DC Video

08/17/2023

Varitel. 1987. Had various owners, the last being MVF.

08/17/2023

MVF 1987

08/15/2023

08/15/2023

Complete Post 1987.

08/09/2023

Here is your dead VTR recording scheme of the month: The 1" type A format.
The VPR-1, introduced by Ampex in 1976 at NAB Chicago, was the last development of Ampex's pre-type C 1" tape machines. In the preceding years, Ampex had manufactured the VR series of what was known as "pre-type A" 1" machines that made and played back low-band and high-band recordings. The VPR-1 was specifically designed as a very high-band format, thus incompatible with the VR series machines. The VPR 7900/7950 did have the capability of handling all three modulator frequencies but the VPR-1 was a big change in transport and electronics design. No more movable guides, thus a much tighter mechanical specification.
SMPTE designated it as "type A".
The VPR-1 introduced AST, the first decent slow-motion/freeze frame VTR. A new time-base corrector, the TBC-1, was also paired with this VPR-1 product.
The VPR-1 type A (very high-band) format did not last long and was shortly thereafter replaced by the type C VPR-2 within two years. But nonetheless, the VPR-1 was the start of serious broadcast-quality American 1" videotape machine products.
We do have two Ampex VPR-1 VTR's in house.
www.dcvideo.com

07/30/2023

Voices (deep moans) from the post production junkyard-Prime Image!

07/27/2023

Hollywood Today:

It’s been 87 days since the writers hit the picket lines and 14 days since the actors joined them, yet the divisions between the guilds and the studios remain as deep as ever.  One of the bigg…

07/10/2023

I grew up using the Quantel DPE-5000, the MKII DVE, the ADO-3000 and the K-scope. I was never a real fan of Abekas except to say that the A-62 was impressive. Yes the A-42 and A-52 served well also.

07/07/2023

Today's (1977) two-inch Quad modifications (right before you junk the machine for one-inch!).

07/07/2023

Time to upgrade that old second-generation Quad machine to 1977 specifications. OH BOY!

07/06/2023

The Post Group. 1987.

07/01/2023

Here is your dead VTR format of the month: "IEC type D" (not "SMPTE type D") VTRs by NEC! No, we have never seen a recording from these machines and apparently neither has anyone else i.e. never marketed!

07/01/2023

06/27/2023

Adjust for best picture and color!

06/19/2023

Thank you Phil!

06/15/2023

Here are two more photos from the RCA equipped MTS truck-Video control and production control.

06/14/2023

As a followup to the TR-60 in LA question of the day (yesterday), here is a photo of the two RCA TR-61 VTRs in the MTS truck. This shot was around 1975.

06/13/2023

We are transferring a series of 2" Quad recordings this month and some of them are of local LA County origination. The operator has listed the machine on one set of recordings as the RCA TR-60. This 1977 recording appears to be with RCA TK 44A's and a portable camera, perhaps a TKP. I can't recall any remote truck having a TR-60 out here with the exception of possibly Pacific Video or Mobile Video Systems's RCA trucks. Any of you lurking former Pacific Video or MVS engineers ever have a TR-60 in your trucks?

06/01/2023

This week, a producer was looking for a unique production space to do an interview and basically fell in love with our tape room. We accommodated their wishes and the machines were well used as the backdrop.

The occasion was for:

A discussion with Chris Lewis (President of Jerry Lewis films and the youngest son of Jerry Lewis) for a film about Bob Furmanek and the full 3D restoration of the Martin & Lewis film “Money From Home”.

The shoot went well and everyone was happy.

https://3dfilmarchive.com/
www.dcvideo.com

05/25/2023

For those that have never seen it (or for those who never want to see it again):

Sony D-1 4:2:2 SD Digital Videotape Recovery

Here is a short demo of some of the sights and sounds of the exciting Sony invention: D-1 4:2:2 component digital videotape from the 1980's!

These machines today are "one foot in the grave" and require that a prayer be recited upon each power on!

www.dcvideo.com

05/16/2023

1959 RCA LABS LOW-BAND COLOR VIDEOTAPE SPLICED OPEN
Here is a nice demonstration from a network show where the splicer/editor made many perfect cuts to create a unique program start!

Note that some image changes between splices were traditional relay-switcher cuts.

Talk about an editing skill!

www.dcvideo.com

05/02/2023

In our field of business, we as a company have always enjoyed preserving vintage videotape performances, especially when they feature one-of-a-kind gatherings. Although we had nothing to do with this production or migration linked below, it does truly demonstrate how an entertainment program at that time and place can capture something never to be done again ever! Johnny Lee knocks out a classic, surrounded by legends, some of which have since passed away.

Nothing beats a classic - see how Johnny Lee's "Looking For Love in All the Wrong Places" turns into an impromptu group performance! Watch your favorite coun...

04/04/2023

For what it's worth: Bob and Ray pose with two RCA TK44As's at NBC NY!

03/31/2023

This young man is holding what is believed to be the second oldest surviving color videotape recording in history (newly discovered!)

Our client brought to DC Video this vintage tape to recover. The third-generation Ampex AVR-1 with custom modifications was used for this playback.

Details to follow.

It certainly is a privilege yet alone an exciting day to handle a nearly 65 year old color recording!

This older tape meets the younger generation. The future is bright!

www.dcvideo.com

03/24/2023

The latest scanner news from DFT!

Share via: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn More DFT, the leading provider of high-end film scanning solutions that preserves, manages and delivers pristine film quality, in archives and post production facilities worldwide, will be showing its newest 8K film scanner, DFT Polar HQ alongside its brand new S...

