Playback Equipment Research Articles

Be Kind Rewind

Magnetic media, once democratizing documentary tools for marginalized communities, now face degralescence due to the physical degradation of magnetic tape and the obsolescence of playback equipment. However, these are not the only concerns when it comes to these media; while digitizing and providing online access have increasingly become requirements for major funding bodies and strategies adopted by archives, the contemporary neoliberal orientation toward open, online access poses additional risks for vulnerable communities. The impending magnetic media crisis presents a critical opportunity to contend with neoliberal archival impulses; re-envision approaches to preservation, digitization, and access; and acknowledge the affective values of magnetic media for communities who have produced and cared for them. Largely unexplored in archival literature, the unique promise and precarity of magnetic media created by vulnerable communities require ethical consideration of issues of privacy, exposure, and decontextualization and an understanding of the complexities of preserving magnetic media. This article explores these considerations and issues, advocates for the adoption of a feminist ethics of care, and introduces the VHS Archives Working Group as a generative model for caring for magnetic media from vulnerable communities.

Combining online aural experimentation and physical analysis

The physical phenomenon of sound can be visualized with a high degree of freedom in terms of sound pressure level and loudness with respect to time and frequency. On the other hand, to obtain a sensory evaluation of the sound, it is a labor-intensive and costly task to prepare a certain number of subjects, set up a playback environment and playback equipment, tabulate the results, and perform subsequent analysis. The system introduced here can easily create simple listening experiments using sound source data managed on the cloud, and distribute the experiments on the Web. Subjects can participate in experiments without time and travel constraints, and experiments with an unprecedented number of subjects can be performed in a short period of time. In addition, the correlation between the rating scale and the physical quantity is automatically calculated, reducing the man-hours required for analysis. In this paper, we present the advantages and disadvantages of this system over conventional controlled subjective evaluation experiments, and mention the value of using this system based on actual examples.

The image artistry of VR film “Killing a Superstar”

<p>The purpose of this article is to take “Killing a Superstar” as a typical example, to denmonstrate how VR technology generates VR film via virtualizing 3D world from aesthetic perspective, and to give a critical reflection of VR film. The article includes three parts. The first part is about how the film utilizes VR as a technical premise for the implement of interactive narrative, constructing the audio-visual space with panoramic photography, and generating the virtual world with digital programs. Its interactive mode renders human-computer dialogue feasible, and realizes the connection between human and virtual reality with VR playback equipment. The second part is carried out under a further analysis of the artistic dimension of the film. In this section, it’s pointed out that the active narrative perspective of the audience, the multilinear narrative structure of time and space, the embodied and remote experience of perception, and the prominent guiding narrative processing, are all combined together for the sake to present interactive narrative art expression of virtual world. And the final part tries to reflect and evaluate on VR film in a broader vision. From both technical and artistic viewpoints, VR film is a breakthrough and innovation compared to traditional film model, although it surely has some drawbacks and limitations. If it can be considered more in a sense of establishing interactable virtual world then stroytelling, it is likely to develop into a more significant VR image art in the future.</p>

Preservation of Audiovisual Collections at Albert Ilemobade Library, Federal University of Technology Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria

The study investigates audiovisual collections at the Albert Ilemobade Library, The Federal University of Technology Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria. Condition surveying, observation, and interview were the instruments used for data collection. Condition survey was conducted on audiovisual materials in the unit to ascertain their continuing accessibility and usability. The result revealed that most of the audiovisual materials are carrier-based analog format and are inaccessible owing to unavailability and obsolete playback equipment. Technology obsolescence, improper storage environment, lack of funding, lack of commitment by library management, and lack of trained personnel in audiovisual preservation were identified challenges of audiovisual preservation in the library. The study recommends digitization of analog carrier-based audiovisual materials, adequate funding, conducive storage environment, recruitment of preservation expert, and change of attitude to preservation of information materials.

