Re: [AV Media Matters] analog cassettes

[Dirk.Tust@mni.fh-giessen.de]

fredc@mystic.org schrieb:

>I apologize for the long-winded introductory remarks.

Why? The remarks were a compact description of your situation. It's OK.

>My questions are these:
>
>1) Have we reached a point at which it is no longer practical to recommend
>the use of analog cassette tapes?

No, not yet.

>2) With the increasing popularity of mini disc recording, how close are we
>to the disappearance of the analog cassette as a commercial format?

Blanks: One good indicator for broad market demand of a media format is
the pure availability of blanks in not so specialized shops (average and
smaller sized supermarkets, gas stations etc.). In bigger stores and
consumer electronic shops, check the number of brands and types or just
the relative shelf space occupied by a format. Considering this shelf
space, MD is actually a close runner-up to CC in Germany, and smaller
supermarkets just start to offer MDs.

Recorders: In Germany, we have just reached the point where MD is
offered as an alternative or addition for CC in compact modular systems.
All-in-one-case systems are still dominated by CC. I assume the red
alert condition when a lot of these devices support CC with playback
only at best. This might happen in about 2 to 4 years.

>2) How much longer can we expect the major manufacturers to produce them?
>
>3) How committed are Sony and Marantz to the ongoing production of good
>quality, portable cassette recorders?

IMHO chances are not bad that that they'll do it for 5 to 10 years,
considering that consumer DAT recorders (stationary and portable) are
still available from Sony, roughly 5 years after the definitive failure
as a broad consumer format. They wouldn't do it if there was not enough
specialized market demand. And there is still a huge (no, HUGE)
installed number of CC devices worldwide.

A final note: MD sales were/are/will be hurt by computer CD-Rs for audio
CD copies, HiFi CD-R recorders for easy home recording and playback, and
MP3 for computer thechnophiles. The time of one clearly dominating
consumer recording format is definitely over.

Dirk Tust

--
 /\_/\    Dirk Tust             dirk.tust@mni.fh-giessen.de
( O.O )                         http://www.uni-giessen.de/~hg18/
  >-<     "Hey Dad!"-Hompepage: http://www.uni-giessen.de/~hg18/hey_dad/
 /   \