The other day, as I was perusing through my disc binder collection of Blu-rays and DVDs, I had an epiphany: if two is better than one, then, by extension, a dual-sided optical disc is surely better than a single-sided disc. After all, vinyl records and cassette tapes make use of double-sided storage technology, and so why not extend the concept to optical-based media as well?
A quick Google search later, and I learned that I was far from the first person to conceptualize a next-generation double-decker optical disc format. In fact, a group of record companies went through the trouble of researching and developing precisely such a format in the early 2000s, and they called it DualDisc.
DualDisc was first released to the public in 2004, having been co-created by MJJ Productions Inc, EMI Music, Universal Music Group, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and 5.1 Entertainment Group, with added backing from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Record companies reckoned that the format could supersede CDs.
The DualDisc format featured a standard audio CD on one side, with a video DVD on the other. While not the only dual-sided optical media format to have hit store shelves (other formats like DVDplus were developed independently), DualDisc was distinct in that it had mighty institutional backing.
Record companies reckoned that the format could supersede CDs for the distribution of music, while also reducing the prevalence of piracy by prioritizing affordable and exclusive bonus materials at no additional cost to the consumer. These companies collectively bet big on DualDisc for a brief period of time, even going as far as to release certain albums exclusively on the format.
Double the readable surfaces, double the trouble
The DualDisc format came with pros and cons
On the surface, DualDisc sounds like a no-brainer evolution of existing optical disc technologies. The ability to play audio on one side and to then watch videos on the other is undoubtedly compelling on both a conceptual and a pragmatic level. Plus, a dedicated player isn’t necessary due to piggybacking off of existing CD and DVD technologies. Even still, the format suffered from some roadblocks right from the start.
A single DualDisc measures in at 0.06-inches (1.5mm) thick, which is ever-so-slightly thicker than a standard CD, DVD, or Blu-ray at 0.05-inches (1.2mm). As such, DualDiscs experience problems when inserted into certain slot-loading disc drive mechanisms. DualDisc’s CD layer also doesn’t conform with the Red Book specifications of the CD format, meaning that it faced the hurdle of Philips and Sony not sanctioning the format.
…DualDisc sounds like a no-brainer evolution of existing optical disc technologies.
Nevertheless, DualDisc is a very cool optical media format on the whole. The CD side of the equation is ideal for 16-bit audio sampled at 44.1kHz (standard CD quality), while the DVD side is capable of providing 24-bit DVD-Audio at various sample rates. The DVD side could feasibly contain the same album in higher fidelity and with surround sound, or it could hold corresponding music videos, links to websites and other sources, or even full-fledged film.
Unfortunately enough, DualDisc suffered an untimely demise. The format was sunset in 2007, today being relegated to the realm of collectors and audiovisual aficionados. I do wonder whether the thickness issue is something that could have been overcome with today’s more modern technologies, as well as whether prices would’ve come down had the format remained on store shelves for just a bit longer. Alas, it simply wasn’t meant to be — DualDisc never reached the astronomical heights of its single-sided CD and DVD contemporaries, and that’s a genuine shame.
