DC-International

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System logo DC-International

The DC-International system is a tape cassette developed by Grundig that was introduced in 1965. DC is the abbreviation for double cassette because it is a two reel cassette. International is intended to indicate that from the beginning several companies on an international basis were represented on the market with suitable cassette tape recorders, recorded music cassettes and blank empty cassettes. Since DC-International could not assert itself against the similar compact cassette , it was discontinued in 1967.

history

Starting in 1961, Philips developed a tape recorder factory in Vienna with the participation of Grundig on a single-hole cassette suitable for hi-fi . At the same time, a Belgian Philips team developed a two-hole cassette under the name Pocket Recorder (the later compact cassette ). The management of Philips finally gave preference to this development, but informed cooperation partner Grundig about the decision late. In return, Grundig received the offer to participate in the pocket recorder, but was not very happy about it and had the competing system DC-International developed without further ado. The basis for this was the construction drawings of the compact cassette that Grundig had taken with him after negotiations with Philips.

idea

DC International cassette

The DC-International system was presented at the 1965 radio exhibition in Stuttgart . At that time, Grundig was the largest manufacturer of tape recorders in the world and therefore wanted to be represented in the newly created tape cassette market.

construction

Construction of a DC-International cassette

The DC-International cassette is a two-reel tape cassette that can be reversed. The dimensions of a tape cassette according to the DC-International system are 120 mm × 77 mm × 12 mm, the weight is 65 grams. The housing is made of polystyrene ; there is a viewing window with a scale on both sides of the cassette for monitoring the tape position. The cassette has openings for the tape head , the erase head as well as for the capstan and the pressure roller . A built-in felt pressure ensures the tape-tape head contact. A record lock to prevent unintentional overwriting (erasing) of a cassette is provided in the form of two recesses in the cassette. If an opening is closed, the recording is blocked for the corresponding side. The cassette can be put into a protective cover to protect it when not in use.

The tape is inserted so that the magnetic layer faces outwards. There are two audio tracks running in opposite directions on the tape ; the audio is recorded and played back in analogue in mono . The tape is 3.81 mm wide, the track width is 1.75 mm per sound track. The space (lawn) between the tracks is 0.26 mm wide. The belt speed is 5.08 cm / s (= 2  inches / s). Recording and playback in stereo would be possible with stereo devices, but there are no such devices.

For a DC-90 cassette with a running time of 90 minutes (45 minutes per side), the tape length is 137 m with triple play tape (PES 18, thickness 0.018 mm). For a DC-120 cassette with a running time of 120 minutes (60 minutes per side), the tape length is 185 m with quadruple play tape (PES 12, thickness 0.012 mm). The tape material is made of polyester .

Cassettes

DC-International blank cassettes and sleeves

At DC-International, music reproduction was the focus from the start. Therefore, 25 pre-recorded music cassettes of the brands Telefunken , Decca and RCA Victor were available from the beginning . The repertoire of these cassettes ranges from Westerns to the Rolling Stones , the playing time is about 30 minutes per side, i.e. about 60 minutes total playing time (≈ long-playing record ). The selling price of a recorded cassette was 24 DM .

Blank empty cassettes from Grundig, Telefunken, BASF and Agfa were available for own recordings . These empty cassettes are available as DC 90 with a running time of 90 minutes and as DC 120 with a running time of 120 minutes. An empty DC-90 cassette cost 12 DM, a DC-120 empty cassette 15 DM.

Cassettes based on the DC-International system were still available in stores a few years after the production of devices was discontinued. Recorded music cassettes were later sold by the company Autoplay-Musikkassetten GmbH from Fürth / Bavaria. Blank cassettes were also produced for several years, a DC-90 cassette later cost 11 DM, a DC-120 cassette 14 DM.

equipment

Grundig C 100

There are portable cassette tape recorders and devices for installation in motor vehicles , all of which are fully transistorized . The Grundig C 100, the first cassette tape recorder from Grundig, and a similar model from Telefunken, the Magnetophon 401, are portable devices. Both devices are battery-operated ; a power supply unit was available at an additional cost . This power supply is pushed into the battery compartment and disappears completely into the device. The sales price of both devices was 298 DM.

