Watch CDs conquer car skips in this classic BBC clip

The BBC has dug out another vintage clip that reveals just how far technology has come in recent decades.

Broadcast in 1984 on Tomorrow’s World — the BBC’s flagship tech show of the day — presenter Peter Macann starts off by uttering the words “digital compact disc player” with the kind of clarity that suggests most of the audience were hearing about such a device for the first time. Which they probably were.

“It uses a laser beam to read the musical information from the record,” Macann explains, apparently forgetting that he’s talking about a disc, not a traditional vinyl record. 

The BBC presenter points out how manufacturers are keen to make the technology more portable, but adds that the slightest vibrations can cause the music to skip. He then demonstrates the fact by bashing the CD player on a hard surface, and sure enough, the music jumps all over the place.

 The footage then cuts to a very 1980s computer animation revealing how the CD player’s laser reads the data on the disc, and why it jumps about when it’s disturbed.

To overcome this problem, manufacturers added a new circuit to the device that monitors the laser’s position when a disc is playing. If a vibration makes the laser jump, the circuit ensures that the laser remains in the correct position, enabling uninterrupted playback.

The presenter then shows off a not-particularly-portable-looking-but-actually-portable CD player and demonstrates the technology in action. Sure enough, when he waves the device around, the music keeps playing without any glitches (though viewers will note that he doesn’t knock it around like before).

Finally, Macaan jumps in a Jag to give it a proper test. After accidentally reversing a short distance (it was broadcast live then, so no edits), he quickly finds a forward gear like a true presenting pro and proceeds to drive over several speed humps. The tech works perfectly, with viewers no doubt left marveling at a CD player tough enough for speed bumps, potholes, and even grandad’s questionable driving — all without skipping a beat.