Mini-Cassette

Mini-Cassette

Media type	magnetic tape
Encoding	analog signal
Capacity	30 minutes
Read mechanism	tape head
Write mechanism	magnetic recording head
Developed by	Philips
Usage	dictation

A Sony Mini-Cassette dictation recorder.

The Mini-Cassette, often written minicassette, is a tape cassette format introduced by Philips in 1967. It is used primarily in dictation machines and was also employed as a data storage for the Philips P2000 home computer. Unlike the Compact Cassette, also designed by Philips, and the later Microcassette, introduced by Olympus, the Mini-Cassette does not use a capstan drive system; instead, the tape is propelled past the tape head by the reels.^[1] This is mechanically simple and allows the cassette to be made smaller and easier to use, but produces a system unsuited to any task other than voice recording, as the tape speed is not constant (averaging 2.4 cm/s) and prone to wow and flutter. However, the lack of a capstan and a pinch roller drive means that the tape is well-suited to being repeatedly shuttled forward and backward short distances as compared to microcassettes, leading to the Mini-Cassette's continuing use in the niche markets of dictation and transcription, where fidelity is not critical, but robustness of storage is, and where analog media are still widely preferred.^[2]

Microcassette (L) and Mini-Cassette (R)

A smaller version of the Mini-Cassette was later introduced that could be used in a standard player using an adaptor; however, this did not become widespread.

A very similar (but incompatible) cassette format was produced by Hewlett-Packard and Verbatim (the HP82176A Mini Data Cassette) for data storage in their HP82161A tape drive, which, like other minicassettes, did not use a capstan.

Mini-Cassettes in fiction

In the Transformers 1984 cartoon, several Decepticons and Autobots transformed into minicassettes, such as Rumble.

References

External links

• Philips Speech Processing site
• Brief description of the Hewlett Packard 82161A tape drive
• Discussion about HP82176A tapes and second-source alternatives

This product article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v d e

This technology-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v d e