CED VideoDisc and Player Discussion

[Ced Collector]

You guys might have seen these recently auctioned off down by the bay.
I was the winner of both auctions and they have been added to my collection.

Whenever I score something cool, rare and or unique, I like to create a thread to share them.

I'm super stoked to showcase these with you! Two prototypes!

Robin Hood. A 2 disc set. Check out the awesome, colorful box art!










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Gene Littler












"The first CED prototype discs were multi-layered, consisting of a vinyl substrate, nickel conductive layer, glow-discharge insulating layer and silicone lubricant top layer. Failure to fully solve the stylus/disc wear and manufacturing complexity forced RCA to seek simpler construction of the disc. The final disc was crafted using PVC blended with carbon to make the disc conductive. To preserve stylus and groove life, a thin layer of silicone was applied to the disc as a lubricant.

CED videodiscs were originally conceived as being housed in jackets and handled by hand similar to LP records, but during testing it was shown that exposure to dust caused skipped grooves. If dust was allowed to settle on the discs, the dust would absorb moisture from the air and cement the dust particle to the disc surface, causing the stylus to jump back in a locked groove situation. Thus, an idea was developed in which the disc would be stored and handled in a plastic caddy from which the CED would be extracted by the player so that exposure to dust would be minimized."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitance_Electronic_Disc



For future collectable researchers:
My total costs, at ebay auction, no reserve, on Feb. 2024 were:
Robin hood - $169.03
Gene Littler $93.54


To any of you whom I outbid, sorry!....... But not "too" sorry, know what I mean? ;)

At least I get to share them with you all for free this way though.

Enjoy!


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Direct link to my collection in alphabetical order:

https://ibb.co/album/vCk800?sort=name_asc



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My Collections https://ibb.co/album/vCk800
https://ibb.co/album/NrxGtC https://ibb.co/album/0Dmskh https://ibb.co/album/fDYM72

[Ced Collector]

The discs are translucent. If you hold them up to the light, you can see through them.

Robin Hood is labeled as Disc #10020

Engraved on both sides, of both discs, it reads:
Robin Hood - Color - Side (1-4 depending on disc and side) - RCA and Selectavision are Tradmarks of RCA Corp. Made in USA. 10020

Disc 1, side 1, holds a sticker, reading:
16-85
2151
F
Disc 1, side 2, holds a sticker reading:
16-85
2151
B
Disc 2, side 3, holds a sticker reading:
17-18
1151
F
Disc 2, side 4, holds a sticker reading:
17-18
1151
B

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Gene Littler is labeled as Disc #10021

Engraved on both sides of the disc, it reads:
Gene Littler - Color - Side (1-2 depending on disc side) - RCA and Selectavision are Tradmarks of RCA Corp. Made in USA. 10021



Note: The plastic center insert, of the plastic tray reading "Remove and Discard" was missing from Robin Hood. I took it from my other prototype disc "Gene Littler" to make this, higher priced set, more complete, than when I purchased it.
Robin Hood & Gene Littler were both purchased by the same seller of California, at the same time, in different ebay auction listings.
The seller informed me, he purchased them in the SF east bay area, at an estate sale.

After documentation and photographed, they are now together inside a large ziplock bag, being stored in a cool, dry place with my CED collection.
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My Collections https://ibb.co/album/vCk800
https://ibb.co/album/NrxGtC https://ibb.co/album/0Dmskh https://ibb.co/album/fDYM72

[lynx]

Wow! Those discs are really neat! I've never seen any discs like them before, and I'm glad they went to a good owner like you. They are historic treasures in the history of CED, so cherish them! The instruction to "remove and discard" seems unusual; I wonder why it would be on there in the first place if you're supposed to keep it for storage.



I don't know if you ever saw it, but last year, I saw a Lum Fong disc for sale on E Bay, which is really hard to find, so I posted a message about on here.
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Let RCA turn your television into Selectavision!

[Ced Collector]

[ketonic_dude]

I saw these listings, I didn't bid on either one because I figured they would go for crazy money. I did contact the seller though to try to find out more information about how he obtained them and if he knew anything about them. Sadly he said they were an estate sale purchase and he knew nothing. But he did say he had a couple other discs left so I made him an offer and purchased one. The title I got was King Solomon's Mine and yes, the first thing I noticed when I opened it was when you hold it up to the light you can see right through it. Oddly enough, I've noticed this on Bluray discs too. I purchased a signature disc a few years ago made of the same type of disc and dated Christmas 1977.

[Ced Collector]

I have something coming that should be here tomorrow. I've looked around the site and I don't see any related info on it mentioned by Tom.

