Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site oakhill.UUCP Path: utzoo!decvax!genrad!panda!talcott!harvard!seismo!ut-sally!oakhill!hunter From: hunter@oakhill.UUCP (Hunter Scales) Newsgroups: net.audio Subject: Re: Why is only one side of a compact disk used? Message-ID: <403@oakhill.UUCP> Date: Thu, 2-May-85 15:55:24 EDT Article-I.D.: oakhill.403 Posted: Thu May 2 15:55:24 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 3-May-85 16:48:47 EDT References: <106@daisy.UUCP> <127@bocar.UUCP> Reply-To: hunter@oakhill.UUCP (Hunter Scales) Distribution: na Organization: Motorola Inc. Austin, Tx Lines: 30 In article <1470@amdahl.UUCP> kg@amdahl.UUCP (Ken Greer) writes: >> >> The reason only one side of the compact disk is used is because >> the laser reads from the bottom of the disk and the image of the >> 'pit or valley' is reflected off the disk. If both sides were >> 'reflectable', the laser couldn't read either side. > >Then how come my Laser video disk player reads both sides? >I think the real reason is to improve the yield. >-- >"I'd rather be rolfing" > >Ken Greer >{amdahl,hplabs}!elan!kg I think it should be possible to manufacture double sided CDs. One way would be to simply attach two CDs back-to-back. I think the reason that CDs are single-sided is that, to play the other side, you would have to turn it over. One of the hassles of LPs that CD were trying to address was their inconvenience. Besides, CDs are long enough for most pop music. Classical music that needs tape length times (like Wagner) couldn't fit on even a double-sided CD. ps I'm sure a double-sided CD player that wouldn't require you to turn the disk could be made, but it wouldn't be cheap. -- Motorola Semiconductor Inc. Hunter Scales Austin, Texas {ihnp4,seismo,ctvax,gatech}!ut-sally!oakhill!hunter (I am responsible for me and my dog and no-one else)