Date   : Thu, 28 Jul 2005 14:07:08 +0100
From   : "Colin f" <colin@...>
Subject: Re: MP3 BBC tapes

 
> Concurred. The FM system used by cassette data recording relies on 
> frequencies being present on the incoming signal, and the 
> tolerance of 
> the receiving decoder is not high. The MP3 encoder may 
> analyse the wave 
> and pick two entirely different frequencies that sound the same when 
> played together, but when the receiver looks at the signal, it will 
> contain no releveant frequencies.

Lossy encoding like mp3 doesn't drop anything unless it needs to.
The FSK signal is so simple, there is unlikey to be much need to drop
frequency bands, or lose detail.
I haven't tried mp3 with a Beeb, but MiniDisc works perfectly, and it is
roughly equivalent to 256k mp3.
I have used mp3 at 128k with other tape systems, and they also worked.

Cheers,
Colin f