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The Playtape
The playtape was a format that looked like a small 8-track cartridge. Like the 8-track, the playtape played in a continuous loop. The article below gives a very good overview of the history of the playtape format. The format seemed to be primarily targeted to older children, but there were some tapes that were for young children and the fact that there were players for cars indicated a broader audience. The playtape was apparently a playback-only format. I am not aware of any consumer playtape recorders being made (or any blank playtapes being made available in the retail market). There were several different models of playtape players produced. At the bottom of this page is a list of some of those units. Click here and here for pictures of one of the more common playtape players. I've got some pictures of playtapes that are still sealed in their original packaging:
And here is a picture of a couple of tapes in a condition you are more likely to find them in today: PLAYTAPE - THE 2-TRACK ALTERNATIVE [Reprinted with permission of the author] In early 1967 the four-track cartridge was controlling the industry with Bill
Lear and his 8-track format waiting in the wings to become the "format of
choice" for the next decade of pre-recorded taped music. Enter Frank
Stanton, innovator of the 2-track PlayTape system. Stanton conceived the compact
2-track system in the 1940's war years when he served in the Navy. Sears and MGM
records bought the first working model. The machine was unveiled to the general
public at an MGM Records distributor meeting in New York in mid-1966. It was
almost instantly a success. PlayTape was touted as a replacement to the
transistor radio with the disc jockey removed. It was a light little machine,
playing whatever music you wanted to hear . The self-winding tapes played from
eight to 24 minutes, and they played anywhere. Quite an accomplishment in 1967!
In its heyday of 1967 and 1968, the personalities in the PlayTape inventory
reads like a "Who's Who" in the entertainment world. In the popular
music category were such greats as Frank and Nancy Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy
Davis, Connie Stevens, Peggy Lee, Nat King Cole, Wayne Newton, Judy Garland,
Nancy Wilson, Petula Clark, Connie Francis, Ella Fitzgerald, Eddie Gorme, Steve
Lawrence and hundreds others.
PlayTapes are an important part in the history of cartridge tape formats. Although short lived in their existence, PlayTapes offer the collector a challenge in preserving this unique format. Here is a listing of some of the playtape units produced: Playtape 1100 - As far as I know, this was a special model sold by Disney with a Disneyland logo on it. It took 4 D batteries. Here is a picture of the unit, and here is picture of the box. Playtape 1200 - This is probably the most common unit. Click here and here for pictures of the Playtape 1200. Playtape 1310 - The Playtape 1310 is a small portable unit that looks quite similar to the 1200. Here is a picture of the 1310, along with the original box in which it came. Playtape 1320 - This unit was bigger than most of the other portable units. It measures about 9" wide and 8" tall and 3" deep. It has a volume control knob and a second knob for manually changing tracks. It takes 4 D batteries, and has an AC adapter. This unit apparently came with a carrying case which also holds extra tapes in the back. Here is a picture of the front of the unit, and here is one of the side (where the tape is inserted). Playtape 1400 Playtape 1441 - This was one of the smaller players. It is wider than it is tall, and has a flexible strap instead of a handle. The tape inserts into the top of the unit. Playtape 1442 Playtape 1443 - This unit was one of the bigger Playtape players, about 6 inches tall and 9.5 inches across. It included an AM radio and a built-in shoulder strap. Playtape 1601 - This unit was a larger tabletop model and had an AM / FM radio. Playtape 1604 - A larger unit without a handle or strap. It runs on both AC and DC power, and has a brown fabric speaker cover and brown trim. Thus, it looks more like a home speaker or old wooden radio that would be used in a stationary location, as opposed to the players that clearly look like they were designed for portability. |
Last Updated
10 June 2007
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