What is recorded on the unused sides of CEDs?
With most program material less than one hour in length, and with most movies requiring two discs, there is an unused side with “nothing” recorded on it. But on inspecting these unused sides (usually stamped with the code 99999) there is still a band of grooves about 1/2″ wide. Some collectors have speculated that there may be something viewable hidden away in these grooves, but on the few discs I checked, I found nothing except black video with the last 6 bits of the DAXI code translating to Band 63. This band number signals the system control microcomputer to initiate the end of disc sequence, causing the player to immediately raise the stylus off the disc. Still, it is possible that the Band 63 code is only recorded for the first few grooves, but on the discs I checked, this was not the case. On the J and K series players there is an easy way to spot check the complete width of the grooves by loading a disc and turning the power switch off as soon as “E” is shown on the LED display.
