"Bill Taylor" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 31 Jul 2010 09:18:11 +0100, "David Looser"
wrote:



I hadn't heard that; FWIW the Sony 'PCM-on-Betamax-cassettes' system was
14-bit.

It was 16 bit switchable to 14 bit. (I've still got a PCMF1.)

Yes, but the older PCM100 unit used with mains Betamax VCRs was only 14 bit.
Presumably the 14-bit switchable facility on the PCMF1 was to provide
compatablity with them.

At the time Sony had been developing digital audio systems for some
time and had the capability to make 16 bit converters.

I'm not convinced that anybody at the time had the capability to make
monolithic converters that actually delivered 16-bit performance. Certainly
none of the ones I measured at the time (inc. Burr-Brown which were supposed
to be the best) did so. If you wanted true 16-bit performance you needed to
go to hybrid DACs which were too expensive for consumer use.

David.