Archiving the voices of the once voiceless: strategies for digital preservation of oral history at the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Archives

With the urge for instant access to records resulting from the rapid development of technology, there is a need for the digital preservation of vulnerable oral history records. Oral history records are primary sources that confirm certain aspects of historical events and preserving oral history records is crucial to ensure societal memory. In the South African context, oral history has given a voice to the people who were voiceless in the past due to colonialism and the apartheid system. This study investigated possible digital strategies and techniques for preserving oral history records at the KwaZulu-Natal Archives and Records Service (KZNARS) Oral History Unit (OHU). A qualitative approach was used, and data were collected using semi-structured interviews from purposely selected members of the OHU staff. In addition, an observation guide was used to collect data regarding the current playback equipment, storage conditions and the state of the oral history records. Content and thematic analysis was used to analyse data. The findings revealed that the strategies and techniques used for the preservation and access to oral history records have been ineffective. Issues identified included legislation that does not provide for the preservation of oral history records in the contemporary digital era, the lack of policy, deficient strategies for preservation and access, and a shortage of resources, funding, and qualified staff. Various recommendations, stemming from the issues identified, are made.

Examining Students’ Perceptions towards Video-Based and Video-Assisted Active Learning Scenarios in Journalism and Communication Courses

Audiovisual content is highly employed in modern education curricula. This study aimed to identify students’ perceptions regarding the use of video in the courses they attend. Quantitative research was conducted among students of journalism and communication studies. Four courses were used for this study that employ video-based and video-assisted teaching strategies for active learning. Students used videos in different educational settings for flipped learning, blended learning, and autonomous self-paced learning. Their perceptions were examined through an extended form of the Technology Acceptance Model, encompassing more parameters (such as self-efficacy, perceived enjoyment, satisfaction, attitude, and intention of use) to identify causal relationships. In addition, the roles of technical parameters, such as internet connection, audio quality, and video quality, along with the duration of a video, were explored. The findings reveal students’ positive attitudes towards videos, and all factors were significantly related to the intention of use. In addition, the technical aspects of the video did not constitute a problem in the educational process, most likely due to contemporary quality in internet connections and audiovisual productions along with playback equipment. The duration of the videos was also not presented as an issue as there are flexible ways to embed videos in the learning process. Overall, videos can be used in multiple active learning scenarios to enhance students’ motivation and engagement and provide a joyful, collaborative, and hospitable learning environment. Students are familiar with digital tools and technologies and seem to enjoy audiovisual material in the learning process.

Sunday Sounds

Rev. Dr. William Augustus Jones, Jr. was pastor of Brooklyn’s Bethany Baptist Church for over 40 years and a significant figure in the African-American community. In the mid-1970’s New Jersey radio station WFME approached him with an offer to have his Sunday sermons broadcast as The Bethany Hour in the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut markets. Brooklyn College Archives has the Jones collection, which contains cassette recordings of several hundred of these sermons, as well as video recordings from the program’s short time on broadcast television. With no playback equipment for patrons, and concerned about the physical integrity of the recordings, the archives decided to digitize the materials. With a tight budget and no digitization expertise on staff, the archives applied for and won a Council on Library and Information Resources Recordings-at-Risk grant. Despite some delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the project was made available to the public at the end of March 2021.

