting the sound. There are also people who have no need to load any more discs than the one disc they wish to listen to.
Originally intended for the professional and high-end markets, mega-CD changers caught on with the general public, and as with most electronics, the prices fell quickly. When first introduced, these had a capacity of about 20 discs. By today's standards, those are tiny. Many manufacturers have mega-changers with a 400-disc capacity; some are even able to link to another changer, doubling that capacity. People can store their entire CD collection in these players. The only question that remains after deciding to get a mega-changer is what to do with all those empty CD boxes?
Just as quickly as large multiple-CD changers took over the market, DVD changers have replaced them. Manufacturers learned that it doesn't take much to add DVD capabilities to their CD changer line. Currently, the number of CD-only changers is dwindling, with DVD changers rapidly taking over much of the space on retail shelves.
CD recorders have become the norm of CD player purchases. They come in two varieties--those capable of recording only to CD-R (recordable) and those that record to both CD-R and CD-RW (rewritable). CD-R was introduced as a "write-once" format for recording audio in 1992, a few years after recording was made available for computer data storage. CD-R allow you to record up to 80 minutes of content separated into as many as 99 tracks. Once the table of contents (TOC) is finalized, a CD-R cannot be recorded on again. These discs are playable on most CD players, but some CD and DVD players are not compatible with CD-R. When using dedicated audio CD-R recorders, you must use discs specified for audio recording. Computer-grade (data) discs, though less expensive, are not suitable for audio recordings.
CD-RW let you record, erase, and rerecord on a disc, although different discs are designed specifically for data or audio use, so make sure you purchase the right ones. During the initial copying with a dedicated audio CD-RW recorder, single tracks can be changed and rerecorded. After the disc is finalized, the entire disc must be erased before it can be recorded on again. Many conventional CD players cannot read CD-RW, as the recording layer's reflectivity is not high enough for typical laser pickups to read.
How to Shop
Single-disc CD players generally have a more solid frame, a well-designed remote control, and perhaps a higher resolution D/A converter--20 or 24-bit resolution compared to the standard 16-bit.
Whether they copy only onto CD-R or to both CD-R and CD-RW, CD recorders produce incredible digital copies. Looking at spec sheets, you'll see that the difference in sonic performance is infinitesimally small, inaudibly so. Therefore, you can safely purchase a player from online sources or your local retailer. Computer CD burners work only with a computer interface; do not try to purchase one for your home stereo system. Avoid any low-price option with flimsy plastic trays--the physical mechanics of players is most likely where initial failure begins.
Digital outputs are a nice feature, but make sure they use the same type that your receiver or preamp accepts, assuming they have digital inputs. Digital connections come in two flavors: coaxial, which uses an RCA jack; and optical, or Toslink fiber optic, which uses a special optical jack. Digital outputs are recommended to use for making a recording to another digital format.
http://products.howstuffworks.com/cd-players-changers-and-recorders-buying-guide.htm
CD and SACD Players: How to Choose
From jukebox changers that house 400 CDs, to CD-R/RW dubbing decks that let you record your own customized discs, today's music lover has a wide variety of options when shopping for a CD player. Whether you're looking for a simple single-disc player or a unit capable of unlocking the multichannel thrills of ultra-high-fidelity Super Audio CDs, it's important to get a deck with the convenience features you want and the format-playing flexibility you need.
How many discs do you want at your fingertips?
One major differentiator to consider when you're choosing a CD player is disc capacity. If you rarely have time to listen to more than a single CD or a few songs at a time, a single-disc player is probably all you need. Even these players feature programming functions that let you cherry-pick only the tracks you want to hear on a disc, and play them back in any order you choose.
If, on the other hand, you love the idea of hours of uninterrupted playback, or the ability to random play songs from several discs at a time, get a multi-disc changer. All of our 5-disc carousel changers let you change up to four discs while the fifth keeps playing, for nonstop music.
Jukebox changer options
For the ultimate in playback flexibility, go for a mega changer. Also referred to as jukebox changers, these units provide a permanent home up to 400 of your favorite discs. Think of how much faster and easier it'll be to get straight to the music — your entire CD collection will already be loaded and ready to go.
If you've decided you want a jukebox changer, one feature you might want to keep an eye out for is disc naming capability. Some mega changers let you enter the title and artist name for each CD stored, which makes searching for a particular disc especially easy. A few even provide an input for a PC keyboard, which allows super-speedy name entry.
And for those of you with truly massive music collections, some of our mega changers let you connect a second changer and operate the two units as one. This not only increases your disc capacity tremendously, but in many cases also provides sophisticated playback options like cross-fading and no-delay shuffle play.
CD recorders
If you've ever wanted to record your own discs, you'll love the world of possibilities that a CD recorder offers. From quickly dubbing copies of your favorite CDs for the road to archiving copies of treasured old LPs and cassettes, a CD recorder lets you create discs from almost any audio source, digital or analog. You can even pick choice tunes from a dozen different sources to compile any "mixed" disc you can dream up.
CD recorders, also called CD-R/RW decks, make it simple and affordable to create great-sounding discs — direct digital recording means that your copies will sound virtually indistinguishable from their original CD sources. And you'll be able to play back your self-made CD-Rs in almost all newer home, car, and portable CD and DVD players and changers. You'll also be able to record CD-RWs, which don't play back in as wide a range of players as CD-Rs, but do allow you to re-record different music on the same disc dozens of times.
Note: Blank computer CDs are not compatible with audio CD recorders, so be sure to use blank audio discs (the logo on the packaging must include the words "Digital Audio").
What types of discs do you want to play?
Of course, all players handle the standard CDs you're used to buying in music stores, but a lot of new disc types have emerged in the past few years. And when it comes to format flexibility, all CD players are not created equal.
If, for example, you've got a computer or a component CD recorder that lets you burn your own CD-Rs or CD-RWs, you'll probably want a player that can handle these formats. Almost all newer players can play recordable CD-Rs, and many also work with rewritable CD-RWs, but if this is an important feature for you, be sure to check before you buy.
If you're an Internet audio fan with loads of MP3 files on your PC, and you have the ability to burn them onto CD-Rs or CD-RWs, you may want a CD player that can play back such MP3 discs through your main A/V system. Crutchfield offers a wide variety of decks with MP3 CD playback, including CD recorders, DVD/CD decks, and portable CD players.
SACD
A newer type of disc is the SACD, or Super Audio Compact Disc. These discs require a specialized player because they're based on an entirely new recording technology called Direct Stream Digital (DSD). SACD players, however, are built to play both SACDs and standard CDs with outstanding precision.
DSD captures four times as much musical information as the Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) technology used for CDs. As a result, SACDs sound warmer, smoother, and more "analog" than standard compact discs. SACD faithfully captures the purity and freshness of the original musical performance, right down to the ambience of the studio or concert venue where it was performed.
This unprecedented level of sonic realism is further enhanced by SACD's multichannel capabilities. Some SACDs are recorded in two-channel stereo, but many take advantage of the format's ability to store music in up to 6 discrete channels. Best of all, this multichannel capability is designed for compatibility with a standard 5.1-channel home theater system.
For more information about high-resolution audio, see our article on SACD and DVD-Audio.
Making a direct digital connection
You'll want to check for digital input/output compatibility if you want to make a direct digital connection between your CD player and A/V receiver. SACDs require digital-to-analog conversion that can currently only be provided by SACD players themselves. Therefore, SACD signals can only be sent to a receiver using analog connections. That means you'll need a home theater receiver with a 5.1-channel analog input to enjoy multichannel SACD sound.
http://www.crutchfieldadvisor.com/ISEO-rgbtcspd/learningcenter/home/cd.html?print=1&page=all
How many discs do you want at your fingertips?
One major differentiator to consider when you're choosing a CD player is disc capacity. If you rarely have time to listen to more than a single CD or a few songs at a time, a single-disc player is probably all you need. Even these players feature programming functions that let you cherry-pick only the tracks you want to hear on a disc, and play them back in any order you choose.
If, on the other hand, you love the idea of hours of uninterrupted playback, or the ability to random play songs from several discs at a time, get a multi-disc changer. All of our 5-disc carousel changers let you change up to four discs while the fifth keeps playing, for nonstop music.
Jukebox changer options
For the ultimate in playback flexibility, go for a mega changer. Also referred to as jukebox changers, these units provide a permanent home up to 400 of your favorite discs. Think of how much faster and easier it'll be to get straight to the music — your entire CD collection will already be loaded and ready to go.
If you've decided you want a jukebox changer, one feature you might want to keep an eye out for is disc naming capability. Some mega changers let you enter the title and artist name for each CD stored, which makes searching for a particular disc especially easy. A few even provide an input for a PC keyboard, which allows super-speedy name entry.
And for those of you with truly massive music collections, some of our mega changers let you connect a second changer and operate the two units as one. This not only increases your disc capacity tremendously, but in many cases also provides sophisticated playback options like cross-fading and no-delay shuffle play.
