Additionally, when the roller became flattened if left plugged in and the large tape wheel became loose, the tape playback quality declined quickly, thereby limiting the lifespan of 8-tracks to a few months.Īlso, as the demand for 8-tracks soared, poor production materials became used to help cut costs. Despite producing less noise than the previous version, the tape within the 8-track cartridge also collected dirt, rubbing away the lubricant that allowed the tape to roll smoothly. First, as the tape slid along the opening at the front of the cartridge, this constant movement allowed for feedback and noise to accompany the music. In 1970 these cartridges and stereo players were the one of the first examples of 4.0 surround sound, but quickly lost appeal due to price and sound quality.ġ) The 8-track features a length of tape ¼ inch wide that runs in a loop at 3 ¾ inches per second (IPS).Ģ) The tape is wrapped around a large wheel where it feeds out from the center along a path in front of the cartridge edge.ģ) A pressure pad brings the tape into contact with a playback head, where it is “read.”Ĥ) The rubber or nylon pinch roller inside the cartridge presses against the capstan, a rotating part of the player, moving the tape across the edge of the cassette.ĥ) Within the tape itself are 8 channels or tracks, each separated length wise on the tape, allowing for the playback head to bump down to the next one after it comes into contact with the foil on the tape.Īlthough a breakthrough in home entertainment when first modified and introduced, the 8-track cassette descended in popularity due to a variety of reasons. By 1972, 8-track players had become ingrained into American society, redefining how the public built relationships with and around their music.Įventually automobiles featured the pricier 8-track stereo model, the Quadraphonic 8, or Q8. In 1966, in-home 8-track players were created so that consumers could take their music everywhere, transferring it from their car to their house. The 8-track continued to spread throughout American culture, its compact and lightweight system allowing it to be marketed towards all audiences. Now with competition, Muntz’s 4-track cartridge stood no chance, becoming obsolete by 1970 due to the 8-track’s overpowering popularity. Starting with only 3 popular models in 1965, the Thunderbird, Mustang and Lincoln, Ford offered customers the option to include the 8-track stereo in their vehicles, and by 1967, all Ford vehicles came with this option. Once the 8-track became established for its portability, it was picked up and promoted by the automobile industry, specifically the Ford Motor Company. Although Miller and Lear touted this 8-track version for its musical storage capabilities, there was a slight loss of sound quality within these tapes because of background noise caused by the tape movement. This new cartridge, with a small piece of foil spliced in between each track on the tape, allowed for fastforwarding and switching between tracks. Miller and Lear improved upon the previous cartridge enough so that this new 8-track system could play a total of 8 tracks, with 4 sets of 2 tracks each. The rubber and nylon roller allowed for enough tension within the cartridge to pull the tape along without damaging it. In Miller’s new design, a central reel fed the tape across the opening of the 8-track and wound the tape back onto the same reel. Also citing Muntz’s car stereo success, Miller sought to produce a cartridge that would playback in automobiles easier, and for a longer time span. Originally, the 8-track had been a tape cartridge similar to Eash’s Fidelipac, but Miller improved upon Eash’s design, replacing a fixed, plastic roller with a rubber and nylon roller, allowing for easier mechanical capabilities and better sound quality. Thus from these cartridges, in 1964 the 8-track was created by Ralph Miller, an associate of Bill Lear from the Lear Jet Corporation.
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