What audio recorder technology is the general public buying these days?
I think cassette is still the dominant recordable format. The thing I notice is
that, since personal and in-dash CD players have become widely available
and inexpensive, many of those who would have, in the past, used cassette
in these applications are using CD. Most don't own a CD recorder; they rely
totally on pre-recorded CDs.
I think that the largest segment of users for just about audio player technology
never (or seldom) records; they rely on pre-recorded. So I think that relative
scarcity of pre-recorded MDs is the biggest problem, in terms of MD becoming
a mainstream format. Second is lack of promotion. While I would like to see
better integration between MD and PC, I do not believe it would make any
difference to the average consumer. (I personally belive that the MD's current
level of computer integration at best expliots Windows real-time weaknesses
why completely ignoring the unique strengths of MD, but makes little
difference to the masses.)
I have been around long enough to remember that the CD format was sort
of a slow starter. The early CD players were expensive (my first portable was
$250 and had a lead-acid battery that lasted 3-4 hours per charge). And
discs we scare in the early '80s. But eventually, by the end of the '80s and
the early '90s, the CD had virtually wiped out the LP and made a big dent in
pre-recorded cassette sales.
Beside the fact that it offered higher audio quality, the CD had 2 important
advantages:
1) Like the cassette and unlike the LP, it was a format that lent itself to
portable and in-car players, giving the record companies a much larger
base of buyers.
2) Like the LP and unlike the cassette, CD was easy and inexpensive to
duplicate, meaning higher profit for the recording companies.
MD was designed to offer both of these advantages and also to offer a
third important advantage:
3) Unlike the LP and the CD, the MD format is rugged (scratch resistant).
This third advantage, I believe, is what is most important to the masses.
The second advantage (easy duplication) may become less important
as the industry model moves from distribution on media to in-home
delivery via internet, cable, satellite, or whatever mediuim they eventually
pick. MD's other virtues may be allowed to shine in this application,
but we a still a ways from seeing the infrastructure for widespread
in-home, on-demand delivery.
The fact that MD today offers recordability, editability and holds the future
possibility of a good computer interface are just icing on the cake...
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