[QuadList] Guerilla splices (was RCA types) (Joe Owens) (Dennis Degan)

[Dennis Degan]

		I previously said:

 > Well, you COULD edit the wrong field sequence . . . with dire 
results."

		On Jan 13, 2009, at 2:46 PM, Phillip G. Shaw wrote:

 > Dennis, I am surprised that an Editor, of that era, would think he 
was controlling the precise physical point of the edit.(poke) The edit 
systems before CMX, and after CMX, all functioned basically the same. 
The CMX Basic Editing Course & the CMX Advanced Editing Course, that I 
attended in 1979, did not reveal or invent anything new in editing, but 
did provided the editor with house keeping tools & features.  The prior 
Edit Systems, like the EDS time code system, had to have match frame 
edit points entered into the EDL manually. I have/had zero creative 
talent but I can drive the suckers. I am not suggesting it was or is 
necessary for an editor to know all the nuts & bolts, but most editors 
developed proven procedures that worked for them. My comments only 
relate to professional videotape machines up to 1996.

		I answer:

	Phil, before I was an editor, I WAS a video engineer.  I kept those 
VTRs running at NBC-NY and in a number of TV stations across the South 
before that.  I think you've mixed up my comment concerning physical 
tape splicing with CMX electronic editing.  The original topic being 
discussed (which I was commenting on) was about physical tape splicing 
with the Smith splicer.

		Phillip continued on another subject:

 > Cesium:  The change out to cesium was not a trivial task. When 30 
rock upgraded in ~1985 all the old Sync Generators were replaced, ZSDs 
(zero studio delay) installed and NBC "Miller Time"  was invented. The 
remote Rube issue was not cured by simply upgrading to cesium. NBC 
hated GEN lock with a passion, the prime example of the CBC Gen-locking 
all of Canada to a truck at the Montreal Forum, was not to be done at 
the NBC network. Dr no & Dr no-no tried ZSD's, GVG phasing DA's and 
every other invention to prevent the hard HIT taken when Gen locking or 
unlocking a 30 rock integration Studio. The real solution was provided 
by 1988 with GVG 's "Soft" Gen lock Sync generator. It sensed a source 
hiccup and free ran until the source stabilized and then very slowly 
gen locked again.

		I reply:

	I wasn't at NBC in 1985.  NBC replaced rubidium oscillators with 
cesium ones?
	Concerning genlock, I don't think any US network routinely genlocked 
the entire network feed to a remote truck.  If CBC did that, it was 
foolish.
	As I recall, NBC used the rubidiums in the remote trucks to 
synchronize them with New York.  Both New York and each remote truck 
were independent, not genlocked.  This only worked because of the 
relative stability of the rubidium oscillators in all locations.  But 
it became both unnecessary and unworkable once (a) frame synchronizers 
became common and (b) satellite-linked backhauls became the norm.  
Though I didn't work at NBC at the time, I believe they began full 
network distribution on KU band satellite in 1983.

		Phillip also said:

 > BTW: My NBC sources of prior operational history was gleamed working 
with Howie Atlas (xmsn) and  Sal Benza (AKA as the Ayatollah) of field 
operations. The Operation Crew of the1984 Convention was the swan song 
of the pioneers. Sal Benza taught me more about Network Television than 
I taught him engineering, those guys did things right, but just did 
them the hard way.

		I add:

	EVERYTHING was done the hard way in those days.   ;)

			Dennis Degan, Editor-Consultant-Knowledge Bank
	  				NBC Today Show, New York