Preservation of audio-visual archives in Zambia

Audio-visual records and archives constitute a fundamental heritage that satisfies multiple needs, including education, training, research and entertainment. As such, there is a need to appropriately preserve and conserve them so they can be accessed for as long as they are needed. In spite of their significant role in safeguarding cultural heritage, audio-visual records and archives, are often neglected and accorded less attention than paper-based records, especially in developing countries. Hence, there is a risk of losing information held in audio-visual form. That is why this study looked at how the National Archives of Zambia (NAZ) and the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) preserve audio-visual materials to ensure long-term accessibility of the information. The study investigated the types of audio-visual collections held, the storage equipment used, measures put in place to ensure long-term accessibility of audio-visual materials, the disaster preparedness plans in place to safeguard audio-visual archives and the major challenges encountered in the preservation of audio-visual materials. The findings of the study revealed that films (microfilm and microfiche), photographs and manuscripts, and video (video tapes) and sound recordings (compact cassette) constitute the biggest audio-visual collection preserved. The equipment used to store audio-visual materials included open shelves, specialised cabinets, electronic database for digitised materials, aisle mobiles and cupboards. The measures taken to ensure the long-term accessibility of audio-visual collection included digitisation and migration of endangered records and archives; fumigation of storage areas; conservation of damaged materials and regulation of temperatures and humidity in the storage areas. The disaster preparedness plans in place mostly covered structure insurance; protection against fire and water by way of installing fire extinguishers; smoke sensors; fire detectors and construction of purpose-built structures. The major challenges faced were financial constraints; technological obsolescence; lack of playback equipment; limited training; lack of strong back-up systems and inadequate storage facilities.

Preservation of audio-visual archives in Zambia

Audio-visual records and archives constitute a fundamental heritage that satisfies multiple needs, including education, training, research and entertainment. As such, there is a need to appropriately preserve and conserve them so they can be accessed for as long as they are needed. In spite of their significant role in safeguarding cultural heritage, audio-visual records and archives, are often neglected and accorded less attention than paper-based records, especially in developing countries. Hence, there is a risk of losing information held in audio-visual form. That is why this study looked at how the National Archives of Zambia (NAZ) and the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) preserve audio-visual materials to ensure long-term accessibility of the information. The study investigated the types of audio-visual collections held, the storage equipment used, measures put in place to ensure long-term accessibility of audio-visual materials, the disaster preparedness plans in place to safeguard audio-visual archives and the major challenges encountered in the preservation of audio-visual materials. The findings of the study revealed that films (microfilm and microfiche), photographs and manuscripts, and video (video tapes) and sound recordings (compact cassette) constitute the biggest audio-visual collection preserved. The equipment used to store audio-visual materials included open shelves, specialised cabinets, electronic database for digitised materials, aisle mobiles and cupboards. The measures taken to ensure the long-term accessibility of audio-visual collection included digitisation and migration of endangered records and archives; fumigation of storage areas; conservation of damaged materials and regulation of temperatures and humidity in the storage areas. The disaster preparedness plans in place mostly covered structure insurance; protection against fire and water by way of installing fire extinguishers; smoke sensors; fire detectors and construction of purpose-built structures. The major challenges faced were financial constraints; technological obsolescence; lack of playback equipment; limited training; lack of strong back-up systems and inadequate storage facilities.

Sounds like a broken record: preservation and access of audio-visual records at the South African broadcasting corporation radio

PurposeAudio-visual records produced by public broadcasters play a role in preserving the history, culture and language of a country. The records are used by broadcasters to repeat and support programmes on air. The formats that carry these records such as tapes and compact discs are fragile and have a short life span. This is compounded by evolving technologies and results in obsolete playback equipment, which can result in records not being accessible. This study aims to explore the preservation and access of audio-visual records at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) radio in Limpopo regional offices.Design/methodology/approachQualitative data were collected through interviews from purposively selected participants in three radio stations of the SABC in the Limpopo province which are Munghana Lonene FM, Phalaphala FM and Thobela FM. The interview data were augmented through participant observation.FindingsThe findings revealed that the SABC radio archive was preserving audio-visual records in obsolete formats such as long plays and cassettes, which also lacked playback equipment. These formats were not properly arranged and were kept in a storage area that was not monitored for decaying and security. It was further established that the radio stations were using IONA technology for retrieval of and access to records while the news division within the radio stations were relying on Electronic News Production System. As audio-visual materials were not catalogued, it proved difficult for users to access these records.Practical implicationsThis study adds value to the existing theoretical and conceptual issues that form the ongoing discourse on the preservation of and access to audio-visual records which are often neglected in the developing countries. The study also laid the groundwork for further investigation of the audio-visual records at broadcasting corporations. This is prompted by the findings which established that valuable information has been lost and continues to be lost due to poor management of audio-visual records. Therefore, a further study on migration of content from analogue to digital for the purpose of continuous preservation is recommended.Originality/valueThe study triangulated data collection tools including interviews and participant observation. The context was on the national broadcaster and the focus was on the preservation of and access to audio-visual records for the radio.

