The Consumer Electronics Show, or CES, is the world's largest consumer technology conference. From the CD-ROM to the Nintendo Entertainment System to HDTV, many revolutionary innovations have made waves at previous CES shows. However, these innovations have missed the mark and earned notoriety rather than fame.
10 of the Biggest Movie Flops of the Decade
The LaserDisc, which would eventually come to the United States as DiscoVision, first arrived as a prototype at CES 1974. The standard challenged other early video formats, such as VHS, in a growing home entertainment market. It positioned itself as a superior format for video and audio quality, with 440 lines of vertical resolution compared to 240 lines for VHS.
The LaserDisc standard struggled from the start. Four years passed between 1974, when CES showed off prototypes, and 1978, when it first became commercially available in the United States. That delay put the standard behind VHS, which had already gained a foothold. LaserDisc was also heavier and bulkier than VHS.
Although LaserDisc was a flop at CES, it was more successful in Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong, among other markets. LaserDiscs were released regularly in these markets until DVDs came along.
