Used to have an old wire recorder when I was a kid--in the 50's or there abouts. Don't recall much about it except that the wire moved fairly fast and broke easily. TAPE usually was either amplitude or frequency modulated carrier of about 100 KHz. I don't know about the wire but would suspect they would have to do the same thing. The Smithsonia in Washington has a huge collection of old recordings--and the equipment to play them back. Might be a source of good information--work a trade--they transcribe and get a copy for the arkives? Kelly At 06:26 AM 10/5/99 +1000, you wrote: >Hey PICers, > >This is rather off-topic but ... I >just was asked the question pasted >below. Does anybody know how those >old 'on wire' audio recordings were >done and what sort of pick-up head >you'd need to extract the signal? >(We're talking circa 1920's.) > >I guess, you could use a 16c73 or >sim to digitise them. BUT magnetic >tapes have to be frequency >compensated before palyback, I seem >to recall from long ago. If wire >recordings need to be processed >similarly you'd probably do that >before the digitising stage to keep >the processing simple, I guess? > >Need to think about a drive unit of >some sort for the wire spools as >well - wonder what sort of speed >you'd be looking at? > >Any tips appreciated - PJH > > >> I have just received an interesting note indicating: >> >> > are 'hundreds' of recordings of bird >> > songs/calls that her husband made back in the early days of field >> > recording. >> >> The recordings are on wire. Any way to play them and get the >> sound digital (e.g. on a PC from its sound board)? >> >> The goal is to have the songs ultimately on CD-ROM or cassette >> tapes, and I have everything necessary but a wire player. >> >> best regards, >> >> Marty Michener >> MIST Software Associates, Inc. >> Hollis, NH >> > > >-- >************************************************* > >PETER HYNES >FAX: Int-61-3-9809 0604 NET: >elek@netstra.com.au >************************************************* > > William K. Borsum, P.E. -- OEM Dataloggers and Instrumentation Systems & San Diego, California, USA