The LaserDisc, the lesser-known digital media format to the DVD and VHS tape, is considered the “father” of the DVD. It, however, did not have the luxury of the widely known success of DVDs. A contributing factor to its unpopularity was how the LaserDisc was a very expensive bit of tech to invest in. LaserDisc players cost an average of $800, a hefty price for its release in 1978. Even the discs themselves cost quite a lot of money – around $40 for each disc.
Similar to DVDs, LaserDiscs worked by recording the sound and images on tiny pits on the surface of the disc. The discs were known for their superior audio and video quality, even being utilized in arcade games such as Dragon’s Lair. However, one of its main setbacks was that it could not record television programs. This is where people began to prefer videotapes, because with VHS, they were not stuck with pre-recorded film.
While the LaserDisc gained some traction in the USA, the format was particularly popular in Asia for its use in karaoke bars. Asia’s love for anime also caused a lot of buyers to tune into the format. The video format never really caught on anywhere else in the world, though. It already had a hard time making a name for itself in America due to the fact that most movie studios did not want to release their films on LaserDisc.
Unfortunately for the LaserDisc, 1997 was the year the DVD was released into the world. The DVD was smaller, more compact, and much cheaper to produce than the LaserDisc. DVDs were able to record, and DVD players were often far more affordable to buy.
LaserDiscs are no longer produced, meaning that they are quite rare. High-quality and still functioning LaserDisc players are very expensive and even the LaserDiscs themselves can go for $1,000 a pop. As DVDs and Blu-Ray took over the home video market, LaserDisc was rendered a forgotten format, save for video geeks still investing in them. While they were remarkable for their time, they are now obsolete pieces of media.