[78-L] Early portable electric recording?

[Steven C. Barr]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert M. Bratcher Jr." <bratcher at pdq.net>
> 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.
>
I assume they were "rim drive." IIRC, a tape had to be played back on the
machine on which it was recorded (and with batteries in the same 
condition?!),
since the machines did NOT run at a standardized speed...?!

Steven C. Barr