In 1978, Phillips began selling the LaserDisc (abbreviated as ‘LD’) – a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium, beating the CD by four years.
Although the format was capable of offering higher-quality video and audio than its consumer rivals, LD never really gained widespread use due to a number of factors including high costs for the players and the inability to record TV programs.
LD did enjoy more success in Japan, as well as the more affluent regions of Southeast Asia. It was even the prevalent rental video medium in Hong Kong during the 1990s.
Discontinued in 2001, the technologies and concepts behind LaserDisc led to the development of later formats including CD, DVD and Blu-ray.
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