Highfidelityreview.com reports that a prototype of the recently announced CD/DVD-Audio hybrid disc has been succesfully tested. Earlier we reported that the DVD-Audio developers were developing a disc that plays normal audio content in a CD player, and plays DVD-Audio content in a DVD-Audio compatible player. The prototype seems to be a success, because it was highly compatible with current DVD players and could be manufacturer with excisting equipment.
This is achieved by putting two layers on the disc, one that can only be read by a CD player and one that can only be read by a DVD-Audio player. This technology is also incorperated in the DVD-Audio technology rival, the SuperAudio CD (SACD).
Our sources at Sonopress explained that the single-sided disc, which comprised separate DVD and CD layers, the former including both DVD-Audio and DVD-Video compatible data, was produced on their 'regular machinery". Representatives of Sonopress suggested that the prototype disc should be playable on most current DVD players, however the company advised those in attendance that the disc format was not for sale and stressed that it was only a prototype as it does not adhere to any published DVD Forum Standard. |
Sonopress is a subsidiary of Bertelsmann AG, whose music division (BMG) owns more than two hundred record labels '“ Arista Records, Jive, RCA Records and Ariola amongst them '“ and is one of the world's largest music publishing companies. BMG also promoted DVD-Audio at MIDEM following their announcement of support for the format on January 6th.
Limited testing by MDG revealed that the prototype disc was compatible with all currently available 'universal' high-resolution players from Pioneer, Marantz and Onkyo, together with all Pioneer single-format machines and standard CD-only hardware.
As both DVD-Audio and SuperAudio are fighting to become the follow up of the current audio CD, this new development might give a new impulse to the format war. As many people already own a DVD player, in which now this hybrid disc can be played, it is ready for wide adoption. Read the entire story here.
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Source: HighFidelity
