Sony PCM-1
Not much is documented about the Sony PCM-1, but a few facts survive from contemporary reviews. Audio (March 1980, p.64) listed its sampling frequency at 44.056 kHz and its quantization as a “3 polygonal line” system operating at 13 bits. The manufacturer claimed that was equivalent to 14 bits. Dynamic range was rated at better than 85 dB in record/playback. The unit required 120 V, 60 Hz power. Modern Recording (February 1980, p.70) described using the PCM-1 with a VCR to make digital recordings with roughly 85 dB of dynamic range. It noted that any video recorder that could handle the 3.58 MHz color burst signal could serve as the transport.
Past those specifications and the basic concept - a black box that converted analog audio into a video signal for tape storage - almost nothing else is documented. No production years, original price or detailed circuit description have turned up in the available record.
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