When and why did tape recorders acquire a “remote” input?
This entirely-typical-of-the-era (other than mysteriously missing its EAR socket) tape recorder from 1984 was the "standard" type of tape deck for home computer data storage in the UK.
They could be battery powered, had a large mono speaker and tinny inbuilt microphone, carry handle, and a volume control on the side along with sockets for earphone output, microphone input and "remote" input, where an external device could stop or start the tape.
When did this particular form factor and feature set evolve, and what did people use them for before their heyday as a home computer peripheral?
cassette-tape
asked 2 days ago
hexwabhexwab
1734
add a comment |
This entirely-typical-of-the-era (other than mysteriously missing its EAR socket) tape recorder from 1984 was the "standard" type of tape deck for home computer data storage in the UK.
They could be battery powered, had a large mono speaker and tinny inbuilt microphone, carry handle, and a volume control on the side along with sockets for earphone output, microphone input and "remote" input, where an external device could stop or start the tape.
When did this particular form factor and feature set evolve, and what did people use them for before their heyday as a home computer peripheral?
cassette-tape
asked 2 days ago
hexwabhexwab
1734
1
They made terrible boom boxes and were too big to be usable as a walkman. I'm guessing maybe field recording, and there were external microphones with on/off switches?
– hexwab
2 days ago
add a comment |
This entirely-typical-of-the-era (other than mysteriously missing its EAR socket) tape recorder from 1984 was the "standard" type of tape deck for home computer data storage in the UK.
They could be battery powered, had a large mono speaker and tinny inbuilt microphone, carry handle, and a volume control on the side along with sockets for earphone output, microphone input and "remote" input, where an external device could stop or start the tape.
When did this particular form factor and feature set evolve, and what did people use them for before their heyday as a home computer peripheral?
cassette-tape
asked 2 days ago
hexwabhexwab
1734
This entirely-typical-of-the-era (other than mysteriously missing its EAR socket) tape recorder from 1984 was the "standard" type of tape deck for home computer data storage in the UK.
They could be battery powered, had a large mono speaker and tinny inbuilt microphone, carry handle, and a volume control on the side along with sockets for earphone output, microphone input and "remote" input, where an external device could stop or start the tape.
When did this particular form factor and feature set evolve, and what did people use them for before their heyday as a home computer peripheral?
cassette-tape
cassette-tape
asked 2 days ago
hexwabhexwab
1734
asked 2 days ago
hexwabhexwab
1734
asked 2 days ago
hexwabhexwab
1734
asked 2 days ago
hexwabhexwab
1734
asked 2 days ago
hexwabhexwab
1734
1734
1
They made terrible boom boxes and were too big to be usable as a walkman. I'm guessing maybe field recording, and there were external microphones with on/off switches?
– hexwab
2 days ago
add a comment |
1
They made terrible boom boxes and were too big to be usable as a walkman. I'm guessing maybe field recording, and there were external microphones with on/off switches?
– hexwab
2 days ago
1
1
They made terrible boom boxes and were too big to be usable as a walkman. I'm guessing maybe field recording, and there were external microphones with on/off switches?
– hexwab
2 days ago
They made terrible boom boxes and were too big to be usable as a walkman. I'm guessing maybe field recording, and there were external microphones with on/off switches?
– hexwab
2 days ago
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
My father had one bought in Singapore in the 1970s. Their appeal was that they were portable recording devices. A microphone with a long lead would plug into the mic and rem sockets. The microphone would have a switch on the side which could be used to pause the recording or playback of the tape.
Journalists, academics etc would put the recorder in a bag and use the mic to start and stop the recording.
Before this, the main home recording technology was reel to reel tape machines, which were very heavy and large because of the size of the reels.
answered 2 days ago
Mark WilliamsMark Williams
35726
1
The remote input was actually used most by such microphones. Home computers nearly never relied on them to control the tape, but rather printed "Start tape, then press any key"
– tofro
2 days ago
I think that how they used the remote input depended on the company making the computer. Sharp used it on their PocketComputer series. Even had two remote ports on some versions.
