The Mother of Invention of Videotape

On July 30, 2013 - TV History

In The Days Of Not So Instant Replays…

Our friend Richard Wirth has a new article on the history of kinescopes and video tape development. Linking the east and west costs by coaxial cable was a blessing and a curse for networks because of the need to delay broadcasts going west. Here’s a look at how that got done in the 50s. Enjoy!

http://provideocoalition.com/pvcexclusive/story/invention-of-videotape

The Mother of Invention of Videotape

In our file based acquisition world of 2013 where the editing process can begin immediately right there on the set, it can be difficult to relate to a time when just getting the program recorded was a Herculean effort requiring considerable engineering manpower and over a ton of equipment.

Source

6 Comments

  1. Richard Wirth August 1, 2013

    In case you missed the CBS story, find it here: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57596237/library-of-congress-races-to-preserve-tv-history/

  2. Richard Wirth August 1, 2013

    Speaking of Videotape – anyone see the CBS Evening News Library of Congress piece last night? It was about saving television shows, mostly the quad tape based ones. In it they said there is only one company left that rebuilds the heads and that won’t be for much longer. Can anyone comment on that?

  3. Grant Fletcher July 30, 2013

    A great Piece, I still run an Ampex Quad on a fairly regular basis. Some real satisfaction in getting a good picture out of that beast.

  4. Fred Tankersley July 30, 2013

    I hate to admit it but I was alive then and remember parts of this

  5. Tim Stepich July 30, 2013

    And tape is about to breathe its last breath too. As an editor I no longer touch a VTR, sending my finished product as a .mov or mxf file. Long form programs still need to be recorded on videotape, but that will soon change.

  6. Matthew Upson July 30, 2013

    really amazing, Gregg, were the West coast versions edited for “goofs”/