rogerh@arizona.edu (Roger Hayes) (07/07/88)
Do you know of a way to control an audio tape from an Amiga program? I
need precise repositioning and replay.
The application is a folklore archive of audio recordings; each
recording will be on a standard C60 cassette. (It will be possible to
transfer to some other media if required). I plan to write a program
to assist in commenting and transcribing the recordings; so we need to
be able to index to a certain point in the recording reliably and
repeatably (for notations), and to replay random sections at will (for
transcription).
I have thought of digitizing the recordings, but that would consume too
much storage. In case we do digitize sections, it would be nice to be
able to synchronize the digitized portions with the source tape.
What combination of hardware and software would you recommend for this
project?
Thanks,
Roger Hayes
rogerh@arizona.edu
{cmcl2,noao,research}!arizona!rogerhcmcmanis%pepper@Sun.COM (Chuck McManis) (07/08/88)
In article <6121@megaron.arizona.edu> rogerh@arizona.edu (Roger Hayes) writes:
->Do you know of a way to control an audio tape from an Amiga program? I
->need precise repositioning and replay.
[.... actual application edited out ...]
->I have thought of digitizing the recordings, but that would consume too
->much storage. In case we do digitize sections, it would be nice to be
->able to synchronize the digitized portions with the source tape.
->What combination of hardware and software would you recommend for this
->project?
-> Roger Hayes
This sort of thing crys out to be put on a Compact Digital Disk. Why?
Because there are CD-ROM drives available that can position the heads
accurately to anywhere on the disk. The disk can play back sections
of any duration. And finally the media is robust so that you can
be assured that 10 yrs from now it will still be available. The
cost of mastering a CD is getting pretty reasonable to.
--Chuck McManis
uucp: {anywhere}!sun!cmcmanis BIX: cmcmanis ARPAnet: cmcmanis@sun.com
These opinions are my own and no one elses, but you knew that didn't you.lishka@uwslh.UUCP (Fish-Guts) (07/09/88)
In article <59155@sun.uucp> cmcmanis@sun.UUCP (Chuck McManis) writes: >In article <6121@megaron.arizona.edu> rogerh@arizona.edu (Roger Hayes) writes: >->Do you know of a way to control an audio tape from an Amiga program? I >->need precise repositioning and replay. > [.... actual application edited out ...] >->I have thought of digitizing the recordings, but that would consume too >->much storage. In case we do digitize sections, it would be nice to be >->able to synchronize the digitized portions with the source tape. > >->What combination of hardware and software would you recommend for this >->project? >-> Roger Hayes > > >This sort of thing crys out to be put on a Compact Digital Disk. Why? >Because there are CD-ROM drives available that can position the heads >accurately to anywhere on the disk. The disk can play back sections >of any duration. And finally the media is robust so that you can >be assured that 10 yrs from now it will still be available. The >cost of mastering a CD is getting pretty reasonable to. Another idea: isn't there something out there called "SMPTE" (not the exact initials) that allows incredibly accurate synchronization of video to music tracks? I believe it is some sort of "time stamping" that is recorded along with the music, and is [usually] used to synchronize video with audio tracks when merging from two separate sources. The reason I mention this is because it was used at a recent Pink Floyd concert which I attended. They had a video screen, and all sorts of amazing lights and lazers, which were *perfectly* synchronized. They also seemed to have a backup track which they were playing with (though not on all songs). My friend told me afterwards that they were using "SMPTE" equipment to synchronize everything. He also said they (Pink Floyd) had an engineer on the commitee that lobbied for certain standards when SMPTE was proposed. They wanted it to be "fine-grain" enough so that they could "lip-synch" visual images with people singing, which they did at the concert at one point, and which matched perfectly. Anyhow, I have seen articles describing SMPTE in my brother's Guitar magazine (a few months back). Although I am not sure of the exact initials, I would assume that any good music store that dealt with MIDI could tell you something about it, or at least point you in a direction. I don't know how much the equipment costs, but it is a start. If you would like to discuss other ideas (I have a few ideas for some "hardware hacks" to cassette decks with electronic switches), send me some email. -Chris -- Christopher Lishka | lishka@uwslh.uucp Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene | lishka%uwslh.uucp@cs.wisc.edu Immunology Section (608)262-1617 | ...!{rutgers|ucbvax|...}!uwvax!uwslh!lishka "...Just because someone is shy and gets straight A's does not mean they won't put wads of gum in your arm pits." - Lynda Barry, "Ernie Pook's Commeek: Gum of Mystery"
papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) (07/11/88)
In article <351@uwslh.UUCP> lishka@uwslh.UUCP (Fish-Guts) writes: >>In article <6121@megaron.arizona.edu> rogerh@arizona.edu (Roger Hayes) writes: >>->Do you know of a way to control an audio tape from an Amiga program? I >>->need precise repositioning and replay. >> [.... actual application edited out ...] > Another idea: isn't there something out there called "SMPTE" (not >the exact initials) that allows incredibly accurate synchronization of >video to music tracks? I believe it is some sort of "time stamping" >that is recorded along with the music, and is [usually] used to >synchronize video with audio tracks when merging from two separate sources. SMPTE stand for Society of Motion Picture Engineers. SMPTE time-code is usually used to synchronize multi-media elements, such as tape decks, sequencers, VCRs, slide shows, and lights. > The reason I mention this is because it was used at a recent Pink >Floyd concert which I attended. They had a video screen, and all >sorts of amazing lights and lazers, which were *perfectly* >synchronized. They also seemed to have a backup track which they were >playing with (though not on all songs). My friend told me afterwards >that they were using "SMPTE" equipment to synchronize everything. He >also said they (Pink Floyd) had an engineer on the commitee that >lobbied for certain standards when SMPTE was proposed. They wanted it >to be "fine-grain" enough so that they could "lip-synch" visual images >with people singing, which they did at the concert at one point, and >which matched perfectly. Yes, I went to the last Pink Floyd concert, and they indeed had a lot of SMPTE and MIDI equipment. Definitely the best laser show ever. For the Amiga some new things are coming out from Mimetics. A VCR transport synchronizer/controller that allows the Amiga to send commands to up to three video decks which communicate via Sony Control-L, Control-T or "remote" connectors (this is from their flyer so don't ask what that means :-). Supposedly this setup allows synchronization of Soundscape MIDI to video without the need for SMPTE. This unit was listed at $199. Mimetics is also releasing the Soundscape SMPTE interface that can read and generate SMPTE time-code. This interface was also listed at $199. I called Mimetics and was told that the SMPTE stuff was about a month away from release. I did not ask for availability of the VCR transport controller at that time. Prices are from an 8-month old flyer, talking about unavailable products, so final prices might be different. Mimetics can be reached at (408)741-0117. -- Marco Papa 'Doc' -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= uucp:...!pollux!papa BIX:papa ARPAnet:pollux!papa@oberon.usc.edu "There's Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Diga!" -- Leo Schwab [quoting Rick Unland] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) (07/11/88)
In article <10596@oberon.USC.EDU> papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) writes: >SMPTE stands for Society of Motion Picture Engineers. Wake up, dude :-) It stands for Society of Motion Picture AND TELEVISION Engineers. -- Marco Papa 'Doc' -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= uucp:...!pollux!papa BIX:papa ARPAnet:pollux!papa@oberon.usc.edu "There's Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Diga!" -- Leo Schwab [quoting Rick Unland] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=