CD Video (also known as CDV, CD-V, or CD+V) was a format introduced in the mid-1980s that combined the technologies of compact disc and laserdisc. CD-V discs were the same size as an audio CD, and contained up to 20 minutes worth of audio information that could be played on any audio CD player. It also contained up to 5 minutes of analog video information, which could be played back on a newer laserdisc player capable of playing CD-V discs. One of the first laserdisc players that could play CD-V discs as well was the Pioneer CLD-1010 from 1987.

CD Video discs have a distinctive gold color, to differentiate them from regular silver-colored audio CDs.

CD Video is not to be confused with the all-digital MPEG-based Video CD format, which came out a few years later in 1993.

A similar version of CD Video called Video Single Disc (VSD) was also released. It was the same as CD Video, but it only had a laserdisc-style analog video track (occupying the whole storage space of the disc) and no audio CD tracks.

CD Video lasted only a few short years in the marketplace, disappearing by 1991. The target audience was teenagers who watched music videos on MTV. But few of them were familiar with laserdiscs, and far fewer still owned CDV compatible players. Buying a costly new player was not an option just for the minor use of playing a single music video that could be taped with a VCR.

Wikipedia information about CD-Video. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License . It uses material from the Wikipedia article 'CD-Video'