Here is a great archive of the CGI “Extended Church Program” featuring Sermons on many subjects by many Speakers through the years. For a Word about Classic “Cassette Tape Sermons” … See below
More Speakers Coming soon!
A Word about Classic “Cassette Tape Sermons” …
Since the founding of the Church of God International in 1978, Cassette Tape sermons have been a popular way to spread the Gospel. Many people have a collection of cassette tapes representing many favorite sermons over the years.
Interestngly, we now understand that audio Cassette tapes do not last “forever” and even do not last “a lifetime”. Over the last decades more than 10 billion blank audio tapes were sold worldwide. One source defines the problem this way:
The magnitude of the problem of magnetic tape deterioration is just starting to be realized. Virtually all of the magnetic tape ever recorded older than as little as 10 years may be in serious jeopardy. The threat comes from several sources, but the largest threat is chemical in nature, coming from the breakdown of the binder, or glue, that holds the magnetic particles to the polyester base of tape. As this hydrolysis process (sometimes known as “Sticky Shed Syndrome” ) occurs, the tape often gets coated with a tenacious adhesive that makes it extremely difficult to play. In some cases the problem can be so severe that the magnetic material literally falls off or sheds from the base leaving a pile of dust and clear backing. The problem of hydrolysis has been known for some time, but the extent of both the problem and catastrophic effect it has on magnetic media is just now reaching widespread public visibility.
One of our goals at CgiCanada.org, is to protect and pass along the legacy of doctrinal teachings and Great sermons, by converting many of the old Cassette tape messages of the Extended Church Program, to the current digital storage format of MP3. MP3 files can then be stored on Internet servers … and on CDs or DVD’s. It is amazing to see how “boxes and boxes” of Cassette tapes can be stored on just 1 or 2 DVDs!
Please help us with “quality control” by reporting any MP3 Sermons that have audio problems … Ocassionally, the tape plays at the wrong speed, and the Speaker may sound like a chipmunk, or VERY SLOWWWW ! If you send us a note, we can attend to the issue — Thanks!
Interestingly, DVDs “are” considered a media that can last “a lifetime”, so it is simply a prudent practice to migrate important content from the “old technology” to the new technology. In addition to magnetic tapes beginining to fail over the years, it is important to note that “cassette players” are becoming old obsolete technology that is seldom being manufactured anymore, so this provides another incentive to “move treasured audio files” (or VHS tape) to the new digital standards, before the tapes & the tape players fail, or start to become rare or expensive to maintain.
For more information about life expectancy of magnetic media (like cassette tapes and VHS video tapes):
Council On Library & Information Resources – Magnetic Tape Storage & Handling
http://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub54/index.html
Magnetic Tape Deterioration
http://www.polderbits.com/cassette-to-cd-main.htm