Library of Congress tape player model E-1

[jasonhdvideoman]

they make digital one now i have one

[ForgetfulCollector]

Be careful! The U.S. Government might want it back!

Awesome machine!

[Lachlant1984]

Given that the libraries are switching to digital, why would they want this machine back?

[ForgetfulCollector]

You didn't get it. Sarcasm.

[AccordionManiac]

hahaha The revers playback sounded Russian!

[ToastmachineIdiot]

That's awesome!!! Property of the government, lol

[phogroian]

NLS/BPH is slowly switching over to digital players now, also very durable and well designed. A very important service for the blind, or anyone who can't read because of a handicap.

[IAmNotAFunguy]

Do you have legal possesion of that machine? What is the switch with the "A" and "M" positions for?

[CassetteMaster]

I guess it must be legal, as I found it at a thrift store. The A and M, although they don't seem to do anything, I will still guess they probably mean Automatic and Manual.

[bluegrassbaby86]

Wow. I've used the four-track players for years, but I've never seen one that only plays the one speed. What year was that player made? Also, when I was a kid, the backwards playing and playing on the wrong side always scared the crap out of me.

[Lachlant1984]

So that unit only plays tapes at one speed and beeps when you change tracks, that's cool.

[BadEditPro]

If you ever come across one of those machines that has duel speed (1 7/8 & 15/16) and recording capability, you will be very impressed with the quality. They also made a Walkman style player with a radio that could record and had a special head that would allow you to listen to standard stereo tapes.

[CassetteMaster]

I have 3 machines that have 2 speeds, that's how I recorded the messages for this machine. They're mono, though. 2-track like a regular recorder.

[wisteela]

A superb find. What a great freebie! Lucky that you had a machine that could record at the required speed.

Nice looking B&O deck.

[clydesight]

Now THAT is a really interesting machine! How'd you get it for free? I've seen a few on E-bay, but they sure aren't free there! 4 track! I love how the cassette goes in and you pull the door to start it going. Very unusual machine it would seem, but since it is a specialty use machine, maybe there are a lot of them around. I've seen books on tape, but they are recorded at 1-7/8 standard speed.

[CassetteMaster]

I just saw it on the floor by the wall at a thrift store...

[Doinkblink]

You can see my many demoes of my talking book players under my alter ego youtube user ID, Blubberblink.

[Doinkblink]

I've had many LB TB players through the years, early 70's GE RECORDERs, C74, C76, C78, C80 (first with speech compression), and the infamous crappy C-1 which they still issue, plus the CT-1 (see my vid), and I never had the Easy Player. I also had their portable GE Handicassette recorders and Talkmans. I also had many of the TB record players, and reel to reelers in the 60's. They are gonna use digital ships now - no mo tapes or rekeez. Mostly made by Telex and GE for LoC-LftB talking books.

[Lachlant1984]

The Handicasette was made for the American Printing house for the blind, I never owned one, but I wouldn't mind one. they're better than most other handheld tape recorders.

[manyvideoinerests]

I went through a few of those Handi-Cassette Recorders. They are not the most durrible, but do record nicely. When in school I went through a few of them, and then in college I got one, and the audio from the speaker crapped out after about a week. I've seen these units in very interesting conditions. There was one I saw with a reel missing!

[Lachlant1984]

@manyvideoinerests I've heard that the Handi-Cassettes don't survive the drop test and aren't easy to repair if they break, i've had my Handi-Cassette II for just over 12 months now and haven't had a problem, I've been very careful with mine, but you've got a point, they're not the best built tape recorder. At least they're better than those HORRIBLE Telex 4 track talking book tape players, I hate those things.

[iabhornc]

Great machine

[chao772]

Nice player! You finaly got a DIN cable for the Bang and Olfsen Beocord 8000 tape deck

[HomeoftheGoodGuys]

Nice find! This machine was made for the Library of Congress by the US Government. It was a not a recorder, it was a talking book cassette player. Neat!

[raymondleeleggs]

cool I bet it would it would make a great component cassette deck

[manyvideoinerests]

I had the C1 and went through a few of them from 1982 until about 2000. Durrible, and even the instruction tape was prety cool!

[Lachlant1984]

@manyvideoinerests I had the blue Australian equivelant of the C1, in my opinion they're not durable at all, I've been through quite a number of them, they always failed on me, I never liked them very much, the Handi-Cassette II can do so much more.

[AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Rock solid machine and it sounds great. A very nice acquisition to your collection and the price sure was right. Play tapes backwards could be interesting and has lots of possibilities.

Sounds like them. I got a call from the Library of Congress Copyright Office, they wanted to know if all the material in my second book was my work. I said YES, and she said they would approve my copyright and send it along. I thought to myself a day later, I could have lied about it.

[speedyc395]

That is a unique machine... I like how you load the cassette and the audible track changes.

[damusician]

i once had a library of congress record player when i was 11 yrs. old, but it didn't work too great so i toss it out. that was before i really knew how to fix 'em. the unit lacks a 45 and i think it also lack a 78 speed and well. i've been seeing them on ebay in green and orange, but mines was green and it came with a 16rpm talking book floppy record. btw the 16rpm was used for the blind.