Music riddle for you!

Subject: Music riddle for you!
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Jan 03 - 04:14 PM

Let's see how long it takes someone to correctly answer the question:

Why is the standard length of a CD approximately 74 minutes?

Subject: RE: Music riddle for you!
From: MMario
Date: 10 Jan 03 - 04:17 PM

because of the amount of data space available.

Subject: RE: Music riddle for you!
From: Rustic Rebel
Date: 10 Jan 03 - 05:20 PM

So it can hold the entire 'Beethovan's 9th Symphony'!
Peace, Rustic

Subject: RE: Music riddle for you!
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Jan 03 - 05:20 PM

74 minutes is the amount of time that the recorded music plays. The actual length is affected by the number of tracks because there is time between each track.

Subject: RE: Music riddle for you!
From: Cluin
Date: 10 Jan 03 - 05:58 PM

Rustic Rebel has it.

Though the story is a little bit apocryphal, apparently somebody who knew somebody else insisted that the CD audio technology should be able to hold the entire Beeethove's 9th on it. A runtime of 74 minutes was needed. Standardized decision was made that CD digital audio be at the rate of 44,100 Hz and be 16 bit. (works out to 44,100 16bit "samples" per second). This meant that, for the media to hold the information, the CD would have to be 12 cm in diameter, with 99 tracks.

Of course, later CD technology came out that pushed the limit past the 74 min. ceiling. Then cometh forth the DVD....

Subject: RE: Music riddle for you!
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Jan 03 - 06:20 PM

Good on ya there Rustic Rebel & Cluin!

http://www.snopes.com/music/media/cdlength.htm

Subject: RE: Music riddle for you!
From: Cluin
Date: 10 Jan 03 - 07:35 PM

The CD I have of the "9th" only runs about 24 minutes. But then it's the "Choral".

Subject: RE: Music riddle for you!
From: GUEST,Compton
Date: 10 Jan 03 - 08:12 PM

Didn't I read somewhere that Mr Sony built the thing so it would take the Beethoven 9th? (and it was his favourite bit of music. Obviously not a folkie!

Subject: RE: Music riddle for you!
From: Les from Hull
Date: 10 Jan 03 - 08:16 PM

If they only got a bloody move on they could finish it in well under 74 mins.