CD-R for Music/CD-R for Dat***

[Mick Bell]

Is there any difference at all in CD-Rs labeled "for Music" and regular data CD-Rs? "Music" CD-Rs are nearly always more expensive. That's one difference for sure. Seems to me that if the disc will accurately record 0s and 1s that's about all that is necessary. What are your thoughts?

Mick

[RichardP]

I suspect there is no difference at all, unless there are differences in quality control that would make one less expensive to manufacture. I recall how consumer videotapes were marketed for different "applications," such as daily time-shifting, archiving those precious memories, etc., but there was really no difference in their recording ability. Even the cheapest ones were often labelled as "premium" grade. There are differences in videotape durability from the use of better backing, binding, thickness, etc., especially between consumer and profession versions, but then videotape is subjected to more mechanical stresses from the tape path that CDs are not, obviously, and tape will eventually wear out. Another clue that it's all marketing strategy would be the question of what type of content is more valuable, music or data? Outside of this forum, most in the population would likely say "data," (business, archives, science, etc.) yet as you said, those labelled as such are less expensive. Because there is no physical stress on the disc itself, there should be no durability issues either. In 2003, the twentieth anniversary of the introduction of CDs, writers of an article in Sound & Vision mag reflected how in 1983 they boiled some CDs (commercially-produced) to test their composition and durability, and those discs are still playable 20 years later.

[3dzapper]

CD-Rs for music have the royaty paid to ASCAP/BMI while plain ones don't. My CD Hitachi audio player/copier won't recognize plain CD-Rs. It makes better copies than my Dell. I think it copies bit by bit and takes a while longer to dub a CD.

Rick

[DrWho]

Both "types" are 100% identical - no difference whatsoever.

Just that when you buy a music CD-R, money gets sent to a place it

shouldn't be (biggest most corrupt scam in the music industry if you ask me...)

[formica]

My CD Hitachi audio player/copier won't recognize plain CD-Rs.

That's basically it... music CDR's feature "rights management" and

consumer tabletop burners require them. The additional cost is

mostly low-demand as well as some royalty fees.

Both "types" are 100% identical - no difference whatsoever.

apart from the DRM...

There is no need for them in a PC burner.

Rob

[DrWho]

My CD Hitachi audio player/copier won't recognize plain CD-Rs.

That's basically it... music CDR's feature "rights management" and consumer tabletop burners require them. The additional cost is mostly low-demand as well as some royalty fees.

Both "types" are 100% identical - no difference whatsoever.

apart from the DRM...

There is no need for them in a PC burner.

Rob

That's interesting...I did not know that, though I remember reading about it now that you mention it (I actually wrote a term paper on this very topic). I just wanted to mention that none of those royalty fees make it back to the musicians....it all goes right into the hands of the big record labels (and nothing to the small guys). A lot of the protection schemes also inhibit fair use and backup rights as well. But that's a totally different topic []

[IB Slammin]

Doc and Zapper,

My stupid question of the day.

Why are there no (or very few) Music CD-RW's?

Terry

[DrWho]

prob cuz they only get the royalty once that way []

I just wanted to mention the reason for the royalty fee is they assume the music going onto the Music CD-R is being pirated! How would you like to get a ticked because the cop assumed you were going to speed later?!?

[colterphoto1]

Kind of like the old mini-computer disks. Remember when HD ones came out. Turns out they were just the better of QC. You could buy a little punch tool to turn your standard disks into 'HD' ones.

I believe in preserving copyright laws and the right of musicians to profit from their works.

Stop CD piracy

Michael

[Mick Bell]

Interesting comments. Thanks for the info.

Mick

[formica]

I just wanted to mention the reason for the royalty

fee is they assume the music going onto the Music CD-R is being

pirated! How would you like to get a ticked because the

cop assumed you were going to speed later?!?

I remember seeing that a large portion of the price difference is

actually due to the lack of demand. For example, all blank CDs in

Canada actually have a "copy right" tax on them... but still retail for

19¢ CND (15¢ US) CR-tax included.

BTW, that is why the CRIA/RIAA have been lobbing to get similar DRM

laws past here. How else could you increase profits for your

shareholders if you already have 100% of the market?... By

milking the cash cow dry.

Microsoft has a similar problem... (I couldn't resist [])

Rob

[DrWho]

Well I'm sure times have changed since I did my research....but I remember figures on the order of $20 million dollars net profit

from the cd-r music sales! I sure wouldn't mind making that kind of

cash by simply specifying a silly copyright management. Heck, the

quality of AD/DA converters is such that I doubt anyone could tell the

difference if the song was ripped digitally or analog...so if it can be

played back, then there's no way to prevent it being copied...which is

why I say the record industry needs to adapt to the market instead of

trying to make the market adapt to them.

I'm all for protecting the music of artists, but it's gotta start with

the record labels who are continuously screwing over thousands of

musicians. I know I know, the band signed a contract.....but its not

like they had a choice not to, not to mention being promised things

that never happen.

[3dzapper]

If memory serves me right, the reason for the two types of disk was a compromise reached in the Senate between the two opposing amps. On one side was the RIAA/ASCAP who wanted no "fair use" or copying of CDs by consumers on the other was Sony/Phillips who lobbied for unrestricted duplication. The result was the royalty fee on music CD-rs. I believe a similiar levee was applied to other recording media like cassette tapes.

Prior to this compromise the RIAA was threatening to sue Sony/Phillips to prevent any duplication of digitally recorded media. The pre-existing "fair use" legislation did not cover digital recordings even as it today does not apply to SACD. The only way to reproduce an SACD is in the analog domain.

Now with blue lasers on the horizon?

Rick

[Marvel]

Rick,

I've heard of guys putting in a music CD-R and getting it set up, then popping in a regular CD-R and the recorder used it. Saved them lots of dollars on CDs.

A good friend of mine works for ASCAP, and goes around threatening businesses. Most of them sign up to pay. He is also a songwriter, and says that unless you are a BIG star, you don't get the money. You do get the money is an album is made and your song is recorded, but getting any of the money back from doctors offices and radio stations isn't going to happen.

Bruce

[Duke Spinner]

ASCAP ......

legalized extortion ....

[Marvel]

ASCAP ......

legalized extortion ....

Exactly Duke.