MA
I think E300s and C120s 'compressed' the maximum specification of the cassette shells, so the only way to accommodate that physical length of tape was to make the tape thinner
I bought a C120 once, it didn't even last until the end of the day!
We never ever had C-120 audio cassettes, nor the E-300 VHS cassettes. But, I knew that a E-240 was a tight fit inside the cassette casing. Didn't realise that the tape was thinner.
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I think E300s and C120s 'compressed' the maximum specification of the cassette shells, so the only way to accommodate that physical length of tape was to make the tape thinner
I bought a C120 once, it didn't even last until the end of the day!
DV
No reason to doubt these tape thickness figures on an historic website....
0.019mm (T-20 --- 130)
0.0156mm (T-140 --- 168)
0.0144mm (T-180)
0.0134mm (T-200)
0.0124mm (T-210)
They clearly identify the fragility of the higher capacity tapes.
http://www.geocities.ws/columbiaisa/camcord_media_vhs.htm
0.019mm (T-20 --- 130)
0.0156mm (T-140 --- 168)
0.0144mm (T-180)
0.0134mm (T-200)
0.0124mm (T-210)
They clearly identify the fragility of the higher capacity tapes.
http://www.geocities.ws/columbiaisa/camcord_media_vhs.htm
TM
So, the three tapes arrived today: I had a quick scan of the Granada tape, labelled "Angel Episode 1 - Season 1" and I presume the recordings are from late 2001-early 2002, as it contains an ITV1 Hearts break bumper, a promo for Radio 5 Live and the BBC Two "Logo" ident.
Some of the tape playback was in black and white, I presume because the tape format was SECAM instead of PAL.
Some of the tape playback was in black and white, I presume because the tape format was SECAM instead of PAL.
Last edited by ToasterMan on 8 April 2020 6:32pm - 2 times in total
NJ
Neil Jones
Founding member
If it is ITV1 hearts, then that puts it between August 11th 2001 and October 28th 2002 (the ITV Hearts era started in 1999: https://625.uk.com/tv_logos/itv_99.htm - but didn't appear everywhere anyway so you still had four or five different presentation packages across the country), and the BBC Two logo ident was first seen in November 2001.
As for being in black and white, would be surprised if it was SECAM, its far more likely the tape has developed an issue that manifests itself on screen as having lost all its colour signal. Is the picture okay, the sound okay?
As for being in black and white, would be surprised if it was SECAM, its far more likely the tape has developed an issue that manifests itself on screen as having lost all its colour signal. Is the picture okay, the sound okay?
Last edited by Neil Jones on 8 April 2020 5:46pm
TM
Sadly, it's a typical LP affair in the audio department: (very muffled and not clear Stereo at all).
In regards to the picture quality, the bits at the very beginning like the ITV1 bumper were actually in colour, but afterwards, it becomes a very garbled black and white mess: strangely, when I rewind the tape, the playback appears to be normal, minus the loss of the colour signal.
As for being in black and white, would be surprised if it was SECAM, its far more likely the tape has developed an issue that manifests itself on screen as having lost all its colour signal. Is the picture okay, the sound okay?
Sadly, it's a typical LP affair in the audio department: (very muffled and not clear Stereo at all).
In regards to the picture quality, the bits at the very beginning like the ITV1 bumper were actually in colour, but afterwards, it becomes a very garbled black and white mess: strangely, when I rewind the tape, the playback appears to be normal, minus the loss of the colour signal.
Last edited by ToasterMan on 8 April 2020 7:54pm
TM
Sadly, it's a typical LP affair in the audio department: (very muffled and not clear Stereo at all).
In regards to the picture quality, the bits at the very beginning like the ITV1 bumper were actually in colour, but afterwards, it becomes a very garbled black and white mess: strangely, when I rewind the tape, the playback appears to be normal, minus the loss of the colour signal.
Update: I've had a rewatch and it turns out the picture quality itself is perfectly fine, and the audio quality sometimes dips into full Stereo, (around the BBC Two ident), also, the promo was for BBC Local Radio, not 5 Live.
