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#1
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Retreiving audio from old braodcast carts
I have four broadcast carts (mono), from the late 60s when I was
working at a local station here in NYC. Two are 5 min, the others 1 min. I have no idea what's on them -- the labels having long since vanished -- but I suspect the longer ones may contain some special material I wrote and produced at the time. I'm in the process of trying to digitally archive as much of my work as possible. I have a plan to try and get the audio off these carts and I'd like some comments and suggestions. First though, it's impractical for me to even think of using a cart machine. I know these old machines show up for sale or auction every so often, but even if I could afford one (I'm semi-retired, on a budget), it wouldn't make sense to get one just for four tapes that would never be played again. Besides, the carts themselves may be damaged a bit. I have a reel-to-reel deck that someone gave me (2 trk, stereo) that I will be using to archive various reels I also have (all sizes, including 10.5 which I would spool off onto smaller reels). I'm thinking that if I can pull the cart tape out of the carts onto a reel in the proper direction, there should be no reason why the reel deck's heads should not pick up the signal (assuming there's enough of it left on the tape). The tricky part is figuring out where to cut the loop. My thought is to pull enough out and hand pull it past the heads until I hear the cue tone -- I want to avoid cutting the loop in the middle of content. It might also be possible, if I pull out enough of the loop and rig up some "posts" and thread it correctly, to simply let the deck's capstan move the loop assuming it can maintain the 7.5 ips speed. Has anyone done anything like this before? TIA for any ideas. Marshall |
#2
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Retreiving audio from old braodcast carts
mjeassoc wrote ...
I have four broadcast carts (mono), from the late 60s when I was working at a local station here in NYC. Two are 5 min, the others 1 min. I have no idea what's on them -- the labels having long since vanished -- but I suspect the longer ones may contain some special material I wrote and produced at the time. I'm in the process of trying to digitally archive as much of my work as possible. I have a plan to try and get the audio off these carts and I'd like some comments and suggestions. First though, it's impractical for me to even think of using a cart machine. I know these old machines show up for sale or auction every so often, but even if I could afford one (I'm semi-retired, on a budget), it wouldn't make sense to get one just for four tapes that would never be played again. Besides, the carts themselves may be damaged a bit. I have a reel-to-reel deck that someone gave me (2 trk, stereo) that I will be using to archive various reels I also have (all sizes, including 10.5 which I would spool off onto smaller reels). I'm thinking that if I can pull the cart tape out of the carts onto a reel in the proper direction, there should be no reason why the reel deck's heads should not pick up the signal (assuming there's enough of it left on the tape). The tricky part is figuring out where to cut the loop. My thought is to pull enough out and hand pull it past the heads until I hear the cue tone -- I want to avoid cutting the loop in the middle of content. Back when you were using the carts, did you use a splice-finder? The kind that would stop the tape right at (or after) the splice so you didn't have to record/play through the splice? You didn't describe what you were going to archive these tapes *TO*. If to a computer, you could just cut the loop anywhere and splice leader onto each end, then fix whatever discontinuity pretty easily on the computer. It might also be possible, if I pull out enough of the loop and rig up some "posts" and thread it correctly, to simply let the deck's capstan move the loop assuming it can maintain the 7.5 ips speed. The carts may not have enough slack to allow you to do this without breaking or jamming the tape? Also assuming that the heads of your reel-to-reel machine have some sort of match with what the cart was recorded with. Are the carts stereo or mono? Has anyone done anything like this before? TIA for any ideas. I've done the opposite, recorded a multi-channel sound track on back-lubricated tape and then wound it into a cart shell for a slide show that went on the road to several continents. |
#3
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Retreiving audio from old braodcast carts
Richard Crowley wrote: Back when you were using the carts, did you use a splice-finder? The kind that would stop the tape right at (or after) the splice so you didn't have to record/play through the splice? Wouldn't know. I was not a tech (then). Unionized station. I was strictly editorial. When I used to do shifts as a sound bite editor, I used to wag my finger. Other fingers (IBEW member) used to wield the razor blade. You didn't describe what you were going to archive these tapes *TO*. If to a computer, you could just cut the loop anywhere and splice leader onto each end, then fix whatever discontinuity pretty easily on the computer. I thought the target format was obvious from my post. And I could do that, but might be risky. Even though I have a splicing block in fairly good condition, tape might be brittle and if I loose even as little as a half inch, the glitch might not be fixable in software. Also assuming that the heads of your reel-to-reel machine have some sort of match with what the cart was recorded with. Are the carts stereo or mono? mono (said so in my first sentence) so the signal should cover all the head area. Thanks.... |
#4
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Retreiving audio from old braodcast carts
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#6
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Retreiving audio from old braodcast carts
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#7
