Lou Ottens, the former Philips engineer who gave the world its first compact cassette tape, has passed away. According to Dutch news outlet NRC Handelsblad, Ottens was 94 when he died on March 6th.
Had a shit load of music cassettes when I was a teenager back in 1970's. Never got into 8 Track tape. Dad also had a metric ton of tapes he recorded from his 78 classical music CDs from way back when. TDK was the bulk of the empty tapes.
To honor my fellow Dutchman I just partially rewound a cassette with a #2 pencil. Nope, I no longer have a cassette player, but still have a few cassettes laying around 'just in case'.
Not so much in terms of audio quality, but in what it let people do with relative ease. VHS tape was similar - not exactly the greatest quality, but both let people easily record things and make their own compilations of audio and video.
I still have my Sony Walkman Sport and it still works. I only have one tape left, don't have a clue what happened to the other two dozen or so that I used to have.
Well, flip him over and push start.
ReplyDeleteIf they flip him over, maybe he can live to be 188. Just a thought...
ReplyDeleteWell...I guess that settles it.
ReplyDeleteIts Memorex.
Had a shit load of music cassettes when I was a teenager back in 1970's. Never got into 8 Track tape. Dad also had a metric ton of tapes he recorded from his 78 classical music CDs from way back when. TDK was the bulk of the empty tapes.
ReplyDeleteI still have a shitload of cassette tapes and they still play as good today as they did when originally recorded.
DeleteI guess this finally answers the question "Is it live or is it Memorex?"
ReplyDeleteTo honor my fellow Dutchman I just partially rewound a cassette with a #2 pencil.
ReplyDeleteNope, I no longer have a cassette player, but still have a few cassettes laying around 'just in case'.
Looks like Covid-19 has claimed another person.
ReplyDeletePretty impressive technology for its time.
ReplyDeleteOnly if you compare them to the fine audio qualities of 8-track tapes. Cassettes were shit.
DeleteNot so much in terms of audio quality, but in what it let people do with relative ease. VHS tape was similar - not exactly the greatest quality, but both let people easily record things and make their own compilations of audio and video.
DeleteWonder if they're going to play a mix tape at his funeral
ReplyDeleteI still have my Sony Walkman Sport and it still works. I only have one tape left, don't have a clue what happened to the other two dozen or so that I used to have.
ReplyDeleteNemo
March 6 is also the date of death of Alvin Lee, who played on many pirated cassette tapes.
ReplyDeleteI still have my cassette players in my shop...Puttering around tunes! I still pick up tapes at thrift shops cheap...
ReplyDelete