Analog recording is a technique used for the recording of
analog signal
An analog signal or analogue signal (see spelling differences) is any continuous signal representing some other quantity, i.e., ''analogous'' to another quantity. For example, in an analog audio signal, the instantaneous signal voltage vari ...
s which, among many possibilities, allows analog audio for later playback.
Analog audio recording began with mechanical systems such as the
phonautograph and
phonograph. Later, electronic techniques such as
wire
Overhead power cabling. The conductor consists of seven strands of steel (centre, high tensile strength), surrounded by four outer layers of aluminium (high conductivity). Sample diameter 40 mm
A wire is a flexible strand of metal.
Wire is co ...
and
tape recording
An audio tape recorder, also known as a tape deck, tape player or tape machine or simply a tape recorder, is a sound recording and reproduction device that records and plays back sounds usually using magnetic tape for storage. In its present- ...
were developed.
Analog recording methods store
analog signal
An analog signal or analogue signal (see spelling differences) is any continuous signal representing some other quantity, i.e., ''analogous'' to another quantity. For example, in an analog audio signal, the instantaneous signal voltage vari ...
s directly in or on the media. The signal may be stored as a physical texture on a
phonograph record, or a fluctuation in the
field strength of a
magnetic recording. Analog transmission methods use analog signals to distribute audio content. These are in contrast to
digital audio where an analog signal is
sampled and
quantized to produce a
digital signal which is represented, stored and transmitted as
discrete numbers.
See also
*
Comparison of analog and digital recording
*
History of sound recording
*
Timeline of audio formats
References
Film and video technology
Film and video terminology
Mass media technology
Recording
Television terminology
Video storage
{{Sound-tech-stub