COMPACT DISCS Meaning and
Definition
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Compact discs (CDs) are optical storage devices that revolutionized the way audio and data are distributed and stored. They consist of a small, circular, flat disc made of polycarbonate plastic, typically measuring 12 centimeters (4.7 inches) in diameter, with a hole in the center to facilitate mounting on a CD player's tray.
CDs use a digital encoding technology known as the Red Book standard in which physical pits and lands are etched into the disc's reflective layer. These pits and lands represent data in the form of binary code, allowing for the storage of audio, video, or computer data. The process of reading the data involves shining a laser beam onto the disc's surface, reflecting the laser beam back into a photosensitive detector, thereby converting the reflected light into digital information.
Originally designed for high-quality audio playback, CDs quickly gained popularity due to their superior sound quality, durability, and convenience. They can store up to 700 MB of data, roughly equivalent to 80 minutes of audio or thousands of digital images and documents. CDs are compatible with various devices such as CD players, portable music players, and computers equipped with CD/DVD drives.
In addition to music albums, CDs are commonly used for software distribution, data backup, and archival purposes. They have largely replaced vinyl records, cassette tapes, and floppy disks for their superior audio fidelity, ease of use, and compact nature. With the advent of digital music streaming and online platforms, the popularity of CDs has declined in recent years, yet they remain an important medium for physical media enthusiasts and collectors.
Common Misspellings for COMPACT DISCS
- xompact discs
- vompact discs
- fompact discs
- dompact discs
- cimpact discs
- ckmpact discs
- clmpact discs
- cpmpact discs
- c0mpact discs
- c9mpact discs
- conpact discs
- cokpact discs
- cojpact discs
- comoact discs
- comlact discs
- com-act discs
- com0act discs
- compzct discs
- compsct discs
- compwct discs
Etymology of COMPACT DISCS
The word "compact disc" is a compound term that can be broken down into its individual parts to understand its etymology:
1. Compact - originates from the Latin word "compactus", which means "compressed" or "compressed together".
2. Disc - comes from the Latin word "discus", which means "disk" or "plate".
When combined, "compact disc" refers to a disk-shaped digital optical storage medium that is compressed or compressed together in its design. The term was first coined and popularized by the Dutch electronics company Philips and the Japanese electronics company Sony, who jointly developed the compact disc technology in the late 1970s.
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