Using cassettes for *filming*!!!

[mmay519]

I was reading about Apple iie computers tonight, and I found this page:

http://www.gothamcityinsider.com/2007/06/apple-iie.html?showComment=1183091460000

Scroll downwards, and you'll see an article about a Fisher-Price video camera that used audiocassettes for recording media.

I wonder if Type IIs gave better picture quality.....

Mike

[Des-Lab]

From what I understand, the idea might not be as crazy as it sounds. In principle, magnetic tape is magnetic tape. If it can accept any sort of signal, then why not? I have read unconfirmed reports that have said there was actually very little chemical difference between the two. I guess the pimary differences were more in the thickness: video and digital tapes tended to be somewhat thinner. And the polishing. Audio tapes were polished in a longitudinal orientation to accomodate the linear head tracking. And videotape in a diagonal pattern due to the rotating (i.e. helical) tracking.

[graffias79]

Actually, yes. Fisher Price recommended type II tapes for the PXL-2000. Here is a picture of a couple of tapes I found at Goodwill. They look like mid-80s Maxells. (disregard the cheapo Laser tape, that was another find that day at GW. I bought it because seeing it brought me right back to childhood)

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c108/graffias79/pxl_and_laser.jpg

[MacGyver]

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/PXL-20001.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/PXL-20002.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/PXL-20003.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/PXL-20004.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/PXL-20005.jpg



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PXL-2000

http://www.totalrewind.org/cameras/C_PXL2.htm

[Battlesnoopy]

That's astounding. I have to track one of these down now :cool: