Chad Gombosi wrote:
>
> las wrote:
> >
> >Hi all.
> >
> >I just thought about something. If MDs had come out BEFORE
> CDs, I wonder if
> >CDs would have caught on as well?
>
> >Yes, it would have. CD caught on because it had a significant
> >and
> >revolutionary difference over any other existing format at the
> >>time:
> >Random Access. It also had improved sound quality, although >I
> >don't
> >believe that's why the masses flocked to CD. I'm pretty sure
> >the reason
> >CD was readily adopted is one of convenience. Being able to
> >skip from
> >track to track and NOT have to FFWD or RWD is a huge
> >convenience.
>
> Maybe you have heard of these things called "records"? They have random
> access last time I checked, and they were by far the most common mainstream
> music medium of the time, even though minicassete and 8 track were still in
> production. I've even seen programable turntables.
This is not MY definition of random access. My definition of random
access is that the beginning of each track is in an exact location where
the audio device can quickly jump to, accurately and easily, with the
single push of a button. Like files on a hard drive. NOT your hand
manually picking up a stylus and placing it in an approximate position
which may or may not be the exact spot where you wanted it. I guess
turntable access is truly random, in that you never hit the same exact
position twice, but this is not the kind of random access I'm talking
about.
> I don't think being able to access tracks was something that helped CD catch
> on, but it might have doomed CDs if they didn't have the feature.
No, it wasn't random access alone, but I think that had a great deal to
do with it. That and it's a manageable size (although still too big,
IMO). Compared to the 12-inch LPs, the 12-cm CD's were a helluva lot
more convenient.
> One of the biggest things that helped CD catch on IMO, was the fact that in
> the 80s people were always looking for something new and cool to blow their
> cash on. The same is pretty much true today, but people are so paranoid
> about being stuck with a "looser" format that they won't buy new formats no
> matter how good they are. It's like they are afraid of being made fun of or
> something.
I disagree, I think CD definitely had several significant convenience
advantages over any other format in the 80's. Do you think skipping
forward to track 6 or 13 on a cassette is easy or convenient? Even
computerized cassette decks have to spend an excruciatingly long time
hunting for tracks. I had computerized cassette decks/players in the
80's, and they were painful to use. CD was MUCH more convenient. Then
there's CD's sound quality. Clean, with no analog noise or hiss. No
snap crackle and pop. And consistent too. You could play that CD a
million times and the sound quality wouldn't degrade. I think these are
all reasons that helped CD attract early adopters in the 80's, most of
which probably were affluent looking to blow their cash on a cool new
toy, but the format was just so convenient and revolutionary that demand
increased to the point where prices dropped to a level that all
consumers could afford in the 90's.
I don't think anyone is afraid of being made fun of. I bought my first
MD deck in the end of '95. Everyone I know thought it was the coolest
thing they'd ever seen. Lots of my friends had gadget-envy, but no one
I know makes their own recordings, they all bought prerecorded CD's (and
even tapes) at the time. Prerecorded MD titles are rare, so to this
day, none of my friends really found a real need to buy into the MD
format. After all, NOT having prerecorded titles on MD and having to
record all your tunes is pretty darn inconvenient if that's how you get
all your music.
> When it was obvious that MP3 wasn't going to be abandoned (mainly because no
> large companies are in control of it, it's fame is purely fan-made) that's
> when things like the Rio became popular. People won't buy MD because they
> are afraid it will get dumped, even though it's a decade old, most Americans
> think of it as some new looser format. Of couse this is a self-fulfilling
> profecy...if people don't buy it, it *will* be dumped.
I think MP3 caught on because it's revolutionary. Music for free. Who
could resist? With broadband connections becoming more popular, it
makes getting free music even faster and easier.
Some people may be paranoid about new formats in general, but in my
experience, most people will buy into a format if it will in some way
make life easier, faster, cheaper, or better. I think in general, the
American lifestyle is fast-paced and rushed, and spending time making
realtime mix recordings just doesn't fit into this kind of busy
lifestyle.
Shawn
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