Presented by: Jane DeWitt

EDUC 7108Dr. ThornburgAugust 2010

Obsolescence Obsolescence never meant the never meant the end of anything, end of anything,

it's just the it's just the beginning…beginning…

Marshall Marshall McluhanMcluhan

http://www.icelebz.com/quotes/

marshall_mcluhan/

•Definition varies•Some argue…if

technology has not reached mainstream it’s emergent•Other feel emergence is

the very onset of discovery (Thornburg, 2009)

Regardless of the innovation, the adoption of technology is not a

linear process (Soloway, n.d.)

There are gaps Chasms

Early adopters Visionaries

All All technologietechnologies enter the s enter the

chasmchasmSome come out Some come out

Others don’t Others don’t (Soloway, n.d.)(Soloway, n.d.)

http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/rational/library/content/RationalEdge/jul01/m_chasm_sf.jpg

Technology can be emergent if it is new to your community

Even if its an old technologyIf it’s new to you… it’s emergent

(Rogers, 2003)

http://suewaters.wikispaces.com/file/view/Slide12B.JPG/31092781/Slide12B.JPG

•Invented in 1958•First retail LaserDisc not released until 1970•Compared to DVD and CD technology•Stopped being produced by 1989

http://www.esquire.com/cm/esquire/images/laser-disc-0607-lg.jpg

From 1970s until 1995 there was a home From 1970s until 1995 there was a home video market battlevideo market battle

Beta (backed by Sony) vs. VHS (backed by Beta (backed by Sony) vs. VHS (backed by Philips-JVC) and LaserDiscPhilips-JVC) and LaserDisc

Consumers had a limited choice of movie Consumers had a limited choice of movie releasesreleases

LaserDisc was the first casualtyLaserDisc was the first casualty

http://www.timefordvd.com/

images/hardware/JVC_D-

VHS_tape_DF420_large.jpg

LaserDisc had a lot of great qualities, but LaserDisc had a lot of great qualities, but many that were detrimental in its many that were detrimental in its adoptionadoption

Played only dataPlayed only data Unable to record new dataUnable to record new data Radius of disc was 12 inchesRadius of disc was 12 inches Difficult to storeDifficult to store Only stored one hour of video per side as Only stored one hour of video per side as

compared to 6 or more on VHS or Betacompared to 6 or more on VHS or Beta

““The DVD! Much like The DVD! Much like the “8 Track Player” the “8 Track Player” and the “Cassette”, and the “Cassette”, the DVD is smaller, the DVD is smaller,

holds a great amount holds a great amount of data and is cheaper of data and is cheaper

to purchase/create. to purchase/create. Back in the day, the Back in the day, the laserdisc was cutting laserdisc was cutting edge, now it is edged edge, now it is edged to be cut-due to new to be cut-due to new

technologies”technologies” (Jim Handschuch, 2010)

http://www.wcsd.k12.ms.us/tes/Principal.jpg

VHS was eventually replaced by CDs VHS was eventually replaced by CDs and DVDs for the home videos marketand DVDs for the home videos market

The CD and DVD rely on many of the The CD and DVD rely on many of the same key patents that were originally same key patents that were originally intended for the LaserDiscintended for the LaserDisc

CDs, DVDs and LaserDics were CDs, DVDs and LaserDics were completely digital productscompletely digital products

CDs, DVDs and LaserDisc products CDs, DVDs and LaserDisc products manufacture and store data in a similar manufacture and store data in a similar mannermanner

Did the Did the decision decision

makers within makers within our district our district jump too jump too

quickly at the quickly at the purchase of purchase of the laserdisc the laserdisc

player?player?

Obsoletes•Intention was to replace the

VHS tape format•Tapes with magnetic coating

with a shorter life span

Reverses Retrieves•Gathering around the radio to

“view” the weekly entertainment programming

•Home movies•Slide shows

Enhances•Provided viewer with a sharp

picture withHigh band width

•Top notch sound quality•Able to handle analog and

digital audio•Allowed for extras to be

added(commentary/bonus features)

(WGRZ-TV Buffalo, 1992)

•DVDs with digital Dolby surround sound

•United Streaming in educational setting to stream

videos via internet•Streaming of video-audio-TV

programming through the internet

(Laserdisc, 2010)

LaserDisc

“….by virtue of being introduced, a new technology carries with it the seeds of destruction paving the way for the next one to follow..” Dr. Thornburg,

