
08/17/2023
Varitel. 1987. Had various owners, the last being MVF.
DC Video provides a wide range of high quality video tape transfers and media migration services. We Videotape recording was introduced in 1956.
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Over the years, many recording schemes have come and gone. Most of the videotape recorder/players over 10 years old are scarce or non-existant. Fortunately DC Video has dedicated itself to preserving and maintaining the technology to recover and transfer these obsolete formats. Please don't hesitate to call or email us for further details. For examples of our media migration and reformatting work, please visit our YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/dcvideoonline
Varitel. 1987. Had various owners, the last being MVF.
MVF 1987
Complete Post 1987.
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
Voices (deep moans) from the post production junkyard-Prime Image!
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…
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.
Today's (1977) two-inch Quad modifications (right before you junk the machine for one-inch!).
Time to upgrade that old second-generation Quad machine to 1977 specifications. OH BOY!
The Post Group. 1987.
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!
Adjust for best picture and color!
Thank you Phil!
Here are two more photos from the RCA equipped MTS truck-Video control and production control.
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.
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?
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
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
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
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...
For what it's worth: Bob and Ray pose with two RCA TK44As's at NBC NY!
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
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...
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
Happy "National Bad Splice Day"!
www.dcvideo.com
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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!
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.
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
ESPN announced that Monday night's Wild Card matchup between the Buccaneers and Cowboys was the most-watched playoff game since 1999.
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!
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!".
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Another week of media migration and reformatting has begun! NTSC, PAL and SECAM sources transferred to SD and HD files. https://www.dcvideo.com/formats
Bosch-Fernseh BCN 50 625/PAL 1" B Format. About as rare as it gets in the U.S. www.dcvideo.com
It's always a pleasure working within the business of preserving our magnetic-media heritage. Not only do I get to transfer and preserve some great archival videotape, I enjoy once again programming I last saw as a youngster. Here is a good example."Allakazam Open" from 1960 as recovered from 2" Quad low-band mono videotape on the third-generation Ampex AVR-1. www.dcvideo.com
Before EECO and SMPTE Time Code, there was ESG! This is NBC New York's version. www.dcvideo.com
WOR-TV slate in 1968 as recovered on the thrid-generation Ampex AVR-1. www.dcvideo.com
David Horowitz had a very popular consumer advocate program titled "Fight Back" for many years, produced at NBC Burbank. He recentlly passed away. Here is the show open from 1987. The source is 1" type C videotape.
"Win's Waste Hugger". Recorded with a single RCA TK-46 on an Ampex VR-2000 in Hollywood, CA. Reproduced on the third-generation Ampex AVR-1 at DC Video. www.dcvideo.com
A Handshake in Space. Recorded 7-17-75 live. Recovered on the Ampex AVR-1 at DC Video. www.dcvideo.com
The Viking Spacecraft sends back images to the JPL in Pasadena, CA July 20, 1976 as recorded on two-inch Quad low-band videotape.
Here's a short demo of the Panasonic MII videotape format machine (AU-650) and what happens if you load a small tape too fast. And yes, we do have MII playback machines at DC Video for tape migration and reformatting.
This is a two-inch Quad transfer of the color program open from the Georgia Educational Television Network. The thrid-generation Ampex AVR-1 was used at DC Video for this recovery. www.dcvideo.com
LongHorn Ranch Wear. Shot on location in Dallas, Texas using a single RCA TKP-45 and recorded on an RCA-TR 600. Edited machine to machine with Editec on Ampex VR-1200's. Graphic card keys via a Sarkes-Tarzian production switcher in Dallas, Texas. Slate generation: Vidifont.
KCOP Credit Roll: The Joker's Wild. Recorded and editted on Ampex VR-2000B's at KCOP, Hollywood California.
"CBS Presents This Program in Color" animation from 1966. Source: Two-inch Quad color videotape as transferred on the Ampex AVR-1 at DC Video.
The NBC Peacock from 1959 as transferred on the Ampex AVR-1 from 2" Quad low-band color videotape.