Vinyl data

{{Short description|Analog storage medium}} '''Vinyl data''' is the use of vinyl discs to store sequenced/encoded data rather than for simple analog recordings. This alternate use of the storage medium enabled the code of full motion videos (FMVs) and even simple video games to be stored in an analog format along with the soundtrack and sound effects. These vinyl data discs took two forms: the FMV-only Capacitance Electronic Disc (CED), and the program sheet. Uncommon even in the early 1980s when the practice was at its height, program sheet game data required that users record from the disc (typically a flexi disc like the ''Interface Age'' "Floppy ROM") onto an audio cassette tape which could then be used via the cassette port with microcomputers such as the BBC Micro, Commodore 64, Commodore PET, VIC-20, Dragon 32/64, ZX81, or ZX Spectrum.<ref name=arendt>{{cite web |url= https://www.wired.com/2007/06/video_games_hid/|title= Video Games Hidden in 80s Albums|last= Arendt|first= Susan |date= 19 June 2007|website= Wired |publisher= Condé Nast Publishing|access-date= 31 July 2015}}</ref> The use of CEDs to store video game FMV data was even less common, and required the game console (typically an arcade machine) to select a section of the grooved track to read with its stylus at just the right time for the video to be displayed. The numerous limitations of these techniques (background noise, scratches, and other audio-fidelity problems)<ref name=arendt/><ref name="bennett82-06">{{cite journal |last= Bennett |first= Bill |date= June 1982 |title= All in the Groove |url= https://archive.org/stream/your-computer-magazine-1982-06/YourComputer_1982_06#page/n31/mode/2up |journal= Your Computer|publisher= Sutton Publishing|volume= 2 |issue= 6|pages= 31–33|issn= 0263-0885}}</ref><ref name=smith>{{cite journal |last= Smith |first= G. L. |date= August 1982 |title= Your Letters: Flexidisc Fan |url= https://archive.org/stream/your-computer-magazine-1982-08/YourComputer_1982_08#page/n11/mode/2up |journal= Your Computer |publisher= Sutton Publishing|volume= 2|issue= 8|page= 13|issn= 0263-0885}}</ref><ref name=spin>{{cite web |url=https://www.spin.com/2012/11/history-video-games-rap-songs-samples-supercut/ |title=Watch the History of Video Games, Soundtracked by the Rap Songs That Sample Them |date=29 November 2012 |website=Spin |access-date=16 April 2016}}</ref> contributed to their failure to receive widespread acceptance and video game data stored in this manner remains some of the most difficult to archive and preserve.<ref name=off>{{cite journal |editor-last= Off |editor-first= Greg |date= April 2006 |title= Feature: The Secret Society of Game Preservation |journal= Hardcore Gamer|publisher= DoubleJump Publishing|volume= 1|issue= 10|pages= 30–31|issn= 1936-2110}}</ref>