It's about these Prototypes. I think it's pretty cool. It's an addition to my collection. I'll make sure to add it tomorrow, so long as it arrives on time. Stay tuned.
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My Collections https://ibb.co/album/vCk800
https://ibb.co/album/NrxGtC https://ibb.co/album/0Dmskh https://ibb.co/album/fDYM72

[Ced Collector]

[ketonic_dude]

Yes it was the same as the blank white one you posted. Just handwritten on the sleeve. Can't wait to see what your new addition is.

[Ced Collector]

"A new, potentially multi-billion dollar industry is about to be born. Soon you will be able to "see" a record as well as hear one."


I took photos and scans, but hang on. I gotta check this out first.
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My Collections https://ibb.co/album/vCk800
https://ibb.co/album/NrxGtC https://ibb.co/album/0Dmskh https://ibb.co/album/fDYM72

[Ced Collector]

Forbes Magazine - Videodiscs - The Dawn of Program - Your Own TV

Check out this cover.


(downsized)



Oh, I better not try to embed these. I left them full size so you can read them easily. I like the photos a lot better than scans. I've decided to upload them to my collection album. I'll upload the scans and leave the links to those down below, for anyone who wants them.

Uploading the pages with the article now...............

These links are the photos. Check one out, and compare it to the scans link below, to see which one you prefer for reading. The scans are in order too.

If you have any trouble with zooming in, you can go directly to my album to view them too. I just noticed, some of these, you can't zoom in all the way from these links like you can right from my album. You just click the photo twice, to get a Zoom icon and then click it again to zoom way in:
https://ibb.co/album/vCk800?sort=name_asc


Cover:
https://i.ibb.co/X4PMdMk/00-Forbes-Magazine-Videodiscs-The-Dawn-of-Program-Your-Own-TV.jpg

Page 24
https://i.ibb.co/h18vt5X/00-Forbes-Magazine-Videodiscs-The-Dawn-of-Program-Your-Own-TV-b-Page-24.jpg

Page 25
https://i.ibb.co/Stwnk9g/00-Forbes-Magazine-Videodiscs-The-Dawn-of-Program-Your-Own-TV-c-Page-25.jpg

Page 26
https://i.ibb.co/2KCvHpZ/00-Forbes-Magazine-Videodiscs-The-Dawn-of-Program-Your-Own-TV-d-Page-26.jpg

Page 27
https://i.ibb.co/1LMFQfP/00-Forbes-Magazine-Videodiscs-The-Dawn-of-Program-Your-Own-TV-e-Page-27.jpg

Page 28
https://i.ibb.co/qx527B1/00-Forbes-Magazine-Videodiscs-The-Dawn-of-Program-Your-Own-TV-f-Page-28.jpg

Page 29
https://i.ibb.co/nsYLysW/00-Forbes-Magazine-Videodiscs-The-Dawn-of-Program-Your-Own-TV-g-Page-29.jpg


How cool is that uh?
Has this been posted anywhere on this site before? If so, I couldn't find it.


Scans:
https://ibb.co/pztQ50H
https://ibb.co/k25c7Qm
https://ibb.co/Tv2BrTC
https://ibb.co/CtFGCsQ
https://ibb.co/Lp4fjZc
https://ibb.co/mtJGm3X
https://ibb.co/Tk7wVY0


Oh, now that the scans are uploaded to imgbb they look a lot better.
Nice to read that way too. I'm gunna stick the photos for my album but those are nice to adding to the site, if Tom wants or anyone else who wants to save them.
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My Collections https://ibb.co/album/vCk800
https://ibb.co/album/NrxGtC https://ibb.co/album/0Dmskh https://ibb.co/album/fDYM72

[Ced Collector]

On page 26, notice the player was said to be released in '77 with a price of $500 and $10 per movie.

Let's put that into perspective for today and even for it's time.

So using an inflation calculator, the player would be roughly $2,700 and the movies roughly $50 each in today's 2024 money.

Could you imagine paying that today? Of course it's so easy to find this absurd now, as we have streaming services and even far cheaper blueray and 4k discs at our fingertips and home movies were just not a thing at all yet.....but I mean still... listen this this;

Now to put that into perspective for it's time (1977), you could buy a player and a dozen movies, for roughly (according to googling a few rough prices) a brand new Ford Pinto, Chevy chevette, AMC Gremlin Chevy Vega,
Pontiac Astre

All right around 3k according to "5 Cheapest American Cars of 1977" from consumerguide.


