magnetic tape
Let an agent explain magnetic tape, relay history, formats and preservation from recording technology and archival sources, describe the formats the registry aliases name, and distinguish magnetic tape from magnetic disks, optical media, the cassette as a housing and wire recording.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent explain magnetic tape, relay history, formats and preservation from recording technology and archival sources, describe the formats the registry aliases name, and distinguish magnetic tape from magnetic disks, optical media, the cassette as a housing and wire recording.
A recording medium consisting of a thin plastic film coated with magnetisable particles, used for audio, video and data storage in reels, cassettes and cartridges, including the historic Soundmirror recorder, consumer video formats such as Compact Video Cassette, Akai VK and Hi8, toy and niche formats such as Bandai micro cartridges and Pocket Rockers, and enterprise data tape such as LTO that remains in use for archival backup.
What it is for: Recording and storing audio, video and data.
It can be explain technology; relay history and formats; describe named formats; distinguish related media.
Distinguishing features
Sequential access
Magnetic coating
Many formats
Long archival life
What it looks like
Thin brown or black ribbon on reels or in cassettes.
Physical character
Magnetophon: 1935 year - AEG, Germany
Soundmirror: 1947 year - Brush Development Company
LTO-9 native capacity: 18 TB
Hi8 introduced: 1989 year - Sony
How it is recognised
Plastic film with magnetic coating
Soundmirror, Compact Video Cassette, Akai VK, Hi8, Bandai micro cartridge, Pocket Rockers
Disks store on platters; optical media use lasers; a cassette is the housing; wire recording used steel wire
Related models
is a kind of - in registry terms
was developed from -
includes -
is contrasted with -
In practice
Families and kinds
reel-to-reel audio tape
audio cassettes
video formats such as CVC, VK and Hi8
data tape such as LTO
toy and niche cartridge formats
Standards and regulation
IEC and ISO tape format standards
Archival preservation guidelines
Failure modes and hazards
Sticky-shed syndrome and degradation
Obsolete playback equipment
Registry aliases naming obscure products
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Understand What magnetic tape is.
Definition.
Definition
Definition.
Definition
Definition.
- What is magnetic tape, and how does it differ from disks, optical media, cassette housings and wire recording? definition
- Is the question about technology, a format, preservation or data backup? boundary
Formats
Named formats.
Formats
Formats.
- What were Soundmirror, Compact Video Cassette, Akai VK, Hi8, Bandai micro cartridges and Pocket Rockers? definition
- Which entry fits the specific format? action
Technology Technology.
Science.
Recording
Magnetic recording.
Recording
Recording.
- How does magnetic recording store signals on tape? provenance
- Which references are standard? provenance
Data
Data tape.
Data
Data.
- Why is LTO tape still used for archival backup? provenance
- Which sources are cited? provenance
Preservation Preservation.
Application.
Degradation
Degradation.
Degradation
Degradation.
- What is sticky-shed syndrome, and how do archives handle it? provenance
- Which entry fits sticky-shed syndrome? action
Digitisation
Digitisation.
Digitisation
Digitisation.
- How are tape collections digitised? provenance
- Which entry fits audiovisual archive? action
Context History and culture.
Context.
History
History.
History
History.
- How did tape transform broadcasting and music recording? provenance
- Which entry fits the history of sound recording? action
Culture
Culture.
Culture
Culture.
- How did cassettes and camcorders shape popular culture? provenance
- Which entry fits mixtape? action
What the second pass must settle
- Should the consumer video formats be separate primary entries?
- How should archival sources be linked?
- The registry entry has merged aliases naming specific products; should they be split off?