Super Audio CD Disc Patent License

You might already know that the patent for the SACD is about to expire.  Not much will probably change but we thought this was an interesting document for the licensing procedure from Phillips / Sony who jointly share in the patent.  

Here is an excerpt from the document.

Flexible distribution medium

The Super Audio CD format allows for three types of disc: single layer, dual layer and hybrid. The first two are high density (HD) formats which play only on Super Audio CD players, while the hybrid combines an HD layer and a conventional CD layer which makes the disc play in Super Audio CD- and standard CD players. With this variety of disc constructions, Super Audio CD is an extremely versatile format offering the creative community a wide choice of what to provide on a disc. Super Audio CD provides both superb stereo and multi-channel reproduction: with no down-mixing to stereo required in multi-channel mode, each of the six channels delivers full Super Audio CD quality for an outstanding three-dimensional listening experience.

As an example of the possibilities, a fully loaded hybrid Super Audio CD contains up to three complete 74 minute versions of the music:

- stereo Super Audio CD program
- multi-channel (5, 5.1, or 6 channel) Super Audio CD program
- stereo CD program and there is also a provision for content enrichments on the disc.

Hybrid format for backwards compatibility The hybrid construction supported by the SACD specification enables record labels to market discs containing both Super Audio CD and conventional CD content.

This potential for backwards compatibility means hybrid Super Audio CDs can be used in the massive installed base of almost one billion CD players. Consumers benefit from Super Audio CD's exceptional performance and multi-channel capabilities, while still being able to listen to part of the content on standard CD systems. The result is a distribution medium which safeguards consumer investments in their existing music collections and ensures a smooth migration path from standard CD to Super Audio CD.

Read the whole document here...
http://www.ip.philips.com/licensing/program/45