Mini CD-ROM (1990 - ) | Museum of Obsolete Media (original) (raw)
The mini CD-ROM is a variant of CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read-Only Memory), an optical disc format created by Sony and Philips. Mini CD-ROMs are 8 cm (as opposed to 12 cm for full-size discs) and hold up to 210 MB. Like full-size CD-ROM discs, mini CD-ROMs follow the Yellow Book standard.
Recordable versions were also available in the form of mini CD-R (CD-Recordable) and mini CD-RW (CD-Rewritable).
Mini CD-ROM discs can be used in spindle-based or most tray-loading CD-ROM drives, but may encounter problems in slot-loading devices.
The first notable use of mini CD-ROMs was for the Sony Data Discman of 1990. In this instance they were enclosed in a caddy and were used for e-books. Sometime in the early 1990s they began to appear without the caddy for use in CD-ROM drives, and were mostly used for software distribution. Although their use has declined in recent years, they are still used for distributing driver files with hardware.