02/10/2025
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https://www.discogs.com/seller/DJ-Rockboy/profile?format=CD 🇦🇺🎧
ON THIS DATE (43 YEARS AGO)
October 1, 1982 - The Sony CDP-101 was the world's first commercially released compact disc player. The system was launched in Japan on October 1, 1982 at a list price of 168,000 yen (approx $730).
Sony launched the CDP-101. Ohga said, "In demonstrations, Sony had positioned the disc vertically in the player, but it was actually easier to insert the disc horizontally." As a result, the CDP-101 was manufactured so that the disc spun on a horizontal plane.
The months leading up to the scheduled October product launch were difficult for all concerned. The problem with discs warping remained until the very last minute. After successively testing various materials, a new material called polycarbonate, used for making automobile bumpers, was found. Production of discs got under way in mid-September, about two weeks before the launch.
The Japan-only launch was partially because Philips, Sony's partner in the development of the CD format, was unable to meet the original agreed launch date. Rather than agree a full postponement, Sony agreed to delay the launch of the format outside Japan by six months. The Philips CD100 launched in November 1982, although early Philips players contained some Sony components. In line with the agreement, the system was launched worldwide in March 1983.
Demonstration CD players from Sony had the disc placed vertically in the machine allowing the CD face to be visible through a transparent front whilst playing. The CDP-101 instead opted for a horizontal tray-loading system. The case and front panel of the system were manufactured from plastic.
The front of the unit featured a vacuum fluorescent display panel to provide information such as track number and playing time, an infrared receiver to allow the use of a remote control and buttons to control playback, open and close the tray and toggle the display between showing elapsed and remaining playing time. The only dial on the machine allowed for the headphone volume level to be adjusted; a 1/4" headphone jack was also located on the front of the unit.
At the back of the unit there are two on/off switches, one labeled Auto Pause and the other Anti Shock. There are two RCA jacks to carry left and right channels of audio; a 26-pin accessory connector is included, presumably for future developments that did not materialize. A heatsink is located at the back of the unit.
The included remote control unit, RM-101, features the majority of the same button controls as on the main system. It omits the open/close button and display toggle, but has numbered buttons not present on the main unit that allow a particular track number to be selected.
The model name CDP-101 was chosen by Nobuyuki Idei, who headed Sony's Audio Division. "101" represents the number 5 in binary notation and was chosen because Idei considered the model to be of "medium class".