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Retreiving audio from old braodcast carts
"Chevdo" wrote in message
news:V94og.81803$I61.60867@clgrps13 Also, the bias on a reel to reel deck will not be optimum as it would be if played back on a cart deck. Playback deck bias affecting playback of a tape? My nomination for the RAP "Amazing new science" post of the day. ;-) |
#8
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Retreiving audio from old braodcast carts
wrote:
I'm in the process of trying to digitally archive as much of my work as possible. I have a plan to try and get the audio off these carts and I'd like some comments and suggestions. First though, it's impractical for me to even think of using a cart machine. I know these old machines show up for sale or auction every so often, but even if I could afford one (I'm semi-retired, on a budget), it wouldn't make sense to get one just for four tapes that would never be played again. Besides, the carts themselves may be damaged a bit. You want to use a cart machine. The tape runs at 7.5 ips, and there are two formats. One format is two-track mono, but the stereo tapes use three-track heads. Unless your deck has three-track heads, use the cart machine. The cue tone SHOULD be on the splice, if the guy recording them was careful. Or at least near it. I have a pair of cart machines rigged up with external azimuth control for just this exact job. --scott -- "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." |
#9
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Retreiving audio from old braodcast carts
If all else fails, there's an outfit in the DC area called The Cutting Corp. who can transfer anything, but they're pricey. |
#10
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Retreiving audio from old braodcast carts
mjeassoc wrote ...
Richard Crowley wrote: Back when you were using the carts, did you use a splice-finder? The kind that would stop the tape right at (or after) the splice so you didn't have to record/play through the splice? Wouldn't know. I was not a tech (then). Unionized station. I was strictly editorial. When I used to do shifts as a sound bite editor, I used to wag my finger. Other fingers (IBEW member) used to wield the razor blade. You didn't describe what you were going to archive these tapes *TO*. If to a computer, you could just cut the loop anywhere and splice leader onto each end, then fix whatever discontinuity pretty easily on the computer. I thought the target format was obvious from my post. "digitally archive" has a much broader (and indistinct) definition here than what you apparently have in your mind. It never hurts to be explicit. And I could do that, but might be risky. Even though I have a splicing block in fairly good condition, tape might be brittle and if I loose even as little as a half inch, the glitch might not be fixable in software. If the tape is now brittle, you shouldn't attempt it at all. Send it to a professional or forget it. Also assuming that the heads of your reel-to-reel machine have some sort of match with what the cart was recorded with. Are the carts stereo or mono? mono (said so in my first sentence) so the signal should cover all the head area. Not necessarily. Mono does not mean full-track, especially not on carts. |
#11
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Retreiving audio from old braodcast carts
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#12
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Retreiving audio from old braodcast carts
Julian wrote: Send them to Scott. or mr hess. he has specialized in tape and it's related issues. his postings to the association of recorded sound collections has helped many and he does tape forensics for law enforcement. do not let an amatuer try this. they may just **** the whole thing up by their ineptness. a bad machine or operator error could eat and/or erase your material. |
#13
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Retreiving audio from old braodcast carts
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#14
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Retreiving audio from old braodcast carts
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#16
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Retreiving audio from old braodcast carts
Chevdo wrote:
Why don't you take that up with Dorsey, he's got " a pair of cart machines rigged up with external azimuth control for just this exact job." Yeah, that makes sense. Aligning the gap of the playback head to whatever angle was used on the recorder is desirable. Making it adjustable lets you get the most from even carts that were recorded on misaligned machines. Bias, on the other hand, is a signal applied during recording. It has nothing to do with playback. Maybe you meant something else? -- "It CAN'T be too loud... some of the red lights aren't even on yet!" - Lorin David Schultz in the control room making even bad news sound good (Remove spamblock to reply) |
#17
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Retreiving audio from old braodcast carts
Lorin David Schultz wrote:
Chevdo wrote: Why don't you take that up with Dorsey, he's got " a pair of cart machines rigged up with external azimuth control for just this exact job." Yeah, that makes sense. Aligning the gap of the playback head to whatever angle was used on the recorder is desirable. Making it adjustable lets you get the most from even carts that were recorded on misaligned machines. And all cart machines are misaligned. With a standard cart machine, you just wiggle the cartridge with your hand when the top end goes out... the external azimuth control allows you to do that in a slightly more controllable fashion. Carts make even cassettes seem accurate. Bias, on the other hand, is a signal applied during recording. It has nothing to do with playback. Maybe you meant something else? Sheesh, and I thought it had something to do with tire plies. --scott -- "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." |
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