i've heard that playing CDs can shorten the life of the laser in a dvd player...obviously, extended use will do that, but i'm wondering whether playing a CD affects the laser differently from a DVD...

[This message has been edited by Maxim Man (edited August 21, 2000).]

Yes that is true...but only if you actually turn the DVD player on.

No, it is not true. The Official DVD Spec requires all DVD players to also play CD-DA. Playing a CD should not wear the laser out, unless you have done something very wrong...

Not anymore than playing a DVD will. I wouldn't worry about it.

There's nothing wrong with it, but like you said, extended use could affect it.

I think that's why the upper end Sony DVDs have the 2 optical lasers...one for CDs and one for DVDs...and that's why they're so expensive.

What I heard (and someone please correct this if it has no basis) is the following:

If a DVD player has only one laser in it, then it has to refocus everytime it switches between DVD and CD as different wavelengths (?) are needed to read the two sources. Supposedly, continunal switching could cause for laser adjustment at some point, I just don't know about "wearing out" as a result.

If this is true, then a dual-laser DVD player seeks to avoid this by having a laser optimized for each source, thus avoiding the need to refocus.

I don't know if the tech who told me this is right or not, but I just don't see any other reason to have a 2 laser player.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by JLB:
What I heard (and someone please correct this if it has no basis) is the following:

If a DVD player has only one laser in it, then it has to refocus everytime it switches between DVD and CD as different wavelengths (?) are needed to read the two sources. Supposedly, continunal switching could cause for laser adjustment at some point, I just don't know about "wearing out" as a result.

If this is true, then a dual-laser DVD player seeks to avoid this by having a laser optimized for each source, thus avoiding the need to refocus.

I don't know if the tech who told me this is right or not, but I just don't see any other reason to have a 2 laser player.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

You are correct, but I would imagine it would take years of use before the dvd player needs the laser adjusted. You would probably replace it before then. My Sony S300 has dual lasers and that was one of the selling points. Since there is a separate laser for CDs it also allows it to read CDRs. I actually use my Laserdisc player to play audio CDs, because it seems to put out a much better sound than either my DVD player or old CD player.


[This message has been edited by darkside (edited August 23, 2000).]