A half track used the entire width of the tape to play or record; a quarter track used half the width of the tape and so would play or record in both directions. So half track used twice the tape quarter track did. All prerecorded tapes I ever had were quarter track; half track was for pro use or serious amateurs. They are the same as two track and four track, half track means that it used half the tape to record one channel and half the other, so it was called two track. Quarter track used 1/4 of the tape to record one channel of the music, you went to the end and then reversed the tape to get the other two tracks. So quarter track and 4 track are the same.
What is Half track and quarter track?
.
I used to own a 4 track Dokorder reel-to-reel machine back in the '70s & '80s. I had 4 meters that I could engage all at once, or choose which track I wanted to record on. I never did much with this feature because all I used the machine for was to record my LP's. What the heck is a quarter track and half track machine? Do they use the same width of tape that a two track or 4 track machine would use? Are half track and quarter track machines for consumer use or just for pro use? Were pre-recorded tapes two track?
.
I used to own a 4 track Dokorder reel-to-reel machine back in the '70s & '80s. I had 4 meters that I could engage all at once, or choose which track I wanted to record on. I never did much with this feature because all I used the machine for was to record my LP's. What the heck is a quarter track and half track machine? Do they use the same width of tape that a two track or 4 track machine would use? Are half track and quarter track machines for consumer use or just for pro use? Were pre-recorded tapes two track?
.