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Orphan technologies

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DimensionDude

Experienced Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2005
Messages
363
Location
Arkansas, USA
The discussion of VCRs made me think of a couple of devices that I have, namely DCC (Digital Compact Cassette). I have an Optimus (Radio Shack) DCC deck and a Panasonic portable.

DCC was introduced at about the same time as Sony's Minidisc. Both the DCC and Minidisc used audio compression algorithms much like MP3, but all different and none compatible. The DCC had the slight advantage of being able to play (but not record) analog cassettes. Audio quality is quite good, most people can't hear the difference between a DCC and a CD.

It was touted as the replacement for analog cassettes; however, consumer response was lukewarm.

I thought it was a good idea, I was never really happy with the sound of an analog cassette, even a good quality tape on a high-end deck. But, like the Betamax, consumer indifference killed a superior product.

Kent
 
Using a good source signal (like CD) you could get a very good audio tape recording using Dolby C , HX Pro, and metal tapes. You did need to fine tune the level adjustments on the tape deck. The reason DCC died was because it was worse then compact disk audio wise, could not skips tracks in seconds like a CD, and was on a magnetic media that would degrade over time and playback. DAT was out at the time and consumers did not flock to it even though it was higher fidelity then CDs.
 
I always thought there was just the two Discs, the Community disc and the National disc, but I hear people talking about others, one guy said he was looking for the 'Volcanoes' Disc. Were these official or third party? I'm wonderin if anyone knows exactly how many there were. I think the project has been recently archived by some organisation called CAMELION (don't quote me on that, I don't even know what it satnds for!)
 
I am not 100% sure on the additional disks, but I seem to remember there where more than two.

I also heard a couple of years ago that the BBC where planning on re-publishing the information on PC DVD. Kind of ironic that something only 20 years old is now hopelessly obsolete whereas the original Domesday book can still be read!

I vaguely have a recollection on submitting some writing for this project, along with the rest of my class. I was only 5 or 6 years old at the time, I can't remember what it was about :lol:
 
There is one guy on the internet that I know of who pieced together his own Domesday system from a Master 128. I would have loved to submit some stuff, but I wasnt even a twinkle back then. You wonder what might of happened if the Laserdisc had become the next floppy disc. I suppose it like the Amstrad diskette or the Betamax. I think Betamax tapes look better than VHS, I know, its not wise to base something on pure aesthetics, although I do wonder if they age better than my flaky tapes with fuzz, lines and poor sound.
 
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