MiniDisc

A MiniDisc (MD) is a disc-based data storage device for storing any kind of data, usually audio. The technology was announced by Sony in 1991 and introduced January 12 1992. Along with Philips' Digital Compact Cassette (DCC) system, MiniDisc was targeted as a replacement for analogue cassette tapes as the recording system for Hi-Fi equipment. What became a very brief format war ended when DCC was phased out in 1996.

Related Topics:
Data storage device - Audio - Sony - 1991 - January 12 - 1992 - Philips - Digital Compact Cassette - Cassette - Hi-Fi - 1996

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MD Data, a version for storing computer data was announced by Sony in 1993, but it never gained significant ground, so today MDs are used primarily for audio storage.

Related Topics:
MD Data - 1993

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Although MiniDisc has had some success, it has not caught on as well as Sony had hoped. Though in Japan it is quite popular. The low initial uptake of the format was attributed to the small number of pre-recorded albums available on MD, which are only produced by Sony's own record labels and later were phased out completely, and high cost of equipment. The company avoided the mistake that it had made in the 1970s with the Betamax video recording system, and this time licensed the MD technology to other manufacturers, with JVC, Sharp, Pioneer, Panasonic and others all producing their own MD systems. In recent years MiniDisc has faced new competition from CD-Recordable, solid-state memory recording (MP3), and hard disk recording, while the popularity of traditional cassette tape refuses to wane in certain quarters.

Related Topics:
1970s - Betamax - JVC - Sharp - Pioneer - Panasonic - CD-Recordable - MP3 - Hard disk - Cassette tape

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