General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

5

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

.1 SYNTHETIC CASING; SYNTHETIC & METAL COMPONENTS. PAPER LINER INSIDE BATTERY COMPARTMENT..2 METAL & SYNTHETIC MICROPHONE..3-.4 SYNTHETIC REELS & TAPE..5 SYNTHETIC COVER.

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

23.0 cm

Width

20.0 cm

Height

7.0 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Communications

Category

Sound

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

MIDLAND

Country

Japan

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

Period

THIS TYPE OF TAPE RECORDER PROBABLY USED IN 1960S. (REF. 1)

Canada

EXAMPLE OF AN INEXPENSIVE TAPE RECORDER THAT WOULD LIKELY HAVE BEEN THE FIRST AVAILABLE TO MANY CANADIANS UNABLE TO AFFORD MORE EFFECTIVE MACHINES, WHICH AT THIS TIME WERE STILL VERY EXPENSIVE. (REF. 1)

Function

TO RECORD & PLAY BACK AUDIO SIGNALS ON MAGNETIC TAPE.

Technical

EXAMPLE OF A VERY SIMPLE PORTABLE TAPE RECORDER, FEATURING A PERMANENT ERASE HEAD, COMBINED RECORD/PLAYBACK HEAD AND SINGLE-MOTOR RIM DRIVE. DUE TONUMEROUS TECHNICAL COMPROMISES AIMED AT EXTREME ECONOMY OF MANUFACTURE, THIS MACHINE WOULD HAVE PRODUCED POOR SOUND QUALITY. (REF. 1)

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

.1 "[logo]/ MIDLAND" printed in black in lower left front corner. All controls, connections, etc. labelled. "[logo]/ TRANSISTOR/ TAPE RECORDER" printed on blue decal applied to cover over read/write head. "NN" & "USE "C" SIZE/ + FLASHLIGHT CELL/ MIDLAND 20-814" printed on battery compartment liner..2 "JAPAN" cast in raised print on jack end..3 "1", "76" & "MADE IN JAPAN" cast in raised print on one side of reel; opposite side is identical save cast "2"..4 "1" & "76" cast in raised print on one side of reel; opposite side is identical save cast "2" & "MADE IN JAPAN"..5 "SOLID STATE" printed on plate recessed in lower left corner of top. "2.00" handwritten in blue ink on inside of lid.

Missing

GRILLE ON CRYSTAL MICROPHONE MISSING. MAY ORIGINALLY HAVE BEEN SUPPLIED WITH EARPHONE.

Finish

.1 GREEN-GREY CASING EXTERIOR & CARRYING STRAP. SILVER METAL CONTRAST PANEL HOUSES CONTROLS. TOP INTERIOR PANEL IS DARK GREY..2 CREAM-COLOUR MICROPHONE CASING, CORD & PLUG..3-.4 CLEAR SYNTHETIC REELS; DARK BROWN TAPE..5 SILVER-GREEN CASING TOP.

Decoration

N/A