[LAU] [OT] a record created on a 3d printer

[Joe Hartley]

On Thu, 3 Jan 2013 15:02:54 +0100
Arnold Krille <arnold at arnoldarts.de> wrote:

> On Wed, 02 Jan 2013 09:34:18 +0100 Jörn Nettingsmeier
> <nettings at stackingdwarves.net> wrote:
> > reminds me of a band i heard of in the 80s (forgot the name) who 
> > released a single which, if recorded to some data cassette format,
> > would yield a computer game...
> 
> There where radio-stations sending out programs (as computer-programs)
> to record and then use on your C64. And I believe also some TV-shows
> sending a black-and-white box in a corner which was binary code...

I remember those days.  At one point the PBS TV station in Boston was 
broadcasting a PCM simulcast of their FM station, but you needed a special
decoder to hear it.  I remember at least once recording a radio broadcast
of a program that would run on a Sinclair ZX81.  I got it to work but yikes,
it was tedious.

> A band distributing a game via vinyl was probably one of the slowest
> distribution ways even at that time without the global internets.

Actually, it was pretty damn clever, and when the only other alternative
was to type in a program, we jumped at the chance to try it.  The Tarbell
system that was used to encode data on a cassette tape, and though it was
capable of delivering up to 540 bytes/sec, most data was transferred at 
187 bytes/sec (1500 bits/sec, or 800 bits/inch of tape).  Loading programs
of any decent size took what felt like forever, and there was always the
possibility that the data wouldn't load if the tape was flaky.

> On the other hand: what would happen if one uses vmlinuz and initrd as
> raw-input for lame and then back to 'wave' with mpg123?

Don't even need that step:
$ aplay /boot/vmlinuz-3.6.7-4.fc16.x86_64
Playing raw data '/boot/vmlinuz-3.6.7-4.fc16.x86_64' : Unsigned 8 bit, Rate 8000 Hz, Mono

Pure raw noise :)

-- 
======================================================================
       Joe Hartley - UNIX/network Consultant - jh at brainiac.com
 Without deviation from the norm, "progress" is not possible. - FZappa