What kind of CD player do you have? If you frequently, or even just occasionally, have a problem with CDs skipping, you most likely have a poor player, not simply bad luck with CDs.

I upgraded an old and deteriorating Sony for an Oppo recently and that Oppo will read damn near anything, including discs the Sony wouldn't even load.

BadComrade wrote:So you think that in 10 years it's going to be impossible to find a CD player?

Actually, yeah. The CD player will eventually be overtaken fully by the DVD player and whatever form it takes in ten years. I haven't owned a an actual CD player in about 5 years. I only have a DVD player.

This is exactly why I'm not buying one of the next-gen DVD players (unless I get an XBox and the HD-DVD peripheral). I have a feeling the next format will pop up sooner rather than later.

BadComrade wrote:The surface area of your average sponge is about the same as an NFL football field, so it's easy to store information

I'm only going to release music on the sponge format from here on out.

BadComrade wrote:Try repair a scratched record... Oh wait, you can't.

that's not entirely true. i've repaired many records with skips in them. take a clean pencil eraser to the damaged area and rub hard, then clean with your favorite solution. more often than not it works for me.

i would not mind at all if the cd went away.

For those of you in bands doing the free digital download with vinyl purchase thing, who/how has the infrastructure set up? I'm on the brink of doing this (vinyl is being manufactured right now) but I don't know if I want to pay a web developer to write the database from scratch or if there's a resource out there to get our website set up for this. Help?

D. Wayne Miller wrote:For those of you in bands doing the free digital download with vinyl purchase thing, who/how has the infrastructure set up? I'm on the brink of doing this (vinyl is being manufactured right now) but I don't know if I want to pay a web developer to write the database from scratch or if there's a resource out there to get our website set up for this. Help?

The only other good option you have is to put a CDR of the album in the vinyl packaging.

dipshit jigaboo wrote:You can buy a car stereos that have USB ports in them. That way you can hook up an Ipod, mp3 player, or just use a usb thumb drive to store music. I got a new car stereo with that option for 70 bucks new, although "good" brands are generally twice as much.

This would be a fine idea if there were any kind of standard as to how mp3 players communicate with devices via USB. The majority of "mp3-ready" head units optimize for the iPod though, and I am in the minority who has a non-iPod mp3 player.

Furthermore, if I'm in traffic I'd much rather pull a cd out of a wallet on my passenger seat and pop it into the stereo than have to look down at a 2" screen and scroll through a sequential list of artists, then mash buttons until I can hear the song I want. That shit will get you killed.

CDs aren't going anywhere, at least not anytime soon. Sorry.

BadComrade wrote:

curry pervert wrote:I'm sure most people here are aware of Steve's arguments for analog vs digital. When I heard them I got it straight away....but it didn't occur to me for one second to transfer these same points to home listening media....until a few weeks ago

So you think that in 10 years it's going to be impossible to find a CD player? Really? You really think that? Steve's argument is that formats in digital recording change all the time, and are abandoned. He's listed a number of digital recording formats that are damn near impossible to find working machines to extract the data from their respective media. That argument doesn't carry over to consumer CDs. There will NEVER be a day in your lifetime where it'll be "next to impossible" to find a CD player.

No, sorry, that wasn't my point. I meant his reasons for recording using only analog - because a 30yr old master tape can have problems but can usually be recovered, whereas a small error on a digital format *can make the whole thing toast.



*can, but not necessarily will.

caix wrote:

charliedon'tsurf wrote:I will try to follow up and post what I find out.

Please, if you could. That would be enlightening.

Alright Caix, I did my homework and a got a little more info regarding the trend of delivering promo music to radio stations via the web.

First off that delivery method was basically unheard of until maybe a year ago according to my music director. She says its use is certainly increasing and being encouraged by radio promo people at record labels. Her estimation is that within five years sending physical CDs to radio stations will be obsolete looking at trends.

The delivery method currently is a mix of sending emails and directing radio stations to places set up by labels for downloading music for radio promotion. Due to the file size, inbox constraints and sheer volume of promo music getting sent to radio, the email method cannot ever be adopted industry wide, so she likewise sees the download from the web as a more realistic option for the future.

Thing is it really will take up a lot of time to download promo music and in my opinion it will hurt teensy little labels like mine. Sure every radio station is going to download the latest music from Sub Pop, Matador, Touch & Go, etc. to add to a stations library, but will they take the time to download music from a label and band below their radar?

With promos sent to WORT releases from the big indie labels are basically automatically added to our music library. With the releases by unknown artists and labels, they have to get reviewed for suitability and quality for our stations since we do not have the room to keep all promo discs sent. At least someone give them a listen before deciding it won’t go in the library. Without the actual physical CD it seems like a lot of relatively unknown, but great bands will be less likely to get listened to, added to the library and receive airplay. One of the coolest things about being a non-commercial DJ is having your mind fucking blown by some band you never heard of on a label you never heard of and having the freedom to try to expose amazing unknown bands to a wider audience. From how I imagine it now it seems like digital promo will not help the little guys besides the fact you save lots of money on mailings.

Digital is the trend on music storage as well. Many, many radio stations are getting away from physical CDs altogether and having their entire library on hard drives. There is talk about it my station too, but I am among the majority of DJs who are trying to prevent it from happening.