Couldn't agree more. Google is the biggest memory hog on my computer. Often over 1GB of memory (for browsing!!). And GB's of local storage that never gets cleaned up (AFAIK). I was searching for what was taking up so much space when I couldn't do a software install and found over 3GB of .tmp files from Chrome...The problem is not in today's hardware but in poorly written software.
AC bias for audio tape recording was invented in the 30's, was commonplace in high-end pro gear in the 40's, and was standard on all pro and much consumer gear in the 50's. Asia gave us cross-field and Ampex dabbled in squarewaves, but even dictating machines (the thing Philips invented the audio cassette for) had bias. I'm all for old-school designs (duh), but am I missing some context for your statements?I am working on a cassette recording project which will help to create higher quality recordings of music. For example, AC biasing will be added to the audio output to help with hysteresis and filters will be used to help match the audio with the frequency response of a cassette player.
Sorta. First, the audio recording tape structure has its own pre-emphasis/de-emphasis corner frequencies and networks, called NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) equalization. Like the RIAA (Recording Industries Association of America) curves, they are derived primarily from the fact that a recording head, like the cutting head for a vinyl record master disc, is an inductor. The voltage/current range of a constant loudness signal across an inductor from 20 Hz to 20 kHz was too large for the mechanical assemblies and the electronic circuits of the 20's and 30's, so the curves were developed to standardize an approach to limit the range. This equalization system does suppress high-frequency noise in the recovered signal, but that is a secondary benefit. Few remember that European countries had their own equalizations curves that were different, and high-end tape gear had a switch to select NAB or IEC eq.I think Dolby NR did much the same for tape.
But as far as I can recall, every time I've read your comments about that job, you seemed proud of being able to do it... I think I would also be so, if in your shoes...!Not always.
I hated my job fixing TV's so much that I still occasionally take one out to the concrete and beat it to death with a hammer.
If you are talking about the Kansas City Standard, then most small cassette players of that era did apply AC bias during recording.@AnalogKid I am not sure if my tape decks apply bias. I have three shoe box cassette players which where primarily for saving computer programs.
A record/playback magnetic head is like a horseshoe-shaped electromagnet, and the tape travels across the gap between the ends. Recording takes place at the trailing edge of the gap, so gap geometry does not affect greatly the ability to record low frequencies. However, playback is determined by the change in flux across the width of the gap. As frequencies get lower the recorded wavelength on tape gets longer, so the change in flux per milisecond decreases. Thus, low tape speed limits low frequency response, and at 1-7/8 ips, cassette tape speed is very low. As frequencies get higher, the recorded wavelength on tape gets shorter and shorter until it approaches the width of the gap (at which point there is no output). So head geometry limits the high frequency response. The finite size of the magnetic particles directly affects noise, but not bandwidth.So my thinking is that maybe the same applies to a cassette recorder. The low frequency sounds are easier to store (as the magnetic compounds are a finite size), whereas higher frequency sounds are harder to store.
Being proud of once learning FORTRAN doesn't mean you would enjoy doing it again Even if I could remember more of it than I think I do, I'd rather not. My kids can't use a phone book. I can, but I throw them away when they arrive.But as far as I can recall, every time I've read your comments about that job, you seemed proud of being able to do it... I think I would also be so, if in your shoes...!
Looking back, I think it was spectacular that I could fix color TV's as my 40 hour job when I was 19 years old.But as far as I can recall, every time I've read your comments about that job, you seemed proud of being able to do it... I think I would also be so, if in your shoes...!
Britain was the first to transmit residential TV reception and many of the early sets were a little crude, but one customer had one tech stumped when she told the guy she was getting last weeks programs.One of my job tickets said the customer was deaf. I thought, "Excellent. They can't insult my intelligence and the sound quality doesn't matter."
Wrong. Both times.
They questioned my competence in writing and they had a friend who visited and he knew the sound was wrong.
Are you kidding? I LOVED fixing TV's, that's how I got my start in electronics. Everyone thought I was so smart. One girl told me that "if you can fix this for me, I'll show you how a girl thanks a guy."Not always.
I hated my job fixing TV's so much that I still occasionally take one out to the concrete and beat it to death with a hammer.
When it comes to the frustrations of explaining technical things to non-technical people, the classic analogy is "It's like trying to explain color to a blind man."We could go to Off Topic and make a Thread about insane customers.
Could you reveal how many you did actually repaired for her after that?Are you kidding? I LOVED fixing TV's, that's how I got my start in electronics. Everyone thought I was so smart. One girl told me that "if you can fix this for me, I'll show you how a girl thanks a guy."
by Jake Hertz
by Aaron Carman
by Robert Keim