Many people think, that the compact disc, arose in the 80s. But the truth is, that the
beginnings of its origin date back to the half of the 60s. That time James T.
Russel decided to make a recording system, which would make possible the
limitless playing without the loss of the record’s quality. It is known, that after some
time a disc is partly damaged, the record’s quality seeks. Also a tape recorder’s
record have similar vices. Therefore Russel came with an idea of an
intactile recording and reproduction. The information should have been handed over just
with a light. But his method did not have anything to do with an optic recording, as we
know it at a sonic movie. He took advantage of a known principle of a digital recording.
This was, in his case, created with “points” of light or dark, each of them with a
diameter of 1 micrometer. As a source of light he used laser. Then he transmitted the
light and the dark to an electric signal. He did this with a computer. The signal was
audible or visible. So he created a perfect record, which can’t be ever damaged by
playing it. He received 22 patents for his system. Thought he successfully exhibited his
invention many times, the investors and the scientists were very sceptic. The investments 
seemed to them to
be long-term and the profits too distant. And so it had been until the year 1980. The
manufacturing rights were then bought by Phillips and Sony. These
companies carried out some modifications of the system to support the mass sale and the
possibility of “home” use. In 1981 35 electronic firms agreed with the standard of
Phillips-Sony and a competition started, everyone was manufacturing the compact disc
players. The expansion of these CD players was also supported with the “arrival” of
relatively cheap laser LED diodes. In 1986 more than 1 million of CD players was sold.
They became the best sold appliance in the field of consumable electronics. The CDs have
overblown the world: almost a faultless quality, almost indestructible, discs which
don’t mind the finger marks, small scratches or even a few-hour-rain. But the progress
did not stop.
(from http://www.solstice.demon.co.uk/rechist.htm)
The public was not satisfied just with perfect CDs from a firm’s production.
People in the 90s wanted the compact discs also for the recording of computer data and for
creating their own entries. And so the over-recording discs appeared. So it was possible
to make the backup file of your own data, but unfortunately of all other data, too. So it
impossible to make a copy of a music CD in its original quality. As if it was not enough,
that the technical progress did allow the production of CDs, which can be deleted and
recorded again: The laser of one colour makes the entry and the laser of another colour
does the deletion. How easy!
