In 1977 the Centurion I and II consoles from Cetec Broadcast Group advertised that they were able to handle 12 mixers with extender panels to accommodate 24 mixers. Each mixer offered push-button selectivity from three audio sources. Mono or stereo mixer modules were interchangeable.

The console included remote machine start and stop, and modules could also be turned on and off remotely. Noiseless, optically isolated switching helped provide reliability and a motherboard and ground plane printed-circuit techniques helped to eliminate cross talk.

At the time, Cetec offered twelve consoles and as many as 24 mixers.

That was then Virtually all radio programs in radio's early days were performed live. Reference recordings were occasion-ally made, but the materials used were regularly recycled for later recording. During the metal shortage of World War II, shows were transcribed onto fragile glass-based discs, many of which are now unplayable if they can be found at all. This photo is of a lathe used by WLW, Cincinnati, for archiving live programming. The lacquer masters were still fragile and susceptible to damage from heat and humidity. The first lathe was introduced in 1917 by Scully. Radio stations continued to use lathes through the first half of the 20th century. In time, magnetic tape replaced the lathe as the preferred method of recording and storing audio.

Sample and Hold
A look at the technology shaping radio
Consumer intent to buy a stereo within the next year



Total survey: 1,500 consumers
Source: The Yankee Group Digital Radio Survey, 2001 www.yankeegroup.com