 | |
| Media type | Optical disc |
|---|---|
| Capacity | Typically up to 700 MB |
| Read mechanism | 780 nm wavelength semiconductor laser |
| Developed by | Pacific Microsonics Inc./Microsoft |
| Usage | Audio storage |
| Extended from | Red Book Compact disc |
| Released | 1995 |
High Definition Compatible Digital (HDCD) is a proprietary audio encode-decode process that claims to provide increased dynamic range over that of standard Compact Disc Digital Audio, while retaining backward compatibility with existing compact disc players.
Originally developed by Pacific Microsonics, the first HDCD-enabled CD was released in 1995.[1] In 2000, the technology was purchased by Microsoft, and the following year, there were over 5,000 HDCD titles available.[2] Microsoft's HDCD official website was discontinued in 2005; by 2008, the number of available titles had declined to around 4,000.[1]
A number of CD and DVD players include HDCD decoding, and versions 9 and above of Microsoft's Windows Media Player on personal computers are capable of decoding HDCD.
HDCD is a favorite among artists who have a preference for high quality sound, such as Neil Young, the Beach Boys and the Grateful Dead—all of whom have multiple CD titles (new and archival) in their catalogs mastered in this process.[3][4]
- ^ a b "Home Technology eMagazine - Classic Home Toys Installment #19 The Final CD Format: HDCD". HomeToys. 30 November 2008. Archived from the original on 21 June 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
- ^ "HDCD (High Definition Compatible Digital) from Pacific Microsonics". TimeForDVD.com. 23 February 2002. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
- ^ List of HDCD-encoded compact discs (with technical details) at HydrogenAudio wiki
- ^ List of known HDCD compact discs (names only) at Head-Fi.org