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Help!!!!!!!

asoundhound

asoundhound

Definitely Low-fi
does anyone know what kind of tape this is? it is a recording of my mother's high school senior recital. she would like to have it transfered to cd or cassette. i've never seen this kind of tape before. any of you have a machine that will play this?
 

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I've never seen or don't remember that style of cassette cartridge. If the tape itself is the same width as a standard cassette I guess one could rewind it on to a emptied cassette and play on your standard audio cassette deck.
 
the tape width is 1/4 inch. same as a reel to reel. the cartridge is 7 1/8" wide, 5 7/8" tall, and 1/2" thick. it appears to be playable only on one side. the box says playing time is 30 minutes per track, but does not say how many tracks, i assume two. it is a RCA snap-load cartridge type 264 c1. stereo or mono. it was recorded in 1962.
 
This was RCA's ill-fated attempt to mobilize reel tape. I saw a little writeup on it in Audio Magazine's 50th Anniversary issue (1997). I think you could just wind it onto a reel tape and play on a reel to reel. Head format is probably 1/2 or full track mono.
 
a quick google search brought up nothing on Audio Magazine. Do you still have that issue Garrard201? it would be an interesting read. an inspection of this tape case reveals a side A and a side B. the case is very similar to a cassette, but much larger. the notch at the top/center of the case is a release for the hubs. the slots next to the hubs are windows. the slots near the heads are open, and possibly control the machine's auto-stop like a reel to reel does. i do believe that this tape would play on a reel to reel. i wonder what the tape speed is? unfortunately, it appears that the case is glued shut. opening the case would damage it, even if i were careful. i could cut the tape, but i might lose program material that way. the tape has been stored in its box, in a shoe box, on the shelf of a closet for all these years. i only hope the recording has not deteriorated. i would much rather find the proper machine to play this with.

if this turns out to be extremely rare, i'll find a way to post better pics!
 
Once the tape is extracted from its shell (I can do that) it can be played on another type machine once spooled up on a blank reel. No problem if you have a week. I can accomplish it for you.

Other than that, you may be in for a long wait. The tape would be put back as it was shipped. I have done a couple of them over the years.
 
thanks for the link SaSi! PM sent, BillR mastering.

since this is such a rare beast, i'll get a friend of mine (professional) to come take some pics.

meanwhile, mom is trying to find the guy who recorded this. maybe he still has the machine.
 
May the Karma be with you ...

Hope it works out :scratch2: These are the challenges of older technologies, but that's one reason we are here :).
 
For the record and publically, I am offering to do this FREE of charge. I don't want anyone to get the wise idea that I am trying to spam the forum. This is not the case at all. I do have a time envelope that I am willing to do this. If it drops in on me unannounced, it could take me longer as I have to set aside time to offer this for free.

I appreciate the heads up.
 
Interesting youtube link. Explains the cassette:

1) uses quarter track stereo
2) uses 3-3/4 ips
3) cassette can be opened to edit or repair splice...or transfer to a 'real' tape machine

This means transferring the tape to a reel to dub it is the solution to this issue.
 
It looks like the center hub on each side have a slot locking the tape in place, similar to VHS tapes.
I bet you can take the tape off, use a regular 4-track machine to transfer side: A and then put the tape back in the cartridge again with no damage.
 
thanks to all for the info!

and thanks to BillR mastering for the generous offer! he has a very impressive website:

**Edited by Moderators**


no affiliation, of course...

mom tells me that the recording was made by the minister at the church she attended. she remembers him placing the recording machine inside the grand piano at her high school in 1962. she is going to make an effort to contact him to find out if the machine still exists.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
You never know, churches tend to save things forever. I was able to aquire the 3M Wollensak Reel to Reel machine from our church that actually recorded my parents wedding in 1963. It was about 1993 that they decided they did not need it anymore and the church sold it to me for $5.00. I still have it and it is in perfect working condition.
 
here are a few more pictures of this rare beast. thanks to fellow member harryb for the photography. mom doesn't want to risk mailing this thing to anyone, she wants me to watch ebay for one of the machines. in time, i'm sure i'll wind up cracking open the case and using a reel to reel, a good excuse for me to get my akai up and running again.
 

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Just my opinion. But if Bill is offering and Bill knows what he is doing. I strongly suggest you pack up the tape all nice and careful Take it to the Post office and mail it Priority registered mail to Bill and wait by your mail box. The chances of the Post office loosing a piece of registered mail is almost as small as you winning the lottery.

Cost is I think less then $9.00 to register it and it is signed for every set of the way.


I have transfered a number of old R2R tapes to CD for a friend of a friend and knowing what you are doing and having the proper machine is very important.

Spending a bunch of money on something that could show up as junk and running your tape on it could be way worse.
 
Yes I agree, that machine looks like a refurbishing project....but of course if the dog is included....:scratch2:


I would pass anyway :D
 
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