Although similar in appearance to compact discs or DVDs, early LaserDiscs used analog video stored in the composite domain (having a video bandwidth and resolution approximately equivalent to the 1-inch (25 mm) Type C videotape format) with analog FM stereo sound and PCM digital audio… The LaserDisc at its most fundamental level was still recorded as a series of pits and lands… In true digital media the pits, or their edges, directly represent 1s and 0s of a binary digital information stream. On a LaserDisc, the information is encoded as analog frequency modulation and is contained in the lengths and spacing of the pits.
As the LaserDisc format is not digitally encoded and does not make use of compression techniques, it is immune to video macroblocking (most visible as blockiness during high motion sequences) or contrast banding (subtle visible lines in gradient areas, such as out-of-focus backgrounds, skies, or light casts from spotlights) that can be caused by the MPEG-2 encoding process as video is prepared for DVD. Early DVD releases held the potential to surpass their LaserDisc counterparts, but often managed only to match them for image quality, and in some cases, the LaserDisc version was preferred.
Portable MP3 players were born after CDs and died long before. (You can’t count phones since they just stream music now anyway). Not loved enough to make the cut, but I guess the same could be said of mini-disc.
Last week I asked the associate at Best Buy if they carried blank CDs. He gave me a weird look & suggested I check [the local Retro Game & Nostalgia pawnshop] because “they sell some REAAAAAALLY old stuff”.
We’re so far into the age of streaming that the optical disc could be DVD or even Blu-ray. I add only one or two Blu-rays to my collection a year now.
At the same time, we must always keep ownership in mind and never let companies take it away. In particular, fsck anti-circumvention.
It what’s keeping everyone in the US from freely repairing and fully owning our cars, vehicles, and devices. Especially, Teslas, John Deere Tractors, and iPhones, but actually all cars, all smartphones, anything with computer code.
Nearly everything is electronic theses days and nearly everything that is electronic has computer code.
Traditional copyright law is sufficient to protect stuff. Anti-circumvention is going too far.
While we’re at it, ban terms of usage that require mandatory and binding arbitration. Nearly all companies put that in their terms now. Did you know, you can’t sue Microsoft? LG? AT&T? DirectTV? Whether it’s a services or a physical item such as an LG microwave? That you can’t bring them to court, no matter what they do to eff up, from minor annoyances to major, systemic problems and product failures? (*Unless you live in California…)
The companies above all require you to give up your rights if you want anything to do at all with their products. And you can’t opt out of arbitration with any of them.
Who else? Wells Fargo requires it too. Remember all those people who had Wells Fargo employees open additional accounts under their names without their knowledge, consent, or approval? They weren’t allowed to take Wells Fargo to court.
Seriously, the longer this is allowed to continue, the more I feel like we’re not going to have any more rights and companies will never be responsible for anything they do anymore.
(One last example: Remote start on Toyota key fobs requires an ongoing subscription! You only get a few years of using your fob for remote start for free. The exact number of years depends on the trim level or infotainment system level you choose on a new Toyota.)
(Ok, one more: features on European cars—such as heated seats or automatic headlights—that you “buy” or subscribe to on a monthly or yearly basis! Yes, it’s a real thing.)
Inks
Available States
AL, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY, AK, HI
Estimated Delivery
Wednesday, Feb 2 - Monday, Feb 7
Interesting. Just watched an episode of Techmoan talking about the death of the CD that he uploaded today.
Could also be the “Technology Connections” guy ushering this tech over the rainbow bridge.
Surprised the Laserdisc and CD aren’t having a Vader/Luke moment in one of these
@GetClosure I was surprised to learn that while both are optical, CD was digital but Laserdisc was analog.
@GetClosure @GLaDOS I don’t… I can’t even… Amazing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LaserDisc#Design
/giphy boggle

@GetClosure @GLaDOS
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LaserDisc#DVD
This explains a lot. Thanks.
Portable MP3 players were born after CDs and died long before. (You can’t count phones since they just stream music now anyway). Not loved enough to make the cut, but I guess the same could be said of mini-disc.
Poor CD still looks so shiny and new
Last week I asked the associate at Best Buy if they carried blank CDs. He gave me a weird look & suggested I check [the local Retro Game & Nostalgia pawnshop] because “they sell some REAAAAAALLY old stuff”.
@ohshitperry oof
We’re so far into the age of streaming that the optical disc could be DVD or even Blu-ray. I add only one or two Blu-rays to my collection a year now.
At the same time, we must always keep ownership in mind and never let companies take it away. In particular, fsck anti-circumvention.
It what’s keeping everyone in the US from freely repairing and fully owning our cars, vehicles, and devices. Especially, Teslas, John Deere Tractors, and iPhones, but actually all cars, all smartphones, anything with computer code.
Nearly everything is electronic theses days and nearly everything that is electronic has computer code.
Traditional copyright law is sufficient to protect stuff. Anti-circumvention is going too far.
In the US, we should repeal Section 103 (17 U.S.C Sec. 1201(a)(1)) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-circumvention#United_States.
While we’re at it, ban terms of usage that require mandatory and binding arbitration. Nearly all companies put that in their terms now. Did you know, you can’t sue Microsoft? LG? AT&T? DirectTV? Whether it’s a services or a physical item such as an LG microwave? That you can’t bring them to court, no matter what they do to eff up, from minor annoyances to major, systemic problems and product failures? (*Unless you live in California…)
The companies above all require you to give up your rights if you want anything to do at all with their products. And you can’t opt out of arbitration with any of them.
Who else? Wells Fargo requires it too. Remember all those people who had Wells Fargo employees open additional accounts under their names without their knowledge, consent, or approval? They weren’t allowed to take Wells Fargo to court.
Seriously, the longer this is allowed to continue, the more I feel like we’re not going to have any more rights and companies will never be responsible for anything they do anymore.
(One last example: Remote start on Toyota key fobs requires an ongoing subscription! You only get a few years of using your fob for remote start for free. The exact number of years depends on the trim level or infotainment system level you choose on a new Toyota.)
(Ok, one more: features on European cars—such as heated seats or automatic headlights—that you “buy” or subscribe to on a monthly or yearly basis! Yes, it’s a real thing.)
@pixelated Smh.
(can I steal this joke?)
lol
Lol.
No problem. Just credit me where credit is due.