– UncleBod
2 days ago
1
I agree with this answer. A schoolfriend of mine had one of the original Phillips portable cassette recorders; this would have been in the late 1960s. As I recall, the microphone had a stop-start switch.
– another-dave
2 days ago
@UncleBod but even software for those machines with motor control outputs — which also includes at least the Acorns and the MSX — couldn't assume the user was using the proper tape player and cable.
– Tommy
2 days ago
1
In cassette recorders of this type, the motor current passed throught the "remote" socket, which had a bypass contact when nothing was plugged in. More compact machines were available for print journalists; broadcast journalists frequently used the Uher Report 4000 reel-to-reel recorder, which was not particularly large or heavy.
– grahamj42
2 days ago
|
show 3 more comments
Keep in mind that in that era, cassettes were positively rubbish for recording music, and nobody expectd them to succeed at that. For music you used reel-reel or an 8-track, which had reel-reel's 3-3/4" or even 7-1/2" tape speed. Cassettes were a paltry 1-7/8". They were for voice dictation and the like, where the remote makes a world of sense.
It wasn't until some time later that cassettes improved (with better media that could be saturated much harder, and technologies like Dolby B and HX) to make them bearable as music players.
Anyway, the remote was for dictation, but I recall there being first-gen PCs that made use of it.
answered 2 days ago
HarperHarper
96848
add a comment |
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2 Answers
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active
oldest
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
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oldest
votes
My father had one bought in Singapore in the 1970s. Their appeal was that they were portable recording devices. A microphone with a long lead would plug into the mic and rem sockets. The microphone would have a switch on the side which could be used to pause the recording or playback of the tape.
Journalists, academics etc would put the recorder in a bag and use the mic to start and stop the recording.
Before this, the main home recording technology was reel to reel tape machines, which were very heavy and large because of the size of the reels.
answered 2 days ago
Mark WilliamsMark Williams
35726
1
The remote input was actually used most by such microphones. Home computers nearly never relied on them to control the tape, but rather printed "Start tape, then press any key"
– tofro
2 days ago
I think that how they used the remote input depended on the company making the computer. Sharp used it on their PocketComputer series. Even had two remote ports on some versions.
– UncleBod
2 days ago
1
I agree with this answer. A schoolfriend of mine had one of the original Phillips portable cassette recorders; this would have been in the late 1960s. As I recall, the microphone had a stop-start switch.
– another-dave
2 days ago
@UncleBod but even software for those machines with motor control outputs — which also includes at least the Acorns and the MSX — couldn't assume the user was using the proper tape player and cable.
– Tommy
2 days ago
1
In cassette recorders of this type, the motor current passed throught the "remote" socket, which had a bypass contact when nothing was plugged in. More compact machines were available for print journalists; broadcast journalists frequently used the Uher Report 4000 reel-to-reel recorder, which was not particularly large or heavy.
– grahamj42
2 days ago
|
show 3 more comments
My father had one bought in Singapore in the 1970s. Their appeal was that they were portable recording devices. A microphone with a long lead would plug into the mic and rem sockets. The microphone would have a switch on the side which could be used to pause the recording or playback of the tape.
Journalists, academics etc would put the recorder in a bag and use the mic to start and stop the recording.
Before this, the main home recording technology was reel to reel tape machines, which were very heavy and large because of the size of the reels.
answered 2 days ago
Mark WilliamsMark Williams
35726
1
The remote input was actually used most by such microphones. Home computers nearly never relied on them to control the tape, but rather printed "Start tape, then press any key"
– tofro
2 days ago
I think that how they used the remote input depended on the company making the computer. Sharp used it on their PocketComputer series. Even had two remote ports on some versions.
– UncleBod
2 days ago
1
I agree with this answer. A schoolfriend of mine had one of the original Phillips portable cassette recorders; this would have been in the late 1960s. As I recall, the microphone had a stop-start switch.
– another-dave
2 days ago
@UncleBod but even software for those machines with motor control outputs — which also includes at least the Acorns and the MSX — couldn't assume the user was using the proper tape player and cable.
– Tommy
2 days ago
1
In cassette recorders of this type, the motor current passed throught the "remote" socket, which had a bypass contact when nothing was plugged in. More compact machines were available for print journalists; broadcast journalists frequently used the Uher Report 4000 reel-to-reel recorder, which was not particularly large or heavy.
– grahamj42
2 days ago
|
show 3 more comments
My father had one bought in Singapore in the 1970s. Their appeal was that they were portable recording devices. A microphone with a long lead would plug into the mic and rem sockets. The microphone would have a switch on the side which could be used to pause the recording or playback of the tape.
Journalists, academics etc would put the recorder in a bag and use the mic to start and stop the recording.
Before this, the main home recording technology was reel to reel tape machines, which were very heavy and large because of the size of the reels.
answered 2 days ago
Mark WilliamsMark Williams
35726
My father had one bought in Singapore in the 1970s. Their appeal was that they were portable recording devices. A microphone with a long lead would plug into the mic and rem sockets. The microphone would have a switch on the side which could be used to pause the recording or playback of the tape.
Journalists, academics etc would put the recorder in a bag and use the mic to start and stop the recording.
Before this, the main home recording technology was reel to reel tape machines, which were very heavy and large because of the size of the reels.
answered 2 days ago
Mark WilliamsMark Williams
35726
answered 2 days ago
Mark WilliamsMark Williams
35726
answered 2 days ago
Mark WilliamsMark Williams
35726
answered 2 days ago
Mark WilliamsMark Williams
35726
35726
1
The remote input was actually used most by such microphones. Home computers nearly never relied on them to control the tape, but rather printed "Start tape, then press any key"
– tofro
2 days ago
I think that how they used the remote input depended on the company making the computer. Sharp used it on their PocketComputer series. Even had two remote ports on some versions.
– UncleBod
2 days ago
1
I agree with this answer. A schoolfriend of mine had one of the original Phillips portable cassette recorders; this would have been in the late 1960s. As I recall, the microphone had a stop-start switch.
– another-dave
2 days ago
@UncleBod but even software for those machines with motor control outputs — which also includes at least the Acorns and the MSX — couldn't assume the user was using the proper tape player and cable.
– Tommy
2 days ago
1
In cassette recorders of this type, the motor current passed throught the "remote" socket, which had a bypass contact when nothing was plugged in. More compact machines were available for print journalists; broadcast journalists frequently used the Uher Report 4000 reel-to-reel recorder, which was not particularly large or heavy.
– grahamj42
2 days ago
|
show 3 more comments
1
The remote input was actually used most by such microphones. Home computers nearly never relied on them to control the tape, but rather printed "Start tape, then press any key"
– tofro
2 days ago
I think that how they used the remote input depended on the company making the computer. Sharp used it on their PocketComputer series. Even had two remote ports on some versions.
– UncleBod
2 days ago
1
I agree with this answer. A schoolfriend of mine had one of the original Phillips portable cassette recorders; this would have been in the late 1960s. As I recall, the microphone had a stop-start switch.
– another-dave
2 days ago
@UncleBod but even software for those machines with motor control outputs — which also includes at least the Acorns and the MSX — couldn't assume the user was using the proper tape player and cable.
– Tommy
2 days ago
1
In cassette recorders of this type, the motor current passed throught the "remote" socket, which had a bypass contact when nothing was plugged in. More compact machines were available for print journalists; broadcast journalists frequently used the Uher Report 4000 reel-to-reel recorder, which was not particularly large or heavy.
– grahamj42
2 days ago
1
1
The remote input was actually used most by such microphones. Home computers nearly never relied on them to control the tape, but rather printed "Start tape, then press any key"
– tofro
2 days ago
The remote input was actually used most by such microphones. Home computers nearly never relied on them to control the tape, but rather printed "Start tape, then press any key"
– tofro
2 days ago
I think that how they used the remote input depended on the company making the computer. Sharp used it on their PocketComputer series. Even had two remote ports on some versions.
– UncleBod
2 days ago
I think that how they used the remote input depended on the company making the computer. Sharp used it on their PocketComputer series. Even had two remote ports on some versions.
