Editing MiniDisc (section)

{{short description|Magneto-optical storage medium, mainly for audio (1992–2013)}}
{{About|the Sony storage format|other similarly-named formats and other uses of the term|Minidisc (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}

{{Infobox storage medium
| name = MiniDisc
| logo = MiniDiscLogo.svg{{!}}class=skin-invert
| image = TDK MiniDisc and Duracell Ultra M3 20070320.jpg
| caption = MiniDisc by TDK, with [[AA battery]] for scale
| type = [[Magneto-optical]] disc
| encoding = [[ATRAC]]
| capacity = 60, 74, and 80 minutes
| read = 780&nbsp;nm semiconductor laser diode
| write = Magnetic field modulation
| standard =
| owner = [[Sony]]
| use = Audio storage
| released = {{start date and age|1992|11}}<ref name="wb-minidisc-sony-mz-1">{{cite web|last=Woudenberg|first=Eric|title=Sony MZ-1|url=https://www.minidisc.org/part_Sony_MZ-1.html|access-date=2022-07-30}}</ref>
| discontinued = {{end date and age|2013|3}}
| extended from = [[Compact Cassette]], [[Compact disc]]
| extended to = [[MD Data]], [[Hi-MD]]
}}
{{optical disc authoring}}
[[File:Sony MZ-1 and a disc 20040221.jpg|thumb|The Sony MZ1, the first MiniDisc player, released in 1992.]]

'''MiniDisc''' ('''MD''') is an erasable [[magneto-optical]] disc-based [[data storage]] format offering a capacity of 60, 74, or 80 minutes of digitized [[sound|audio]].

[[Sony]] announced the MiniDisc in September 1992 and released it in November<ref name="sony-end" /> of that year for sale in Japan and in December in Europe, North America, and other countries.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sony.net/Fun/SH/1-21/h5.html |title=Sony history |access-date=1 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100625232554/http://www.sony.net/Fun/SH/1-21/h5.html |archive-date=25 June 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The music format was based on [[ATRAC]] [[audio data compression]], Sony's own proprietary compression code. Its successor, [[Hi-MD]], would later introduce the option of [[linear PCM]] [[digital recording]] to meet audio quality comparable to that of a [[compact disc]]. MiniDiscs were very popular in Japan and found moderate success in Europe.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.trustedreviews.com/mp3/review/2008/04/08/Music-On-The-Move/p4 |title=Music on the Move: MiniDisc |first=Riyad |last=Emeran |date=8 April 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513061754/http://www.trustedreviews.com/mp3/review/2008/04/08/Music-On-The-Move/p4 |archive-date=13 May 2008 |website=TrustedReviews}}</ref> Although it was designed to succeed the [[cassette tape]], it did not manage to supplant it globally.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/sony-bids-farewell-to-the-minidisc/ | title=Sony bids farewell to the MiniDisc | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220509133417/https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/sony-bids-farewell-to-the-minidisc/ | archive-date=9 May 2022 | date=3 Feb 2013 | author=Lexy Savvides | website=CNET | url-status=live }}</ref>

By March 2011, Sony had sold 22 million MD players, but discontinued further development.<ref name="Nni20110707D07JFN01">{{Cite web |date=July 7, 2011 |title=Sony To Wind Up MiniDisc Walkman Shipments |url=http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/tnks/Nni20110707D07JFN01.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711122254/http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/tnks/Nni20110707D07JFN01.htm |archive-date=Jul 11, 2011 |website=Nikkei.com}}</ref> Sony ceased manufacturing and sold the last of the players by March 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2013/02/01/sony-says-sayonara-to-minidisc-will-sell-its-last-players-in-ma/ |title=Sony says sayonara to MiniDisc, will sell its last players in March |publisher=Engadget.com |date=1 February 2013 |access-date=16 May 2016}}</ref> On January 23, 2025, Sony announced they would end the production of recordable MD media in February 2025.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sony.jp/rec-media/info2/20250123.html?cpint=rec-media_sony_news-Sony%20News-ja_JP-responsivegrid_initial_middle_sonynews_1 |title= Notice regarding the end of production of Blu-ray Disc media, MiniDiscs for recording, MD data for recording, and MiniDV cassettes | publisher=Sony Storage Media Solutions Inc. | date=Jan 23, 2025}}</ref>