HoloTape®: A Low-Cost Prerecorded Television System Using Holographic Storage

W. J. Hannan, R. E. Flory, M. Lurie, R. J. Ryan

The RCA HoloTape system is designed to prerecord monochrome and color TV programs on a special tape for later playback over conventional TV receivers and monitors. For color TV programs, the luminance and chrominance signals are converted to a pair of images that are recorded on photoresist-coated plastic tape in the form of “Fraunhofer” holograms. Ways of increasing hologram redundancy and thus decreasing image noise are examined. The process of replicating Holo-Tapes involves recording holograms in a photoresist layer, electroforming a nickel master and thermomechanically embossing the holographic information onto a thermoplastic film. High-quality stereo sound is recorded in a groove near the tape edge using phonograph-record technology. The HoloTape system is naturally compatible with the NTSC, PAL and SECAM color systems. The player consists of only the tape and simple transport, a low-power helium-neon laser, a sound pickup and a TV camera.

Print ISSN
Published
1973-11
Content type
Original Research
DOI
10.5594/J07659