CDs, DVDs, and Blu Ray - Everything Everywhere Daily: History, Science, Geography & More

Summary

Everything Everywhere Daily: Episode Summary – "CDs, DVDs, and Blu Ray"

Release Date: December 9, 2024
Host: Gary Arndt | Glassbox Media

Introduction to Optical Disc Technology

In this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily, host Gary Arndt delves into the fascinating evolution of optical disc technology, tracing its journey from the inception of the laser to the contemporary landscape dominated by streaming services. Gary begins by expressing his personal affinity for physical media, highlighting his extensive film collection amassed over two decades. This sets the stage for an in-depth exploration of CDs, DVDs, and Blu Ray discs, emphasizing their enduring relevance despite the digital revolution.

The Birth of the Laser and Early Optical Storage Concepts

Gary starts by recounting the groundbreaking invention of the laser in 1960 at Hughes Laboratories, led by Theodore Maimon. He explains, "Laser, which is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation, was a revolutionary invention" (02:15), underscoring the laser's potential for creating focused, narrow beams of light essential for optical storage.

One pivotal figure Gary highlights is James Russell, who, in 1965, envisioned and patented a digital optical storage system. This system encoded information in microscopic pits on a disc, utilizing a laser beam to read data without physical contact. Gary notes, "Russell received two patents for his ideas in 1966 and 1969 and had a prototype working by 1973" (05:45), illustrating the early strides toward digital optical storage.

Evolution of Optical Discs: From LaserDisc to CD

The journey progresses to the commercial release of LaserDisc in 1978 by Philips, MCA, and Pioneer. While LaserDisc offered superior video and audio quality compared to VHS tapes, its analog nature and hefty size limited its mainstream adoption. Gary explains, "Despite being a superior technology to VHS tape, the cost of players and discs ensured that it remained a niche market" (12:30).

The pivotal shift to digital came with the collaboration between Philips and Sony in the late 1970s. Their partnership culminated in the 1980 Red Book standard, defining the Compact Disc (CD). Gary shares an anecdote, "According to legend, this was based on the wife of the Sony CEO who wanted to have a complete recording of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony on a single disc" (18:50), adding a personal touch to the technical narrative.

Technical Specifications and Commercial Success of CDs

Gary provides a detailed breakdown of the CD's architecture: a polycarbonate base containing microscopic grooves, a reflective aluminum layer, a protective lacquer coating, and the label layer. He states, "A standard CD has four layers... a reflective layer... reflects the laser beam used to read the disks" (22:10), elucidating the precision engineering behind CDs.

The first commercial CD was released on October 1, 1982, in Japan, with Billy Joel’s "52nd Street" as the inaugural album. Initially expensive and targeted at audiophiles, CDs swiftly gained popularity, overtaking vinyl sales by 1988. Gary emphasizes, "CD eventually took over vinyl sales by 1988 and became the dominant form of music" (25:40), highlighting the format's rapid ascendancy.

Expansion into Data Storage: CD-ROM and CD-RW

The narrative transitions to the diversification of CD technology with the introduction of CD-ROMs in 1983 under the Yellow Book standard. Gary explains, "CD-ROMs were quite popular for a while as they stored much more data than floppy disks" (30:05), noting their significance in software distribution.

In the 1990s, the Orange Book standard introduced CD-R and CD-RW formats. CD-R allowed for permanent data writing, while CD-RW enabled repeated read-write cycles by incorporating phase change materials. Gary states, "A standard read-write CD could be written about 1000 times" (34:20), illustrating the versatility and durability of these formats.

The Advent and Dominance of DVD

To accommodate growing data needs, especially for video, the Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) was developed through a collaboration among Toshiba, Sony, Panasonic, and Philips. Officially introduced in 1995 and released in 1996, DVDs boasted a storage capacity of 4.7 GB per single-layer disc, expandable to 17 GB with dual layers and double-sided designs.

Gary highlights the technical advancements, "DVD uses a red laser with a shorter 650 nanometer wavelength... DVDs introduced features like menus, chapters, and bonus content" (40:10), which revolutionized home entertainment by offering interactive and enhanced viewing experiences.

Transition to High Definition: Blu Ray and Beyond

As video resolutions advanced, DVDs faced limitations in handling high-definition (HD) content. Enter Blu Ray discs, developed by the Blu Ray Disc Association, including major players like Sony and Panasonic. Released commercially in 2006, Blu Ray discs utilized a blue-violet laser with a 405 nm wavelength, enabling higher precision and greater storage capacity (25 GB single layer, 50 GB dual layer).

Gary recounts the format war between Blu Ray and HD DVD, noting Blu Ray's victory by 2008. He further discusses the advent of 4K Ultra High Definition (UHD) Blu Ray in 2015, which increased storage capacity to 100 GB and supported advanced audio formats like Dolby Atmos. Gary remarks, "A 4K UHD disc can hold up to 100 GB of data, and the video formats support high dynamic range video and advanced audio such as Dolby Atmos" (58:35).

The Decline of Physical Media in the Streaming Era

Despite technological advancements, physical media's prominence waned with the rise of streaming services. Gary explains, "Streaming services have mostly eliminated the demand for physical media" (1:02:50), citing factors such as convenience, instant access, and the proliferation of digital libraries. However, he acknowledges a persistent niche of enthusiasts who prefer the superior quality and permanence of physical discs.

The Future of Optical Discs and Physical Media

Addressing emerging technologies, Gary touches upon the introduction of 8K televisions. He confidently states, "Our eyes simply can't distinguish the difference at that resolution... there is zero demand for 8K disks at the moment" (1:10:15), predicting that optical disc innovation will plateau as streaming continues to dominate.

Conclusion

Gary concludes the episode by reflecting on the enduring legacy of optical discs. While acknowledging their diminished role in mainstream media consumption, he celebrates their contributions to technological advancements and their cherished place among dedicated collectors. This episode offers a comprehensive overview of optical disc technology, blending historical context with technical insights, making it an enriching listen for intellectually curious audiences.

Notable Quotes:

"Laser, which is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation, was a revolutionary invention." — Gary Arndt (02:15)
"According to legend, this was based on the wife of the Sony CEO who wanted to have a complete recording of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony on a single disc." — Gary Arndt (18:50)
"A standard read-write CD could be written about 1000 times." — Gary Arndt (34:20)
"DVD uses a red laser with a shorter 650 nanometer wavelength... DVDs introduced features like menus, chapters, and bonus content." — Gary Arndt (40:10)
"Streaming services have mostly eliminated the demand for physical media." — Gary Arndt (1:02:50)
"Our eyes simply can't distinguish the difference at that resolution... there is zero demand for 8K disks at the moment." — Gary Arndt (1:10:15)

This episode meticulously charts the trajectory of optical disc technology, offering listeners a blend of historical narrative and technical exposition. Gary Arndt's expertise and passion for the subject shine through, making complex technological developments accessible and engaging.

