# Cassette Players and Google tips **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 6, 2003, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassette-players-and-google-tips/159598 "2003-03-06T23:11:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DarbyV](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@DarbyV](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarbyV)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassette-players-and-google-tips/159598/1 "2003-03-06T23:11:07Z")
I’m trying to find out when cassette players first came out and i’m having trouble figuring out exactly how to word this in google. I’m sure someone here will be able to find it in about 8 seconds. Can you also tell me how you found it in google too? Thanks ---
**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassette-players-and-google-tips/159598/2 "2003-03-06T23:31:32Z")
IIRC, Phillips invented the cassette. That might help. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassette-players-and-google-tips/159598/3 "2003-03-06T23:48:08Z")
There’s a timeline [here](http://www.ucalgary.ca/~edtech/688/hist.htm). In google, I used the advanced search feature and my terms were: with all the words: history With the exact phrase: audio cassette player Without the words: library ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassette-players-and-google-tips/159598/4 "2003-03-06T23:49:39Z")
According to [this page](http://www.acmi.net.au/AIC/MAGN_REC_CHRON.html), > [@](#): > > 1962-64 - Phillips company of the Netherlands introduces the Compact Cassette, a portable tape recorder using a small cartridge. I searched [google.com](http://google.com) for “cassette tape history,” and [this page at about.com](http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blsoundrecording.htm) was about the third linked page. After that, it was just fishing through the links. I found the above info at the link titled “Chronology of Magnetic Recording (audio/video).” ---
**Author:** ![lesa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/34f0e0/32.png) [@lesa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lesa)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassette-players-and-google-tips/159598/5 "2003-03-06T23:53:17Z")
Philips introduced the cassette tape in 1962 in the Netherlands. They were introduced to the U.S. in 1963: > **[Famous Inventors](https://www.thoughtco.com/famous-inventors-4133300)** > > Discover the men and women behind some of the most famous inventions and innovations of history. Research almost any famous historical or current inventor with these biographies, A-to-Z lists, photo galleries, and timelines. [http://www.discover.com/jan\_01/breakinvented.html](http://www.discover.com/jan_01/breakinvented.html) I searched Google using this: “cassette tape” invented Then I clicked on several links to make sure they agreed. Now, this is when cassette tapes were made available for sale. They would have been invented before that, presumably a year or two before. It’s possible they were invented even earlier, and it took a long time to develop them to the point where they were ready to be sold. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassette-players-and-google-tips/159598/6 "2003-03-07T00:00:20Z")
Try a google on: phillips “compact cassette” The dates seem to vary between about 1962 and 1966. The differing dates probably reflect different stages of development, ranging from when they created the first one to when they released it to the public as a demonstration, and finally when it was released as a purchasable product. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassette-players-and-google-tips/159598/7 "2003-03-07T00:03:21Z")
[http://www.brunel.ac.uk/research/exploring/lfp/recorddmusic.html](http://www.brunel.ac.uk/research/exploring/lfp/recorddmusic.html) Phillips released the compact cassette in 1963. It didn’t gain popularity until decks incorporating dolby noise reduction appeared in ~72. ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassette-players-and-google-tips/159598/8 "2003-03-07T00:07:28Z")
Found on [this link](http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blsoundrecording.htm): > [@](#): > > The Philips Company of the Netherlands invented and released the first compact audio-cassette in 1962. They used high-quality polyester 1/8-inch tape produced by BASF. Recording and playback was at a speed of 1.7/8 inches per second. The next year in the U.S. sales began of the Norelco Carry-Corder dictation machine that used the new cassette tape. The consumer’s demand for blank tape used for personal music-recording was unanticipated by Philips. ---
**Author:** ![DarbyV](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@DarbyV](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarbyV)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cassette-players-and-google-tips/159598/9 "2003-03-07T00:46:45Z")
Thanks so much! I had a brain block on the word History, makes perfect sense though.