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- From: jstimson@jarthur.claremont.edu (John Stimson)
- Newsgroups: sci.electronics,rec.audio,alt.folklore.computers
- Subject: Re: Life after CDs
- Message-ID: <1992Jul27.202053.11266@muddcs.claremont.edu>
- Date: 27 Jul 92 20:20:53 GMT
- References: <1992Jul27.092328.21478@discus.technion.ac.il> <27JUL199209444686@erin.caltech.edu> <1992Jul27.194532.15632@udel.edu>
- Sender: news@muddcs.claremont.edu (The News System)
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- Organization: Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA 91711
- Lines: 24
-
- In article <1992Jul27.194532.15632@udel.edu> bower@peppermint.udel.edu (Tyson Bower) writes:
- >As far as pressing the "grooves" on a CD closer together goes, I believe
- >they are already very nearly as close together as they can get. They can
- >be packed in slightly more (I think this is how some of those `long'
- >CD's are made to exceed the 74 min standard) but not much.
- >
- >It has to do with limitations due to the wavelength of the red laser
- >used to read the discs. If the spiral track gets and tighter, the
- >laser cannot accurate track a single row to pits/bumps. Apparently,
- >the solution to this restriction is to use a blue laser instead, which
- >has a shorter wavelength and can therefore focus in on a smaller spot.
- >Unfortunately, blue lasers are rather expensive and the technology
- >does not yet exist to mass produce them at a realistic price.
- >
- >Does anyone know more about this?
- >
-
-
- That's all just fine, but once you start talking about a format that
- you need brand new equipment to read, why bother? Why not
- just make the disc bigger then?
-
- John Stimson
- Harvey Mudd College
-