A quick extra about a weird cassette
This video was just intended to be a quick extra, something to show in-between more complicated projects. Unfortunately though just as I finished it I was knocked for six by illness which has temporarily put a stop to video production.
What started as a common cold turned into infections of the throat, ears and eyes. Most debilitating is deafness in both ears (the ear canals are packed full of gunk). I’m on antibiotics now, so all of these things should pass in time - but at the moment I’m out of action.
I'm not here to look for sympathy, I just wanted to explain why the video output for August will be a bit thinner than anticipated. I had planned to shoot a patreon extra video too, but that's looking like one for September now.
Back to this short video though it's been a while since I uploaded a sub ten minute video, so I thought I should also explain about the absence of the outro credits scroll. When I make a short video I don't add the credits on the end. Since most of the videos I make are over ten minutes it's something that rarely crops up. However I do have a few topics that I'd like to cover in the future that can probably be wrapped up in about five minutes. I hope the idea of these short credit-free videos doesn't upset anyone whose name is in the credits, but a six minute video with two and a half minutes of credits seems unbalanced.
Comments (75)
What an odd format. And an instantly intriguing one! Love seeing how this video has taken off like it has.
I really needed a hit too. Things were getting pretty bleak. I’m still not sure what kicked off the interest, but once it got over that hill to being recommended it just snowballed.
Really enjoyed this. Something about the really bizarre proprietary technologies that gets me. Hope you're on the mend, Mat. :)
Thanks, it’s been oddly popular for a bit of a throwaway type video and I think I’m finally starting to turn the corner.
It's a scary and uncertain world at the moment, and people like "feelgood tales" in the face of corporate cynicism. Not sure you could turn this into a formula, though.
The weird thing though is that none of that was made clear in the title. I’ll be interested to see how my next video does in comparison. Hopefully I can start working on it soon.
Heading towards 500k views for this video. I guess heartwarming stories about tapes are the way to go!
Yes it’s bizarre - I’m not quite sure what’s still driving the views, but it’s welcome.
Ceci n'est pas une cassette.
Excellent video, I never knew Sears had their own cartridge format... what an evil attempt to trap people into your own proprietary format! It was awesome that you were able to transfer the audio for the family, I'm sure it was very much appreciated. Get well soon!!
No need to worry, we understand that you're sick and will be waiting for you when you feel better again. Also, I'm actually happier that you exclude the credits on these shorter videos, they fit better with videos that are more than 10 minutes long. For these shorter ones, it would just seem like filler. Fascinating video as well! Even though it's a "quick extra", I learned some interesting facts, thank you for that! :)
Totally OK with the lack of credits and I hope you get well soon.
The depths Sears once went to in order to maintain their stranglehold on customers never ceases to amuse, haha. Especially when it comes to consumer electronics -- everything from home audio, to video games, to computer sales. Get well soon!
Take as long as you need. Always look forward to seeing your vids, but your health is more important and we will all still be here waiting when you are back on form.
Please take all the time you need to get better!
I have no problem with such short videos, there's definitely place for these :) Get well soon!
What a splendid documentary of the evil of man. Very interesting! Glad you were able to help the guy. :-)
Get well soon, Mat! 🤒
Great little video, Mat. I hope the owner was suitably grateful and appreciated the expertise needed to recover the audio files! Hope you get fully well very soon. My sister swears by inhaling saline solution daily to keep her sinuses free from infection - it's sort of self-water boarding......
Very enjoyable video with a great story behind it. Hope you're feeling better soon, Mat.
This made me smile. I have a grandpa that just died a few months ago and I'm glad that I was able to find music that he really liked way back when so he could listen again (and see the guy play) before he died. Love that you could help Mike & his family relive some (hopefully) happy memories. Sinus infections are no fun at all. Hope you get well soon and the rest does you good.
Quality rather than quantity. And this was one of the best. Even if it was one of the shortest. Most mysterious. Most fascinating. And a really nice backstory to boot. Oh... and get well, too...
This was a really nice side story.
This is reminding me of that, what was it called, Tri-recorder, Triplecorder? Didn't the tapes run in the opposite direction on that? Though I guess it was still bog standard reels, available everywhere. And get well soon! I've been on antibiotics for much of the year for a wisdom tooth problem. Had the thing out last month... then got an infection where it had been! I can't win!
Indeed, an interesting video. I wonder who manufactured the cartridges and the recorders or did Sears build them themselves? Anyway, get well soon.
Great video. Hope you feel better soon.
Best wishes, and thank you for another remarkable "obsolete media" story!
Fine with me :) Get well soon! And great video, as always
Hope you feel better soon! I've had a couple ear infections in my time, I'm really glad antibiotics exist. Take as long a break as you need!
Get better soon Matt. You might want to think about one of those suggestion pop up things at your video. It can just point to a Patreon outro credits for those who want to see it. Best wishes.
