More on the Flip Side

Dual Discs. I'm a little behind (as per usual) but I just heard about them today.

NEW YORK and LOS ANGELES - NOVEMBER 3, 2004 - Major and independent record labels today announced the first- ever retail availability of the much
anticipated DualDisc - a two-sided disc made up of a CD player side and a DVD
player side. A broad range of titles have begun to hit retail shelves in the
first wave of products that will continue throughout the holiday season and into
next year with releases from EMI Music, Silverline Records, Sony BMG Music
Entertainment, Warner Music Group and Universal Music Group.

DualDisc is a new music product that combines audio and video content on a
single disc. In addition to a full album on the CD player side, the DVD player
side provides the full album in enhanced sound (such as Surround Sound and/or
DVD-Audio or LPCM stereo), and also includes a wide range of special features
and exclusive content such as music videos, interviews, photo galleries, web
links, concert footage and lyrics.

Sounds like a winner especially considering it doesn't look like they're going to cost all that much more than a regular CD. Amazingly, the industry isn't requiring us to buy all new equipment for playing DDs.

We recommend using 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 side plays on all but a limited number of CD and DVD
models.

Of course, this may prompt many of us to go out and purchase our favorite recordings in yet another format (already having the vinyl, 8-track, cassette and CD versions). Although I guess its really not a new format per se. Still, I just know I'm going to wind up with the DD version of London Calling and American Beauty.