14.2 What is DCC? What is its status today?
Description
This article is from the rec.audio.* FAQ, by with numerous contributions by Bob Neidorff others.
14.2 What is DCC? What is its status today?
DCC is Philips' attempt to modernize the regular cassette. DCC
decks can play analog cassettes, and can record new Digital
Compact Cassettes. They use stationary heads (DATs use rotary
heads as do VCR's), and although they are digital, they use
lossy compression to fit all the data on the cassette. Although
DCC sound quality is far better than the 1960 standard cassette,
the DCC does not have the sound quality present in DAT or CD.
DCC may be a good choice for consumers who want to assemble mix
tapes for cars or walkmans, but is not suitable for any
professional applications.
As of October 1996, DCC is quite affordable in price. Some
DCC home recorders are under $200. However, blank DCC tapes
are still hard to find and fairly expensive ($10 each for 90
minute lengths). Also, DCC manufacturers are dropping DCC
from their lines, indicating that it is either on the way
out or never made it in.
Although the ability to play analog cassettes is a strong
advantage of DCC, many people have had trouble with oxide
particles falling off analog cassettes and clogging the gap
of the DCC head. This may be due to the extremely low
quality of some analog cassette tapes and may be due to the
very tiny gap of DCC heads.
Caution: NEVER demagnetize DCC heads. This will permanently
damage the heads.
As of May 1997, Philips has announced plans to discontinue DCC.
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