stever@tektronix.UUCP (Steven D. Rogers) (05/01/85)
The ability to select station and time for 14 events over 21 days on my VCR has left me wondering why this feature is not available for audio tuners and receivers? Almost fifteen years ago, I saw an external device at a Hi-Fi show in the San Francisco Bay Area that programmed a receiver for a 24-hour period to switch stations in increments as small as 15 minutes. I do use the timers incorporated into my cassette decks to tape radio programs, but they are one event within a 24-hour period. What I want is at least a 7 day, multi-event audio station selector. Anyone know of one? steve
cb@hlwpc.UUCP (Carl Blesch) (05/03/85)
> The ability to select station and time for 14 events over 21 days > on my VCR has left me wondering why this feature is not available for > audio tuners and receivers? > > Anyone know of one? I've thought a timer would be handy, but unlike video tapes, cassette tapes are so short (typically 45 minutes per side, or an hour if you use C-120s) that using a timer to tape a show while I'm out wouldn't do much good for a long show, such as "A Prairie Home Companion" or a symphony orchestra presentation. Best thing to do is get a Beta HiFi or VHS HiFi videotape deck and use it for audio-only (although I don't know if those things have switched outlets into which you can plug your amp and tuner). Carl Blesch
ecl@mtgzz.UUCP (e.c.leeper) (05/04/85)
> cassette tapes are so short (typically 45 minutes per side, > or an hour if you use C-120s) that using a timer to tape a show > while I'm out wouldn't do much good for a long show > Best thing to do is get a Beta HiFi or VHS HiFi videotape deck > and use it for audio-only Well, this won't answer the problem of programming the tuner, but get a timer and a reel-to-reel audio deck. These take 3600' tapes (on a 5" reel--the more expensive ones take 7" reels and hence even more), which is enough for 3 hours of recording at 3.5ips. Just leave the tuner on, or hook it to the same timer. We record a 3-1/2 hour show of soundtrack music every Sunday at 5AM by using the 1.75ips speed. Evelyn C. Leeper ...ihnp4!mtgzz!ecl
stever@tektronix.UUCP (Steven D. Rogers) (05/06/85)
Using an open reel recorder or a VCR is only a partial answer to delayed listening. These techniques work well when you have the machines, when you have a timer that goes beyond 24 hours, and you are interested in only one station. I don't have an open reel (that works) and when I am away from home, I use my VCR for delayed viewing. I guess I could get another VCR or a few more audio systems :-) ! The lack of audio station programability as a feature or separate product leads to me believe that manufacturers think the market is small or nonexistent! JUST THINK somebody would actually want to be able to do delayed listening on several programs, on several stations, at different times over a week. UNTHINKABLE! Well, the technology is certainly there. Where is the product? steve
smb@ulysses.UUCP (Steven Bellovin) (05/07/85)
Some time ago, I read that NPR planned to broadcast coded tones at the start of some of its programs, to allow for easier taping. Boxes to interpret these were supposed to be readily available. Does anyone know what happened to these?
boyajian@akov68.DEC (05/11/85)
> From: mtgzz!ecl (Evelyn C. Leeper) >> cassette tapes are so short (typically 45 minutes per side, >> or an hour if you use C-120s) that using a timer to tape a show >> while I'm out wouldn't do much good for a long show >> >> Best thing to do is get a Beta HiFi or VHS HiFi videotape deck >> and use it for audio-only > > Well, this won't answer the problem of programming the tuner, > but get a timer and a reel-to-reel audio deck. These take 3600' > tapes (on a 5" reel--the more expensive ones take 7" reels and > hence even more), which is enough for 3 hours of recording at 3.5ips. > Just leave the tuner on, or hook it to the same timer. > > We record a 3-1/2 hour show of soundtrack music every Sunday at 5AM by > using the 1.75ips speed. Your solution certainly works, but there are a couple of advantages to getting a hi-fi vcr instead of the reel-to-reel deck and timer: (1) The timer comes imbedded into the vcr. Hook-up is less of a problem. I happen to have an second, stand-alone timer which I can hook up to the tuner so that I can have both vcr and tuner timed to go on when I want. (2) The recording on a hi-fi vcr is better than you can get on a reel-to- reel, even with a dbx unit on the latter, and recording at 7.5 ips. (3) At the cost of <$7, you can record 4-1/2 hours of music on a Beta L-750 or 6 hours on a VHS T-120 at their slowest speeds. The way the hi-fi recording is done on a vcr, the speed does not affect the quality of the recording, as it does on a reel-to-reel. The cost of this much reel-to-reel tape is significantly more, I believe. (4) A videocassette is much easier to handle and load than a reel of tape. (5) With a vcr, you have an indexer that lets you find a specific item on a multi-program videocassette. You can't do this with a reel-to-reel. (6) You can also use your hi-fi vcr to record pretty pictures. :-) --- jayembee (Jerry Boyajian, DEC, Maynard, MA) UUCP: {decvax|ihnp4|allegra|ucbvax|...}!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-akov68!boyajian ARPA: boyajian%akov68.DEC@DECWRL.ARPA
stever@tektronix.UUCP (Steven D. Rogers) (07/12/85)
Two solutions to the delayed listening problem
(i.e., multi-event timer and audio station selector):
l. Sony makes a portable SW, FM, AM radio that can
select 4 different stations within a 24-hour
period. Approx. $200-$300 depending upon discount.
model # is, i think, ICF 2010.
2. B & O make a master control panel and receiver pair
that sells for $1500 (BEOMASTER 5000, i think).
You can program nine events over a weeks time.
Events can include station selection, and turntable,
cassette deck, and CD control. Turntable, cassette
deck, and CD are extra $$$. CD will be available
in December. There are two turntables that are
controllable, which implies a trend to make all their
equipment controllable. The master control panel
is not a hand unit, more a lap unit or coffee table
unit and communicates with the receiver by infared
Another option includes the Master Link systems that
allows multiple sets of speakers and some control
in other rooms. Now, if they only had video control
also!