03/15/2023

The Sony CV 2000. This "CV" recording scheme was invented in 1965 and is known as the so-called "skip field format".
It is incredible to see what vintage videotapes have been surfacing on this format lately.

More details about our CV recovery efforts to follow.

We also have the following 1/2" machines in operation making transfers:
EIAJ 525 line mono
EIAJ 525 line NTSC color
EIAJ 625 line mono
AV 5000 525 line pre-EIAJ NTSC color
AV 5000A 525 line pre-EIAJ NTSC color
Panasonic/Concord 12 I.P.S. 525 mono
Shibaden 525 line mono

www.dcvideo.com

03/08/2023

Happy "National Bad Splice Day"!
www.dcvideo.com

03/02/2023

The phone will ring with people looking for a specialized vintage format playback, this time the rare Panasonic D3 machine. Twice in the last 48 hours!

https://www.dcvideo.com/formats

03/01/2023

My son had a friend ask him today if I knew of or better yet, had I ever met Boz Scaggs. I at least certainly knew his music. In fact, he can be seen on guitar in this short clip! https://www.facebook.com/dcvideo/videos/411412243140858

02/10/2023

A CMX EDL Printout, submitted for your approval!

Read left to right (columns):
Source in TC
Source out TC
Record in TC
Record out TC

You will note the simplicity of this edit session. Mainly there were fade up and downs at the 30 frame rate for the most part. Fades were usually not a delayed A side duration.

www.dcvideo.com

02/07/2023

Remember when field recording depended on an HL79D (maybe with new tubes) and a BVH-500A 1" VTR hanging off the back end of a pickup truck?

www.dcvideo.com

02/03/2023

Since many of you seem to have an interest in TV standards, especially from back in the 50's-60's, here is something I posted a while back but worth showing again.
As mentioned before, NBC Burbank converted their first 8 Ampex VR-1000's to color
(edited # due to my error. 9, 10, 11 and 12 were TRT1's) around 1957-58. This meant junking the Ampex modulator/demodulator and replacing each with an RCA design, switchable to mono or for a unique color scheme for both recording/playback. It was direct color record but with heterodyne color playback (until direct color recovery modes were developed in the early 60's i.e. Ampex Colortec).
A section of the NBC Burbank work order has a designation for which mode was to be used. "Ampex" generally meant the low-band monochrome standard, compatible on both RCA TRT and Ampex VR models. But the color mode meant the usage of the "RCA modulator".
"TP" meant "Time Present", a scheme NBC Burbank had in place to automatically roll the record machines 90 seconds before showtime with 60 bars and tone, then switching to the incoming feed. In this case, this was a zone delay meaning, the machine recorded the East incoming feed (line 1 and 2).

www.dcvideo.com

02/02/2023

The 2" Quad 625 PAL tapes keep rolling in here, keeping the third-generation Ampex AVR-1 busy! The client requested Apple ProRes 422 HQ 625 PAL files.

02/02/2023

Let's remember:

Videotape was invented to be a reusable medium.

Now that we have that stated: You videotape archive historians, grab your Kleenex box and take a look at this.

The NBC tape log from a 1958-59-60 videotape that was used well into the 1960's.

Disclaimer: The bottom portion of this log has been deliberately left off to protect the innocent!

02/01/2023

Ray Dolby's Legacy Preserved!

https://library.stanford.edu/node/173223

Dolby, known for taking the hiss out of tape recordings and developing sound technologies that revolutionized the entertainment industry, meticulously documented his curiosity and passion for sound, which started at an early age as revealed by high school papers.

Stanford, CA—On what would have been his 90th birthday, the Dolby Family and Stanford Libraries announce the placement of Ray Dolby’s papers at Stanford University. Dolby’s papers join the archives of Ampex Corporation, an industry leader in magnetic recording and where Dolby worked early in his career. The Stanford Libraries acquired the Ampex Corporation Records in 2001, with assistance from Dolby Laboratories. Both collections are part of the Stanford Libraries’ Silicon Valley Archives, which recently expanded its program to include exhibition, teaching and event spaces in the newly renovated Hohbach Hall in Cecil H. Green Library.

Dolby, known for taking the hiss out of tape recordings and developing sound technologies that revolutionized the entertainment industry, meticulously documented his curiosity and passion for sound, which started at an early age as revealed by high school papers.

01/21/2023

Little did I know two weeks ago when we did this recovery from 1080i HDCAM that David would pass soon afterwards. What a musical career he had!

"If I Could Only Remember My Name"

Tape/image courtesy of David Peck and reelinintheyears.com
www.dcvideo.com

01/18/2023

ESPN announced that Monday night's Wild Card matchup between the Buccaneers and Cowboys was the most-watched playoff game since 1999.

01/17/2023

12/19/2022

Since it's the week before Christmas, perhaps you can't think of what you want under your 40' tree. Maybe this would be the gift that will keep on giving!

12/15/2022

We've been given a project consisting of the recovery and digitization of concert material from an A-list rock band of the 70's (and onward). In the initial delivery of tapes were the following: 3/4" U-matic, 2" Quad, 1" type C, I" IVC and 1" type A.
The type A material was a remote recording encompassing multiple color cameras and was recorded on a VPR-7900 VTR in the rare "VHB" (very high-band) standard. Our equally as rare Ampex VPR-1 A format machine took on the task of recovery. In consideration of the antiquated format and the early stock, the RF recovery was very good and the servo stayed locked!
What is nice about this VPR-1 A format machine is that it has all of the original Ampex boards installed, even with a fine-working AST head!

The waveform image shown is demod (nice and square H. sync!).

As Jackie Gleason would say: "How sweet it is!".