HiPac


HiPac, is an audio tape cartridge format, introduced in August 1971 on the Japanese consumer market by Pioneer and discontinued in 1973 due to lack of demand. In 1972 it only achieved a market share of 3% in equipping new cars. In the mid 1970s, the format was repurposed as a children's educational toy called ポンキー and was used in the analog tape delay "Melos Echo Chamber".

Cartridge

HiPac is a successor of the PlayTape cartridge, licensed by Toshiba and had similar dimensions of, which is closer to Compact Cassette than other :wikt:cartridge|cartridges containing Bernard Cousino's endless loop tape. Depending on the tape length, the weight is about and used the wider four-track magnetic tape of the compact cassette with The four audio tracks are separated into two stereo programs. The second program is recorded in the same direction as the first, unlike the Compact Cassette.
There are two specified tape speeds with metric rounded 4.8 cm/s at 60 minutes playtime and rounded 9.5 cm/s at 30 minutes playtime. The tape speed is detected automatically by a notch in the cartridge's case. The smaller of these tape speeds is 1⅞ IPS, which is exactly 4.7625 cm/s and identical to the Compact Cassette which is specified with rounded metric 4.75 cm/s. One of the cartridges had an original retail price recommendation of 1920 Yen.

Player device

The model "GP-100", a player without broadcast receiver was at the time, which corresponds to $ in when adjusted for inflation. A selection of 180 cartridge titles were produced. Possibly due to lack of demand, apparently some of the remaining players were installed and sold in portable cases as models "GP-106" and "GP-505", equipped with stereo speakers, power supply, and battery compartment, as well as inputs for wall power grid and automotive voltage.

HiPac Council

In addition to Pioneer, the following companies were participating.