How much longer will CDs be made?

CD is not done yet, just as vinyl wasn't done in 1982. There are still audible improvements being made to this format every day.

Think Blu-Ray audio, the best is yet to come. Sony I understand will be coming out with a blu-ray player, for video and all the CD formats. So, go Oppo for now. Also, hold to the wife, she is on to something.

The point here is CDS will still be a means of software delivery.. But how will you play them back? People will start converting them more and more toward a small hard drive and put the discs away, wasting too much money on any optical drive at this point is a risk..

This is NOT even remotely close to VINYL going away or not, this is EXACTLY like a TAPE deck going away, where can you purchase Cassettes??? It has to do with conveinence software and reliabilty out of a disc that is easily stored and replaced by the same digital means vs. carrying around a Disc.

Vinyl has had about what 4 times the life on this planet than CD? And for good reason, its still going to require a Needle and table to play, you can't just load it on a Drive and get the same experience or sound, thats been the point the whole time, As for digital who cares if its transported back to your ears off a Chip or a Disc?? Nobody if it sounds as good and is even more accessable and libraried.

Yes you can buy CD for some years to come, but don't think you can buy them as much locally is the point.. Tower records fell, best buy will have mostly only newer titles or ones that are always in demand. Maybe even that will go away further, and some will say screw it, Now I have to order all my cd's anyway, why not download it and have it now, no shipping, same sound, Digital pictures etc... Of course the websites have some work to do to get us the un-compressed files in ultimate availability, but I have a feeling that will happen, its like the IPOD nobody would have believed it 4 years ago, and you think it will stop there?

Nothing wrong with CD so don't get me wrong, but the real point is I would not invest heavily in a Optical disc drive, it seems insane to concern yourself with owning a Teac NEO drive clamp, or anything in these price ranges unless you have a ton of cash and it makes no difference.

Gs5556.
I happen to have hundreds classical & jazz CDs-and still buying the wonderful, economical box sets now available; but, the concern is "will I or anyone else with a decent playback system listen to them when the "Hi Res" reproduction becomes available?".
I have been OK with DVDs and line doublers--but having just looked at a High Def sports game in a Sony showroom on a superior large Sony flat panel TV I see a "very" significant" improvement.
I'm sure if I had that screen at home versus the previous technology there would be no question what I would use.
If there is a similar (mindbogling to me) improvement in stereo sound I'm just not sure I would ever listen to my old discs? What do you think considering our present CD sound versus a Blu Ray type improvement?