[78-L] Early portable electric recording?

[Robert M. Bratcher Jr.]

At 11:28 PM 12/18/2009, you wrote:
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Bud Black" <banjobud at cfl.rr.com>
> > Anybody ever hear of a wind-up tape recorder?  In 1959 I was interviewed
> > by
> > a gentleman of the press who used a small tape recorder in which the
> > sound/record system was battery operated, but the drive capstan and the 7"
> > reels were spring driven.  I don't recall the manufacturer.
> >
>Back around 1970, there were Aiwa battery-powered "mini-tape-recorders!"
>They were NOT "capstan-driven,? so that what you heard depended on the
>battery voltage...!
>
>Steven C. Barr

Sounds like rim drive which would vary the speed. Of course a capstan 
drive recorder could slow down as the batteries die. a GE cassette 
recorder I used to record class lectures during the 1980's would slow 
down as the batteries died plus the sound would distort right before 
they totally gave out.