Sony NT-2 Operating Instructions Manual page 34

m What is the NT (Non-Tracking) format?
Non-Loading method
The conventional helical scan system uses a loading mechanism that needs to
draw out the tape from a cassette and wrap it around a rotary drum. This
loading mechanism increases the complexity of the mechanism in a recorder.
On the other hand, with the Non-Loading method, plastic tape guides are
molded in an NT cassette to fit a rotary drum in the cassette. The rotary drum
is just pushed against the tape guides and the tape wraps around the drum
automatically. This method has made a loading mechanism unnecessary.
pinch roller
tape guide
Memory reverse function
One of the features of this recorder NT-2 is the auto-reverse function. You
can record or play both sides of a cassette continuously without turning the
cassette over. Moreover, when the continuous recording has been made on
both sides (from FWD to REV), you never experience any muting of the
playback sound. The buffer memory stores audio data to realize continuous
recording/playback on both sides of a cassette tape (memory reverse
function).
34
-EN
tape
drum
tape guide
pinch roller
capstan