Parts of a CD Player

CD players were first created in the early 1980s as an alternative to record players and cassette players. Since then the popularity of CD players has grown very quickly. The popularity of CD players has grown so much over the past several decades that virtually every individual has some sort of CD player in their car or home. However, most people are unaware of how these relatively simple devices actually work.

Casing

The internal components of a CD player are protected by an outer enclosure made out of steel or plastic, which may include a headphone/stereo jack and/or an AC adapter jack.

Drive Motor

The drive motor of a CD player is a small motor that is designed to spin a CD at a rate of 200 to 500 revolutions per minute (RPM).

Laser

The laser in a CD player is created by a semiconductor known as a laser diode, which focuses light on the surface of the CD.

Lens/Sensor System

CD player focuses its laser through a series of lenses that shine light onto the CD and bounce the light back up to sensors that decode the information.

Tracking Mechanism

The tracking mechanism of a CD player moves the laser, sensors and lenses down the tracks of the CD so the player can read each track.