Preface

2021 International Energy, Environment and Water Resources Conference held on March 26-28, 2021 in Dalian, China. We are honored to welcome all experts, researchers, professionals, innovators from academia and industry for the conference. The aim of this conference is to provide a forum for exchanges of research results, ideas and experience of application among researchers and practitioners involved with all aspects of Energy, Environment and Water Resources. The participants can develop the ideas and catch the tendency, and accelerate the theoretical research, technology development, application and innovation in the field of Energy, Environment and Water Resources.The outburst of COVID-19 affected the original plan seriously. In order to ensure the proceeding of conference, Conference Committee decided to change the form of conference from on-site to online. Although there were many inconveniences and differences in online meeting compared with offline conference, Conference Committee tried the best to restore and follow the original program as far as possible to overcome the impact of COVID-19.EEWRC online conference conducted in independent meeting rooms on Tencent Meeting, which had been registered in advance. 2 meeting rooms held simultaneously during the day of 27-28 April. Each room was equipped with a host and a co-host for assistance. In addition, there was one session chair to coordinate arrangements and supervise the progress of conference, and one computer technician who was responsible for equipment debugging. In total, 8 staffs were assigned to this conference during the whole conference.Given the inconvenience caused by frequent replacement of playback equipment or lagging network, conference committee decided to apply two types of oral presentation, video presentation and live presentation, for participants to choose.Types of oral presentation: Live presentation: 10-15mins; contact Conference Committee to test the devices in advance one day; Video presentation: a pre-recorded video presentation within 10-15 mins needed; send the video through email before 11:59pm on April 19.On April 23, Conference Committee counted the number of confirmed participants and divided them into 6 groups (corresponding to sessions) and informed authors of presentation sequence, conference ID, and the approaches to enter conference.English is the official language of the EEWRC 2021. We look forward to seeing you in Dalian for this exciting academic event!Dr. Hui Xia Shenyang Normal UniversityCommittees are available in the pdf

A sonic step closer

The preservation risks surrounding music master tapes—the high-quality sources of most commercial recordings between the 1950s and 1990s—were dramatically highlighted in recent coverage of Universal Music’s 2008 vault fire. Other challenges include storage costs, chemical instability of tape stocks and technological obsolescence of playback equipment, with the industry’s ability to tackle these still unclear. This article examines an emerging solution—donation to public archival institutions—using recent experiences at the Alexander Turnbull Library (part of the National Library of New Zealand) as a case study. Focusing on the master-tape collections of the Viking and Ode record labels, it examines their status as a form of ‘popular music heritage’, practical considerations such as copyright, digitization work, and how this work is leveraged by the labels to reissue legacy recordings. There has been little scholarly study of master tapes and the article also explores their research potential in terms of sound quality, studio production and industry history. Master tapes, the article concludes, hold considerable aesthetic, commercial and historical significance.

Making Sound Decisions: Institutional Responses to the Crisis in Audio Preservation

Some archives have been quick to respond to the crisis in audio preservation brought on by the combined forces of obsolescence and degradation inherent in legacy audio formats and their playback equipment. These archives have undertaken digitization projects for particular collections or, in a few cases, have digitized the bulk of their audio holdings for preservation. Based on an examination of the literature on audio preservation, however, the responses of some institutions—particularly small and midsized institutions—have been stymied by roadblocks related to cost and expertise. Given the limited time available for archives to migrate audio content, this uneven response threatens to leave an incomplete audio legacy, weighted toward grant-worthy collections with few copyright restrictions at larger, better-resourced institutions. After a review of relevant literature, this article suggests interventions institutions of all sizes can undertake to respond to the crisis in audio preservation including stringent selection and reappraisal projects, strategies for tiered audio digitization using a combination of in-house and vendor-based services, and suggestions for increasing access to high-quality digitization for worthy audio materials.

