History of Magnetic Tape

Magnetic tape has had an interesting run throughout the history of recording, starting with experimentation in the late 1800s. While it may not have been as powerful or cost effective as the recording processes at the time, it would eventually become one of our most used technologies for recording. After World War II, the magnetic tape began to be used more commercially and produced more efficiently. It was used to record and master audio better than phonographs at the time, and was found to be able to create stereo recordings through multiple channel recording. This eventually led to the development of 8-tracks and cassettes. However, magnetic tape was not limited to sound. The development of VHS tapes and early computer systems used the power that magnetic recording had in store. While it seems that as we progress into the digital era and develop more efficient ways of storing more and more data that the use of magnetic recording is phasing out, it is important to look back at what helped us get to the point we are now. Even in this digital age, I know people who still hold their VHS collections dear, and for good reason: preserving the history of our technological evolution.