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From: jm@tekig.UUCP (Jeff Mizener)
Newsgroups: net.audio
Subject: Re: Why is only one side of a compact disk used?
Message-ID: <2596@tekig.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 10-May-85 17:55:19 EDT
Article-I.D.: tekig.2596
Posted: Fri May 10 17:55:19 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 12-May-85 04:39:42 EDT
References: <106@daisy.UUCP> <127@bocar.UUCP>
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
Lines: 17

> 
> 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.

Wrongo Audiophile Breath.
(NB: That last sentence doesn't even make sense!!)

There is no good reason  not to use both sides of a CD for music (or
whatever) except for the label.  If the CDs were two sided, where would
you print the label?

The playing surface of current CDs is thin enough that two of them
could be sandwiched together in the plastic "envelope" with no noticable
increase in disk thickness.  It is also possible that different information
could be "stamped" on either side with no effect on quality.