Where to buy cassette tapes.

Robmeister2011

Hi guys, was wondering if there's anywhere in Galway where a feller might get his hands on a blank cassette. A tape, not the video kind. I've got a friend with a new kid and I think it'd be an ideal gift for when they're old enough to listen to stories of yesteryear.

ben.schlomo

Pretty sure 1994 have them..........had to do it.

galah

i can root around under the stairs, i'm pretty sure i have a few of those lying around still? (serious offer)

otherwise maybe argos?

zarquon

I don't think that audio cassettes are a good idea to store audio for a good few years down the road. They are prone to oxidization and audio degradation over time. You're better off creating a CD if you want long term audio storage on physical media.

J Mysterio

Kind of a strange idea tbh but you can get them on Ebay

Capt_cack

Almost certain I saw them in dealz.

K.Flyer

Saw blank cassette tapes in Tesco and HMV( in Dublin).
Would it not be easier to get a good quality digital dictaphone, files can be stored as Mp3 on your computer and put onto a cd anytime in any order.

QikBax

Zhivago have them. Blank videos too.

NauP

saw them in Tesco last week

lostboy75

would recommend the digital recorder as well. I have one about 8 years old now, it got alot of use for a few years recording a similar idea to what your planning.
I recorded conversations with my Grandfather about his youth and growing up. it was a small recorder and i never told him about it. the reason i didn't tell him was if he knew he was being recorded he went into high oratory mode and i felt it spoilt his stories. He passed away two years back and i still cant get myself to listen to the recordings, but i know i have them and in years to come I am sure i would be able to listen to them.
Its very handy to use, and very easy to transfer it to a computer to burn to disk, email etc. the trouble you will have is even now its not too easy to buy a player for the tapes. in twenty years time it will be impossible. also they have a limited life. you will find in a few years someone, maybe you, will have to transfer them to digital, and thats a pain to do.

bonzodog2

lostboy75 wrote: »

would recommend the digital recorder as well. I have one about 8 years old now, it got alot of use for a few years recording a similar idea to what your planning.
I recorded conversations with my Grandfather about his youth and growing up. it was a small recorder and i never told him about it. the reason i didn't tell him was if he knew he was being recorded he went into high oratory mode and i felt it spoilt his stories. He passed away two years back and i still cant get myself to listen to the recordings, but i know i have them and in years to come I am sure i would be able to listen to them.
Its very handy to use, and very easy to transfer it to a computer to burn to disk, email etc. the trouble you will have is even now its not too easy to buy a player for the tapes. in twenty years time it will be impossible. also they have a limited life. you will find in a few years someone, maybe you, will have to transfer them to digital, and thats a pain to do.

I hope you have more than 1 copy. Disks break!

zarquon

bonzodog2 wrote: »

I hope you have more than 1 copy. Disks break!

Digital recordings can easily be backed up to cloud storage so no fear of loss or breakage. I would highly recommend for any scenario such as this that one would stay away from delicate analog audio as it will only lead to heartbreak one day when the quality has sufficiently degraded or the media itself breaks.

lostboy75

Originals on pc, have a back up on hard disk, and another on a NAS, really must get a remote location as well though

DMcL1971

Digital is definitely the way to go for this kind of recording. If you record to a physical device like an audio cassette you have the problem of needing a player. It is very difficult to find a tape player now, what will it be like in 20 years time. Think about the physical formats that have already gone or are nearly gone. Wax cylinders, records, 8 tracks, audio cassettes, mini discs, DAT. In a few years you may not be able to even play a CD.

If you use a current recording device to make digital recordings then you can keep them forever. The two main problems are backups and format. Firstly, You need to make sure you back up the files so that you don't lose them. Secondly you need to stay aware of changing audio formats. MP3 is the most commonly used at the moment but there are plenty of others (FLAC, APE, OGG, WAV....) but in ten years we may well be using completely different audio formats. At some stage you will have to convert the files to another format but at least you will still have them.

GekkePrutser

zarquon wrote: »

I don't think that audio cassettes are a good idea to store audio for a good few years down the road. They are prone to oxidization and audio degradation over time. You're better off creating a CD if you want long term audio storage on physical media.

Recordable CDs aren't great either, the CD-R variety is very susceptible to 'bit rot' due to the oxygen reacting with the organic material.

CD-RWs are inorganic but have their own long-term storage concerns due to the rewritable nature.

You can find archival quality CD-Rs but they cost a lot, you'd be paying 10 bucks at least for a single one (less in bulk)

Thargor

Google Drive is the only place for this kind of thing.

Robmeister2011

Hi guys, thanks for the responses. I got them in Zhivago, 1.99 a piece, for future reference.