Those fantasies, at least, are becoming reality as we speak!
Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, in a project in
collaboration with the Preservation Directorate of the Library of
Congress, have developed an 3D optical imaging technology whereby the
computer can create an actual playback from the optical image of a
gramophone disk. This work is still under further development, but the
technology has been demonstrated. It also should work for similar
recordings; research and development plans include work on cylinder
recordings.
With regard to magnetic tape, research at the National Institute for
Standards and Technology in Denver have developed magneto resistance
imaging sensors that image the magnetization on the tape and thus
allow non-contact reading of the recording. Again, this work is still
under further development, but the practical feasibility has been
demonstrated.
Bert van Zelst - Preservation Directorate, Library of Congress
inaudio@xxxxxxxxxxx 12/09/05 2:06 PM >>>
This is great food for future-thinking - does anyone think it will
eventually become possible to make an image scan of a disc and have the
computer read it, in the way a scanner and OCR can turn documents into
type or ASCII code? And eventually magnetic tape might be read, the way
we used to use chemicals to make magnetic patterns visible? I would
think it was easily possible given advanced anough computers and
software...