Re: Braille copyright violations

On Wed, 6 Nov 1996, "Charles E. Keller" <keller[_at_]Ra.MsState.Edu> wrote:
>
> On Thu, 31 Oct 1996, Sue Medina wrote:
> >
> [snip]
> > all their works. Most give permission if you ask. Newly-contacted
> > publishers have more concern about taping books, but the LC technology
> > uses a very, very slow speed that is not the same as that on retail
> > taper players. The tapes have to be played on the special equipment
> > provided for the blind and physically handicapped.
> [snip]
>
> The speed slowdown applied to their phonodisks(16 RPM). As I
> *recall* the cassette tapes were normal speed but the 4 tracks were
> "reversed" from the normal stereo tracks as defined by Phillips
> patent. Thus only LOC issued players would play these tapes.
>
> I always wondered how the LOC was able to get around a patent that
> Phillips fanatically enforced with everyone else? anyone know?
>
> charles keller <keller[_at_]ra.msstate.edu>

The cassette tapes also are slowed down.

Re the patent: Does the patent rest in the physical design of the cassette (ie. the shell, size of tape, position of roller) and not to the signal layout on the tape? LOC has not changed the physical design only the signal layout. Sync tape-slide cassettes also use a different signal layout. Don't know the answer just raising the question.

George Abbott
<glabbott[_at_]hawk.syr.edu> Received on Mon Nov 11 1996 - 14:43:41 GMT