This September, a less well-known disc format from the ‘90s will cease to exist.
Later this year Sony’s MiniDisc playing devices will go to format heaven, due apparently due to ‘shrinking demand’ on the part of the consumer, which has been well, pretty damn apparent since the MP3 stomped its way onto the market.
The MiniDisc was a more pocket size CD format which utilized a solid disc entombed within a plastic shield. The disc was known for its increased portability, lifetime and sound quality if compared to a regular CD of that era.
The MiniDiscs themselves are going to live a bit longer, as Sony hasn’t yet discontinued distribution of the format – so the discs themselves could see action in whatever you can find around the place that’ll play them.
Sony seems to be set in a trend of discontinuing its iconic media formats, with the venerable cassette walkman gracefully leaving shelves earlier this year. These twin layoffs could potentially mean the complete end of the B side as we know it.
However, our friends the CD walkmans are going to stick around, as the CD format remains valid due to track ripping. Portable CD libraries also still exist in some people’s rucksacks too, meaning we’ll still be seeing that occasional glimpse of the ubiquitous zip-up CD sleeve stack holder type thing along with the faithful CD walkman.
Demz were da dayz.