That’s not a bad idea.
get well!
Get well soon Mat! Being deaf by a cold is terrible!
So nice of you to help those folks out. That’s a weird looking tape for sure. Thanks for the video 🙂
Nothing wrong with a shorter video every once in a while. Best of luck with you health!
Feel better!
get well soon!
Great Video Matt. :)
Hope you feel better soon Mat. I quite like these little five minute videos and would happily watch more of them, with or without credits.
I'm OK with that ending. A suggestion would be that you could add a "Thanks to the Patreon Subscribers" some where as a crawler or static card. You don't really need it, but this is just a suggestion to keep the trolls away. Oh and G-W-S!
Get well soon!
Oh no! I hope you get feeling better right quick. ♥️♥️♥️♥️
Yeah that was a great story. Humanity and technology vs humanity and technology - a spouse who is ill and a strange tape vs how the hell do we get us more money and oh hey a custom tape format
Very interesting video, and very nice of you to help!
You are a nice man, you are! Now I wish you all my best and a really good recovery, you are worth it!!
I'd just chime in that I don't mind if you omitted the credits outro on very short videos, given that the outro is almost 2 minutes and a short video of 4 to 6 minutes might seem lopsided. By way of contrast, after a 20 minute detailed tour of vintage tech complete with foreign language manuals, replacement belts, exotic cleaning compounds and an assortment of specialised screwdrivers, I like to chill to the music and visuals of the outro.
Glad to hear it. I know I can’t please everyone, but I’ll do my best.
Imagine the engineering time they invested to make the format *just* a little incompatible. Imagine if they'd just invested that time in making a really good Compact Cassette machine. Still, took them another ~50 years to go out of business.
Sorry you're unwell. I would say "get better soon", but that implies you must be sick for a bit longer. Get better NOW!!!!
I would have loved to see your face when you tried to put this alien in your cassette recorder, and it didn't fit. LOL Maybe a side effect of the antibiotics? ;-) Get well soon!
Don't worry about videos. Focus on your health & feel better soon!
Nicely done story Mat, hope you get well soon.
Nice video, that really is an attempt to tie people into the Sears system "We'll make it a bit bigger and, tell you what, BACKWARDS!" Get well soon, we diabetics are just a paradise for bugs to breed in, they love our sweet blood.
Yes, the Mrs brought home this cold last week. She shook it off in a couple of days - I end up deaf and on antibiotics. If I ever get the flu I’d best make sure my affairs are in order.
Nice one Matt.
Very nice!
I think I dimly remember this. One of my buddies back in the day had a cassette machine (though we called them all 'tapes') that wouldn't work with the cassettes the rest of us had, and his cassettes wouldn't work in ours. Though we never put a fraction of the effort into figuring the problem out that you did.
Very nice! Great, that you are the person who is recommended when recovering "data" from old media is required. *thumbsup*
Get well soon Mat :)
UPDATE: It seems I might have spread my infection to Patreon. As soon as I posted they went offline. This is an X-mutation power I really don’t need. I’m going to call myself “The Virus”.
So basically you went viral!
Great video, Mat! I really love these videos. The fact that it is new to you as well makes it even more interesting to watch. It also has that nice level of 'detective' work going on :)
Don't worry Matt, take care! :-)
Thumbs for helping that old man. :D
Get well soon!
A mystery worthy of Scooby Doo! But, welcome to America, birthplace of the lock-in. But where are they now? https://www.connect.media/sears-day-of-reckoning-draws-near/ however, they do sell this which might help with your ears: https://www.sears.com/goo-gone-project-prep-spray-gel-24/p-SPM8900089924?plpSellerId=lifeandhomecom%20%20Life%20and%20Home&prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1
In a way I feel like Sears’ cynical ploy is more honest. Just a straight up grift, rather than, for one example, Sony claiming that Memory Sticks were technologically superior enough to justify massive premiums over standards like CF and SD. Hope you feel better soon!
I hope you feel better soon, Mat! No need to stress about slower video-output (you knock it out of the park anyway). I found this video really engaging, as at first I was worried you wouldn't be able to get the audio off the tape at all, and how the mystery kept deepening. Satisfied you manage to rip the audio and send it to the guy. Also, to parrot the others, the credits situation is fine.
Get better
Pray for quick recovery. It is time to rest and reflect.
Speedy recovery, Mat! Take care of yourself, sir.
Fascinating!
When I Patreoned (Patreonised?) you recently I didn't expect to get my name in the credits anyway, what with that tier being sold out, so it's no biggie for me to miss out a few moments of glory. Get well soon. EDIT: I've watched the video now - it's a goodie, and well done for going to the trouble of retrieving the audio for that chap.
Get well soon. I've had ear infections in the past and found that hearing returns to normal very gradually so be a patient patient and allow yourself the rest you need.
I'm cool with your dealing of the credits situation.