Mini-Cassette

Mini-Cassette
Mini-Cassette
Mini-Cassette logo.svg
Media type magnetic tape
Encoding analog signal
Capacity 30 minutes
Read mechanism tape head
Write mechanism magnetic recording head
Developed by Philips
Usage dictation
A Sony Mini-Cassette dictation recorder.

The Mini-Cassette, often written minicassette, is a tape cassette format introduced by Philips in 1967. It is used primarily in dictation machines and was also employed as a data storage for the Philips P2000 home computer. Unlike the Compact Cassette, also designed by Philips, and the later Microcassette, introduced by Olympus, the Mini-Cassette does not use a capstan drive system; instead, the tape is propelled past the tape head by the reels.[1] This is mechanically simple and allows the cassette to be made smaller and easier to use, but produces a system unsuited to any task other than voice recording, as the tape speed is not constant (averaging 2.4 cm/s) and prone to wow and flutter. However, the lack of a capstan and a pinch roller drive means that the tape is well-suited to being repeatedly shuttled forward and backward short distances as compared to microcassettes, leading to the Mini-Cassette's continuing use in the niche markets of dictation and transcription, where fidelity is not critical, but robustness of storage is, and where analog media are still widely preferred.[2]

Microcassette (L) and Mini-Cassette (R)

A smaller version of the Mini-Cassette was later introduced that could be used in a standard player using an adaptor; however, this did not become widespread.

A very similar (but incompatible) cassette format was produced by Hewlett-Packard and Verbatim (the HP82176A Mini Data Cassette) for data storage in their HP82161A tape drive, which, like other minicassettes, did not use a capstan.

Mini-Cassettes in fiction

In the Transformers 1984 cartoon, several Decepticons and Autobots transformed into minicassettes, such as Rumble.

References

  1. ^ http://home.comcast.net/~trafficgard/Micro-mini-cassette.htm
  2. ^ http://www.dictation.philips.com/index.php?id=50&no_cache=1&CC=FL&tx_mediarepository_pi2

External links

v · d · eAudio recording formats
Analog

Phonautogram (1857) · Phonograph cylinder (1877) · Gramophone record (1894) · Wire recording (1898) · Sound-on-film (1919) · Reel-to-reel tape (1940s) · SoundScriber (1945) · Gray Audograph (1945) · Dictabelt (1947) · LP record (1948) · 45 rpm record (1949) · On-the-ribs recordings (late 1940s) · RCA tape cartridge (1958) · Fidelipac (1959) · Stereo-Pak (1962) · Compact Cassette (1963) · 8-track (1964) · PlayTape (1966) · Mini-Cassette (1967) · Microcassette (1969) · Steno-Cassette (1971) · Elcaset (1976) · Cassette single (1980) · Picocassette (1985)
Digital

Soundstream (1976) · X80/ProDigi (1980) · DASH (1982) · Compact Disc (1982) · Digital Audio Tape (1987) · ADAT (1991) · MiniDisc (1992) · NT (1992) · Digital Compact Cassette (1992) · High Definition Compatible Digital (1995) · Extended Resolution Compact Disc (1995) · 5.1 Music Disc (1997) · Super Audio CD (1999) · DVD-Audio (2000) · USB flash drive (as audio format) (2004) · Hi-MD (2004) · slotMusic (2008) · BD-Audio (2008)



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