Cassette Tape Recorders
Over the past year, I have been writing more. Not just by creating these blogs, but writing for a local newspaper, writing a newsletter for my workplace and helping to write the history of my church.
Now that a year has passed, I am considering dropping some projects. The history writing is nearly done. Because of some political changes at the local newspaper, I am considering dropping my assignment there. I want to try my hand at longer form articles featuring interviews with people who have stories to tell.
In order to be effective as an interviewer, I decided I wanted a new cassette tape recorder. Just a small handheld model with those little cassettes was all I was looking to find. It would be something I could sit on a table and record my conversations, or something I could take to a meeting if necessary.
One of the best Christmas’ I remember growing up was the year our family got our first cassette recorder. My brother, sister and I used it constantly. We recorded music. We recorded our voices. I recorded the television (this was before VCRs). It was a wonderful device.
So far, I have been unable to find a tape recorder at any price. I found cassette tape player at Radio Shack for twenty dollars, but it does not record. I can find MP-3 players that have recording features that cost seventy or eighty dollars. It did not appear that anyone makes cassette tape recorders anymore.
You are right; I can probably find a thousand such recorders on eBay. I have nothing against eBay, but I would rather find one at Target or Circuit City. Even looking online, there are explanations at Wikipedia as to what a cassette tape recorder is, but not very many places, outside eBay, sell them.
There is a website that has audio recording devices they are marketing as “spy devices”. I am not going to spy on anyone. Arrgh.
Finally, I went to Amazon. I like Amazon better than eBay. I would still like to see one at a store location rather than purchasing one on-line, but I was happy to find a selection.
There they have players with radios attached; walking devices that only play, boom boxes, dual cassette players and recorders, and so on. Some devices have handheld remotes! Some are new and some are used. Some are made by big names manufacturers such as Sony and Panasonic. Others are made by companies I have never heard of and am afraid to mention here for fear they are a disreputable company and I will them credibility by accident.
The next question is how to buy cassettes to use. The only one I have found is $23.30 new and $19.97 used. Why would I buy a used cassette? Why would I save three dollars to buy a used cassette?
The bottom line is that I now understand that cassette tape recording devices are not a thing of the past. They still exist, but are no longer marketed to the mainstream. They are tucked away online.
Today, computers and gaming devices fill that same role for young people, but I will always remember the first cassette player. The search for a new one will continue.
Thank you for reading. We will talk again soon.
Now that a year has passed, I am considering dropping some projects. The history writing is nearly done. Because of some political changes at the local newspaper, I am considering dropping my assignment there. I want to try my hand at longer form articles featuring interviews with people who have stories to tell.
In order to be effective as an interviewer, I decided I wanted a new cassette tape recorder. Just a small handheld model with those little cassettes was all I was looking to find. It would be something I could sit on a table and record my conversations, or something I could take to a meeting if necessary.
One of the best Christmas’ I remember growing up was the year our family got our first cassette recorder. My brother, sister and I used it constantly. We recorded music. We recorded our voices. I recorded the television (this was before VCRs). It was a wonderful device.
So far, I have been unable to find a tape recorder at any price. I found cassette tape player at Radio Shack for twenty dollars, but it does not record. I can find MP-3 players that have recording features that cost seventy or eighty dollars. It did not appear that anyone makes cassette tape recorders anymore.
You are right; I can probably find a thousand such recorders on eBay. I have nothing against eBay, but I would rather find one at Target or Circuit City. Even looking online, there are explanations at Wikipedia as to what a cassette tape recorder is, but not very many places, outside eBay, sell them.
There is a website that has audio recording devices they are marketing as “spy devices”. I am not going to spy on anyone. Arrgh.
Finally, I went to Amazon. I like Amazon better than eBay. I would still like to see one at a store location rather than purchasing one on-line, but I was happy to find a selection.
There they have players with radios attached; walking devices that only play, boom boxes, dual cassette players and recorders, and so on. Some devices have handheld remotes! Some are new and some are used. Some are made by big names manufacturers such as Sony and Panasonic. Others are made by companies I have never heard of and am afraid to mention here for fear they are a disreputable company and I will them credibility by accident.
The next question is how to buy cassettes to use. The only one I have found is $23.30 new and $19.97 used. Why would I buy a used cassette? Why would I save three dollars to buy a used cassette?
The bottom line is that I now understand that cassette tape recording devices are not a thing of the past. They still exist, but are no longer marketed to the mainstream. They are tucked away online.
Today, computers and gaming devices fill that same role for young people, but I will always remember the first cassette player. The search for a new one will continue.
Thank you for reading. We will talk again soon.
Labels: Writing
posted by Alexander Dimm | 7:08 AM
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