Dualdisc audio...the new "red-headed" stepchild?

[reuber1]

I just bought "With Teeth" by NIN on dualdisc today. Never figured there would be problems because the only warnings I've heard are "Will work on all DVD players and CD players with the exception of a limited models" or whatever...I must own all three of those limited models. First of all, I had to pry the CD out of my car stereo after getting home today, my laptop (which is a fairly new Toshiba Satellite 17" widescreen) will play the DVD side just fine but the thing won't even read the CD side at all so I can't import the tracks into iTunes. My CD player won't read it either. DD's are thicker than standard CDs and since the CD side doesn't comply with Red Book audio standards (at least this seems to be the case on most DD's) all sorts of problems arise.

Turns out that I did some research on this format, and people are having all sorts of problems. Sure, I bet it sounds great with the right setup, but it seems that this format is supposed to be a solution for those who want to listen in a surround format AS WELL as on a standard player...the latter seems to not be the case.

Wouldn't it just be cheaper to for manufacturers to press two discs in a standard CD and DVD format respectively, rather than one thick piece of crap? I feel like I've been cheated out of money by the RIAA...can I sue them like they have to all those other people?

[LimedDesign]

i feel your pain.i tried to rip it to my laptop, a toshiba satalite, and the damn thing skips on every song and the disk is new and perfect... grrr... makes me wanna download it, and not off of iTunes *wink*.

[chalsema]

Kevin's having problems too. His computer CD drive doesn't read it, and then there were lots of problems with his surround sound set up. The video would play but not the audio... somehow he got it so that the audio works but now the video is really slow and doesn't really work. And this is after exchanging it because the first one he bought didn't work at all. yarg...

[Ulysses]

You can't sue them, but any good record shop will refund you on the basis that the product is faulty.

It is silly issues like this though, that warrant downloading as opposed to buying the actual media. Never had this problem with vinyl, ever. CDs, yes ... DVDs, yes ... Tapes, yes ... MiniDiscs, yes ... I've had my share of issues with each.

Take it back, get a refund, contact NINs site to voice your unhappiness, and download it instead.

[LimedDesign]

yes! my local cd store, the Disk Exchange told me to bring it in and they would give me the regular cd and refund the difference, horah!

[reuber1]

Ohh, I'm not so fortunate there. I bought it from my lovely place of work (http://www.target.com) and they have an anal-retentive return policy, and being the co-specialist in that area I know that all that I can "technically" do is exchange the faulty copy for the exact same thing (that being the DD format, not the standard CD). I'm going to see if I can just get the standard CD because minus the DVD content on the one side the other side is identical to the normal CD...hopefully whoever is working the return counter will be someone I get along with. I mean, with the DD this should be considered a special case to the anal return policy they posess; the nature of my problem prevents me from making a copy anyway. I'm just nervous because people have been fired for stuff far more mundane than this, and if they find out I'm "coercing" team-members to make returns on open CD packages (despite management's lack of knowledge about electronics...hell, about anything, enough naivity on their part to fill a book) they may respond with a pink-slip. I'll be damned though if I'm going to give the RIAA anymore of my money.

The suing comment was more sarcasm than anything (I'm obviously not going to sue them)...mainly pointing out that they're suing kids for hundreds of thousands of dollars for downloading music while they extort us out of our money with bullcrap products. I've heard that this is the case on all dualdisc formats, but there is scant warning as to what they can/can't be played on.

[reuber1]

Bulls**t (http://www.dualdisc.com/faq.html) to Question #3

[Ryan8720]

I don't like them either. I have one. It reads fine in everything, but because it is thicker it skips all the time in my walkman. It is also a pain to have to read the inner ring to see which side to use.

[LimedDesign]

damn that sucks. this is the first real actual cd that i've bought in 2 years and isn't funny how everything turns out.

and you know, if this $hit continues on with them releasing faulty crap, I bet there could be a nifty class action lawsuit.

[Ryan8720]

I'd stay away from the DD. They should have a non-DD version.

[reuber1]

Yeah, they do. And I remember thinking before I bought it "Maybe I should just get the standard one in case something isn't right with DD, it's cheaper anyway (at least at Target, Best Buy had them both at $14.99). Nah, there shouldn't be any problems."

Not getting DD anymore, ever.

[Silence04]

those dual discs only work right on the higher quality cd/dvd-roms... it works fine on my computer at home, but at work i have the constant skipping problems.

but the 24bit audio is well worth it, i'd go get a better cd rom.

[reuber1]

I don't know...that third question on the FAQ on the dual disc site (http://www.dualdisc.com/faq.html) says otherwise. Besides, my budget is kind of tight (as in "no purchases over $40" tight) so getting new equipment is out of the question.