The Fonda Cellophane Recorder

Gallery opened 7 Apr 2022 Updated: 27 May 2022 Last of Page 8 of manual added

Audio on cellophane

The Fonda Cellophane Recorder used a cutter that put 60 grooves per inch into a cellophane tape, each groove representing 8 minutes of recording. It was claimed to record for as long as 8 hours without any attention, so track-switching must have been automatic. The recordings were permanent and could be played back many times. A 350-foot length of cellophane tape was possibly held in a circular cassette; it was claimed no tape threading was required, but the instruction manual suggests otherwise. The frequency response was claimed as +/- 2 dB, 50 - 8000 Hz.

Cellophane is normally used as a very thin film for wrapping. The tape used here must have been reasonably thick if a groove could be cut into it.

Left: Instruction manual for the Fonda recorder: 1939 The machine was introduced in 1939 by Jay Fonda. This picture suggests that the cellophane tape was in an endless loop, just like an eight-track cartridge. It looks as though the tape is being drawn off the inside of the loop at the 7 o'clock position on the circle, then runs past the record/replay system in a hairpin loop at the centre. The tape then goes above the circle at the 4 o'clock position, and is would back onto the outside of the loop at at the 1 o'clock position. Four narrow rollers can be seen radiating outwards; these kept the loop of tape in place. Note the large number of pulleys to support the tape. There is more info on Jay Fonda here. It is claimed that Mr Fonda drank away the capital of the company he formed to produce the machine. Source: Fonda manual page 1.

Left: Instruction manual for the Fonda recorder: 1939 Mostly blurb but it does give some info on the recording process. Source: Fonda manual page 2.

Left: Instruction manual for the Fonda recorder: 1939 This presumably shows the cellophane tape removed from the circular cassette. A report on the technology published in Electronics for March 1944 can be seen here. Source: Fonda manual page 4.

Left: Fonda recorders: 1945 This page claims that the tape used is nonflammable, which is highly questionable. Cellophane is normally regarded as 'Combustible but not readily ignited'. Source: Fonda manual page 5

Left: Technical spec for Fonda recorders: 1945 This page from the Fonda manual states clearly that there was only one groove on the tape. The '8 minutes' above may refer to the time taken for the start of the recording to come around again, though by then the recording head will have moved across by 1/60 of an inch. Source: Fonda manual page 6

Left: Instruction manual for the Fonda recorder: 1939 All the mechanical motions were driven by one electric motor. Note the cost of $600- serious money at the time. And $4 for a tape cassette was not negligible. There is a Time article about the recorder here. Source: Fonda manual page 7.

Left: Instruction manual for the Fonda recorder: 1939 Film lacing instructions. The manual claims it is 'simpler than threading a movie projector' on Page 2 above, but it sounds a bit complicated to me. This is less than half of the instructions. The words 'come up.' are missing from the last line. Source: Fonda manual page 8.

Left: Instruction manual for the Fonda recorder: 1939 Recording instructions. Source: Fonda manual page 8.

Left: Instruction manual for the Fonda recorder: 1939 Playback instructions. Source: Fonda manual page 8.

Left: Instruction manual for the Fonda recorder: 1939 Maintenance instructions. Source: Fonda manual page 8.

Left: Advert for Fonda recorders: 1945 This ad refers to two models- the AV-2 was a professional version which it is said can give 8 hours of operation with supervision this time. The HR-2 was a home version that could record two hours continuously. It is not known which model is illustrated here- it's a poor advert. Whichever it is, it seems to have a somewhat different tape route from the earlier version, though the tape is still being drawn off the inside of the loop and returned to its outside. Note that the AV-2 is said to use cellophane tape while the HR-2 uses "acetate" tape. The significance of this is currently unknown. Just above the image is a label calling it a sound-on-wire recorder, to add to the confusion. This is presumably just a mistake as a tape is clearly shown in the image. Source unknown

The Fonda system is mentioned in the Museum Of Magnetic Sound Recording; you need to scroll to about halfway down the page.

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