Circular Plastic Objects
What is a CD? In the 1990s, CDs became so ubiquitous that it’s hard to imagine that previous generations –…
Posts by The CD at 40 Project
The CD at 40 project is a research impact project funded by Durham University and led by Dr Eamonn Bell (Department of Computer Science). It investigates the history of compact disc manufacture and use in the UK, since the invention of the format in the early 1980s.
Full Scale Manufacturing
How to make a CD. In the late 1980s a whole new industry emerged to manufacture compact discs, using an…
Slave Robot Burners
Another way to make CDs. Not everyone who manufactures CDs invests in a full-scale factory. Hear about an alternative way…
Shut the Box
Packaging discs for sale. Before a disc is complete it needs printed matter and packaging. These are a crucial part…
Pushing the Boundaries
CD and other audio formats. CD had to hold its own against other audio formats that were popular at the…
Learning to Learn
On-the-job training. How do you learn to make a product that no one has ever made before? We hear about…
A Black Art
Problem-solving on the factory floor. So you’re beginning to make an entirely new product, and you need to make thousands…
Microcosms of Cooperation
Working together across the industry. In a highly competitive industry, how much collaboration is possible? Hear participants talk about the…
On the Shelf
Why do people keep buying physical media? What’s the appeal of owning your music on a physical format? Hear different…
Which Way Up?
Do young people still buy CDs? Discover how age affects our buying habits when it comes to audio formats: