Development of contactless playback of analog records to digital sound files
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | Kungliga biblioteket - Avdelningen för audiovisuella medier |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 3 370 000 |
| Project duration | January 2014 - November 2015 |
| Status | Completed |
Purpose and goal
The technical possibilities show in a new way the potential of transfer gramophone records. Our purpose of the innovation project was to evaluate new technology solutions with contactless transferring and analyze the results achieved. Three milestones for the project. 1) Examine whether it is possible to transfer a disk side faster than normal playback. 2) Achieve a sound quality that is equivalent to playing with turntables. 3) Develop proposals for an automated robotic digitization of gramophone records. Continued advances are needed to achieve the desired ultimate goal.
Results and expected effects
The three companies have developed their prototypes and created audio files from different types of gramophone records. The results we requested have not been achieved in all areas. The sound quality presented needs further development to create good listening files. Methods of rapid contactless image scanning of the disc and its grooves have been presented and needs to be evaluated in full scale in order to verify its effective implementation. A continued development and design of an automated digitization robot is a natural next step as optical playback being fully developed.
Approach and implementation
This has been a very interesting technical innovation project and the planning process has followed the models recommended by VINNOVA. All parts of the project have worked very smoothly throughout the procurement and all involved companies and participants have created a good working atmosphere. The companies that developed their innovative solutions are those that have the skills to continuing and finalize the results that remain. The results achieved in the project have great potential to be developed further in any future development projects.