Radio-Electronics
June 1979

Looking Ahead
Videodiscs Network
by David Lachenbruch

In the first major use of videodiscs for industrial communications, MCA DiscoVision and General Motors have tentatively agreed - subject to later equipment tests - to establish a network of videodisc players covering at least 7,000 GM dealers. The videodisc players will be of the optical type - compatible with the ones now being sold by Magnavox in Atlanta and Seattle - but of an industrial version using a microprocessor for automatic indexing. Discs will demonstrate new cars to consumers and will be used in sales training for dealer salesmen. the players will be built in Japan by Universal Pioneer Co., the joint venture of MCA and Pioneer. Similar dealer networks, using Betamax VCRs, have been established by Chrysler and Fiat.