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For voice mail, long before voicemail -[ HMM ]-
A three-inch (76.2mm) reel of ¼" (6.35mm) recording tape. This reel size was used in inexpensive battery-powered reel-to-reel recorders popular in the 1960s for voice applications, before cassette and, later, microcassette tape recorders became popular, all soon to be rendered obsolete by digital recording devices. (Some of you may recall the iconic opening scenes in the original US television series Mission: Impossible, usually featuring a small reel-to-reel recorder playing “self-destructing” tapes of similar reel size.)
This particular reel was packaged in a box with spaces on one side for both return and recipient addresses and postage, for sending voice letters through the mail.
Considering that cheaper recorders did not use a capstan and pinch roller to maintain constant speed, the playback would vary in speed throughout the duration of the recording. In addition to the speed issue, the smaller reel was unsuitable for playback on most tape recorders and decks using 7" (17.8cm) and larger reels due to the possibility of damaging the tape due to excessive tension.
For voice mail, long before voicemail -[ HMM ]-
A three-inch (76.2mm) reel of ¼" (6.35mm) recording tape. This reel size was used in inexpensive battery-powered reel-to-reel recorders popular in the 1960s for voice applications, before cassette and, later, microcassette tape recorders became popular, all soon to be rendered obsolete by digital recording devices. (Some of you may recall the iconic opening scenes in the original US television series Mission: Impossible, usually featuring a small reel-to-reel recorder playing “self-destructing” tapes of similar reel size.)
This particular reel was packaged in a box with spaces on one side for both return and recipient addresses and postage, for sending voice letters through the mail.
Considering that cheaper recorders did not use a capstan and pinch roller to maintain constant speed, the playback would vary in speed throughout the duration of the recording. In addition to the speed issue, the smaller reel was unsuitable for playback on most tape recorders and decks using 7" (17.8cm) and larger reels due to the possibility of damaging the tape due to excessive tension.