Pioneer Corporation
From 1978 until 1984, all LaserDisc player models read discs by using a helium–neon laser. In 1984, Pioneer Corporation introduced the first consumer player with a solid-state laser diode. This model, the Pioneer LD-700, was also the first LaserDisc player with a front-loading disc bay instead of a top-loading one. Pioneer became the market leader in LaserDisc technology.