CD+G
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| Media type | Optical disc |
|---|---|
| Encoding | Various |
| Capacity | Typically up to 800 MB (up to 80 minutes audio) |
| Read mechanism | 780 nm wavelength semiconductor laser |
| Developed by | Philips & Sony |
| Usage | Audio, image, and data storage |
CD+G (also known as CD-G, CD+Graphics and TV-Graphics) is an extension of the compact disc standard that can present low-resolution graphics alongside the audio data on the disc when played on a compatible device. CD+G discs are often used for karaoke machines, which use this functionality to present on-screen lyrics for the song contained on the disc. The CD+G specifications were published by Philips and Sony in an updated revision of the Red Book specifications.
The first CD to be released with CD+G graphics was Eat or Be Eaten by Firesign Theatre in 1985. The CD+EG is a similar format that allows for better graphics, but has been used very rarely.
Along with dedicated Karaoke machines, other consumer devices that play CD+G format CDs include the NEC TurboGrafx-CD (a CD-ROM peripheral for the TurboGrafx-16) and Turbo Duo, the Philips CD-i, the Sega CD, Sega Saturn, the JVC X'Eye, the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, the Amiga CD32 and Commodore CDTV, and the Atari Jaguar CD (which was an attachment for the Atari Jaguar). Some CD-ROM drives can also read this data. Pioneer's LaserActive player can also play CD+G discs, as long as either the PAC-S1/S-10 or PAC-N1/N10 game modules are installed.
Since 2003, some standalone DVD players have supported the CD+G format.
The CD+G format takes advantage of the subcode channels R through W, which are unused in standard audio CD formats. These six bits store graphics information.
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