[Dixielandjazz] CD vs. audio casettes

[W1AB at aol.com]

In a message dated 6/19/2010 7:22:39 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
pj.ladd at btinternet.com writes:

It is  impossible to jog forward or back a few bars on a CD while it was a 
piece of  cake on tape.
 
 
    Pat, to jog back a small amount,  firmly press and HOLD DOWN the   <<   
  button.  A little practice will help you learn how long to hold it down 
to  go back a given amount.
 
    (If you press and quickly release  the   <<   button, it will jump back 
to the start of  the track you're listening to.)
 
    You can go forward small amount in a  similar fashion by pressing and 
holding down the    >>   button.
 
    With all due respect, I think you  would get good results with CDs and 
their players if you read the  directions that came with the player and 
learn how to use all of the machine's  features.
 
    As to compilation CDs:  While I  usually make mine on my computer 
(which is SO easy), I also have a CD recorder  in my stereo system.  Making 
compilation CDs with the CD recorder is also  extremely easy.
 
    Some other bad features of  cassettes:  (1) The noise floor is fairly 
high.  (2) Tapes physically  deteriorate with age, and the music on old 
cassettes often becomes  unplayable.  (3) Older cassettes can lose their 
lubrication, so the hubs  may bind and the music not play correctly.  (4) The 
lubricant built into  the tape's surface will also deteriorate with age.  When 
this happens, the  tape, instead of moving smoothly, moves very small 
incremental amounts, then  stops, then starts again, etc.  The result is a squeal on 
top of the  music.  (5) Who has NOT suffered their favorite tape being wound 
around the  capstan and being mangled?
 
    An interesting historical note about  audio tape cassettes....  We are 
accustomed to competing systems in home  entertainment media (cut-throat 
competition, at that), rather than  standardization on one system.  The Dutch 
company Phillips developed the  audio tape cassette.  Instead of holding it 
close to their chest, they  offered licensing terms to all other 
manufacturers that were extremely  inexpensive.  Therefore, everyone else bought 
licenses from Phillips,  rather than spend money on developing their own type of 
cassette.  It makes  the consumer annoyances of the other competitive systems 
that have followed seem  pretty silly.
 
                                                                    Al B