@avavsystems@mastodon.world

AVAV Systems @avavsystems@mastodon.world · Aug 07, 2026

Think Im in Heaven Quadraphonic Heaven to be exact :-) Sorting yesterday’s Consignment from my Buddy. Its fate this lot found me Piles & Piles of BBC FM Off-Air Quad Recordings on Reel to Reel Tape SQ, Matrix H & HJ - the last two are very unusual He kept copious notes & RT Cuttings in each box. Genesis at Knebworth, Concerts, Classical, Jazz, Proms etc Ampex Backcoated Tape, so they all need Baking sadly. It’s gonna take time. But it’s a great find @obsoletemediauk@mastodon.world

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AVAV Systems @avavsystems@mastodon.world · Aug 06, 2026

Oh dear, guess where I’ve been Oh dear, Car FULL Oh dear, Tape Stuff Galore This I’ll keep me happy a while :-) Lovely Sony 14” Pro Broadcast Monitor. Can’t say no Lovely Sony AV 3600 EIAJ 1/2” B&W Video Recorder, c1970. NTSC version. Bit niche, but will hopefully bring in a few Transcription Jobs

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AVAV Systems @avavsystems@mastodon.world · Jul 16, 2026

Posties been New Release from Horrid Hill via Lavender Sweep Records Another in their series of MicroCassette Releases Available now at https://horridhill.bandcamp.com/album/the-road-to-our-memories?label=3298450503&tab=artists

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AVAV Systems @avavsystems@mastodon.world · Jul 14, 2026

Brace for a stream of #TapeBoxTuesday stuff Sorting out, clearing boxes, shifting stuff out the door A selection of 7” Reel to Reel Tape Boxes. Some lovely classic artwork in the mix

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AVAV Systems @avavsystems@mastodon.world · Jun 20, 2026

Life is tough enough for Retail Staff on the front line, shoplifting, rude customers, poor pay, list goes on Did a Service Call yesterday, for a High St Brand. Audio system fault, fixed it Music was bloody dire “what is this?” I asked “Head Office have moved to 100% AI generated music streaming platform, to save money” Poor poor staff

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AVAV Systems @avavsystems@mastodon.world · May 08, 2026

Replying to @emsquared@social.coop

@emsquared@social.coop @obsoletemediauk@mastodon.world @LaserdiscTurtle@mas.to did you know it’s a play on See Facts Also ORACLE was Optional Reception of Announcements by Coded Line Electronics.

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AVAV Systems @avavsystems@mastodon.world · May 08, 2026

Replying to @LaserdiscTurtle@mas.to

@LaserdiscTurtle@mas.to @obsoletemediauk@mastodon.world do new ones not? Bugger. See loads, but never think to try🤷‍♂️

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AVAV Systems @avavsystems@mastodon.world · May 08, 2026

What better way to Celebrate Sir David Attenboroughs 100th Birthday, than with some #LaserDisc Goodness

Here is a brief glimpse of the phenomenal BBC British Garden Birds LaserVision Disc, 1982

It really is remarkable & absolutely
groundbreaking at the time
It’s all there
Teletext
Dual Audio Channels
CAV - Active Play, Frame by Frame
Subtitles
It still holds up today

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AVAV Systems @avavsystems@mastodon.world · Apr 29, 2026

Todays #RetroTech New Arrival at AVAV Towers

VHD Test Discs, Thorn EMI

Video High Density - Video Disc, 1983-86

Thorn built a plant in Swindon in 1981 for VHD Manufacturing & Mastering
The Format never took off & production was changed to CD in ‘86

These Test Discs are really rare

VHD was developed by JVC Victor, Japan. Having been shown CED by RCA, they walked away & developed a version that actually worked. It’s remarkably good

https://obsoletemedia.org/video-high-density/

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AVAV Systems @avavsystems@mastodon.world · Apr 28, 2026

Replying to @emsquared@social.coop

@emsquared@social.coop @obsoletemediauk@mastodon.world I liked the Video 8 one - DTRS. Thought it was far superior to ADAT The Akai one was like U-Matic, the spools ran in opposite directions. Looked most odd

