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CD first conceptualized
http://lowendmac.com/2014/history-of-the-compact-disc/
The most attributed inventor is James Russell, who in 1965 was inspired with a revolutionary idea as he sketched on paper a more ideal music recording system to replace vinyl records; Russell envisioned a system that could record and replay sounds without any physical contact between parts. -
After conceptualization, work begins on the CD
http://lowendmac.com/2014/history-of-the-compact-disc/
In 1978, Polygram, a division of Philips, chose polycarbonate as the material of choice for the CD. Many other decisions were also made that year, such as the disc diameter (115 mm) and the type of laser to be used by CD players. It was also decided that data on a CD would start at the center and spiral outwards to the edge. -
Demonstration of first CD prototype system
http://lowendmac.com/2014/history-of-the-compact-disc/
In 1979, a prototype CD system was demonstrated in Europe and Japan; Sony then agreed to join into the collaboration, and both Sony and Philips compromised on the standard sampling rate of 44.1 kHz and the choice to use 16-bit audio. The disc diameter was changed from 115 to 120 mm to allow for 74 minutes of playback with the sampling rate and quality chosen. -
CD introduced in Japan
https://www.voices.com/resources/articles/audio-recording-technology/cd-history-timeline
Pictured: The first CD player from Sony and it cost $900 in 1982 dollars. -
CD introduced in Europe and the United States
https://www.voices.com/resources/articles/audio-recording-technology/cd-history-timeline
Pictured: The first CD player from Sony and it cost $900 in 1983 dollars. -
First portable CD player introduced
http://lowendmac.com/2014/history-of-the-compact-disc/
Portable CD players were first introduced in the mid 1980s but were not popular until the 1990s when anti-skip technology was introduced. Sony’s first portable CD player, the Discman D-50, was introduced in November 1984. At first, the D-50 was not profitable but as the product gained popularity, it soon became profitable, and Sony began to create a portable CD market. The Discman range was later re-named to CD Walkman. -
CD-ROM was introduced
http://www.philips.com/a-w/research/technologies/cd/cd-family.html
The CD-ROM (Read Only Memory) was developed and launched around 1985. Like the audio CD the disc has a diameter of 12 cm and a storage capacity of 650 to 700 MB - equivalent to 450 floppy disks or more than 250,000 typed A4 pages. A CD-ROM allows fast data access and has a very high reliability. This is why it is now universally used to store computer software and data. -
CD Video format released
http://www.philips.com/a-w/research/technologies/cd/cd-family.html
To make optical discs into a video medium, the joint license holders Philips &Sony announced the development of a CD with a video capability in 1987, under the name ‘CD Video’. Three discs sizes - 12, 20 and 30 cm - were developed. The 12 cm 'CD with video' was referred to as 'CDV'. It contained up to 5 minutes of (analogue) video (like LaserDisc) plus up to 20 minutes of CD digital audio, which could be played on any CD player. -
CD-I, Interactive CD technology introduced
http://www.philips.com/a-w/research/technologies/cd/cd-family.html
Launched in 1991, the CD-i combined CD sound with video, text, animation and interactivity. This means that users could ‘communicate’ with a CD-i player and the software on the discs. In 1992 the CD-i was extended by Full Motion Video.With the success of gaming consoles and PCs, CD-I did not have the change of succeeding. -
CD-R (CD-Recordable) Introduced for professional use, but only available to consumers in 1996.
http://www.philips.com/a-w/research/technologies/cd/cd-family.html
CD-R was introduced for professional use as long ago as 1991. However a CD recorder was much too expensive for the consumer market. Pioneer launched a relatively affordable consumer audio recorder for CD-R in 1996, -
DVD technology hits the world
https://www.voices.com/resources/articles/audio-recording-technology/cd-history-timeline
DVD technology is exhibited through the collaboration of leading computer companies such as Sun, Apple, Dell, and many more. -
CD-RW available to consumers
http://www.philips.com/a-w/research/technologies/cd/cd-family.html
Pioneer launched a relatively affordable consumer audio recorder for CD-R (not CD-RW) in 1996, although it was Philips as inventor of the CD that was the first to introduce a CD recorder for both CD-R and CD-RW in 1997. Philips also offered blank CD-R discs at a price of around 5.45 euro each. CD-RW discs were initially much more expensive, but their price - like that of CD-R discs - has now fallen dramatically. -
DVD released in the market
https://www.voices.com/resources/articles/audio-recording-technology/cd-history-timeline
DVD's become commercially available and begin to replace VCR tapes as the preferred medium for video viewing -
MP3 technology introduced to the public, CD sales begin to decline
https://www.mp3-history.com/en/timeline.html
In the U.S., the first portable audio devices equipped with hard drives and the first headphone CD players with mp3 functionalities are brought to market. mp3 increasingly becomes a cultural phenomenon, too, with hundreds of millions of mp3 capable computers and consumer electronic devices sold annually. -
The first consumer available Blu-Ray player is released in Japan by Sony.
https://www.voices.com/resources/articles/audio-recording-technology/cd-history-timeline
The first consumer available Blu-Ray player is released in Japan by Sony and regular DVD sales begin to decline.
