HERC busted open a couple of boxes that have been sitting in his garage for more than a dozen years. They contained cassette tapes, one of which he featured yesterday. Once he dug most of the mixtapes from the two boxes, HERC discovered 25 still-sealed blank cassettes of various lengths, types and brands. These are HERC's scans of those tapes. Click any image to embiggen.
These Sony CD-IT tapes are an attractive blue and come with unique slide cases: clear for 90 minute tapes and a translucent white for the 120 minute tapes.
The Limited Edition TDK SA 90 in the sweet clamshell packaging was one of a bunch bought in bulk from J&R Music back in the late 1980s. No idea what HERC paid for them but they fetch between $20-$60 each according to various auction and collector sites.
More comprehensive sites for images of blank cassettes:
Herc, as I was going through boxes in the basement I found tons of 3/4 inch floppies (blank). Sad part is my latest computer does not even have a floppy drive (would need an external). Ah, relics of the past.
ReplyDeleteAt the risk of sounding like I wear sweat pants and live in my mom's basement, I could always identify cassette tape brands by smell. Maxell, in particular, was very pungent.
ReplyDeleteI know HERC is a TDK guy, but I settled for whatever C-90 was on sale and readily available. Cuz I'm cheap like that.
I'm a sucker for cassette nostalgia, and you've hooked me in again, you devil, you!! I wasn't even aware of the sites you posted above... I'll have to give 'em the Ol' Digglinator once-over!
ReplyDeleteHere's a couple of additional links along those lines, that I'm sure you'll appreciate (if you haven't already):
Sealed – https://picasaweb.google.com/109226329847372166683
Unsealed – http://www.tapedeck.org/
Martin - I've owned four PCs in my life and only the first one, a huge IBM machine had a floppy drive along with its OS/2 and special $250 math chip. For our second IBM machine, I opted for a Zip Drive, remember those?
ReplyDeleteThe machine I have now cost half the price of that first IBM one from 1988. It has 2000x the RAM and 5000x the hard drive capacity. My numbers may be off but you know what I mean. This iPad Air I'm typing on beats that old PC's specs by similar multiples. Great time to be alive, my friend.
Mark - first, no one needs to know your pants status and living arrangements but your secret is safe with the nearly 100,000 visitors here at The Hideaway.
ReplyDeleteAnd how were you not on That's Incredible with those prodigious proboscis powers?
And regarding tape choices, it seems HERC was more (high) biased than you.
Dirkles - Thanks for the links. Based on my excavations thus far, I do believe more such finds are imminent. Gonna let those unopened boxes marinate a while longer before breaking the seal.
ReplyDeleteSurprised no one else caught it or at least they kept it to themselves but Mrs HERC pointed out that there are only nine tapes pictured on this Tuesday 10.
Oh HERC, I keep telling you to use your fingers, not your toes.