Rick Powell wrote:
It is also possible that a boutique "middleman" could contract the
making of audio recording tape out with one of the remaining
manufacturing plants, if the Emtec's etc. were predisposed to
discontinue its manufacture. This would probably be done by making
"short runs" of production to order. I would expect the price to go
up as a result.

The former principals from Zonal were talking about doing this at a
Mexican videotape plant... the plant is already set up to do slurry coating
and slitting to 1/2", so making 1/2" tape would be a matter of using a
thicker mylar roll to begin with and using their own slurry formulation.
I don't know how far they got with this, though.

While we outsiders speculate here, it would be interesting in hearing
from someone within the audio recording tape industry on their near-
and long-term outlook on survival of the species.

Everything I hear from the media guys is pretty upbeat, but they don't tell
me everything.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."