MiniDisc

Sometimes abbreviated as MD, MiniDisc was a magneto-optical disc-based storage format developed by Sony. This technology was introduced in November 1992 as a digital alternative to analog cassette tapes. While MiniDiscs were primarily used for the recording and playback of audio, they could also save data.

MiniDisc features

The MiniDisc was small and looked similar to a 3.5-inch floppy disk; it had a protective plastic shell that encased the disc to protect it from scratching. MiniDiscs offered several advantages over cassette tapes, including improved sound quality, random access to tracks, and the ability to edit and rearrange recordings. They came in various storage capacities, starting at 74 minutes for the original MDs and 80 minutes on higher-capacity versions.

MiniDisc history

MiniDisc players and recorders were popular in the 1990s and early 2000s, especially in Japanese and some European markets. However, the format faced competition from the rise of writable CDs and digital audio players like the iPod. The popularity of MP3 players and online music distribution eventually led to a decline in MiniDisc usage, and Sony officially discontinued the production of new MiniDisc players in 2013.

Computer acronyms, Hardware terms, Magneto-optical recording, Obsolete, Optical reader, UMD