The Grundig C 100 was later replaced by the two slightly revised models Grundig C 100 L and the parallel model Grundig C 110. The Grundig C 110 can only be used in mains operation .

Installation devices for motor vehicles is available as Grundig AC 50 for connection to an existing car radio and as Grundig AC 60 with built-in 5- watt - amplifier and volume and tone controls for operating without a car radio. A radio receiver is not built into this device. From Blaupunkt there are the models car tape recorder I and Auto Tape Recorder II. These units are identical to the Grundig models and were produced at Grundig. All built-in car devices are pure playback devices, recordings are not possible with them.

attitude

Comparison of Compact Cassette and DC-International

After just two years, the DC-International system was discontinued in favor of the compact cassette. Telefunken announced the discontinuation at the Hanover Fair in 1967, Grundig a little later for the 25th Berlin Radio Exhibition in 1967. The Grundig C 200 presented there is a cassette tape recorder for compact cassettes.

List of recorded tapes

The starter program for the Telefunken, Decca and RCA Victor brands

  • TTP 90000 Colorful afternoon concert
  • TTP 90001 Have a good ride with momentum and rhythm
  • TTP 90002 In the realm of the operetta
  • TTP 90003 Great March Parade
  • TTP 90005 Musical tour
  • DTP 90006 Singing, laughing, dancing
  • TTP 90007 melody and rhythm
  • TTP 90009 Three master operettas
  • TTP 90010 Cocktails For Two
  • TTP 90011 Do you remember?
  • DTP 90012 In the little bar
  • DTP 90013 The Fantastic Rolling Stones
  • DTP 90014 Through the German homeland
  • DTP 90015 music for you
  • DTP 90016 Big Stars - Big Success
  • DTP 90017 dancing and singing with Catrin, Silvio and Vico
  • DTP 90018 The great musical show
  • DTP 90020 The magical world of melodies
  • DTP 90021 Here we go
  • RTP 90022 Western Saloon
  • RTP 90023 teenage melody
  • RTP 90024 America's Favorite Bands
  • TTP 90025 Mixed colors
  • DTP 90026 They hit
  • TTP 90027 Time this - time that

Web links

Commons : DC International  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Philips Cassette Has Germany in Its Fold . In: Nielsen Business Media Inc (Ed.): Billboard . tape 79 , no. 37 . Nielsen Business Media, Inc. , September 16, 1967, p. 72 ( google.de [accessed on March 20, 2019]).
  2. ↑ Grundig Technical Information, September 1965 edition
  3. ↑ magazine "tape", issue 5/1967
  4. ↑ Grundig Technical Information, September 1965 edition
  5. ↑ Tape machine forum [1]  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / forum2.magnetofon.de  
  6. ↑ Grundig Technical Information, September 1965 edition
  7. ↑ Grundig Technical Information, September 1965 edition
  8. ↑ magazine "tape", issue 3/1965
  9. ↑ magazine "tape", issue 2/1967
  10. ↑ Grundig Technical Information, September 1965 edition
  11. ↑ magazine "tape", issue 3/1965
  12. ↑ Tape machine forum [2]  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / forum2.magnetofon.de  
  13. ↑ Grundig Technical Information, September 1965 edition
  14. ↑ Tape machine forum [3]  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / forum2.magnetofon.de  
  15. ↑ magazine "tape", issue 3/1965
  16. ↑ magazine "tape", issue 3/1969
  17. ↑ Grundig History Years 1965–1974 http://www.grundig.de/unternehmen/grundig-history/jahre-1965-1974.html
  18. ↑ Tape machine forum [4]  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / forum2.magnetofon.de  
  19. ↑ Grundig Technical Information, September 1965 edition
  20. ↑ magazine "tape", issue 2/1967
  21. ↑ Tape machine forum [5]  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / forum2.magnetofon.de  
  22. ↑ Grundig Technical Information, September 1965 edition
  23. ↑ Grundig History Years 1965–1974 http://www.grundig.de/unternehmen/grundig-history/jahre-1965-1974.html
  24. ↑ magazine "tape", issue 5/1967
  25. ↑ Grundig Technical Information, September 1965 edition