The Mellotron Group

I just don't get all this "it's not a Mellotron" talk....the digital unit is a logical progression from tape replay and Ill bet Harry Chamberlin would have moved into this area if he were alive now. The whole point was playing instrument sounds on a keyboard, not the tape technology (which was the only method available)  
 If all sounds are from original tapes and only last 8 seconds and are the best digital representations that can be done, personally to me it's a new Mellotron.It's the offspring of the tape machine. So what that it doesn't use Chamberlin heads etc. With EQ'ing and processing I imagine you can get near 1000% close.
 Heck I have used samples on my albums (from my EMU E4K, EMAX 1, and CLASSIC KEYS) sometimes on the same songs I used my real M400 (when I had it) and I defy anyone to tell me which is which. And the E4K was using the Pinder CD. The M4000D samples are said to be way beyond the Pinder CD in quality. I think it's totally anal to hang on to tape playback technology as the only thing that can be called "Mellotron" or "Chamberlin". The 4000D is just a new and different model in the family tree....made by the people who own the name and masters.