oTAPE 1.0, an open specification for digital cassettes, has been released as a press record initiative. The format defines a whole cassette in a single .otape file, containing two fixed-length sides, labels, J-cards and record tabs. Designed to preserve the constraints of analog taping, each side is one continuous recording, including silence and track markers.
The file behaves like a physical tape: play side A to the end, flip, and reach side B. Audio lives inside the container, which is a ZIP archive holding JSON, AAC, and artwork. No online links are embedded.
The Web Deck, built with 1,200 lines of JavaScript, allows users to drop .otape files for playback. Gitsem, a C10 single by Mirat Can Bayrak, is pre-loaded. Six built-in machine presets emulate tape characteristics like wow, flutter, hiss and warmth.
Users can create and share custom .otsound machine files.
Source: Hacker News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing