So what are entertainment tapes? Charlie X episode

[telerites]

Just curious, do you know what Kirk is referring to when he is talking to the captain of the Antares at the beginning of the episode (dialog below)?

Are they audio, video, holographic...? What do you think?

KIRK: We have a large supply of entertainment tapes, gentlemen.
RAMART: No, we've a tight schedule to make, Captain. Just twenty of us, we're making out fine.
KIRK: This must be a space first. A transport ship that doesn't need anything?
RAMART: Nothing.
KIRK: Not even Sarian brandy?
RAMART: We're fine, thank you. Pleasant journey, Captain.

 

[uniderth]

RAMART: What kind do you have?
KIRK: They are old style Betamax.
SPOCK: I believe they were referred to as VHS, Captain.

 

[telerites]

You know what - I actually had recorded all of TOS on Betamax tapes. Damn, Sony, and their proprietary equipment. I was so proud of those and watched the heck out of them. I may still have them somewhere but no player unless it is stashed away next to my 8 track player. Good times.

 

[Timo]

You tape them over those bits of you that need to be entertained, obviously enough.

Or then it's the modern term for duct tape... It does come in a variety of colors and styles even today, you know.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Terok Nor]

Entertainment tapes = porno movies.

 

[Doug Otte]

Entertainment tapes = porno movies.

That's the impression I got, too, based upon the way Kirk kind of smirks when he says it.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

Just curious, do you know what Kirk is referring to when he is talking to the captain of the Antares at the beginning of the episode (dialog below)?

Are they audio, video, holographic...? What do you think?

KIRK: We have a large supply of entertainment tapes, gentlemen.

World building on the producer's part, trying to draw a parallel between the large, long-voyage (i.e. stocked) military ships and smaller, more bare-bones vessels of old, I suppose. Still, in the 23rd century, I see no reason why any would not have access to a wealth of entertainment in its system.

 

[telerites]

Just curious, do you know what Kirk is referring to when he is talking to the captain of the Antares at the beginning of the episode (dialog below)?

Are they audio, video, holographic...? What do you think?

KIRK: We have a large supply of entertainment tapes, gentlemen.

World building on the producer's part, trying to draw a parallel between the large, long-voyage (i.e. stocked) military ships and smaller, more bare-bones vessels of old, I suppose. Still, in the 23rd century, I see no reason why any would not have access to a wealth of entertainment in its system.

Oh I agree. I am not surprised that they would have such a library. My question was focused on the type of media and the facilities with which to enjoy them.

 

[uniderth]

Perhaps they are Simon and Schuster audio books of Star Trek novels.

 

[Silvercrest]

They're like nicotine patches, except they're loaded with psychedelic drugs. Tape one to your skin and you've got hours upon hours of "entertainment". (For those ships with no holodeck.)

 

[scotpens]

They're the bits of double-sided adhesive tape that William Theiss used to keep female guest stars from popping out of their costumes.

Well, it's "entertaining" for male viewers!

 

[Shaka Zulu]

Just curious, do you know what Kirk is referring to when he is talking to the captain of the Antares at the beginning of the episode (dialog below)?

Are they audio, video, holographic...? What do you think?

KIRK: We have a large supply of entertainment tapes, gentlemen.
RAMART: No, we've a tight schedule to make, Captain. Just twenty of us, we're making out fine.
KIRK: This must be a space first. A transport ship that doesn't need anything?
RAMART: Nothing.
KIRK: Not even Saurian brandy?
RAMART: We're fine, thank you. Pleasant journey, Captain.

My take on this? They're the equivalent of VHS/Beta/DVD media, and they store movies, TV shows, holographic CGI interactive novels, videogames, books, magazines, etc. Of course, the Antares could simply get things by downloading from Earth (or a starbase) via subspace communications (c.f. Netflix and similar streaming services) but the writer of this show didn't know about that. At least with this, he predicted the whole home video set-up we have now.

 

[Lance]

Entertainment tapes = porno movies.

''Orion Slave Girls #69''
''Debula Does Alpha Centauri''
''Catians Gone Wild''
''Risan Debutantes''

And no doubt many, many more of that ilk, all from Jim Kirk's private collection.

Be kind, rewind!

 

[Lance]

Although they could theoretically be some kind of USB-like device, my feeling is that at the time those little data cartridges that you always saw them using were meant to be some kind of futuristic tapes.

 

[Melakon]

Entertainment tapes = porno movies.

Recordings from Kirk's closed circuit connection to the yeomen's quarters.

 

[BK613]

Back in the day, before the advent of VHS/Betamax and CCTV, Hollywood movies were distributed to US Navy assets on film reels and logistic ships were often the "movie store" as it were, carrying an inventory of films for deployed vessels.

I served on such a ship for a while, and we carried 100-150 movies at a time. Often, when a ship was alongside, a "new" batch of films would be unrepped over along with the peas and toilet paper. The "old" ones would be returned.

 

[Lance]

^ Aye, there's a military prescedent for sure. Consider also that some big land based military installations in the old days used to have their own on-site theaterettes for the troops stationed there. I don't know if they still do, but it wouldn't surprise me.

In context of Star Trek's future, ''entertainment tapes'' could just be an expression, and they aren't literally tape based technology.

 

[uniderth]

Peas?

 

[robau]

Entertainment tapes = porno movies.

That's the impression I got, too, based upon the way Kirk kind of smirks when he says it.

Wasn't Riker watching a 3D thing of girls dancing or something? I imagine it's more like that.

 

[Drone]

Either a more sophisticated iteration of SQUIDS or the less desirables pickings of a haul of 8 tracks that Kirk bought at a clearance sale at some Starbase or other.