Acquiring, Preserving, and Exhibiting a Comprehensive Collection of Vocal Music Recordings from Early- to Mid-Twentieth Century

The Stratton-Clarke collection consists of approximately 200 linear feet of 78 and 33 1/3 rpm records, and thousands of digitized recordings that represents a comprehensive history of early twentieth century recorded Western sound, specifically opera -- its artists, roles, and early legacy from 78 rpm to early long play records. Along with someephemera and several pieces of historic playback equipment, a large financial gift will offset the costs of processing, preserving and providing access to the various formats represented in the collection. As the largest music research collection in Canada, the University of Toronto Music Library is fortunate to have the capacity to manage a donation of this magnitude. Each of our four authors has an important role to play to make the project a success. In this article we present a history and background of John Stratton, Stephen Clarke, and the collection itself, and document the many facets of a library taking on a donation of this size: donor relations and collaboration with the University’s advancement team and other stakeholders; the project management involved in making space and designing workflow for cataloguing, processing, and storage; archival description of the 78s and ephemera; preservation of the digital objects and digitization strategies for the analog recordings; the challenges and opportunities of working with large financial gifts; teamwork and managing students; and future plans for physical and online exhibitions of the collection.

Preface

2020 International Conference on Energy, Natural Resources and Electric Power (ENREP 2020) has been held virtually from 25-27 August, 2020. This Conference provides an idea-exchange and discussion platform for the world’s engineers and academia to share cutting-edge information, address the hottest issue in energy, natural resources and electric power, explore new technologies, exchange and build upon ideas.The outburst of COVID-19 affected the original plan seriously. In order to ensure the proceeding of conference, Conference Committee decided to change the form of conference from on-site to online. Although there were many inconveniences and differences in online meeting compared with offline conference, Conference Committee tried the best to restore and follow the original program as far as possible to overcome the impact of COVID-19.Because of the large amount of participants, ENREP online conference conducted in various independent meeting rooms on ZOOM Meeting, which had been registered in advance. 3 meeting rooms held simultaneously during the day of 26-27 August. Each room was equipped with a host and a co-host for assistance. In addition, there was one Committee Chairman to coordinate arrangements and supervise the progress of conference, and one computer technician who was responsible for equipment debugging. In total, 8 staffs were assigned to this conference during the whole conference.Given the inconvenience caused by frequent replacement of playback equipment or lagging network, conference committee decided to apply two types of oral presentation, video presentation and live presentation, for participants to choose.Types of oral presentation: Live presentation: 10-15mins; contact Conference Committee to test the devices in advance one day; Video presentation: a pre-recorded video presentation within 10-15mins needed; send the video through email before 11:59pm on July 31.On August 5, Conference Committee counted the number of confirmed participants and divided them into 18 groups (corresponding to sessions) and informed authors of presentation sequence, conference ID, and the approaches to enter conference.Shorena FongThe Academy of Engineering and Education

Design of Dual-channel HD Audio and Video Recording and Playback Equipment Based on TMS320DM8168

In order to meet the needs of dual-channel high-resolution audio and video recording, storage, and playback, as well as important control scenarios such as shipboard, vehicle, and airborne, the need for long-term capture and recording of terminal screen information is convenient for post-event technical analysis, Service quality assessment, exercise deduction, and operation accident responsibility identification. Researched the high-performance DaVinci series chip TMS320DM8168 launched by TI, designed and implemented a record playback device that supports dual-channel high-definition video, using the compression algorithm of the H.264 encoding standard to achieve compression and storage of video data, Use advanced and mature technology, follow the generalized, modular and serial design ideas to ensure better applicability and higher reliability. After the design was completed, the functions of video capture, compression encoding and video playback were verified, and the performance and stability were tested. The delay of video capture and display is within 40ms, The equipment can support high-definition single-channel or dual-channel video input, and realize two channels video information is compressed and stored, while the video decompression is stable, the playback picture is clear, and there is no jitter. The system functions and performance reach the expected goals.