CD recorders
If you've ever wanted to record your own discs, you'll love the world of possibilities that a CD recorder offers. From quickly dubbing copies of your favorite CDs for the road to archiving copies of treasured old LPs and cassettes, a CD recorder lets you create discs from almost any audio source, digital or analog. You can even pick choice tunes from a dozen different sources to compile any "mixed" disc you can dream up.
CD recorders, also called CD-R/RW decks, make it simple and affordable to create great-sounding discs — direct digital recording means that your copies will sound virtually indistinguishable from their original CD sources. And you'll be able to play back your self-made CD-Rs in almost all newer home, car, and portable CD and DVD players and changers. You'll also be able to record CD-RWs, which don't play back in as wide a range of players as CD-Rs, but do allow you to re-record different music on the same disc dozens of times.
Note: Blank computer CDs are not compatible with audio CD recorders, so be sure to use blank audio discs (the logo on the packaging must include the words "Digital Audio").
What types of discs do you want to play?
Of course, all players handle the standard CDs you're used to buying in music stores, but a lot of new disc types have emerged in the past few years. And when it comes to format flexibility, all CD players are not created equal.
If, for example, you've got a computer or a component CD recorder that lets you burn your own CD-Rs or CD-RWs, you'll probably want a player that can handle these formats. Almost all newer players can play recordable CD-Rs, and many also work with rewritable CD-RWs, but if this is an important feature for you, be sure to check before you buy.
If you're an Internet audio fan with loads of MP3 files on your PC, and you have the ability to burn them onto CD-Rs or CD-RWs, you may want a CD player that can play back such MP3 discs through your main A/V system. Crutchfield offers a wide variety of decks with MP3 CD playback, including CD recorders, DVD/CD decks, and portable CD players.
SACD
A newer type of disc is the SACD, or Super Audio Compact Disc. These discs require a specialized player because they're based on an entirely new recording technology called Direct Stream Digital (DSD). SACD players, however, are built to play both SACDs and standard CDs with outstanding precision.
DSD captures four times as much musical information as the Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) technology used for CDs. As a result, SACDs sound warmer, smoother, and more "analog" than standard compact discs. SACD faithfully captures the purity and freshness of the original musical performance, right down to the ambience of the studio or concert venue where it was performed.
This unprecedented level of sonic realism is further enhanced by SACD's multichannel capabilities. Some SACDs are recorded in two-channel stereo, but many take advantage of the format's ability to store music in up to 6 discrete channels. Best of all, this multichannel capability is designed for compatibility with a standard 5.1-channel home theater system.
For more information about high-resolution audio, see our article on SACD and DVD-Audio.
Making a direct digital connection
You'll want to check for digital input/output compatibility if you want to make a direct digital connection between your CD player and A/V receiver. SACDs require digital-to-analog conversion that can currently only be provided by SACD players themselves. Therefore, SACD signals can only be sent to a receiver using analog connections. That means you'll need a home theater receiver with a 5.1-channel analog input to enjoy multichannel SACD sound.
http://www.crutchfieldadvisor.com/ISEO-rgbtcspd/learningcenter/home/cd.html?print=1&page=all
Facts About Mp3 Player, Mp4 Player And Ipod
The invention of the MP3 player, with MP4 player and iPod following it, has revolutionized the music industry. These lightweight, reasonably priced, portable music gadgets are almost everywhere you look. Earlier they used to be the obsession of the geeks, nerds and the electronic enthusiasts but today these players are a must have consumer electronic item for almost everyone whether it is the stay at house mom, working business executive, fitness freak joggers, teenagers or even the bored granddad.
MP3 player has personalized music like never before. The MP3 craze has reached its peak with people wanting more and more features in their players. What they want is to download their complete collection of music in their player. You can download and store more than thousands of songs inexpensively into your device and listen to it whenever you want; whether at office or at home or tolerating a boring lecture or even struggling past a heavy traffic jam. A music player seems to be in every hand nowadays. These are wireless, portable, wonders of music and entertainment that can store, systematize and play music on demand.
The three main types of digital audio players are MP3 CD Players that can play both data CDs and audio CDs with MP3 format files, Flash-based Players that are solid state devices with internal media or memory cards type external media and Digital Jukeboxes like the apple iPod and Creative Zen which can read digital audio files from a hard drive. These types of players are the most advanced in technology and have high memory ranging from 1.5 GigaByte to 100 GigaByte.
