Sony DTC-700 audio DAT player/recorder

Fun fact: Similar to DAT, digital audio also had the option of being stored as video signals on VHS tapes. It is also the origin of the awkward 44100 Hz sample rate, compared to the cleaner 48000 Hz with smaller prime factors.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VHS#Hi-Fi_audio_system , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCM_adaptor , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADAT , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/44,100_Hz

Though that does lead to the question "why not something more like 49152 if that mattered so much?".

Before DAT, Sony were recording digital audio to Betamax and Umatic tapes. The PCM-1601 from the late 70s was an industry standard for a while, and some of the follow-on products were widely used for both CD and vinyl mastering.