Ahead of its Time #1
Of course, not everyone had bad ideas in those old issues of Popular Science. Many of the ideas for new products were quite brilliant. This series will look at ideas that were ahead of their time. Today's lesson: In Car Tape Deck.
(from the March 1954 issue of Popular Science)
For a little background, the modern tape recorder came about in 1939, but it wasn't refined enough for commercial use until the late 1940s. Reel to reel tape recorders started to become common home recording machines in the mid 1950s and as a professional home audio format in the late 1950s. The first automobile tape player was the Muntz Stereo-Pak of 1962 which evolved in the Lear Jet Stereo 8 (better known as 8 Track) in 1964. Even so, 8 track players didn't become common in cars until the late 1960s, so unfortunately A. P. Sabol had another fifteen years to wait before his request was answered...
(from the March 1954 issue of Popular Science)
For a little background, the modern tape recorder came about in 1939, but it wasn't refined enough for commercial use until the late 1940s. Reel to reel tape recorders started to become common home recording machines in the mid 1950s and as a professional home audio format in the late 1950s. The first automobile tape player was the Muntz Stereo-Pak of 1962 which evolved in the Lear Jet Stereo 8 (better known as 8 Track) in 1964. Even so, 8 track players didn't become common in cars until the late 1960s, so unfortunately A. P. Sabol had another fifteen years to wait before his request was answered...
Comments
8 tracks & beta tapes 2 great examples of dead technology. cool post sam!
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 11/13/09 at 03:08 PM
I thought cassettes won out over 8-tracks because 8 tracks weren't reliable. The tapes easily broke and the endless loop system caused problems with players, while the cassette tape was basically two miniature reels in a case, making it less likely to break down.
Posted by Salamander Sam in Chicago on 11/13/09 at 05:02 PM
i imagine it was more than one thing that made cassettes the favored media. size of the 8 track, and the 8 track player as well, had nearly as much to do with it as reliability i'm sure. technology consistently goes for reduced size in everything.(except BIG screen tv's of course.)
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 11/13/09 at 06:05 PM
A reel to reel tape player was still being used in my apartment until this September (when it stopped working). Hopefully I will get it fixed soon...
Posted by Salamander Sam in Chicago on 11/15/09 at 03:19 PM
my brother-in-law had the whole set up years ago. one of those systems with a receiver, 2 tape decks, a reel to reel, a turn table, equalizer big speakers and his tv was hooked in to it also. he has most of it packed away now. i don't know if it even all still works but he could rattle the windows back in the day.
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 11/15/09 at 05:12 PM
My home entertainment setup is less extravagant, but it gets the job done. You can see a picture of it here, though my tape recorder isn't present because it is one of the early 1960s Wollensak portable models.
Posted by Salamander Sam in Chicago on 11/15/09 at 05:23 PM
wow kiddo you've got a little bit of everything! there is technology spanning several decades there. very cool sam. :coolsmile:
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 11/15/09 at 05:28 PM
Commenting is not available in this channel entry.
Category: Technology | 1950s | Cars | Yesterday’s Tomorrows