The future of music/media . . . are CDs/DVDs dying?

[Nate The Great]

So I have one of those 20GB Dell DJ things with an FM transmitter that I use in the tractor/combine/etc., and I have about 137 CDs ripped to it so far (with about 13GB remaining).

My question is will CDs eventually die and be replaced by an entirely digital music experience? While this seems like it is a pretty obvious "yes", I see a few problems. The main problem being that CDs are much better sound quality than mp3s, WMA, etc. Will the world need to wait for everybody to be hooked up to satellite internet (cheaper than T1, T3, etc. and faster than DSL and cable) in order download bigger (and better quality) music files, or will the world simply stop giving a shit about the sound quality of an album.

My main problem with this whole digital revolution is that people simply download the songs they like. That's total shit! I don't have a single downloaded mp3. Everything I have is ripped from CDs I bought. Most people at this forum probably don't understand the whole mainstream society obssession with "hit singles".

By the way, I'm in the process of finding ways to wirelessly stream music and television to stereos and TVs in other rooms of the house. If anybody has recommendations on stereos and TVs that will work for this, let me know. I need a small micro system stereo and a 15" or 17" flat panel TV to do what I want to do. I'd also like the stereo to have 5.1 surround capabilities for DVD (with the DVD player included on the stereo). I'm also thinking about putting a hard drive based stereo system in my next vehicle (hopefully in a year or so). That way I can just download stuff from my computer onto the device and plug it into the car stereo. I've seen a couple of these things on the market, and I figure by the time I'm ready to upgrade there will be several of them.

If you actually read all my ramblings, feel free to comment with any stupid remarks you might have.

 

[Demonspell]

I think the differences in sound quality and the unwillingness of people who have built up gigantic CD collections to replace everything with a new format (again) will keep CDs alive for at least the next decade. As hyped as portable mp3 players are, I don't think they've become indispensable yet and it will be some time before storing entire collections on them becomes the norm, if ever...

 

[J.]

CDs will always be here. Sure, in the future they may not be sold in chain stores, kinda like vinyl and cassettes disappeared from the Best Buys and Circuit Citys of the world, but there will always be a demand for them.

 

[NAD]

Anything that promotes the hit single experience instead of the album experience is bad. BAD I SAY! Hopefully CDs will be around for a long time to come.

 

[IOfTheStorm]

Music fans will always want the real thing, so cds and vinyls will not die (for many years)

 

[JayKeeley]

I don't really know much about this, but downloading aside, isn't the main problem with MP3 files is that they use compression (and therefore take away from sound quality)? If you could use the uncompressed format (is it .WAV?) and sell it on solid-state media, then I think it could have a good shot as replacing CDs. Basically, it would be like buying little ROM cartridges that can plug into multiple systems.

Also, I know it's convenient to have an MP3 player, but it seems rather silly to me to have an entire personal CD collection ripped to MP3 where the quality now sounds worse, and the good CDs now just sit there on a shelf collecting dust...no wonder people download - to be devils advocate, why have the two sets of the same music if you're only ever going to listen to the MP3 version?

 

[General Zod]

CDs will always be here.

I think that's overstating it a bit. Granted, vinyl, cassettes and VHS have died a slow death, but nothing lasts forever.

I currently have a 40GB iPod. I also have the Altec Lansing inMotion speakers and a new Alpine AI head unit in my car. So, I can listen to my iPod through the earbuds while I'm at the gym, through the inMotion speakers at my desk at work (or on vacation when I take the inMotion and iPod with me), and through my car stereo in my car. Essentially, I have 5,000 songs (ripped at 192 or better) where ever I am.

Once a lossless file format, of managable size, is developed there will be no need for CDs. And why would anyone want them, when you can have your entire CD collection available to you, where ever you are, at the push of a button?

Zod

 

[Doom]

The only reason I have an MP3 player is so I can listen to music when I'm away from my CD player (on the bus, walking round campus, in the gym etc.) They are brilliant for that, but it's not like I would sit at home in front of my computer listening to my MP3 player over my CDs.

If you could use the uncompressed format (is it .WAV?) and sell it on solid-state media, then I think it could have a good shot as replacing CDs.

I know we've been here before, but people who won't pay money for albums, but have huge MP3 collections pretty much suck. If people didn't do this, then there wouldn't be a problem and there would be no danger of CDs being replaced, which I'm guessing most of us would prefer. It's not really about sound quality. Even if I could have music files on my computer that were just as good quality as CDs I'd still want to buy the CD, because I want to own it.

