From: (Neil Wagner) - CED Magic

The only way that this diminishing supply of CED parts and supplies
can
> be restocked is to find someone to manufacture the parts and supplies. No
> one
> carries or supplies them anymore. This maybe a truth for now but can soon
> change. The estimated 200,000 CED users left could join together to create a
> financial fund a purchase the rights to the capacitance electronic disc
> system,
> including disc manufacturing stampers. Most people would think that this is
> an
> insane act, if one person would attempt to purchase the rights, they would be
> correct However 200,000 people could accomplish such a feat with no trouble
> whatsoever. So it is only a matter of time when CED user's join together to
> re-establish the use of CED into the entertainment world.
Two problems I see are immediately evident with acquiring the disc
stamping machine...and this will become evident to you as well if you
read the information on the CED magic page regarding the manufacturing
of CEDs.
First, there's a LOT more that goes into "stamping" a CED. First, you
must have a metal master, this master is plated with another metal
(zinc, I believe?). Where do I buy these? The first step in the
production of a CED is to have a master cut on an enormous cutting
recorder, using a one-inch master videotape (or some other high quality
format). The master is tested, then a mold is made from the master. THEN
the actual pressing takes place. After the pressing is done, the discs,
which ARE STILL NOT PLAYABLE, must be doped with carbon (this is where
the capacitance, in capacitance electronic disc comes from) in a special
type of tank. Now, the final steps theoretically could be dropped (i.e.
applying silicone lube and putting them in a protective caddy).
The second problem with your argument is that all of the above I have
mentioned is beyond the scope of any CED enthusiast. The process
requires a clean room. Metal discs used to form the master can't be
purchased (at least not feasably), and on top of that, if ANY copies of
say, Mars Attacks, have to be approved by the intellectual owners of
that property.
While I agree that your idea sounds fantastic, and I would love to see
something like this happen...there's just no way that something like
this could be feasable to a group of hobbyists. It would be a nice piece
to a museum collection, but beyond that it's not very practical. Think
about it: there were only two companies producing CEDs when they were
available, RCA and CBS, obviously other companies considered it a flop.
*Geoff!*
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From: DPC16