LaserDisc
The LaserDisc (LD) is a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium, initially licensed, sold and marketed as MCA DiscoVision (also known simply as "DiscoVision") in the United States in 1978. Its diameter typically spans 30 cm (12 in). Unlike most optical-disc standards, LaserDisc is not fully digital, and instead requires the use of analog video signals.
A LaserDisc held | |
| Media type | Optical disc |
|---|---|
| Encoding | NTSC, PAL, MUSE, HD-MAC |
| Capacity | 60/64 minutes per side on CLV discs (NTSC/PAL); 30/36 minutes per side on CAV discs (NTSC/PAL) |
| Read mechanism | 780 nm wavelength semiconductor laser (early players used HeNe gas lasers) |
| Write mechanism | Laser on dye; same write mechanism as recordable CD/DVDs |
| Standard | LaserVision |
| Developed by | Philips, MCA Inc., Pioneer Corporation |
| Usage | Home video (replaced by DVD) |
| Extended to | DVD |
| Released | December 11, 1978 (as DiscoVision) |
| Discontinued | September 21, 2001 (films) July 2009 (production) |
| Optical discs |
|---|
Although the format was capable of offering higher-quality video and audio than its consumer rivals, VHS and Betamax videotape, LaserDisc never managed to gain widespread use in North America. This was largely due to the high cost of the players and their inability to record TV programs. It eventually did gain some traction in that region and became popular in the 1990s. However, it was not the most popular format in several countries in Europe and Australia.
By contrast, the format was much more popular in Japan and in the more affluent regions of Southeast Asia, such as Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia, and was the prevalent rental video medium in Hong Kong during the 1990s. Its superior video and audio quality made it a popular choice among videophiles and film enthusiasts during its lifespan. The technologies and concepts behind LaserDisc were the foundation for later optical disc formats, including Compact Disc (CD), DVD, and Blu-ray (BD). LaserDisc players continued to be produced until July 2009, when Pioneer stopped making them.