An evolution of the laserdisc technology, the Compact Disc, which is also popularly known as CD, is an optical disc that is used to store various types of digital data. Initially, CD was invented with the aim of storing and playing a sound recording. However, later on, it was adapted to store data. There are CD-ROMs, Video Compact Discs, Rewritable Media (CD-RW), Photo CDs and many more.
Prototypes of discs were developed by Philips and Sony independently in the mid-and late 1970s. In the year 1979, the companies came together in order to make a standard format and related player technology. The standard format was inter-nationally adopted in 1987 by the International Electrotechnical Commission or the IEC. However, various changes were made in the standard format in the year 1996. Other types of CDs such as a photo CD have become very popular today and can be played on Photo CD players, computers and on CD-I players.