Transcript

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In 1982, the Philips and Sony corporations jointly released the compact audio disc to the world. The technology involved was originally just used to play digital audio, but it actually had much more potential. Over the last 40 years, basic optical disc technology used in CDs has expanded to store digital video and every type of digital data. Yet despite the ubiquity of the Internet and the ability to access digital files from anywhere in the world, there's still a demand for this technology. Learn more about optical discs, CDs, DVDs and Blu Ray discs on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. This episode is sponsored by Butcherbox. You've probably heard me talk about how ButcherBox only sells 100% grass fed grass finished beef, but what exactly is that and why does it matter? This type of beef comes from cattle that have grazed on grass for their entire lives as opposed to being finished on a diet of grains and other feed at a feedlot. Basically, cattle eat what cattle are designed to eat. Grass fed beef tends to have higher levels of omega 3 fatty acids and grass fed beef often contains more antioxidants such as vitamin E. Beyond personal health benefits, choosing grass fed grass finished beef can also improve soil health through natural fertilization and aeration promote greater biodiversity on grazing lands. Consuming grass fed grass finish beef not only contributes to better health, but also supports more sustainable farming practices. Sign up@butcherbox.com daily and get a special deal. New users who sign up for Butcherbox will receive 2 pounds of grass fed ground beef in every box for the lifetime of their subscription, plus $20 off your first box when you use code daily at checkout. This episode is sponsored by Masterclass. If you're listening to this podcast, then you are someone who is curious about the world and loves to learn. And if you want to give the gift of learning and knowledge this Christmas, you can't do better than Masterclass. Masterclass offers online classes from some of the most successful instructors in the world in their fields. You can learn cooking from Gordon ramsay, conservation from Dr. Jane Goodall, disruptive entrepreneurship from Sir Richard Branson, mathematical thinking from Fields Medal winner Terence Tao, and diplomacy from former Secretaries of State Madeline Albright and Condoleezza Rice. You can access over 200 classes across 11 different categories. Masterclass always has great offers during the holidays, sometimes up to as much as 50% off. Head over to masterclass.com everywhere for the current offer. That's up to 50% off@masterclass.com everywhere. Once again, that's masterclass.com everywhere. I have to confess, despite the access we have to streaming movies and music. I have a soft spot for physical media. I personally have an extensive film collection that I started over 20 years ago. I've upgraded and expanded it over the years and it now includes a little under thousand films. In a previous episode, I covered the history of digital audio and how it works. In this episode, I want to focus on optical disc technology and how it's expanded beyond music and how it's still used today. The story actually begins with the invention of the laser, which I also covered in a previous episode. After years of work through the 1950s, the first working laser was developed in 1960 at Hughes Laboratories in a research group led by Theodore Maimon. Laser, which is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation, was a revolutionary invention. Lasers allow for an extremely focused, narrow beam of light where all the photons are aligned. At the time, researchers weren't even aware of what they could do with this revolutionary new tool. One person who thought about its practical application was James Russell. In 1965, he conceptualized and then patented an idea for a digital optical storage system that encoded information in microscopic pits on a disk and used a laser beam to read the data without physical contact. He received two patents for his ideas in 1966 and 1969 and had a prototype working by 1973. He pitched his idea to over 100 companies and it was reported in scientific magazines as early as 1972. Two of the companies he presented to were Sony and Philips. In 1978, Philips, along with MCA and Pioneer, commercially released the LaserDisc. The LaserDisc was an optical storage format, but it wasn't digital. The LaserDisc was much larger than a CD. At a full 30 centimeters or 12 inches in diameter, it looked like a CD, but it was the size of a vinyl album. The pits and lands on a laserdisc surface encoded analog video and audio. Video is stored as an FM or frequency modulated analog signal, similar to the way video signals are transmitted in television broadcasting. A red laser beam shines on the surface of a laserdisc. As it spins, the laser reflects off the pits and lands, converting the reflected light into an electronic analog signal. The signal is processed and sent to a television for video playback and speakers for audio playback. LaserDisc offered superior video and audio quality compared to VHS tapes because it didn't degrade with repeated use. It also supported additional features such as chapter selection, freeze frames, and slow motion playback. Despite being a superior technology to VHS tape, the cost of players and discs ensured that it remained A niche market. Today, there's still a very small, enthusiastic group of laserdisc users. However, the holy grail was to create a digital optical storage system, not an analog1. After LaserDisc struggled, Philips began working on digital storage. In 1979, they partnered with Sony, who had been working on their own system. Philips brought to the table their knowledge of optical storage, which they developed via the creation of LaserDisc. And Sony contributed its know how in digital audio processing. The partnership led to the creation of the redbook standard in 1980 which defined the technical specifications for compact digital audio discs. The format specified that the disc be 120 millimeters in diameter and have a capacity of 74 minutes of audio. According to legend, this was based on the wife of the Sony CEO who wanted to have a complete recording of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony on a single disc. The audio was to have a sampling rate of 44.1kHz with a bit depth of 16 bit audio. A low power laser beam was used to read the data encoded as microscopic pits and lands on the disc. Advanced coding methods ensured data integrity even if the disc was slightly scratched or dirty. A standard CD has four layers. A polycarbonate layer, which is the base of the cd, is made of clear plastic. This layer provides structural support and contains the microscopic grooves. A reflective layer, which is a thin aluminum or gold layer, lies above the polycarbonate. It reflects the laser beam used to read the disks. Next is the protective layer, which is a lacquer coating that protects the reflective layer from scratches and damage. And finally the label layer, the topmost layer where information about the CT is printed. The first commercial CD was released on October 1, 1982 in Japan and the first album released on audio CD was 52nd street by Billy Joel. Philips released the first CD player, the CD P101 in 1982, which was initially expensive and only aimed at audiophiles. CD eventually took over vinyl sales by 1988 and became the dominant form of music. However, audio