As for being in black and white, would be surprised if it was SECAM, its far more likely the tape has developed an issue that manifests itself on screen as having lost all its colour signal. Is the picture okay, the sound okay?
Sadly, it's a typical LP affair in the audio department: (very muffled and not clear Stereo at all).
In regards to the picture quality, the bits at the very beginning like the ITV1 bumper were actually in colour, but afterwards, it becomes a very garbled black and white mess: strangely, when I rewind the tape, the playback appears to be normal, minus the loss of the colour signal.
Update: I've had a rewatch and it turns out the picture quality itself is perfectly fine, and the audio quality sometimes dips into full Stereo, (around the BBC Two ident), also, the promo was for BBC Local Radio, not 5 Live.
NJ
Neil Jones
Founding member
Common fix for tapes that don't play properly - fast forward them to the end and back again.
From what you've posted it may well be that the tape has become stretched and by manipulating it through the machine you're effectively "tightening" it up again, albeit temporarily.
If it was an issue with the recording on the tape you would see the same effect every time, the fact you can "correct" it by rewinding may suggest the tracking information is drifting out of sync, so when you replay it can lock on again, but drifts.
May not be a lot you can do with it long term. Salvage what you can from it while you can I would say. Hope you got it cheapily enough.
From what you've posted it may well be that the tape has become stretched and by manipulating it through the machine you're effectively "tightening" it up again, albeit temporarily.
If it was an issue with the recording on the tape you would see the same effect every time, the fact you can "correct" it by rewinding may suggest the tracking information is drifting out of sync, so when you replay it can lock on again, but drifts.
May not be a lot you can do with it long term. Salvage what you can from it while you can I would say. Hope you got it cheapily enough.
TM
Bad news: due to a mixup between tapes, stupid me accidentally wiped the first minute containing the BBC Local Radio promo and the BBC Two logo ident linking into I'm Alan Partridge: also found a Channel 4 airing of an old western, Red River.
Fortunately, I managed to record some of it before the incident:
Fortunately, I managed to record some of it before the incident:
Last edited by ToasterMan on 8 April 2020 11:23pm
FB
I think E300s and C120s 'compressed' the maximum specification of the cassette shells, so the only way to accommodate that physical length of tape was to make the tape thinner
I bought a C120 once, it didn't even last until the end of the day!
Yes and heat could affect them if left say in a car on a hot summer's day. I once ejected the cassette and the tape followed as a ribbon...
I also had a looped TDK of about 7mins duration. I'm not sure if it was available for general use. You could only fast forward and it was only possible to pop a cue on with special decks. They could be used to trigger 35mm slide shows at exhibitions and so on with a soundtrack.
We never ever had C-120 audio cassettes, nor the E-300 VHS cassettes. But, I knew that a E-240 was a tight fit inside the cassette casing. Didn't realise that the tape was thinner.
!
!
I think E300s and C120s 'compressed' the maximum specification of the cassette shells, so the only way to accommodate that physical length of tape was to make the tape thinner
I bought a C120 once, it didn't even last until the end of the day!
Yes and heat could affect them if left say in a car on a hot summer's day. I once ejected the cassette and the tape followed as a ribbon...
I also had a looped TDK of about 7mins duration. I'm not sure if it was available for general use. You could only fast forward and it was only possible to pop a cue on with special decks. They could be used to trigger 35mm slide shows at exhibitions and so on with a soundtrack.
JA
You could tell how thin C120s were just by looking at the tape, very lightly coloured and translucent, they really were terrible.
NW
I was quite interested at the various time lengths of Tim’s tapes, I’m guessing some would have been issued within the TV industry, but still.
How about one VHS clip every day from the Vine Vault? I’ve got a few of them. (Lighting provided by a burglar). pic.twitter.com/IiGINscvS2
— Tim Vine (@RealTimVine) April 8, 2020
I was quite interested at the various time lengths of Tim’s tapes, I’m guessing some would have been issued within the TV industry, but still.