 

[Doom]

Once a lossless file format, of managable size, is developed there will be no need for CDs. And why would anyone want them, when you can have your entire CD collection available to you, where ever you are, at the push of a button?

Zod

As I implied above, SOME of us DO like having the actual CD. To me that is more important than convenience.

 

[JayKeeley]

As I implied above, SOME of us DO like having the actual CD. To me that is more important than convenience.

Yeah, but you're getting hung up on the media format. Eventually 'compact discs' WILL become obsolete, and that understanding of ownership will change. I don't know what it will be - some solid state device like I said earlier perhaps, but there is always something new on the horizon. The idea of having something spinning though, in this day and age, is already quite archaic.

 

[JayKeeley]

That said, I have no problem with moving to solid state media (much more reliable than optical discs if done right and could also have better quality than CD with the prices coming down) eventually, as long as it still gives the full album feel with fucking artwork and sleeves and booklets and stuff. FUCK OFF NOWADAYS MUSIC AS DISPOSABLE PRODUCT PHILOSOPHY.

Yeah absolutely. The marketing folks once upon a time probably thought that the record sleeve size would need to correspond to the vinyl record (i.e., see size difference in 12" and 7" records). And then the CD folks came along and thought the same thing to come up with jewel cases.

I think that logic is flawed. I wouldn't mind having nice collectable packaging like days of old, but inside would be tiny ROM device. I don't see why the media has to match the size of the artwork.

 

[General Zod]

As I implied above, SOME of us DO like having the actual CD. To me that is more important than convenience.

Having a CD is nice. As a collector, I like having it as well. However, at some point, it will serve no purpose, and will begin to fade away. Things change, that's just the way of technology.

Zod

 

[J.]

I refuse to succumb to "advancing-technology" if that means I will not get physical media, but instead receive some computer files. That's just plain ol' retarded.

My CDs will not become obsolete as long as I have a CD player.

 

[JayKeeley]

Gosh, I think people are getting this mixed up. Getting rid of CD's does not imply the need to download computer files. It's just evolution of the media itself -- CD's will eventually be replaced by other media, that you can STILL buy in stores with artwork packaging etc. I'm just saying that the idea of putting something into a machine, that can get scratched or dirty, or needs to spin against an optical reader, is pretty dumb in this day and age.

 

[speed]

Jay Keeley speaks words of reason. I dont see why cds would stick around?
Vinyl yes, it has a richness unmatched by any other form of musical media. I concur I would prefer some form of physical media, but the future of technology seems to disagree.

One can only hope in the future without the need for physical copies to be mass produced, that artists will acheive greater freedom from the artistic and monetary restrictions of music labels.

 

[General Zod]

I'm just saying that the idea of putting something into a machine, that can get scratched or dirty, or needs to spin against an optical reader, is pretty dumb in this day and age.

And what some people don't realize is, your CDs aren't forever. They will begin to become unplayable in time. I believe their shelf life is something like 25 years.

Zod

 

[Doom]

Gosh, I think people are getting this mixed up. Getting rid of CD's does not imply the need to download computer files. It's just evolution of the media itself -- CD's will eventually be replaced by other media, that you can STILL buy in stores with artwork packaging etc. I'm just saying that the idea of putting something into a machine, that can get scratched or dirty, or needs to spin against an optical reader, is pretty dumb in this day and age.

But Nate's post was (correct me if I'm wrong) referring to downloading music threatening the existence of CDs, and that's what I was posting about, not about the possibility of moving to solid state media, which I think you were the first to bring up.

As Erik said, as long as I can have artwork, sleeves, booklets etc. along with some form of physical media, then I don't mind what format the music is on.

 

[Doom]

I concur I would prefer some form of physical media, but the future of technology seems to disagree.

It's nothing to do with "the future of technology". The reason why physical media might be phased out is because people like you won't pay for albums and instead choose to download it.

 

[NAD]

I'm with the issue of artwork, I don't hold some great love for CDs like vinyl, but it's a format I'm so accustomed to that the switch to another ROM medium (fuck disposable shit like Erik said) might be weird.

Although honestly, I still miss when CDs came in those way huge boxes with giant artwork. I had a few left up until a few years ago and then chucked them for reasons unknown. That kind of shit has been gone for years, and it RUUUUUULED.

 

[J.]

It's just not CDs, though. People today now download movies and video games which could threaten the sale of DVDs and console games.

[nazi]Downloading should be against the law.[/nazi]