Hi Roy!

[laser turntable]
 RJT> I saw that once,  way too much money!  If they can put a laser into 
 RJT> cdrom drives and other stuff they sure as heck oughta be able to do 
 RJT> that cheaper,  as well.  I guess no demand,  though,  or something.
I don't think it's too easy to read the audio "data" from a vinyl
record with a laser. Records were not designed with that in mind, that's
for sure. ;)

My guess would be they use the laser, carefully positioned, to get a
surface scan of the depth of the record groove. Add a complex mathematical
model of how that surface would influence a regual pickup unit and you can
create a digital rendering of the original sound. Most of the records I own
are not too even, they have bumps and sometimes even the middle hole is not
really centered. I'd think it's difficult to keep the laser positioned
correctly.

Plus as you say, I don't think there's much demand for what clearly is very
specialized technology.

Ciao
Pascal

--- Msged/LNX 6.1.1