I know this may not technically belong here IAW the rules, but I felt compelled since the digital technology began. After all, look how far we've come: I found this article about the 25th birthday/anniversary of the CD. Where have the years gone? DVD was not even in our vocabulary. And to think, if and when we could record (not burn ;-] ) our own custom CD, it would cost us a fortune! I remember the first device you could install on your PC to record a CD was about $1000.
In the early 80's when music CD's and their players were the oddity in alot of homes here in Australia, my first player was a MARANTZ and cost between $1200 and $1300. It could hold eight songs in memory and even had a random play function. It lasted up untill a couple of years ago. As for the rest of the system components....well the turntable shat itself first then the tower speakers then the amp. The equaliser and DIGITAL (this was a biggie back then) tuner still survive and are in mothballs. When I had to bin the other bits, it was like leaving a friend. MARANTZ made a TV also to match up with "the system" but was sporting an obscene price tag, and so was never bought. Now we live in an instant and throw away age. Apart from the price differences, how is this better? I wonder.
I could get on my soapbox about planned obsolescence and today's lack of pride in craftsmanship resulting in "cheaper to replace than repair", but that'd be a wild ride I'm afraid; although sad, but true. Our old components do offer a bit of nastalgia and fond memories. I'm familiar with the Marantz name - top quality but pricey stuff. I remember my first PC and calculated the power-to-price ratio in today's prices. It would have cost about $86,000 back then to have the power I do now. And a CD? What was that back then? Hehehehe. Gotta love this age of marvels! Happy 25th to the CD today!
onya- Much early technology was Discreet !! In that You had individual Components Capacators ,resistors , ect... That were soldered to the circuit Board which was more expensive to make ( Labor cost ?) But was easier to repair !But with technology Improving ? Printed Circuits , Surface mount technology , & the ever increasing ability to cram more and more Technology/Tranistors in to smaller and smaller areas !! ( Computers CPU Chips for example) It's become A. Harder To repair those Circuits !!!!!, And B. Due to the cost effectivenesss of Mass Production It's Usually Cheaper To Replace than Repair Given the Hourly rate thaT Computer Techs & Electronics Repair Techs make ! So yes I can see your point that we've become a Disposible society ! ON the Built in obsolescence factor ! I Think that's whats behind The Whole HDTV Thing ? thinly Disguised as an IMprovement ! Think About it ? What's one of the most Reliable and Longest Lasting Electonics devices ? A TV!!! I had a Sony TV That Lasted 20 years with only one repair ! I have another Sony that's atleast 12-15 years old and still Cranking ! So Why should I Buy another? Also When I bought My 32" set it was like $1000.00 Now I can buy a "32 set for $200.00 & Change ! So There is less Profit margin left in Regular Crt TV's ! But what if The Goverment Prodded By the electronics industry Says after Date X Broadcast Television Must all be in HD Then YOu A. either need a Television ( A big Flat screen Right? - More Money , More Money ) Or a Set top Box -Tuner /converter to use with the old set Less Money But not as Good technically as a new Set ! When The Big Sony dies I'll MOve on up Till Then It's Old school for this old Fool ! Ciao!
Just ten years ago a 6X CD-R recorder was a cool $20,000. A robotic arm for it was $5,000; but if you bought both together the deal was a mere $23,000. Sony Records bought five. 6X recording was quite a bit faster than Yamaha's 4X drive even though that drive was only $1,200. (The difference between 48X and 52X is only the length of a sneeze, and only if you fill the CD-R completely up.) Sony wanted to issue "pre-releases" of albums to radio stations. CD-Rs cost $3.75 each those days. Just 10 years ago.
A friend of mine was a mathematician and "hexadecimal programmer" (whatever that is) at Philips when the technology was being developed. We'd sit around in his living room and he'd talk about what they were working on ... no tracking noise because there was no stylus, no hissing as there were no magnatic heads but rather a lasar! He spoke of how scratces couldn't be heard or how dust wouldn't be a problem. In those days, that sounded like something right out of a science fiction novel!
