Vinyl data explained

Vinyl data is the use of vinyl discs to store sequenced/encoded data rather than for simple analog recordings. This alternate use of the storage medium enabled the code of full motion videos (FMVs) and even simple video games to be stored in an analog format along with the soundtrack and sound effects. These vinyl data discs took two forms: the FMV-only Capacitance Electronic Disc (CED), and the program sheet. Uncommon even in the early 1980s when the practice was at its height, program sheet game data required that users record from the disc (typically a flexi disc like the Interface Age "Floppy ROM") onto an audio cassette tape which could then be used via the cassette port with microcomputers such as the BBC Micro, Commodore 64, Commodore PET, VIC-20, Dragon 32/64, ZX81, or ZX Spectrum.[1] The use of CEDs to store video game FMV data was even less common, and required the game console (typically an arcade machine) to select a section of the grooved track to read with its stylus at just the right time for the video to be displayed. The numerous limitations of these techniques (background noise, scratches, and other audio-fidelity problems)[1] [2] [3] [4] contributed to their failure to receive widespread acceptance and video game data stored in this manner remains some of the most difficult to archive and preserve.[5]

List of vinyl-data releases

Rel. Rel. Title Game titles Label Notes Ref(s)
1978 Elektor Software Service 001 "Mastermind" Program sheet (1 game; 4 non-game apps) [6]
1979 Elektor Software Service 003 "Four-in-a-row"
"Surround" 		Program sheet (2 games; 3 non-game apps)[7]
1979 Elektor Software Service 005 "Battleships"
"Keyplay"
"Luna" 		Program sheet (3 games; 4 non-game apps)[8] [9]
1979 Elektor Software Service 006 "Space Shoot-Out" Program sheet (1 game; 2 non-game apps)[10]
1982 First ZX-81 Flexisoft Disc "Othello" Program sheet [11]
1982 ZX-81 VIC-20 Spectrum Games Flexisoft Disc "Galactic Hitch-Hiker"
"Antispace"
"Speedster" 		Program sheet [12]
1983 Free Programs for ZX81 Spectrum BBC Vic 20 PET"Blockade"
"Blodhop"
"Robotchase"
"Dominoes"
"Supervade" 		Which Micro? & Software Review Program sheet [13]
1983 Camouflage "Flying Train" Program sheet [14] [15]
1983 NFL Football "NFL Football" CED
1984 Free Programs "Stellar Run"
"Energy Fields"
"Galaxians"
"Fall Guy" 		Program sheet [16] [17]
1984 The Thompson Twins Adventure "The Thompson Twins Adventure" Program sheet [18] [19] [20]
1985 Discoflex "Wargame"
"Hypersports" (demo) 		MicroHobby Program sheet [21]
1985 Discolist "Eggscape - La Fuga Dell'Uovo" List Program sheet [22]
1985 Discolist "Epidemic" List Program sheet [23]
1985 Free Flexidisc of Games "Xbec"
"Climber"
"Bonus Game" 		Program sheet [24]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Video Games Hidden in 80s Albums. Arendt. Susan . 19 June 2007. . Condé Nast Publishing. 31 July 2015.
  2. Bennett . Bill . June 1982 . All in the Groove . Your Computer. Sutton Publishing. 2 . 6. 31–33. 0263-0885.
  3. Smith . G. L. . August 1982 . Your Letters: Flexidisc Fan . . Sutton Publishing. 2. 8. 13. 0263-0885.
  4. Web site: Watch the History of Video Games, Soundtracked by the Rap Songs That Sample Them . 29 November 2012 . . 16 April 2016.
  5. Off . Greg . April 2006 . Feature: The Secret Society of Game Preservation . Hardcore Gamer. DoubleJump Publishing. 1. 10. 30–31. 1936-2110.
  6. Van der Horst. Bob W.. December 1978. Wereldprimeur - ESS: De Elektuur Software Service . nl . . Elektor International Media . 54. 12–14.
  7. Van der Horst. Bob W.. June 1979. ESS: The Elektor Software Service . Elektor. Elektor International Media. 50. UK21.
  8. Web site: The Wide World of Video Game Vinyl . Greenwald . Will . 30 March 2017 . . 21 August 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170822060421/https://geek.com/culture/the-wide-world-of-video-game-vinyl-1694385/. August 22, 2017.
  9. Van der Horst. Bob W.. October 1979. New Programs for the SC/MP . Elektor. Elektor International Media. 54. 12–14.
  10. Van der Horst. Bob W.. October 1979. I Played TV Games.... - Table E: ESS 006 . Elektor. Elektor International Media. 54. 37.
  11. Wolpe . Toby . May 1982 . Editorial . Your Computer. Sutton Publishing. 2. 5. 1. 0263-0885.
  12. Bennett . Bill . December 1982 . Games: Flexidisc . Your Computer. Sutton Publishing. 2. 12. 25. 0263-0885.
  13. Rolington . Alfred . April 1983 . Free Programs for ZX81 Spectrum BBC Vic 20 PET . Which Micro? & Software Review. EMAP. 0262-673X.
  14. Bunder . Leslie B. . April 1985 . Sieving Through The Biz . Crash. Newsfield Publications Ltd. 15. 0954-8661.
  15. Wolpe . Toby . August 1983 . News: From Punk to Programming . Your Computer. Sutton Publishing. 3. 8. 42. 0263-0885.
  16. Anderson . Chris . February 1984 . Program Library . Personal Computer Games. VNU. 1. 3. 115, 119, 138. 0265-3486.
  17. Anderson . Chris . March 1984 . BBC Correction . Personal Computer Games. VNU. 1. 4. 22. 0265-3486.
  18. Metcalfe . Tim . October 1984 . Meet the Pop Twins! . Computer and Video Games. Future Publishing. 36. 11. 0261-3697.
  19. Carroll, Martyn. "Rock Star Games". Eurogamer. 29 January 2008.
  20. Book: Binnie, Steve. 2014. The Sound Of The Crowd - a Discography of the '80s . 3rd . Lulu.com. 286. 9781326073589.
  21. Gómez-Centurión . José I. . 16–22 July 1985 . Discoflex . es. MicroHobby. Hobby Press, S.A.. 37. 12–13. 9955-8653.
  22. Ciardelli . Luciano . May 1985 . In Regalo: Discolist . it. List. Edicomp, S.R.L.. 3. 5.
  23. Ciardelli . Luciano . June 1985 . In Regalo: Discolist . it. List. Edicomp, S.R.L.. 3. 6/7.
  24. Hetherington . Tony . December 1985 . Fantastic Flexidisk . Computer Gamer. Argus Specialist Publications. 1. 9. 22–23. 0744-6667.

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