
Cassette tape-based navigation system from 1971 - galfarragem
https://jalopnik.com/this-cassette-tape-based-navigation-system-from-1971-is-1826459978
======
sradman
The technical details from the YouTube video [1]:

\- one cassette tape per route

\- distance to next milestone encoded in the bleep length on the tape

\- controller unit interprets the bleep length

\- controller unit reads RPMs from the spinning cable that normally drives the
odometer

\- controller unit has a pluggable circuit board that contains the wheel
specific odometer RPM to distance conversion

\- controller unit starts/stops the cassette player at each milestone

[1]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KliWHCzE16c](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KliWHCzE16c)

~~~
mongol
So if I want to go from A to B, how do I get the tape for that? And if I make
the wrong turn, am I screwed?

Granted, it is impressive for it's time.

~~~
beenBoutIT
You'd have to put in a new tape for every A to B scenario or even a return
trip of B to A.

~~~
contingencies
And again for every human language, and again for every temporary road
closure.

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gchamonlive
If jalopnik maintainers see this, please disable the sticky video overlay that
presents the latest video from the site, at least for the mobile version of
the site. It uses almost 50% of the screen real estate on my smartphone,
seriously degrading the experience on moble devices. Sometimes I can barely
read an entire frase without having to scroll.

~~~
smogcutter
It’s part of the eventual fallout of Gawker Media getting whacked by Peter
Thiel/Hulk Hogan. The group of blogs that Jalopnik is part of is now owned by
a private equity group that only cares about wringing out every possible
penny. The site has gotten increasingly unreadable, especially on mobile.
(also, RIP Deadspin).

~~~
starpilot
I am 100% on Thiel's side for destroying Gawker. It was and is trash, and
Thiel performed a public service.

~~~
jacquesm
I'm not. Thiel is a terrible person who uses his capital in ways that simply
buy the kind of justice he wants for himself, he just just used Hogan and the
justice system as private tools to serve his goals.

~~~
beervirus
Why do you think he's a terrible person? Gawker didn't exactly come out of
that whole thing smelling like roses.

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dogma1138
Turn by Turntable [https://arstechnica.com/cars/2020/01/turn-by-turntables-
how-...](https://arstechnica.com/cars/2020/01/turn-by-turntables-how-drivers-
got-from-point-a-to-point-b-in-the-early-1900s/)

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Stratoscope
Another cassette tape navigation system, this one from 1985, the Etak
Navigator:

[https://www.fastcompany.com/3047828/who-needs-gps-the-
forgot...](https://www.fastcompany.com/3047828/who-needs-gps-the-forgotten-
story-of-etaks-amazing-1985-car-navigation-system)

[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13744825](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13744825)

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etak](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etak)

(The Fast Company article is quite good, with interesting photos.)

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thequux
This reminds me of the bike routes in Flanders and the Netherlands. There is a
dense network of cycle routes, with every intersection being numbered (these
are called "knoppunten"). At each numbered intersection, there is a signpost,
with directions to the neighboring knoppunt. As a result, you could plan a
route based on a list of knoppunten and just write down the numbers. I've
heard tell of small scroll wheels that you'd attach to your bike that these
lists of points could clip into, with a small window to tell you where you
are, but I've never actually seen one.

~~~
c0nsumer
This is pretty much how one navigates complex mountain bike trail systems.
Each intersection is numbered, has arrows pointing the way to the connected
intersections, and usually shows a map showing the whole system. One can stop,
look at where they want to go, memorize the next few numbers, then ride just
making the correct turns, glancing at the signs.

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nidgood
Analog GPS: Scrolling Wrist & Car-Mounted Maps -
[https://99percentinvisible.org/article/analog-gps-
scrolling-...](https://99percentinvisible.org/article/analog-gps-scrolling-
wrist-car-mounted-maps-roaring-20s-30s/)

~~~
ellsthrow
Loving the simplicity of these

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082349872349872
not really navigation, but fairly prescient 1947 prediction of In-Car
Entertainment:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKfOcR7Qbu4&t=67](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKfOcR7Qbu4&t=67)

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CodeWriter23
Definitely watch the video till the end.

