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CED in the History of Media Technology

RCA demonstrated a prototype interactive CED player at Vidcom in Cannes, France on October 11, 1981. Here Dr. Jon K. Clemens is using a prototype random access control center similar in function to the one that shipped with the SJT400 player in 1983. For lack of a known model designation this player could be called the "SGT400," since it combines the front panel of the SGT250 from 1982 with the capabilities of the 400 series players from 83/84.

During the demonstration Dr. Clemens left the same still image on the TV for 20 minutes, telling the audience that a single groove on the disc had been played 9,000 times during that period "...with no visible degradation. In fact, plays of over 1,000,000 have been demonstrated with no noticeable degradation to the picture." The still picture came from a specially mastered disc with the four frames in the single groove being identical, but Dr. Clemens stated "...a low-cost solid state memory device could be developed to provide repeat picture capability for all standard 'CED' VideoDiscs." But CED player production was discontinued before such a player could be marketed.