Advancement of 22.2 Multichannel Sound Broadcasting Based on MPEG-H 3D Audio

This study proposes improvements to 22.2 multichannel (22.2 ch) sound broadcasting service. 22.2 ch sound is currently used in the 8K satellite broadcasting in Japan. In this study, the audio system is migrated from channel-based audio to object-based audio. The object-based audio equips 22.2 ch sound with alternative and adaptive functionalities: the alternative functionality is related to dialogue controls such as multilingual services, while the adaptive functionality enables 22.2 ch sound to be adapted to the audio format of the playback equipment. Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG)-H 3D Audio (3DA), which is the latest audio coding standard, is used as the audio coding scheme. A real-time encoder and decoder based on 3DA was developed to verify the practicability of the proposed system. The encoded audio data is packetized and transmitted by MPEG-H MPEG Media Transport (MMT) to be multiplexed with video data. A transmission experiment with 8K video was carried out in which the proposed system was proved to operate as designed in this study.

Chemical Responses of Nicotiana tabacum (Solanaceae) Induced by Vibrational Signals of a Generalist Herbivore.

Plants are able to sense their environment and respond appropriately to different stimuli. Vibrational signals (VS) are one of the most widespread yet understudied ways of communication between organisms. Recent research into the perception of VS by plants showed that they are ecologically meaningful signals involved in different interactions of plants with biotic and abiotic agents. We studied changes in the concentration of alkaloids in tobacco plants induced by VS produced by Phthorimaea operculella (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), a generalist caterpillar that naturally feeds on the plant. We measured the concentration of nicotine, nornicotine, anabasine and anatabine in four treatments applied to 11-weeks old tobacco plant: a) Co = undamaged plants, b) Eq = Playback equipment attached to the plant without VS, c) Ca = Plants attacked by P. operculella herbivory and d) Pl = playback of VS of P. operculella feeding on tobacco. We found that nicotine, the most abundant alkaloid, increased more than 2.6 times in the Ca and Pl treatments as compared with the Co and Eq treatments, which were similar between them. Nornicotine, anabasine and anatabine were mutually correlated and showed similar concentration patterns, being higher in the Eq treatment. Results are discussed in terms of the adaptive significance of plant responses to ecologically important VS stimuli.

