Tape record time

nate_dennis

nate_dennis

Well-known member
Does anyone know how long a "30 minute" tape can actually record on a TASCAM 488? I know it runs 3.75IPS . . . but I don't know how that translates to actual record time. I want to try some kind of extended Sigur Ros type Post Rock and don't want to run out of tape . . . but that may not even be worth worying about. Thanks in advance.
 
This is just a guess, but I'd estimate approximately 7.5 minutes. I haven't used cassettes for years, but I seem to recall a 90 minute tape is 45 minutes each side. Therefore, a 30 minute tape will be 15 per side.
Unless I'm much mistaken the 488 records on both sides simultaneously at double speed, so you'll get something like 7.5 minutes - probably less in practice if you're leaving a decent header at the start and end.
 
WOW!!! ok, that's kind of a bummer!!! But cool. Now I know, and (as GI Joe used to say) Knowing is Half the Battle.
 
Well, does it have to be a C30? A C60 would double it - heck, 15 minutes is enough for 'Karn Evil 9' if you use a new tape for each impression...
 
Tascam spec'ed 60 minute tapes for their cassette multi-trackers...I think the tape thickness is the same between 30 and 60 minute tapes. Most people use 60's and that gives you 15 mins as jpmorris said. No advantage to using 30's that I know of.

Some use 90's too and that's okay, but 60's are recommended. Definitely don't use anything longer than 90.
 
No i just quoted cause I remember that that type worked well. I was mainly looking for the correlation between "tape length" and actual record time.
 
Yeah okay...at 3.75ips the record time is always 1/4 of the tape length (one side makes it 1/2 and double-speed makes it half again; 1/4).

Obviuosly this only goes for multitrackers that use the whole tape width in one direction and have double speed capability.
 
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