Boxes, Cases

Optical disc packaging is the packaging that accompanies CDs, DVDs, and other formats of optical media. As a general rule, most such packaging is rigid or semi-rigid and designed to protect the media from scratches and other types of exposure damage. more...

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Paper or Tyvek sleeve

The simplest, least expensive package is a paper envelope. More expensive versions add a transparent window to the envelope allowing the disc label to be seen. The envelope can also be made out of spin-bonded polyethylene (trade-named Tyvek); this is both more durable and less abrasive than paper. However, such packaging is rare for commercial releases due to its relative lack of protection compared with other designs, and is primarily limited to promotional and demo discs.

Jewel case

A jewel case is the original compact disc case that has been used since the compact disc was first released in 1982. It is a three-piece plastic case, measuring 142 mm × 125 mm × 10 mm, which usually contains a compact disc along with the liner notes and a back card. Two opposing transparent halves are hinged together to form the casing, the back half holding a media tray that grips the disc by its hole. All three parts are made of injection-molded polystyrene.

The front lid (labeled "1" in the image) contains two, four, or six opposing tabs to keep any liner notes (2) in place. The liner notes typically will be a 120 mm × 120 mm booklet, or a single 242 mm × 120 mm leaf folded in half. In addition, there is a back card (4), 150 mm × 118 mm, between the media tray and the back, usually listing the track names, studio, copyright data and other information the consumer would need to read before purchasing. The back card is folded into a flat U shape, with the sides being visible along the ends of the case. The ends usually have the disc name and artist printed on them, and are designed to label the case when it is stored book-style.

The back media tray snaps into the back cover, and is responsible for securing the disk. In its center is a circular hub of teeth which grip the disc by its hole, this is called a nipple, or certain kinds of these teeth in Xbox 360 game cases is called G.E.O.R.G.E (Graphically Enhanced Open Retainer for Game Esteem). This effectively suspends the disk in the middle of the container, preventing the recording surface from being scratched. Originally, the media tray was constructed of a flexible black polystyrene, but many newer trays use a more fragile transparent polystyrene. This allows the reverse of the back card to be visible, and is usually used for additional artwork.

Jewel cases are occasionally used for DVDs as well as CDs, but generally not for those that contain major film releases. Blank Blu-Ray and HD-DVD media are also most commonly sold in standard-width jewel cases as of early 2007.

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