Secrets of the Night: The Discovery and Preservation of a “Lost” Silent Film

Secrets of the NightThe Discovery and Preservation of a "Lost" Silent Film Brock Silversides (bio) and Christina Stewart (bio) A collection of sixteen films was donated to the University of Toronto's Media Commons in November 2016. It was a modest assortment and initially, apart from the fact the films were all silent, seemed unremarkable. However, during the collection processing, it soon became clear that some items were indeed extraordinary and deserved wider public exposure.1 Media Commons is a department of the University of Toronto Libraries that was established to gather, preserve, and make available for study and research Canadian and international historical and contemporary culture and history through media-based archives, microforms, and circulating audiovisual productions. The role of audiovisual productions and documents in the transmission of knowledge at every level has been long established, and interest in and usage of these resources in numerous fields are now accepted as an integral part of scholarly and journalistic research. The primary mandate of Media Commons is to support the curriculum of, and research in, the various disciplines taught at the University of Toronto. The department serves the faculty, staff, students, and alumni as well as the general public. It is divided into three sections: The Audiovisual Lending Library acquires and circulates published (commercially released) film, video, DVD, and multimedia, both fiction and nonfiction. The primary selection criteria are faculty requests for a title to be used in class or for research projects, the systematic acquisition of acknowledged "classics," important Canadian titles, and items that add to the depth and breadth of the holdings. Microforms acquires and makes available microform publications. These include, but are not limited to, rare, out-of-print, and antiquarian books; pamphlets and periodicals; runs of newspapers; archival collections; and dissertations. Media Archives acquires, preserves, and makes available archival and special collection materials of Canadian and international significance relating to the audiovisual and media communities and popular culture. Materials include, but are not limited to, historical and contemporary film/video production, radio and television advertising, electronic and nonprint journalism, broadcasting (both radio and television), photographic arts, and popular music production. The Media Archives section has in particular accumulated an array of archival collections that document the artistic, financial, legal, and production and distribution activities of individuals, organizations, and corporations. It includes collections from independent filmmakers like Ron Mann (documentaries about popular culture), larger companies such as Lionsgate Entertainment (feature films and television series), broadcast executives/visionaries like Moses Znaimer (CITY-TV, Much [End Page 132] Music, IdeaCity, Vision TV, Zoomer Media), news anchors like Peter Mansbridge (CBC's The National), collectors like Colin Geddes (feature films from Hong Kong and Taiwan), animation companies like Nelvana (television cartoons), and distributors such as Rocco Mastrangelo (feature films from Italy) Click for larger view View full resolution Figure 1. Secrets of the Night. Frame grab. Silhouette of the murderer's hand and gun. Courtesy of Media Commons, University of Toronto. Media Commons staff possess expertise in the selection, arrangement, description, and preservation and conservation of film, audio, and media materials. The department has a dedicated cold vault for long-term storage—the only one in a Canadian university—and an array of film, video, and audio playback equipment that allows it to access almost any audiovisual format. The aforementioned collection of silent films—six features, nine shorts, and one cartoon—was donated to Media Commons by Richard Scott of Mississauga, Ontario. His father, James Scott, was an accountant at Eaton's department store in Winnipeg from the mid-1930s to the late 1940s. During much of this period, Eaton's had a diverse lending library of 16mm films, much like a Blockbuster outlet in more recent years. Shortly after World War II, the store decided to discontinue the service and offered the films to its employees. The Scott family took at least sixteen silent films. [End Page 133] Scott recalls watching these in his basement as a child in the 1950s: Initially our Dad ran the projector, but he later taught us both [Richard and his brother Wayne] how to operate it with proper slack above and below the sprockets, and proper tension on the spring driven take...

Like so many things I both know and don't know

In 2014, I was commissioned to make a new work for Survival Kit Festival, Umea, Sweden. The outcome, I begin alone in this action: a series of sounding zones, was a number of outdoor long duration sounding performances in the city and surrounding rural area. In eight different locations, I undertook a series of eight-hour DJ performances with a bespoke and portable, self-powered sound system, and a selection of domestic playback equipment. This site-specific set of actions proposed to explore bodily endurance in performance; the socio-cultural role of the soundsystem as a viable tool to create what Bey termed the “temporary autonomous zone” (1985); the fringes or limits of what skills and sites might be considered DJ practice. I have continued to investigate site-specificity in DJing through collaborative practice; in 2015 artists Ruthie Woodward, Francine Perry and I formed the ensemble, The Nomadic Female DJ Troupe. In our performances we also worked without mains electricity and “off stage” at festivals and gigs on the UK DIY scene. We developed interests in blurring the lines between experimental live improvisation and more traditional mixing practices; using our live sung voices in our mixes; and investigating plurivocal and collectivised structures inspired by various moments in feminist activist histories. This article brings together textual and material fragments to illuminate this process; and reflects on strategic affinities with feminist histories, improvising feminism, opting out of hegemonic narratives and spaces and exploring norm-criticality in sound as a feminized and feminist practice, ‘edge-walking’ and inhabiting liminal spaces, the female voice in the the DJ mix, and vulnerable and confrontational bodies.