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The japanese electronics giant Sony admitted last week that its new
miniature compact disc recording system, called minidisc, will not be ready
for the promised launch next year in a form that can record as well as play
back (Technology, 25 May). As a result, Sony’s system looks likely to lose
out against the much simpler digital cassette tape system proposed by Philips
of the Netherlands.

Sony’s head office in Japan says: ‘We are currently pursuing the development
of two minidisc portable models, one with record/playback capability and
one with only playback capability. It is too early at this stage to say
if both models will be ready on time for a joint introduction or if they
will be introduced separately.’

This appears to confirm that Sony plans to launch minidisc late next
year with portable machines which can only play back factory-pressed discs,
like miniature CDs, and will not offer machines which can record on blank
discs until the following year. So far all Sony’s demonstrations have been
of playback only.

Philips pledges that its digital compact cassette (DCC) system will
be launched in spring 1992 and will be able to record. ‘We have to be able
to record on the tape to demonstrate playback,’ says Philips.

Philips is now in a strong position to evaluate Sony’s chances of making
recording minidisc players. In a truce, both companies lent each other a
rival system for display at last week’s Funkausstellung consumer electronics
exhibition in Berlin. Neither company, however, showed either system to
the public. Philips sent Sony’s player straight to its research centre in
Eindhoven for technical evaluation.

Philips is gathering support from other companies for its DCC, most
recently Sanyo, Sharp and Yamaha. No manufacturer has yet agreed to make
versions of Sony’s minidisc.

Michael Dornemann, chairman of BMG which owns RCA, Ariola and Arista
Records, wrote privately to Michael Schulhof, president of Sony’s music
division, stating that ‘BMG needs more information on minidisc before we
can begin to consider marketing and manufacturing preparations.’