A quick history of the compact disk

The history of the CD (Compact Disk) goes all the way back to 1841 when Augustin-Louis Cauchy proposed his sampling theorem and then a year later when Charles Babbage proposed an analytical engine for performing and storing calculations that formed the basis of of the compact disk idea. Eventually in 1877 Thomas Edison would invent the phonograph while trying to invent a device to record telegraphic signals. This invention turned the world on it's ear with recorded music.

Jump ahead to 1943 when the U.S. Army invents and powers up the world's first computer at the University of Pennsylvania and a few years after that to the invention of the first magnetic tape recorders. They hit the market head on, allowing consumers to record their own voices and music. 1958 welcomed the invention of the laser which is an important part of the compact disk technology and in 1971 Intel introduces it's first microprocessor putting the final piece in place to make CD technology a reality. By 1977 Mitsubishi, Sony and Hitachi display prototypes for digital audio disks at the Tokyo Audio Fair.

The CD entered the mainstream world in the form of the Video Laser Disk "read only" systems. The VideoDisk was a superior product to VHS but failed to catch on with commercial success. Probably due to price and size. The main difference between a VideoDisk and a CD or DVD is obviously size and the fact that the VideoDisk used an analog format for storing data. CD and DVD introduced the high quality digital format that would soon change the world of storage and presentation of music, images and video.

Eventually in 1982 the Compact Disk is introduced by Sony and Phillips in Europe and to The United States in 1983 where CD-ROM prototypes were shown to the public. The first CD player by Sony was called the CD-101 and the first compact disk released was officially documented as Billy Joel's 52nd Street. That same year 30,000 players were sold along with 800,000 CD's due mostly to the CD's ability to produce a very high quality stereo audio signal with very little noise. This coupled with the durability of the CD made it a "must have" for audio-techo-geeks everywhere. As CD players become more widespread, people found the need to have CD players with them at all times and car CD players were introduced in 1984. Soon after that in 1985 we saw the introduction of the CD changer which allowed people to store and access multiple CDs via a carousel. In 1988 the recordable CD was introduced to the world which would eventually bring the CD into the mainstream with consumers.