Do you remember?

An early effort at creating a digital audio cassette format, the SV-P100 digital cassette recorder used Pulse Code Modulation to digitally encode audio and store it on a standard VHS cassette. According to the product literature, the videotape transport mechanism brought “the convenience normally associated with conventional front-loading cassette decks to a digital application.” The digital audio signal was recorded on the video track. Tape loading was automatic and an LED panel displayed the operating status.

Manufactured by Technics in 1982 when digital audio recording was fairly new, the company claimed that, with this machine, duplicate tapes were exactly the same as the original. Thus, every recording and every copy was a master copy.

That was then

This picture is from the 1960 Democratic Convention held that year in the Los Angeles Sports Arena. KPOL was a Mutual Broadcasting affiliate at the time and Marvin Collins (on the right in the photo) was assigned to the audio pool at the convention. Collins' duty was to switch the floor microphones during the delegate roll call using the switch panel to his left.

Source: KPOL Photo Archive #1. Photo and description by Marvin Collins. Posted and edited by Steve Blodgett at www.earthsignals.com/Collins/0025/

Sample and hold

The top 10 radio station acquirer in 2003 were mostly smaller ownership groups.

Radio station acquisitions in 2003

Source: BIAfn's Media Access Pro, April 2004.