ECN Forum Forums Technical Discussion Re: Computers and the Internet 3.5" Floppy disks

Paul,
You mentioned the 8-track system,
was this a Mono or Stereo system?.
Did it use Ferro-Magnetic tape like in normal cassette tapes?.

So I take it you've never seen one...

The 8-track cartridge uses 1/4-inch wide magnetic tape in a large loop, with a single reel inside. It's a stereo system, and to hear the whole tape you run the loop through four times. The track width comes out about the same as for a cassette tape, but the 8-track runs at 3-3/4 i,p.s. (double the cassette's speed), so the frequency response and S/N ratio tended to be better.

The deck contains the motor-driven capstan, but the associated rubber pinch roller is fitted inside each cartridge.

Here's an 8-track tape with a compact cassette alongside for comparison:

If you look at the "business end," you can see the pinch roller on the left:


The "end" of the tape is marked by a short metal foil section. When this bridges two contacts it causes a solenoid to physically step the tape head into position for the next program. The four programs combined typically give about the same playing time as an LP record album.

You can fast forward the tape to advance or get back to the beginning of the loop, but there's no rewind facility. Players generally have a manual program select button so that you can start on any one of the four programs you want, or jump programs at will. If you leave it on continuous play, the cartridge just keeps repeating over and over, which made the system quite popular for background music in restaurants, etc.



[This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 05-22-2003).]

Paul, that’s a great picture. In the US, the standing joke is that 8-track tapes are still sold at truck stops {where long-haul drivers eat greasy food and get diesel fuel for their rigs.}

Centuries before mp3 audio, there was heavy-duty pirating of music in 8-traack.

Bjarney,
I thought that the 8-track was "play only".
Could you record on these tapes as well?.
Just wodering, as I have never seen an 8-track tape recorder?.

Though nothing to do with floppy disks…

Trumpy—in the US, for the average Joe, yes—but there was still a big mom-and-pop storefront pirate trade. In competition with mass-duplication {pirated music} stores, in junior high school I worked part time for a “speed shop” repairing 4- and 8-track car stereos. The same store had a console with a pair of LP players and a tape transport. Then it was "legal" to bring in LPs for tape transfer, because the user license with LPs supposedly allowed for one 'personal-use' copy. The now-popular 1/7-inch audio cassettes were making headway, but at that time cassette audio quality was horrible. Unexpectedly in non-metropolitan areas, aftermarket tape players gained popularity in cars for its better fidelity where FM reception was usually marginal.

A future of digital-audio cloning through a phone line or TV coax [and something called “Internet”] would have been inconceivable.

I have an 8-track recorder which I picked up years ago. It was in need of a good clean-up and adjustment, new drive belt, etc., but was soon running fine.

I did a little Google searching and came up with this site: www.8trackheaven.com

Happy reading!

If my memory serves me right I recall Radio Shack made a Quad 8 track (4 channel) for awhile and also you could get Qaudaphonic LP'S for awhile

Quadrophonics seemed to be the "in thing" around the early-mid 1970s. The problem with the Quad LPs was there was no single standard, and the very high frequency response needed from the disc meant that some pretty fancy cartridges and stylii were needed to do the system justice.

The quad thing just seemed to quietly slip away into obscurity.....

For 8" Floppies, used 3M and Dysan (or was it Dyfsan?),

For 5¼" Floppies, used 3M, Imation and Verbatim,

For 3½" Floppies, use/used Verbatim, Imation, Maxell, Sony, and TDK.

Had only a small percentage of bad disks in all three sizes and from all manufacturers.
If a disk comes up with more than 9K bad after a full format (either full format in Windows, or using the DOS command "FORMAT A: /U - the "Unconditional" switch), then the diskette gets tossed in the recycle can.

Scott