== List of vinyl-data releases == {| class="wikitable sortable" width="100%" |- ! Rel. !! Rel. Title !! Game titles !! Label !! Notes !! Ref(s) |- | 1978 || Elektor Software Service 001 || "Mastermind" || Elektor || Program sheet (1 game; 4 non-game apps) || <ref>{{cite journal| editor1-last = Van der Horst| editor1-first = Bob W.| date = December 1978| title = Wereldprimeur - ESS: De Elektuur Software Service | language = nl | journal = Elektuur | publisher = Elektor International Media |issue= 54|pages=12–14}}</ref> |- | 1979 || Elektor Software Service 003 || "Four-in-a-row" "Surround" || Elektor || Program sheet (2 games; 3 non-game apps)|| <ref>{{cite journal| editor1-last = Van der Horst| editor1-first = Bob W.| date = June 1979| title = ESS: The Elektor Software Service | journal = Elektor| publisher = Elektor International Media|issue= 50|page=UK21}}</ref> |- | 1979 || Elektor Software Service 005 || "Battleships" "Keyplay" "Luna" || Elektor || Program sheet (3 games; 4 non-game apps)|| <ref name=greenwald>{{cite web |url=https://www.geek.com/culture/the-wide-world-of-video-game-vinyl-1694385/ |title=The Wide World of Video Game Vinyl |last=Greenwald |first=Will |date=30 March 2017 |website=Geek.com |access-date=21 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170822060421/https://geek.com/culture/the-wide-world-of-video-game-vinyl-1694385/|archive-date=August 22, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal| editor1-last = Van der Horst| editor1-first = Bob W.| date = October 1979| title = New Programs for the SC/MP | journal = Elektor| publisher = Elektor International Media|issue= 54|pages=12–14}}</ref> |- | 1979 || Elektor Software Service 006 || "Space Shoot-Out" || Elektor || Program sheet (1 game; 2 non-game apps)|| <ref>{{cite journal| editor1-last = Van der Horst| editor1-first = Bob W.| date = October 1979| title = I Played TV Games.... - Table E: ESS 006 | journal = Elektor| publisher = Elektor International Media|issue= 54|page=37}}</ref> |- | 1982 || First ZX-81 Flexisoft Disc || "Othello" || Your Computer || Program sheet || <ref name="bennett82-06"/><ref>{{cite journal |last= Wolpe |first= Toby |date= May 1982 |title= Editorial |url= https://archive.org/stream/your-computer-magazine-1982-05/YourComputer_1982_05#page/n1/mode/2up|journal= Your Computer|publisher= Sutton Publishing|volume= 2|issue= 5|page= 1|issn= 0263-0885}}</ref> |- | 1982 || ZX-81 VIC-20 Spectrum Games Flexisoft Disc || "Galactic Hitch-Hiker" "Antispace" "Speedster" || Your Computer || Program sheet || <ref>{{cite journal |last= Bennett |first= Bill |date= December 1982 |title= Games: Flexidisc |url= https://archive.org/stream/your-computer-magazine-1982-12/YourComputer_1982_12#page/n23/mode/2up|journal= Your Computer|publisher= Sutton Publishing|volume= 2|issue= 12|page= 25|issn= 0263-0885}}</ref> |- | 1983 || Free Programs for ZX81 Spectrum BBC Vic 20 PET|| "Blockade" "Blodhop" "Robotchase" "Dominoes" "Supervade" || Which Micro? & Software Review || Program sheet || <ref>{{cite journal |editor-last= Rolington |editor-first= Alfred |date= April 1983 |title= Free Programs for ZX81 Spectrum BBC Vic 20 PET |url= https://archive.org/stream/whichmicro-1983-04/WhichMicro-1983-04#page/n0/mode/2up|journal= Which Micro? & Software Review|publisher= EMAP|issn= 0262-673X}}</ref> |- | 1983 || Camouflage || "Flying Train" || EMI || Program sheet || <ref>{{cite journal |last= Bunder |first= Leslie B. |date= April 1985 |title= Sieving Through The Biz |url= https://www.crashonline.org.uk/15/sievey.htm|journal= Crash|publisher= Newsfield Publications Ltd|issue= 15|issn= 0954-8661}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |editor-last= Wolpe |editor-first= Toby |date= August 1983 |title= News: From Punk to Programming |url= https://archive.org/stream/your-computer-magazine-1983-08/YourComputer_1983_08#page/n41/mode/2up|journal= Your Computer|publisher= Sutton Publishing|volume= 3|issue= 8|page= 42|issn= 0263-0885}}</ref> |- | 1983 || NFL Football || "NFL Football" || Bally Midway || CED || <ref name=off/> |- | 1984 || Free Programs || "Stellar Run" "Energy Fields" "Galaxians" "Fall Guy" || Personal Computer Games || Program sheet || <ref>{{cite journal |editor-last= Anderson |editor-first= Chris |date= February 1984 |title= Program Library |url= https://archive.org/stream/personalcomputergames-magazine-03/PersonalComputerGames_03#page/n0/mode/2up|journal= Personal Computer Games|publisher= VNU|volume= 1|issue= 3|pages=115, 119, 138|issn= 0265-3486}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |editor-last= Anderson |editor-first= Chris |date= March 1984 |title= BBC Correction |url= https://archive.org/stream/personalcomputergames-magazine-04/PersonalComputerGames_04#page/n23/mode/2up|journal= Personal Computer Games|publisher= VNU|volume= 1|issue= 4|page=22|issn= 0265-3486}}</ref> |- | 1984 || The Thompson Twins Adventure || "The Thompson Twins Adventure" || Computer and Video Games/Quicksilva || Program sheet || <ref name=arendt/><ref>{{cite journal |editor-last= Metcalfe |editor-first= Tim |date= October 1984 |title= Meet the Pop Twins! |url= https://archive.org/stream/Computer_Video_Games_Issue_036_1984-10_EMAP_Publishing_GB/Computer__Video_Games_Issue_036_1984-10_EMAP_Publishing_GB#page/n9/mode/2up|journal= Computer and Video Games|publisher= Future Publishing|issue= 36|page=11|issn= 0261-3697}}</ref><ref>Carroll, Martyn. "[https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/rock-star-games-article?page=2 Rock Star Games]". ''Eurogamer''. 29 January 2008.</ref><ref>{{cite book |last= Binnie|first= Steve|date= 2014|title= The Sound Of The Crowd - a Discography of the '80s |edition= 3rd |publisher= Lulu.com|page= 286|isbn= 9781326073589}}</ref> |- | 1985 || Discoflex || "Wargame" "Hypersports" (demo) || MicroHobby || Program sheet || <ref>{{cite journal |editor-last= Gómez-Centurión |editor-first= José I. |date= 16–22 July 1985 |title= Discoflex |url=https://archive.org/stream/microhobby-magazine-037.pdf/MicroHobby_037#page/n11/mode/2up|language=es|journal= MicroHobby|publisher= Hobby Press, S.A.|issue= 37|pages= 12–13|issn= 9955-8653}}</ref> |- | 1985 || Discolist || "Eggscape - La Fuga Dell'Uovo" || List || Program sheet || <ref>{{cite journal |editor-last= Ciardelli |editor-first= Luciano |date= May 1985 |title= In Regalo: Discolist |language=it|journal= List|publisher= Edicomp, S.R.L.|volume= 3|number= 5}}</ref> |- | 1985 || Discolist || "Epidemic" || List || Program sheet || <ref>{{cite journal |editor-last= Ciardelli |editor-first= Luciano |date= June 1985 |title= In Regalo: Discolist |language=it|journal= List|publisher= Edicomp, S.R.L.|volume= 3|number= 6/7}}</ref> |- | 1985 || Free Flexidisc of Games || "Xbec" "Climber" "Bonus Game" || Computer Gamer || Program sheet || <ref>{{cite journal |editor-last= Hetherington |editor-first= Tony |date= December 1985 |title= Fantastic Flexidisk |url= https://archive.org/stream/Computer_Gamer_Issue_09_1985-12_Argus_Press_GB#page/n21/mode/2up|journal= Computer Gamer|publisher= Argus Specialist Publications|volume= 1|issue= 9|pages= 22–23|issn= 0744-6667}}</ref> |}

== References == {{reflist}}

Category:Vinyl data Category:Video game soundtracks