QATRON 8-TRACK TAPE CHANGER

This rare machine plays a dozen 8-track tapes using a carousel type arrangement, much like a slide projector. It's the only one of it's type I've ever seen, or know to exist.
Anyone with any information about this machine, please let me know.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• 8-track
• Tape
• Changer
• QATRON

[NEWbobofhollywood]

The song title at the 30 second mark is Mystery Movie Theme by Henry Mancini. I found the cartridge right where I had left it nearly 10 years ago - still in the carousel of the Qatron! Thanks for asking. I may have to post a new video playing that song on my Pioneer 8-track machine through my lovely 1968 Zenith console stereo.

[NEWbobofhollywood]

Well camouflage81 all I can remember right now is that it's a TV theme song - but I can't remember which one!~ I will try to see if I can answer you more specifically by referring to the tape directly if I still have it. This video was actually made nearly 10 years ago already - WAY before I had a YouTube account.  Now I'm curious too.

Also to answer the question posed by bestamerica - I think it's a 1970 model year machine.

[electronmusicjunkie]

Would be neat if you could show the front of the unit.

[electronmusicjunkie]

Neat unit. I recall Radio Shack had a model that I saw in their store way back in the mid 70s that played 3 cartridges.

[NBH45304]

Love this video. I have watched it numerous times. Favorite song is the Henry Mancini song and Queen - Don't stop me now. Great video would like to see an update.

[lcriner57]

I have one of those machines.where can i get it repaired? I would like to have a cassette version also.

[mathewbailey08]

Telex also made these changers as well as cassette versions. Wurlitzer also made a jukebox similar to the Telex cassette carousel changers,the only difference is that the tape player mechanism is adjacent to the carousel.

Wurlitzer made both coin operated & non-coin versions of their Carousel cassette jukebox.

[ytkwhite]

I can tell you a few things about the Qatron - it was invented by Rowland Kent White (my father) in the late 60's. He just passed away in May 2011. He designed it and built the first prototype in his basement shop in Rockville, MD. Qatron built a few hundred units and marketed it in Parade and Playboy ads around 1969-70. The unit could also be installed in a car, with the carousel in the trunk and the controls in the dash, which he did in his own Olds 98. A labor of love, that I know.

[paulj0557]

I just posted the entire 8-track Al Stewart Time Passages on my Qatron Stereo-48 8-track, 12 tapes player. My player is in A1 physical condition as found for $5 at a busy Saturday morning East Side Columbus Ohio thrift store around 5 years ago. Kids had separated the lid, carosel (sp?), and base. I pieced it together and found myself the bargain of the decade IMO. My Qatron is ser. #499 of 500 manufactured. These work well, w/ speaker hook-ups as well as line-out. I will post player playing soon

[tallboyyyy]

I used to work for a radio station that had an automation system that included 3 audio cartridge carousels. An audio cartridge is almost identical to an 8-track tape. Each carousel held about 20-25 cartridges each one having a 30-60 second commercial on it. When it was time for commercials first one carousel would play, when it was done the next carousel would play and the first one would start turning until it found which ever commercial was supposed to play next. It was cool to watch it run

[force311999]

@The1970sInfatuate 6 tapes I have one and there is one on my favs.