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The MiniDisc: the failure of a forgotten format (2020)

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Re: The MiniDisc: the failure of a forgotten format (2020)

#81

Post by rualca »

OldGoodNewBad wrote: post #73
LeoPanthera wrote: post #4

They say history is written by the winners, but when it comes to technology, history is written by Americans. MiniDisc was a huge success for Sony, and was the winner of the tape-replacement format war in virtually every country - except the USA. It was so successful that Sony is still making blank MiniDiscs today. (Though they are not sold there, Americans can type MDW80T into eBay if they'd like some brand-new Mini…

Minidisc was a HUGE commercial flop, with a paltry number of releases. It found utility in some pro audio racks but in no nation did it ever come close to replacing DAT in pro audio applications, or cassette tapes for music copying or distribution.

> Minidisc was a HUGE commercial flop, with a paltry number of releases.

What I remember from my minidisc days were that at least the ones I owned were all recorders. Even though I bought zero minidisc albums, I had a few minidiscs with albums recorded from CDs.

Even though minidisc wasn't ubiquitous, I'm not sure that the number of releases is a good measuring stick.

Re: The MiniDisc: the failure of a forgotten format (2020)

#82

Post by MomoXenosaga »

LeoPanthera wrote: post #4

They say history is written by the winners, but when it comes to technology, history is written by Americans. MiniDisc was a huge success for Sony, and was the winner of the tape-replacement format war in virtually every country - except the USA. It was so successful that Sony is still making blank MiniDiscs today. (Though they are not sold there, Americans can type MDW80T into eBay if they'd like some brand-new Mini…

Yes if we must call something a failed technology I nominate the discman.

Re: The MiniDisc: the failure of a forgotten format (2020)

#83

Post by LeoPanthera »

OldGoodNewBad wrote: post #73
LeoPanthera wrote: post #4

They say history is written by the winners, but when it comes to technology, history is written by Americans. MiniDisc was a huge success for Sony, and was the winner of the tape-replacement format war in virtually every country - except the USA. It was so successful that Sony is still making blank MiniDiscs today. (Though they are not sold there, Americans can type MDW80T into eBay if they'd like some brand-new Mini…

Minidisc was a HUGE commercial flop, with a paltry number of releases. It found utility in some pro audio racks but in no nation did it ever come close to replacing DAT in pro audio applications, or cassette tapes for music copying or distribution.

You are equating the number of commercial pre-recorded MiniDisc with the success of the format but that's just not how it works.

MiniDisc replaced tape, not CDs or records. Its raison d'etre was recording your own discs.

Re: The MiniDisc: the failure of a forgotten format (2020)

#84

Post by OldGoodNewBad »

LeoPanthera wrote: post #83
OldGoodNewBad wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Minidisc was a HUGE commercial flop, with a paltry number of releases. It found utility in some pro audio racks but in no nation did it ever come close to replacing DAT in pro audio applications, or cassette tapes for music copying or distribution.

You are equating the number of commercial pre-recorded MiniDisc with the success of the format but that's just not how it works. MiniDisc replaced tape, not CDs or records. Its raison d'etre was recording your own discs.

It never even matched tape, in terms of blank media or devices sold yearly even at its peak even in Japan.

Re: The MiniDisc: the failure of a forgotten format (2020)

#86

Post by thom »

JKCalhoun wrote: post #63
thom wrote: post #19

During the brief period of my youth that I was in a band, we recorded on MiniDisc. Being able to do 4-track digital recordings was pretty cool, in a way I didn't really appreciate back then beyond rewinding being less of a hassle.

Wait, there existed a 4-track MiniDisc recorder? That sounds awesome.

Can't claim I knew this at the time (wasn't my equipment) but Google tells me now this required MD Data discs. Normal audio discs would be limited to 2 tracks. Still, seemed nifty back in the day.

Re: The MiniDisc: the failure of a forgotten format (2020)

#87

Post by d_runs_far »

Am I the only one on here that actually bought the Sony minidisc with a scsi interface? I had it plugged into my Mac G3 and was used for backing up video projects that I was shooting on miniDV tape at the time. I also used it for playing music, but never bought pre recorded albums.

Re: The MiniDisc: the failure of a forgotten format (2020)

#88

Post by LeoPanthera »

cptskippy wrote: post #70

Everyone always talks about why the MD failed in the US, but why did it succeed in the UK?

I wonder if the UK had more of a culture of "home taping". The UK also has commercial-free BBC radio so recording stuff from the radio was more rewarding.

Re: The MiniDisc: the failure of a forgotten format (2020)

#89

Post by theshrike79 »

LeoPanthera wrote: post #4

They say history is written by the winners, but when it comes to technology, history is written by Americans. MiniDisc was a huge success for Sony, and was the winner of the tape-replacement format war in virtually every country - except the USA. It was so successful that Sony is still making blank MiniDiscs today. (Though they are not sold there, Americans can type MDW80T into eBay if they'd like some brand-new Mini…

Minidisc came out at the wrong time. It was just a bit too hard to copy your own music to it. A single record on MD cost WAY too much compared to Cassettes or CDs.

It would've been amazing to buy a whole discography on MD, it would've fit there easily.

MD is on my list of the most coolest technologies that just fizzled out in the mainstream.

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