February 20, 2026
FLAC for Cassette Archives: Why Lossless Masters Matter
A practical explanation of why FLAC is the right archival format for cassette transfer, and how bitrate, sample rate, and listening copies fit together.
Analog Archive Journal
One year of VHS and cassette preservation posts.
Technical notes, format history, and practical archive guidance from March 2025 through February 2026.
January 24, 2026
VHS Time Base Correction Explained in Plain Language
What frame TBC and full-frame TBC devices actually do, and why stable timing is critical for high-quality VHS capture.
December 19, 2025
Cassette Azimuth: Why Tiny Alignment Errors Sound Huge
A short technical guide to azimuth alignment and why careful playback setup can make or break cassette transfer quality.
November 21, 2025
Type I to Type IV: A Brief History of Cassette Tape Formulations
From ferric to metal tape, how cassette formulations evolved and what those differences mean when digitizing old recordings.
October 24, 2025
Why Native VHS Masters Should Come Before 4K Upscaling
Upscaling can be useful, but native-resolution high-bitrate masters remain the most important deliverable for preservation.
September 19, 2025
VHS in Context: The Consumer Format Wars and What Survived
A concise history of VHS adoption, recording modes, and why so many family archives still depend on this format.
August 22, 2025
The Nakamichi Dragon Legacy in Modern Archival Transfer
Why the Nakamichi Dragon still matters for serious cassette capture workflows decades after its original release.
July 18, 2025
FLAC Sample Rate and Bit Depth: A Family Archive Guide
A non-jargon explanation of sample rate and bit depth choices for household tape digitization projects.
June 20, 2025
How to Prepare Cassettes and VHS Tapes Before Transfer
Simple pre-intake steps that reduce risk and improve transfer efficiency for home archives.
May 23, 2025
Mixtape Culture and Local Music Archives: Why These Cassettes Matter
A look at cassette mixtape culture and why informal recordings are often historically meaningful local artifacts.
April 18, 2025
AI Upscaling for VHS: Realistic Expectations and Smart Use
How AI upscaling can improve viewing comfort while still respecting the limits of source VHS material.
March 21, 2025
Metadata and File Naming for Tape Archives That Age Well
A practical system for naming and organizing transferred cassette and VHS files so they stay usable over time.