– UncleBod
2 days ago
1
1
I agree with this answer. A schoolfriend of mine had one of the original Phillips portable cassette recorders; this would have been in the late 1960s. As I recall, the microphone had a stop-start switch.
– another-dave
2 days ago
I agree with this answer. A schoolfriend of mine had one of the original Phillips portable cassette recorders; this would have been in the late 1960s. As I recall, the microphone had a stop-start switch.
– another-dave
2 days ago
@UncleBod but even software for those machines with motor control outputs — which also includes at least the Acorns and the MSX — couldn't assume the user was using the proper tape player and cable.
– Tommy
2 days ago
@UncleBod but even software for those machines with motor control outputs — which also includes at least the Acorns and the MSX — couldn't assume the user was using the proper tape player and cable.
– Tommy
2 days ago
1
1
In cassette recorders of this type, the motor current passed throught the "remote" socket, which had a bypass contact when nothing was plugged in. More compact machines were available for print journalists; broadcast journalists frequently used the Uher Report 4000 reel-to-reel recorder, which was not particularly large or heavy.
– grahamj42
2 days ago
In cassette recorders of this type, the motor current passed throught the "remote" socket, which had a bypass contact when nothing was plugged in. More compact machines were available for print journalists; broadcast journalists frequently used the Uher Report 4000 reel-to-reel recorder, which was not particularly large or heavy.
– grahamj42
2 days ago
|
show 3 more comments
Keep in mind that in that era, cassettes were positively rubbish for recording music, and nobody expectd them to succeed at that. For music you used reel-reel or an 8-track, which had reel-reel's 3-3/4" or even 7-1/2" tape speed. Cassettes were a paltry 1-7/8". They were for voice dictation and the like, where the remote makes a world of sense.
It wasn't until some time later that cassettes improved (with better media that could be saturated much harder, and technologies like Dolby B and HX) to make them bearable as music players.
Anyway, the remote was for dictation, but I recall there being first-gen PCs that made use of it.
answered 2 days ago
HarperHarper
96848
add a comment |
Keep in mind that in that era, cassettes were positively rubbish for recording music, and nobody expectd them to succeed at that. For music you used reel-reel or an 8-track, which had reel-reel's 3-3/4" or even 7-1/2" tape speed. Cassettes were a paltry 1-7/8". They were for voice dictation and the like, where the remote makes a world of sense.
It wasn't until some time later that cassettes improved (with better media that could be saturated much harder, and technologies like Dolby B and HX) to make them bearable as music players.
Anyway, the remote was for dictation, but I recall there being first-gen PCs that made use of it.
answered 2 days ago
HarperHarper
96848
add a comment |
Keep in mind that in that era, cassettes were positively rubbish for recording music, and nobody expectd them to succeed at that. For music you used reel-reel or an 8-track, which had reel-reel's 3-3/4" or even 7-1/2" tape speed. Cassettes were a paltry 1-7/8". They were for voice dictation and the like, where the remote makes a world of sense.
It wasn't until some time later that cassettes improved (with better media that could be saturated much harder, and technologies like Dolby B and HX) to make them bearable as music players.
Anyway, the remote was for dictation, but I recall there being first-gen PCs that made use of it.
answered 2 days ago
HarperHarper
96848
Keep in mind that in that era, cassettes were positively rubbish for recording music, and nobody expectd them to succeed at that. For music you used reel-reel or an 8-track, which had reel-reel's 3-3/4" or even 7-1/2" tape speed. Cassettes were a paltry 1-7/8". They were for voice dictation and the like, where the remote makes a world of sense.
It wasn't until some time later that cassettes improved (with better media that could be saturated much harder, and technologies like Dolby B and HX) to make them bearable as music players.
Anyway, the remote was for dictation, but I recall there being first-gen PCs that made use of it.
answered 2 days ago
HarperHarper
96848
answered 2 days ago
HarperHarper
96848
answered 2 days ago
HarperHarper
96848
answered 2 days ago
HarperHarper
96848
96848
add a comment |
add a comment |
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1
They made terrible boom boxes and were too big to be usable as a walkman. I'm guessing maybe field recording, and there were external microphones with on/off switches?
– hexwab
2 days ago