There is a myth regarding MP3 and MP4 player as Mp4 being a successor of Mp3 player, but these two are different things. Fundamentally, Mp3 is a specific category of audio format while Mp4 is actually a container format. But an Mp4 player can also play Mp3 files besides MP4 format files with complete clarity just like the original player.
The iPod was introduced by Apple Inc. and was launched in October 2001. The varieties of iPod available today include video fifth generation iPod, the small iPod nano and the display free iPod shuffle. You can use Apple`s iTunes software to transfer music of your choice to the devices. An iPod supports and plays MP3, AAC, AIFF, Protected AAC, WAV and some other audio file formats. The Apple iPod also has some additional features like displaying text files, viewing contacts and synchronizing it with the host computer, gaming facilities like the Brick, solitaire, Parachute and Music Quiz. A lot of accessories have been made for the iPod such as sound recorders, wired remote control, FM radio tuners, and cables for enabling TV connections.
iPods have often been criticized due to their short life-span, delicate hard drives.There are also some health risks associated with frequent use of these players which can lead to loss in audio capacity and can also lead to absent mindedness.
All of these music players are portable and use either a semi-permanent rechargeable battery or conventional batteries that can be disposed or recharged. Some MP3 / MP4 players also have additional features like playing FM stations, games, microphone for voice recording, address storage book and etc.
The MP3 player have created a huge mass hysteria amongst some age groups leading to many companies joining the bandwagon to design and market different types of MP3, MP4 players and iPods. It has also given rise to an entirely new industry of downloading sites. This heavy competition has forced companies to find new and innovative use of these players like incorporating features like camera, mobile and etc.
This article is under GNU FDL license and can be distributed without any previous authorization from the author. However the author's name and all the URLs (links) mentioned in the article and biography must be kept.
http://www.ex-designz.net/articleread.asp?aid=4013
MP3 player has personalized music like never before. The MP3 craze has reached its peak with people wanting more and more features in their players. What they want is to download their complete collection of music in their player. You can download and store more than thousands of songs inexpensively into your device and listen to it whenever you want; whether at office or at home or tolerating a boring lecture or even struggling past a heavy traffic jam. A music player seems to be in every hand nowadays. These are wireless, portable, wonders of music and entertainment that can store, systematize and play music on demand.
The three main types of digital audio players are MP3 CD Players that can play both data CDs and audio CDs with MP3 format files, Flash-based Players that are solid state devices with internal media or memory cards type external media and Digital Jukeboxes like the apple iPod and Creative Zen which can read digital audio files from a hard drive. These types of players are the most advanced in technology and have high memory ranging from 1.5 GigaByte to 100 GigaByte.
There is a myth regarding MP3 and MP4 player as Mp4 being a successor of Mp3 player, but these two are different things. Fundamentally, Mp3 is a specific category of audio format while Mp4 is actually a container format. But an Mp4 player can also play Mp3 files besides MP4 format files with complete clarity just like the original player.
The iPod was introduced by Apple Inc. and was launched in October 2001. The varieties of iPod available today include video fifth generation iPod, the small iPod nano and the display free iPod shuffle. You can use Apple`s iTunes software to transfer music of your choice to the devices. An iPod supports and plays MP3, AAC, AIFF, Protected AAC, WAV and some other audio file formats. The Apple iPod also has some additional features like displaying text files, viewing contacts and synchronizing it with the host computer, gaming facilities like the Brick, solitaire, Parachute and Music Quiz. A lot of accessories have been made for the iPod such as sound recorders, wired remote control, FM radio tuners, and cables for enabling TV connections.
iPods have often been criticized due to their short life-span, delicate hard drives.There are also some health risks associated with frequent use of these players which can lead to loss in audio capacity and can also lead to absent mindedness.
All of these music players are portable and use either a semi-permanent rechargeable battery or conventional batteries that can be disposed or recharged. Some MP3 / MP4 players also have additional features like playing FM stations, games, microphone for voice recording, address storage book and etc.
The MP3 player have created a huge mass hysteria amongst some age groups leading to many companies joining the bandwagon to design and market different types of MP3, MP4 players and iPods. It has also given rise to an entirely new industry of downloading sites. This heavy competition has forced companies to find new and innovative use of these players like incorporating features like camera, mobile and etc.
This article is under GNU FDL license and can be distributed without any previous authorization from the author. However the author's name and all the URLs (links) mentioned in the article and biography must be kept.
http://www.ex-designz.net/articleread.asp?aid=4013
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