Yerf Dog
08-17-2012, 12:47pm
The History Of The Compact Disc
30 years ago today, workers in a factory outside of Hanover, Germany played host to executives from Polygram, Sony and Philips. These executives were here to see something they knew was going to be special. After a while, they were handed a small, circular disc. These executives were holding the first Compact Disc ever pressed. 30 years have passed since that day, and now, on the technology’s 30th birthday, we take a look back at how it became one of the world’s most popular formats.
The CD was conceived in a meeting between Philips (then known as Royal Philips Electronics) and Sony in 1979. The two companies argued about what size, shape and technology the CD should support. It was eventually settled on a disc of 115 millimetres in diameter and 74 minutes worth of storage. Why 74 minutes? To fit Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, of course.
Sony & Philips announce a joint CD taskforce in 1979. Credit: Philips
It measured 1.2 millimetres thick and spun at around 500 RPM on the inside of the disc.
The CD marked a transition from analogue technology to digital sound and it has paved the way for advancements in entertainment the likes of which couldn’t be fathomed at the time. The first CD ever made was pressed on August 17, 1982. It was actually a pressing of ABBAs The Visitors album.
The History Of The Compact Disc | Gizmodo Australia (http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2012/08/the-history-of-the-compact-disc/)
The first CDs I bought were "Escape" by Journey and "Heartbeat City" by The Cars. Still have 'em.
30 years ago today, workers in a factory outside of Hanover, Germany played host to executives from Polygram, Sony and Philips. These executives were here to see something they knew was going to be special. After a while, they were handed a small, circular disc. These executives were holding the first Compact Disc ever pressed. 30 years have passed since that day, and now, on the technology’s 30th birthday, we take a look back at how it became one of the world’s most popular formats.
The CD was conceived in a meeting between Philips (then known as Royal Philips Electronics) and Sony in 1979. The two companies argued about what size, shape and technology the CD should support. It was eventually settled on a disc of 115 millimetres in diameter and 74 minutes worth of storage. Why 74 minutes? To fit Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, of course.
Sony & Philips announce a joint CD taskforce in 1979. Credit: Philips
It measured 1.2 millimetres thick and spun at around 500 RPM on the inside of the disc.
The CD marked a transition from analogue technology to digital sound and it has paved the way for advancements in entertainment the likes of which couldn’t be fathomed at the time. The first CD ever made was pressed on August 17, 1982. It was actually a pressing of ABBAs The Visitors album.
The History Of The Compact Disc | Gizmodo Australia (http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2012/08/the-history-of-the-compact-disc/)
The first CDs I bought were "Escape" by Journey and "Heartbeat City" by The Cars. Still have 'em.