EMIDICTA PORTABLE DICTATION MACHINE, 1950's

Recorded Magnetically on a flat disk of magnetic material and was used as a dictation machine. The machine uses the same method as a disc-cutting lathe; the head is guided by a stylus running on the black disc in the centre of the turntable. The recording head runs over a flat magnetic disc for recording, this is made of the same material as ordinary recording tape. Date of manufacture could be as early as 1948. In spite of cheap tape recorders being available after the second World War, (Magnetic tape was invented by Germany during this period) EMI made these expensive machines to compete with Edison’s wax cylinder Dicta-phones which were popular world wide.

Donated by Laura Dilloway

A1679