A tape cartridge, also known as a tape cart, is a storage medium used for

audio recording Sound recording and reproduction is the electrical, mechanical, electronic, or digital inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording t ...

video recording Video is an electronic medium for the recording, copying, playback, broadcasting, and display of moving visual media. Video was first developed for mechanical television systems, which were quickly replaced by cathode-ray tube (CRT) system ...

, or

data storage Data storage is the recording (storing) of information (data) in a storage medium. Handwriting, phonographic recording, magnetic tape, and optical discs are all examples of storage media. Biological molecules such as RNA and DNA are con ...

that includes a

magnetic tape Magnetic tape is a medium for magnetic storage made of a thin, magnetizable coating on a long, narrow strip of plastic film. It was developed in Germany in 1928, based on the earlier magnetic wire recording from Denmark. Devices that use magnetic ...

housed in a plastic unit that contains a single reel for the tape. The format has become obsolete as an audio and video format but still remains in use for data storage for enterprise and commercial use with new formats and enhanced updates still being released.

History

The beginning of tape cartridges goes back to loop recording, also known as endless tape recording, which in this case referred to the endless playback of tape read in the

tape transport A tape transport is the collection of parts of a magnetic tape player or recorder that move the tape and play or record it. Transport parts include the head, capstan, pinch roller, tape pins, and tape guide. The tape transport as a whole is calle ...

. This was first used in specialized open reel machines that would continuously record or play an endless loop. Endless tape recording was ideal for security footage when the tape was necessary to be stored while endless playback was mainly used for audio. Setting up a reel to reel machine for playback was a common nuisance as it took a lot of time to set up and make sure the tape was properly loaded into the machines for use. Many designers saw this as the biggest issue for reel machines and this led to many of them trying to come up with an easier way of playing back the tape. In the early 1950s, George Eash experimented with putting magnetic tape inside a bin that would play it back. He would later change the development and house the tape inside a plastic shell. He patented the design and then took it to a Chicago company who named the unit

Fidelipac The Fidelipac, commonly known as a "NAB cartridge" or simply "cart", is a magnetic tape sound recording format, used for radio broadcasting for playback of material over the air such as radio commercials, jingles, station identifications, and m ...

and become the first tape cartridge format. While the quality of the recording was not as good as reel machines due to the smaller unit, it gained prominence at radio stations to play commercials and music. Businesses also used the format to play background music in stores. VCR-Kasette 04

The tape cartridge would eventually be used for video. Early video tape cartridge forms were mainly created for commercial use like

Cartrivision Cartrivision is an analog video tape cartridge format introduced in 1972, and the first format to offer feature films for consumer rental.Video Cassette Recording. These would mainly be used TV stations and businesses that would rent out the systems to customers. While audio tape cartridges saw success, video tape cartridges did not as the technology was not as cheap to produce. Operating them were also cumbersome as the user had to make sure that the tape would be stopped before reaching a certain point as to not damage the tape cart and the amount of time it took for the tape to rewind all the way on the single reel was also to long for certain professional and home use. Eventually, video tape carts were phased out with the rise of

videocassettes Videotape is magnetic tape used for storing video and usually sound in addition. Information stored can be in the form of either an analog or digital signal. Videotape is used in both video tape recorders (VTRs) and, more commonly, videocasset ...

which made accessing the

videotape Videotape is magnetic tape used for storing video and usually Sound recording and reproduction, sound in addition. Information stored can be in the form of either an analog signal, analog or Digital signal (signal processing), digital signal. V ...

easier and faster.

Formats and products

Audio based

* 4-track cartridge *

8-track cartridge The 8-track tape (formally Stereo 8; commonly called eight-track cartridge, eight-track tape, and eight-track) is a magnetic-tape sound recording technology that was popular from the mid-1960s until the early 1980s, when the compact cassette, ...

* Sanyo Micro Pack 35 *

Cantata 700 The Cantata 700 is a commercial background music system and corresponding tape cartridge format developed by 3M that was in common use from 1965 until the 1990s. Cartridge The nearly square-shaped cartridges are among the largest built. More th ...

PlayTape PlayTape is a audiotape format and mono or stereo playback system introduced in 1966 by Frank Stanton (entrepreneur), Frank Stanton. It is a two-track system, and was launched to compete with existing 4-track cartridge technology. The tape cart ...

* HiPac

Video based

Cartrivision Cartrivision is an analog video tape cartridge format introduced in 1972, and the first format to offer feature films for consumer rental.Video Cassette Recording * EIAJ-2

Computer Data

Digital Linear Tape Digital Linear Tape (DLT; previously called CompacTape) is a magnetic-tape data storage technology developed by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) from 1984 onwards. In 1994, the technology was purchased by Quantum Corporation, who manufactured ...

Linear Tape-Open Linear Tape-Open (LTO), also known as the LTO Ultrium format, is a magnetic tape data storage technology used for backup, data archiving, and data transfer. It was originally developed in the late 1990s as an open standards alternative to the pro ...

IBM 3592 The IBM 3592 is a series of enterprise-class tape drives and corresponding magnetic tape data storage media formats developed by IBM. The first drive, having the IBM product number 3592, was introduced under the nickname ''Jaguar''. The next dri ...

References