Phonograph discs

Linda A. Strauss <lstrauss [at] autry-museum__org> writes

>We have recently received a potential donation of unlabeled demo
>phonograph records. There was no documentation with them to tell us
>what is recorded on them. Our museum's policy has been never to play
>records but in this case, we will not be able to tell if we should
>accession them if we don't know what is on them.

There is a new device designed to play any phonograph record with no
surface wear at all. In fact, according to the web site
<URL:http://www.elpj.com/products.html> product literature, even
warped, damaged or cracked records can be played without harm or
skipping grooves. The device (known as a laser turntable) uses five
lasers to track and "decode" the analog bumps, converting them into
sound without digitization. Apparently, the system only works with
black records 12", 10" and 7" in diameter, but can play them at
finely adjusted speeds. The cost is a staggeringly bumpy $20,500,
but hopefully someone in the LA area already owns one. Contact the
company for more information. Perhaps they would let you demo one?
If you get a chance to use a laser turntable, let me know what you
think of it.

James Hamm
Associate Professor
Buffalo State College

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 13:32
                Distributed: Thursday, December 2, 1999
                       Message Id: cdl-13-32-010
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