was just the beginning. If audio could be digitally encoded, then anything Digital could. In 1983, Philips and Sony released the Yellow Book standard which set forth the standards for compact disk read only memory or CD ROM. CD ROMs were quite popular for a while as they stored much more data than floppy disks. CD ROMs became the standard for software distribution. In the 1990s, however, there was even more that could be done. In 1990, the Orange Book was released which set the standards for both CDR and CD RW CDR was also known as CD write. Once you could write something to a disc and it was there permanently. CD RW was also called CD Read Write. It was a disc that could repeatedly be written and read just like a regular floppy disk. Instead of a permanent metallic reflective layer, a CDR had a dye layer. The laser in the CD writer would heat the dye layer, creating permanent marks that mimic the pits of a normal cd. CD rewrite discs contain a special phase change material in the place of a dye layer. When exposed to different laser intensities, the material can switch between crystalline and reflective as well as amorphous and non reflective states. A standard read write cd could be written about 1000 times. In order to grow the market, it was necessary to increase the capacity of discs. I remember versions of Microsoft word in the 1990s that came on multiple CDs because it was just so large. Moreover, the video business was a huge potential market that could be replaced just like CDs replaced vinyl. And this led to the development of the digital versatile disc or dvd. And yes, the V in DVD actually stands for versatile, not video. DVDs were developed as a collaboration among major technology companies including Toshiba, Sony, Panasonic and Philips. The goal was to create a format for high capacity storage suitable for video and data. The DVD was officially introduced in 1995 and released to the market in 1996. Movies had been released on CD in a format known as CD video. But the discs weren't big enough to contain an entire full length movie. DVDs could store significantly more data than CDs. They could hold 4.7 gigabytes on a single layer disc versus just 700 MB for a CD. Furthermore, a DVD could have different layers and be double sided, increasing the total capacity to 17 gigabytes. This was done by creating smaller pits on the surface and reading them with a shorter wavelength laser. DVD uses a red laser with a shorter 650 nanometer wavelength. Instead of a CD laser which is infrared with a 780 nanometer wavelength. DVDs introduced features like menus, chapters and bonus content which became a hallmark of home entertainment. The first movies ever released on DVD in Japan on December 20, 1996. The assassin, Blade Runner, Eraser and the Fugitive. It took a few years, but DVDs finally started to hit their stride in the early 2000s when the cost of DVD players finally came down. However, soon after DVDs started to become popular, the shift to high definition video began. High definition videos took up considerably more data. A frame of standard definition video is 720 by 480 pixels, or 345,600 total pixels. A frame of high definition 1080p video is 1920 x 1080 pixels, or 2,073,600 pixels. To put it more succinctly, a frame of high definition video has six times more data. You need smaller pits and a laser with an even shorter wavelength to store that much data. From 2000 to 2006, Blu Ray discs were developed by the Blu Ray Disc association, which included Sony, Panasonic, Philips and others. The name refers to the blue violet laser used to read and write data, which has a shorter wavelength than the red laser used in DVDs, allowing for higher precision and capacity. A Blu Ray laser has a wavelength of 405 nanometers. Single layer Blu Ray discs can store 25 GB and dual layer discs can store 50 gigabytes. The first Blu Ray discs were released to the market in 2006. The Blu Ray format was launched in competition with a competing format known as HD DVD, a format developed by Toshiba. However, by 2008, Bluff Blu Ray had won the format war, becoming the standard for high definition video. High definition video was pretty good, but even that was improved with the deployment of 4K ultra high definition video. 4K videos have a resolution of 3840x2160 pixels, giving it a picture with four times more resolution than a high definition video. A 4K UHD disc uses the same type of Blu Ray laser. The difference primarily has to do with the video encoding. The Blu Ray Disc association released the standards for 4K Blu Ray in 2015 at the Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas. A 4K Blu Ray disc can hold up to 100 GB of data, and the video formats support high dynamic range video and advanced audio such as Dolby Atmos. 4K Blu Ray hasn't had the widespread adoption of other optical disc formats, and there are a few reasons for this. First, you have to have both a 4K Blu Ray player and a 4K television set to play a disc. Second is that while the jump from standard definition DVD to Blu Ray was dramatic, the difference between blu ray and 4k is much smaller to the naked eye. Finally, streaming services have mostly eliminated the demand for physical media. Despite that, there is still a small and loyal group of enthusiasts such as myself who still buy blu ray and 4k movies. There are many good reasons for this. For starters, most movies, in fact the vast majority of them, are not available on streaming services, and the ones that are available are often only available for a limited amount of time before they're removed. The other reason is quality. Even if a video on, say, Netflix says it's in 4k, the bitrate is much lower and the compression on the video is much higher. A 4K streaming video doesn't look bad, but there is a marked obvious difference between it and watching it on a 4K Blu Ray disc. I'll end this episode with something that many of you might have noticed if you've gone into an electronics store recently. They're now selling 8K televisions which have an even higher resolution picture than 4K. Does that mean that we're going to have 8K Blu Ray discs on the market soon? The answer to that is almost certainly no. For almost any television that could fit into a regular residential home, there will be no discernible difference in video quality between 4 and 8K. Our eyes simply can't distinguish the difference at that resolution. That's why there is zero demand for 8K disks at the moment, and there probably never will be. Given the drop in demand for physical media due to streaming, manufacturers especially don't see the point in investing in a brand new format that very few people can even watch. Physical media for both music and video is not what it used to be. The Internet has largely supplanted physical media for most people, but that being said, physical media still does have its place in the 21st century. The executive producer of Everything Everywhere Daily is Charles Daniel. The associate producers are Benji Long and Cameron Keever. I want to give a big shout out to everyone who supports the show over on Patreon, including the show's producers. Your support helps me put out a show every single day and also Patreon is currently the only place where Everything Everywhere Daily merchandise is available to the top tier of supporters. If you'd like to talk to other listeners of the show and members of the Completionist Club, you can join the Everything Everywhere Daily Facebook group or Discord server. Links to Everything are in the show notes.