DAT TAX

[farbre...@ms.uky.edu]

Someone recently posted that the Audio Home Recording Act of 1991
(S 1623, Commonly called the DAT TAX) had been passed in the house.
This is not correct. The bill passed the Senate (on voice vote no
less) back in July and was transmitted to the House. It was recently
tabled in the House and is not likely to be heard from again during
this congress.

What I don't understand is the total lack of any opposition to this
bill. Everyone should be upset about this travesty, if for no other
reason than its being special interest legislation at its worst in
that it effectively implements a federal excise tax on behalf of
private interests, making the copyright office a de facto collection
agency for the recording industry and paying them for the privilege.

Now that there is some breathing room, please call your
representative and tell them to vote no on this bill when it comes
off the table.

j.
Sender: farbrent!ajr3

[John Nagle]

farbrent!aj...@ms.uky.edu writes:
>Someone recently posted that the Audio Home Recording Act of 1991
>(S 1623, Commonly called the DAT TAX) had been passed in the house.
>This is not correct. The bill passed the Senate (on voice vote no
>less) back in July and was transmitted to the House. It was recently
>tabled in the House and is not likely to be heard from again during
>this congress.

DAT as an audio medium is dead. It failed in the marketplace.
So the push behind this legislation seems to have evaporated. We may
see it again if either of the next two consumer magnetic audio media
catch on.

I just hope the blank tapes remain available. I use DAT tapes
for disk backups.

John Nagle

[farbre...@ms.uky.edu]

John Nagle <na...@netcom.com> writes:

## DAT as an audio medium is dead. It failed in the marketplace.

I think your assertion is premature. As a professional medium, DAT is
very much alive, they are in almost every recording studio and are
gaining ground in the broadcast industry every day. Sales to
consumers are also up. DAT has been slow to gain ground because (1)
there hasn't been sufficient support for the medium up to now (but in
discussing the shortcomings of the minidisk, Sony has reaffirmed its
support for DAT as a high end medium) and (2) That obnoxious SCMS
system which the RIAA extorted into the machines.

## So the push behind this legislation seems to have evaporated. We
## may see it again if either of the next two consumer magnetic audio
## media catch on.

It is much more likely that the bill was tabled due to the rush to
finish the session and get home to campaign. The bill already
encompasses all current and future devices and media capable of
recording audio digitally. Count on seeing this one again. :-(

## I just hope the blank tapes remain available. I use DAT tapes
## for disk backups.

I wouldn't sweat this one.

j.

Sender: farbrent!ajr3