ELP Laser Turntable (info video & review)

[barfle]

Surley in 2023/24 it should be possible to create a detailed 3D scan of any vinyl disk, dump the (500 metres or so of) groove data into a memory chip and perform to clever jiggery-pokery to reveal the music. The disk wouldn't even need to spin

I believe the Smithsonian was trying to do something like that about 15 or 20 years ago. No idea how successful it was.

 

[SeeMoreDigital]

I believe the Smithsonian was trying to do something like that about 15 or 20 years ago. No idea how successful it was.

Technically such an undertaking would have been a lot more difficult to achieve 15-20 years ago. 3D scanning alone has improved hugely in recent years!

 

[atrocity]

Surley in 2023/24 it should be possible to create a detailed 3D scan of any vinyl disk, dump the (500 metres or so of) groove data into a memory chip and perform to clever jiggery-pokery to reveal the music. The disk wouldn't even need to spin

I've been fantasizing about this forever. No more tedious real-time capturing, no speed wandering, no issues with off-center pressings, no hum!

 

[humprof]

I believe the Smithsonian was trying to do something like that about 15 or 20 years ago. No idea how successful it was.

That was Project IRENE, developed in conjunction with UC Berkeley. A few years ago, there were 3 or 4 places in the country with one of the machines, and they were mainly used to retrieve audio from broken shellac & acetate cylinders and discs. Not sure how or whether the technology has evolved.
https://irene.lbl.gov/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRENE_(technology)

 

[barfle]

Technically such an undertaking would have been a lot more difficult to achieve 15-20 years ago. 3D scanning alone has improved hugely in recent years!

I’m fairly certain about the time frame, because I lived near DC, and applied for the job. Not to say you’re wrong about the improved tech, but they didn’t call me back.

 

[jimfisheye]

I suppose as the tech is finally coming to the maturity needed the need is slipping into the past? It would be a specialty case for rare vinyl where masters have been lost. That immediately feels silly to write out because there is probably quite a lot of that!

Either way, with the ability to master from the original recordings on one hand and some of the audience being none the wiser with even low bit rate streaming or mp3 on the other I see the problem!

How close are we to a phone camera image of an album working? (I mean full res fidelity by "working".) What resolution and lighting is needed? We anywhere close to consumer available?

I'm thinking of the imaging approach with all this. Not the laser tracking and pickup.