mjg@client1.DRETOR.UUCP (Michael Grau see jimt) (08/06/88)
I have a friend who has been hearing rumors of the new DAT decks that are coming out. He was told that since it is only digital data that is going onto the tape, that it will never wear out (similar to a cd ) 8-). I am posting this to get your opinions on the differences and/or benefits of either types of decks. If there is a good enough response, I will post a summary. Thanks Mike. --------- no .sig yet, but soon.....
tomk@lakesys.UUCP (Tom Kopp) (08/08/88)
In article <888@client1.DRETOR.UUCP>, mjg@client1.DRETOR.UUCP (Michael Grau see jimt) writes: > I have a friend who has been hearing rumors of the new DAT decks > that are coming out. He was told that since it is only digital > data that is going onto the tape, that it will never wear out > (similar to a cd ) 8-). I am posting this to get your opinions > on the differences and/or benefits of either types of decks. Well...Your friend is, from what I understand of the technology, wrong. The difference between DAT and 'standard' tape as far as recording isn't the storage, both store it magnetically. The difference is that DAT and CD's store numbers that represent the music, rather than the magnetic impulses (or in the case of LP's, alterations in depth and other characteristics of the groove) that cause the music. In other words, standard tape varies the intensity of the magnetic field to make music. DAT and CD's take the music presented to them, digitize it (make numerical 'copies' of it) and store these numbers, the same way a computer stores information on a floppy or hard disk. It's still magnetic (for DAT) and there still is physical contact with the tape head, so they will be prone to wear. My personal opinion, which may be right or dreadfully wrong, is that DAT's won't catch on in the US. Mostly because there's still a legal battle going on as to weather or not to include some scheme to make the DAT's impossible to dupe. I say stick w/ conventional tapes, if he wants a deck. -- _____ _____ |"Reading computer manuals without |tomk@lakesys.UUCP | | | the hardware is as frustrating as |uunet!marque!lakesys!tomk | \_| | reading sex manuals without the |uunet!uwmcsd1!lakesys!tomk ------------- software" - Arthur C. Clarke ----------------------------