7 Feb
2007
7 Feb
'07
7:09 p.m.
Maybe... I'm not sure we can look at it as
another jump like that
from LPs to CDs. The major difference is that the jump to CDs was TWO
jumps at once: a change in medium, and a change to digital storage
versus analogue. That last is HIGHLY significant. Previously, there
was no consumer "conversion" possible -- one could not, for example,
load one's wax cylinder onto an LP - essentially nobody owned LP
production equipment.
The fatal flaw here is that between LP and CD was tape. Almost
everyone had a tape deck that could record.
The analog to digital transition is not significant at all, really.
Once the audio is in those two RCA connectors or phono plugs, it does
not really matter if it is coming or going to digital or analog
source. Most music geeks and preservationists could and can work with
whatever is given to them - the tape recorder made it possible years
ago.
To the non-music geeks, it does not matter. The old format just gets
replaced by the new, simply by purchasing the new. Pretty much all of
this is mainstream, anyway, so the record companies do the
conversions. The LPs then end up at the garage sale or church bazaar.
I
got it there with just a computer with a CD drive, a USB cable, and
software. I predict all moves after CD will be of this nature.
Yes, you are right - there may be no media in the future. CDs might be
the last. This is not the point of my argument, however. My point was
that with well established media formats for music (cylinder, 78,
45/33, CD, etc.), there will always be support in some form. It may be
small, it may be hard to find, it may be expensive - but it is there.
--
Will