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AVAV Systems @avavsystems@mastodon.world · Apr 28, 2026

Tis #TapeBoxTuesday

ADAT - Alesis Digital Audio Tape 1992-2003

Studio Pro Format - Uses S-VHS Video Tape

8 Tracks - 16 Bit, later 20 Bit

Tape thundered thru Mech, Speed is 95.3mm p/s. Roughly 3 3/4 ips - 4 times faster than VHS, E120 gives 40 mins

It’s noisy, clunky & temperamental

Multiple Decks could be Linked to give more Tracks.

https://obsoletemedia.org/adat/

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AVAV Systems @avavsystems@mastodon.world · Apr 14, 2026

More #TapeBoxTuesday

Thermionic Products (Electronics) Ltd, Hythe, Southampton

14” NAB, 1” Reel to Reel Multitrack Audio Tape, in a lovely tin

It’s a beast, bloody heavy

Contents unknown as label lost

Part of last weeks consignment from my friend - retired IBA, TVS, Southern etc

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AVAV Systems @avavsystems@mastodon.world · Apr 06, 2026

Children, gather round

Once upon a time, in a land now long forgotten, Computers didn’t remember things when you turned them off

We used to have to “Save” stuff on Cassette Tape. They were slow, taking ages to “Load” what you had “Saved” only to show “Load Error”

As Tim & Rex demonstrated, Tape is essentially Sticky Tape & Rust

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AVAV Systems @avavsystems@mastodon.world · Mar 22, 2026

Dear all

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AVAV Systems @avavsystems@mastodon.world · Mar 17, 2026

Replying to @icm@mastodon.sdf.org

@icm@mastodon.sdf.org lovely to see that Digital sign. My mates Dad was a senior engineer at Basingstoke in the UK. He was a very clever man

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AVAV Systems @avavsystems@mastodon.world · Feb 25, 2026

Today’s #RetroTech

Sorting through a bag of Cassettes, found this in the mix. I noticed the notch, looked different

Streamer Cassette, D/CAS, late 80s

Data Storage & Back Up Tape Cassette

Single sided, 4 Tracks of Data up to 600 MB. Was all over by mid 90s as other options came to market

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AVAV Systems @avavsystems@mastodon.world · Feb 23, 2026

Nice little job to start a Monday morning

1965 Wedding Ceremony on Reel to Reel Tape

Not thought to have been heard in the last 60 years. Played beautifully, just needed a little volume boost in Post

Lovely stuff

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AVAV Systems @avavsystems@mastodon.world · Feb 21, 2026

Replying to @pubby@mastodonapp.uk

@pubby@mastodonapp.uk you imply it’s unusual you remember underwear 😉

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AVAV Systems @avavsystems@mastodon.world · Feb 20, 2026

Replying to @captainbara@meow.social

@captainbara@meow.social @obsoletemediauk@mastodon.world I assume the problem they were solving was, following a certain big disagreement - involving those Nazis you mentioned - there was a really desperate shortage of raw materials. Especially in England - which was bombed to pieces by those very same Nazis funnily enough - plastics would have been in short supply & I think expensive. Added to which governments of a lot of countries would want those materials for rebuilding But paper, well, it grows on trees

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AVAV Systems @avavsystems@mastodon.world · Feb 17, 2026

‘Tis #TapeBoxTuesday

SoundMirror Audio Tape, late 40s

Magnetic Paper Tape
Yes it really is Paper!
It’s kinda like Magnetic Carbon Paper

Surprisingly strong, sounds excellent
NO Shedding or Sticky Tape Syndrome

Don't get many in for Archiving, but they are always good & play fine

Playing on Sony TC-785 Auto Reverse, c 1974

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AVAV Systems @avavsystems@mastodon.world · Feb 05, 2026

Behind the scenes glimpse of Archiving Work Pro & Broadcast Kit is built differently to Domestic Kit In a Digital World, Analogue is still alive & kicking Older equipment, like this JVC Monitor, F9L5, bridge the devide with Multiple Formats & Inputs With Waveform, Vector & Audio Display options Shown here connected via SDI, while Grabbing Digital Video from miniDV Tapes