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How many forms of Jitter can you identify?

Just a few days ago I was read about a clock upgrade for a CD player that was said to reduce jitter by having a more accurate clock. Today, I'm reading about a Mikrosmooth CD polishing kit that claims to reduce jitter.

I'm absolutely positive that it isn't possible to apply a product to a CD that will have any effect on the digital clock on the CD player. I'm also skeptical that it can make any difference in how the CD player spins the disk so how does it reduce jitter? At most it should a good cleaning product that could allow the laser to read the disk better eliminating any error correction from being necessary.

What am I missing?
mceljo

Showing 2 responses by mihaitaa

mihaitaa
111 posts
 
I see it very possible that a good, clean, as transparent as possible disc will help the laser pickup work at its best and read the light pulses induced by pit-to-land and land-to-pit transitions with very good temporal accuracy. And since jitter is temporal INaccuracy, this enhanced transparency will reduce jitter.
There is a commercial being broadcast nowadays on TV advertising a product claiming that it will restore one's car's headlamps transparency by removing the layer of oxidation that tends to develop and makes them slightly opaque.
Something like that.
I doubt that such a product will improve a new, or well maintained disc, but may be worth a try for older ones.
mihaitaa
111 posts
 
Well, shortly after I clicked "submit" I came to the realization of my "senor moment" when I totally forgot about the buffering that completely eliminates any possibility of jitter being generated by pit/land reading itself.
What can I say, I wish I could withdraw my post.
But since that's not possible, here I am again, standing corrected and humbled by Al's perfect answer.
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