2008

http://www.blogcdn.com/http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadgethd.com/media/www.engadgethd.com/media/

2008/12/12-19-08-bd-dvd-hybrid.jpg2008/12/12-19-08-bd-dvd-hybrid.jpg

•Next generation Next generation of optical disc of optical disc

storagestorage•Obsoleted the Obsoleted the

LaserDiscLaserDisc•Industry Industry standard standard

announced in announced in 19951995

•Backed by major Backed by major industry first in industry first in

Japan (1996) and Japan (1996) and in U.S. (1997)in U.S. (1997)

Obsoletes•Laserdisc players•VHS tapes/players

Reverses•United Streaming of

full length videos•Hula

•Netflix•Viewing TV programs

via the internet•Wii

Retrieves•Compact discs

•Family gathering time•Movie night

Enhances•Provides a compact, optical

storage system•Read, write, record

•Full length, high quality movies

•High quality music, surround sound

•Otional videos/graphics•Built in copy protection

(“DVD(Digital Versatile Disk”, 2008)

DVDs

““Within our school, there was Within our school, there was probably only ONE, that had to be probably only ONE, that had to be signed out…and it came with bulky signed out…and it came with bulky equipment and no lessons on how equipment and no lessons on how

to make it all work together.”to make it all work together.”

(C. Reider, 2010)(C. Reider, 2010)

A technology goes A technology goes through a predictable, through a predictable, nonlinear process in nonlinear process in

which it becomes which it becomes exponentially more exponentially more

powerful over time …powerful over time …(Dr. Thornburg, 2009)(Dr. Thornburg, 2009)

According to Dr. According to Dr. Thornburg(2009), during Thornburg(2009), during

the early stages of the early stages of technology development technology development

there are numerous there are numerous evolutions and the evolutions and the

LaserDisc was no exception.LaserDisc was no exception.

Prior to the release of the Prior to the release of the LaserDisc, other innovations LaserDisc, other innovations were evolving.were evolving.

One such invention was the One such invention was the Polaroid PolavisonPolaroid Polavison

Polavision made instant movies Polavision made instant movies by capturing 18 instant photos by capturing 18 instant photos a seconda second

Are also responsible for Are also responsible for the obsolescence of the the obsolescence of the LaserDiscLaserDisc

Evolution of technology Evolution of technology continued to advancecontinued to advance

LaserDisc arrived too LaserDisc arrived too late on the consumer late on the consumer marketmarket

Obsolesced by VHS Obsolesced by VHS which was later which was later obsolesced by DVDs and obsolesced by DVDs and CDsCDs

A new technology is a fresh A new technology is a fresh emergence of the impact felt emergence of the impact felt

many years before from many years before from another technologyanother technology……

(Dr. Thornburg, 2009)(Dr. Thornburg, 2009)

http://i.ehow.com/images/a04/ep/9u/rekindle-romance-fire-relationship-200X200.jpg

Did the LaserDisc rekindle something Did the LaserDisc rekindle something from the past?from the past?

Families gathering around the radioFamilies gathering around the radioHome movies Home movies Slide showsSlide shows

But…do these explain the original But…do these explain the original emergence of the LaserDisc?emergence of the LaserDisc?

…………..MaybeMaybe

Perhaps one reason why the Perhaps one reason why the LaserDisc did not fully emerge stems LaserDisc did not fully emerge stems from its inability to fully rekindle from its inability to fully rekindle something from our past.something from our past.

Other inventions, emerging on the Other inventions, emerging on the scene at the same time, doomed the scene at the same time, doomed the LaserDisc, even before consumers LaserDisc, even before consumers could truly appreciate its advancing could truly appreciate its advancing technologytechnology

The DVD was able to rekindle The DVD was able to rekindle something from the pastsomething from the past

Movie NightMovie NightFamily gathering time Family gathering time

With more time to spend together, With more time to spend together, without incurring a huge expense, without incurring a huge expense,

the DVDs emergence may be the DVDs emergence may be partially attributed to the Rhymes partially attributed to the Rhymes

of Historyof History

We shape our tools and afterwards our tools shape us.Quotation of Marshall Mcluhan I wouldn't have seen it if I hadn't believed it.Quotation of Marshall Mcluhan

ReferencesReferencesSlide 2: http://www.icelebz.com/quotes/marshall_mcluhanSlide 2: http://www.icelebz.com/quotes/marshall_mcluhan

Slide 11: http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bldvd.htmSlide 11: http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bldvd.htm