The Audio Tape Recorder and the Video Tape Recorder

In current production practices, the professional audio and video industries rely on magnetic media, generally in the form of magnetic tape, as the major means of storing program material. It is the function of any recording device, used for either audio or video production, to act as a memory device for the storage of massive quantities of information. Most magnetic storage media in use today are composed of several layers of material, each serving a specific function. Magnetic tape and computer diskettes often have polyvinyl chloride as the base material. This durable polymer has great physical strength and is capable of withstanding a great deal of abuse before serious damage or deformation results. In many tape transport systems available today, the most critical element is the capstan. This capstan is the shaft of a motor that is precisely regulated to rotate at a constant rate of speed. Most audio recording systems employ a magnetic head to perform three specialized tasks.