Dr. Juke

Dr. Juke Show Selector screen.

Dr. Juke was a prototype Show Selector concept created by Creative Engineering in 1983 that tested the use of showtapes on LaserDisc, and a touchscreen video interface.

The concept would implement two major changes to a Rock-afire Explosion stage; It would provide a video touchscreen device in front of the stage as an upgraded Show Selector, and it would replace the CEI 4-Track Reel showtape format and tape deck with a LaserDisc player.

Development

Only one LaserDisc was produced for the format (the Dr. Juke Test Tape, as made by Pioneer). Presumably, software for Dr. Juke was created, as the animated segments allude to some understanding of how they would be animated beforehand. It is unclear if any prototype units were fully assembled, or if they remained as barebones concepts.

Cancellation

Prototyping did not go any further than the first tape, and no Dr. Juke units were produced for Showbiz Pizza Place; Additionally, CEI did not use the CEI LaserDisc format for any future content. CEI alludes to Showbiz Pizza Place Inc. and its changing culture leading up to the merger with Pizza Time Theatre being the culprit for the cancellation of the idea.