That was then

In 1994, Fostex's D-10 DAT recorder boasted auto record, hands-free edit and accurate repeated punch-in recordings. A RAM Scrubbing function allowed about 1MB of RAM to be used for cueing to an edit point with the jog/shuttle wheel. The jog/shuttle feature allowed the user to clearly hear the audio material during forward and backward play. A 10-key pad allowed the user to store and recall as many as 100 cue points.

The D-10's control layout was functional. Transport controls were located under the cassette tray, including those for auto cuing and search operations. A blank search function sought the next unrecorded section of a tape.

The recorder could record or play as many as 799 program cuts with auto or manual numbering, renumbering and skip programming. The company even suggested using a pair of recorders for precise assembly editing procedures using the universal GPI ports to provide the control between the two machines.

Although DAT recorder's overall design was successful, there were a few minor quirks. A Field Report in the May 1994 issue of Radio magazine pointed out that a delayed power muting function needed to be added to avoid the audible pop in the speakers or headphones. In addition, to use the RAM scrub feature, the tape needed to be striped with A-Time or R-Time. This wasn't a problem if the user had a deck with that capability when to original recording was made, but such a machine wouldn't always be available. The reviewer also noted that a switch to attenuate the analog outputs from +4dBu down to 0dBu, -3dBu or -6dBu would have been helpful for different monitoring situations. The D-10 retailed for less than $3,000.

Do you remember

In May 1994, the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA) and the National Radio Systems Committee (NRSC) were recruiting listeners for subjective testing of proposed DAB formats at the Communications Research Centre in Ottawa, Ontario. Tests were conducted in sessions of two or three consecutive days beginning in June 1994 and continuing throughout the year.

Volunteers who were capable of, or accustomed to, judging the quality of audio signals evaluated recordings of audio material that had been passed through DAB systems under varied impairment conditions.

Sample and Hold
The trends shaping radio
Listening Habits
“Compared to five years ago, are you listening to the radio today more, the same, or less?”

Source: The Future of Music Coalition, Nov. 18, 2002.