Sure, those are all cheap low end cars, but point is, those are brand new cars! You know a good quality car could be scored for the same this player and a dozen movies too.

The RCA boys sure were optimistic on bringing "affordable" home entertainment to the average consumer. When you stop and put this history in perspective, for now, but especially then, you can see why this plan was doomed from the start.

We do need to keep in mind, the baby boomers (collectively) did have a whole lot more extra spending money, compared to current generations today........but still. They had planned on a multi-billion dollar industry, for home entertainment for the same amount as brand new cheap cars! That was optimistic even for it's time haha.


This sure doesn't make that Netflix subscription seem too bad of a deal does it?
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My Collections https://ibb.co/album/vCk800
https://ibb.co/album/NrxGtC https://ibb.co/album/0Dmskh https://ibb.co/album/fDYM72

[Jesse Skeen]

Gene Littler’s Golf was an early laserdisc release on the DiscoVision label, wonder if it’s the same content as this?
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Videodisc and stereo sound- there's no better value around!

[Ced Collector]

Hey guys, I would go on to purchase more prototypes by the same seller. One of them has the name Bob Moore on it, so I did a search and found out he was an RCA engineer.
I now have 6 1977 prototypes in my collection. How cool is that? Do you suppose I have all titles?




RCA Selectavision Videodisc Prototype - Arnold Palmer - Disc #10006
RCA Selectavision Videodisc Prototype - Easter Parade - Disc #10012
RCA Selectavision Videodisc Prototype - Gene Littler - Disc #10021
RCA Selectavision Videodisc Prototype - King Solomon’s Mines - Disc #10046
RCA Selectavision Videodisc Prototype - North by Northwest - Disc #10010
RCA Selectavision Videodisc Prototype - Robin Hood - Disc #10020

All prototypes are placed towards the top, just under the magazines and pamphlets.
https://ibb.co/album/vCk800?sort=name_asc
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My Collections https://ibb.co/album/vCk800
https://ibb.co/album/NrxGtC https://ibb.co/album/0Dmskh https://ibb.co/album/fDYM72

[ketonic_dude]

I just wanted to make a mention of this that Tom got ahold of several of these discs and was generous enough to send them to me to give away at the workshop this year. If you would like the information Tom recorded it can be found on his site here,

https://www.cedmagic.com/home/1977-1978-test-discs.html

The discs can be seen in the group picture of the 2025 CED Workshop which I will be posting on the cedatum.com website soon.

[Ced Collector]

Wow, that's awesome! Well that answers that, I sure don't have all prototype titles. I never saw that link before. RCA made a bunch of them. They came from the same area. I think all originating from Bob Moore is a solid theory.
I added your collective knowledge under my photo of Bob Moore in my collection. Thanks.

Let's see our combined titles then:

1. Arnold Palmer
2. Citizen Kane
3. Easter Parade
4. Gigi
5. Gene Littler
6. Heavyweight Champs - Golden Era
7. King Kong
8. King Solomon’s Mines
9. Lassie Come Home
10 North By Northwest
11. Pancho Gonzalez
12. Robin Hood
13. Selfish Giant
14. Swing Time
15. Treasure Island
16. Twentieth Century-Fox Composite (Japanese Art Film)
17. Viva Max


My 7 (two disc of Robin Hood), your 1 copy of King Solomon’s Mines, and Toms previous 17 discs (two disc King Kong & Gigi and mixed multi sided movies) makes 17 titles released and 25 physical Prototype discs known in existence thus far, if I counted correctly.
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My Collections https://ibb.co/album/vCk800
https://ibb.co/album/NrxGtC https://ibb.co/album/0Dmskh https://ibb.co/album/fDYM72

[Ced Collector]

The same seller, recently sold what he claims to be his last prototype (but he told me he sold me the last ones he had back along too haha). So anyway, he recently listed and sold another copy of North By Northwest. A 3 disc set, on ebay. Many of you may have saw it and probably one of you bought it? (wasn't me.) It sold at auction for $255 on Oct. 19 2025

So with this now known one also, this brings the total of known 1977 prototype discs to still 17 titles released, but now 28 physical Prototype discs.

Plus at least 1 known copy of 1973's Lum Fong, that was posted on ebay, a few years back along now, but that earlier prototype, is different still but that does make in total 29 known physical Prototype discs in existence.

Looks like I have the only two rainbow boxes; King Solomon’s Mines (with Bob Moore's name on it, how cool is that?!) and Robin Hood.
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My Collections https://ibb.co/album/vCk800
https://ibb.co/album/NrxGtC https://ibb.co/album/0Dmskh https://ibb.co/album/fDYM72