CompuServe Messages

Don: Well, I own a laserdisc player as well as a CDTV. Granted that I'm unusual <g> I do think these generally are two separate markets. Many laserdisc players also play audio CDs. However, lots of people who buy audio CDs are afflicted with tunnel vision and don't understand laserdiscs. After all, you don't see laserdiscs around in anywhere near the quantities of audio CDs. I just think people who are not laserdisc-conscious — or only marginally conscious of it — would be more inclined to buy a TV-ROM player that could show movies than a laserdisc player. Also note that LD players tend to attract videophiles who demand high-quality output. There are already two levels of laserdiscs out there, in fact: Cheap stuff that looks pretty good and Criterion-quality editions that cost $100 and more. The latter do quite well in terms of sales. Most people, however, do NOT demand such output. Compactness would be a bigger issue for them (I suspect that for many consumers laserdiscs look entirely too much like 33-1/3 LP records, making them seem like old technology). Note also that CD-sized media are cheaper to produce. Given market competition, I eventually would expect prices for CD/MPEG movies to be lower than for the same programming on laserdisc. I can further imagine a portable TV-ROM player with MPEG attached, along with a pair of viewing goggles (virtual image) or LCD screen. This is possible with current technology and would probably fly out the door as a movie-viewing and games-playing device for folks on the go. Did I mention the UK outfit that's figured out how to encode movie-length video on standard audio CDs? Most late-model audio CD players allegedly could be cheaply adapted to take advantage of this invention, which may be hitting the shelves within the year. Given the huge installed base of audio CD players, this third alternative could really capture the market. — Ron Legro, Milwaukee via AUTOPILOT (the only way to fly)