Re: [ARSCLIST] electronic reading of physical media, was: Preservation policy question

[Mike Richter <mrichter@xxxxxxx>]

Lou Judson wrote:
> 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...

Sure. The steps are straightforward for some media, unclear for others. 
Begin with an optical track on film, then a magnetic track on film or 
conventional tape. The leap to a lateral track on disc or cylinder using 
an optical detector is substantial but not out of the question 
(particularly given the existence of the laser turntable). Now, a 
vertical track or stereo would be a real challenge.

Mike
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mrichter@xxxxxxx
http://www.mrichter.com/