Laserfilm
Encyclopedia
Laserfilm was a videodisc format developed by McDonnell-Douglas in 1984 that was a transmissive laser
-based playback medium (unlike its competitor, laserdisc
, which was a reflective system). It worked by having the laser to shine through one side of the disc to a receiving sensor on the other side, where the beam of the laser would be interrupted by a spiral of small dots on the disc. This would in turn modulate the laser beam to represent the video and audio information, which was then interpreted by the receiving sensor receiving the beam on the other side.
The disc was made out of ordinary photographic film
(hence the format's name), which was mounted in a caddy for playback, much like the RCA Selectavision
CED and VHD videodisc systems.
Laserfilm players were chiefly manufactured by McDonnell-Douglas, and weren't marketed successfully outside of the company. However, the format was employed for use in their flight simulator
s, by linking several players together.
The Laserfilm format was originally based on an earlier videodisc format called ARDEV, developed by a company of the same name which was originally a subsidiary of Atlantic Richfield until 1981. At that time, ARDEV and all of its videodisc technologies were acquired by McDonnell-Douglas.
Laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
-based playback medium (unlike its competitor, laserdisc
Laserdisc
LaserDisc was a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially licensed, sold, and marketed as MCA DiscoVision in North America in 1978, the technology was previously referred to interally as Optical Videodisc System, Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Optical...
, which was a reflective system). It worked by having the laser to shine through one side of the disc to a receiving sensor on the other side, where the beam of the laser would be interrupted by a spiral of small dots on the disc. This would in turn modulate the laser beam to represent the video and audio information, which was then interpreted by the receiving sensor receiving the beam on the other side.
The disc was made out of ordinary photographic film
Photographic film
Photographic film is a sheet of plastic coated with an emulsion containing light-sensitive silver halide salts with variable crystal sizes that determine the sensitivity, contrast and resolution of the film...
(hence the format's name), which was mounted in a caddy for playback, much like the RCA Selectavision
SelectaVision
The Capacitance Electronic Disc was an analog video video disc playback system developed by RCA, in which video and audio could be played back on a TV set using a special needle and high-density groove system similar to phonograph records....
CED and VHD videodisc systems.
Laserfilm players were chiefly manufactured by McDonnell-Douglas, and weren't marketed successfully outside of the company. However, the format was employed for use in their flight simulator
Flight simulator
A flight simulator is a device that artificially re-creates aircraft flight and various aspects of the flight environment. This includes the equations that govern how aircraft fly, how they react to applications of their controls and other aircraft systems, and how they react to the external...
s, by linking several players together.
The Laserfilm format was originally based on an earlier videodisc format called ARDEV, developed by a company of the same name which was originally a subsidiary of Atlantic Richfield until 1981. At that time, ARDEV and all of its videodisc technologies were acquired by McDonnell-Douglas.