[QuadList] Computer Generated AVR-1... is a Quad SIMgamefarbehind?

Tue Jul 28 10:44:06 CDT 2009

Sure David, I'll tell what I know.  I had left the tech center to build
the PBS satellite earth station in Northern Virginia in 77.  When we
designed the MOT (Main Origination Terminal) building several people
asked why it was so big for such a relatively small operation.  I always
said it was just for growth if needed.  We did design a repair depot
into it for the system so that accounted for a lot of warehouse space,
etc.  As time went on it proved to be a good thing that the space was
there.

After I left PBS in late 78 they were about to switch to 1" as the
SMPTE-C standard was about finalized.  They did switch over during the
late 70s and the AVR-1s went to a good home at Byron where they did
dubbing of commercials for a few more years.  PBS got a quantity of
VPR-2 for their 1" stable.

The fire at the USPS headquarters at 475 L' Enfant Plaza in the early
80's (I can't find the exact date) caused all the water put into the
upper floors of the plaza to run down to the basement where PBS' tech
center was located and flooded out everything.  When the fire started
they had the presence of mind to start handing tapes out the window and
got a lot of the library saved.  These tapes were taken to the MOT for
storage and ABC supplied some VPRs they were about to dispose of.  So
all that 'space' at the MOT allowed PBS to continue operations for some
time until the new building in Alexandria was built.  I think WETA also
helped get them over the hump during the transition.  All the gear in L'
Enfant was declared a total loss and except for a few boards scavenged
for spares nothing was saved.

Ironically, one of the tenants at 475 is the National Fire Protection
Association!  I'm sure others may have a more direct knowledge of the
fire particulars, but these are what I know of it.  

Earlier, in the 70s, we had an outage from the melting snow under cars
in the garage running down into the lowest level of the garage where the
power entrance was.  The high salt content from the road salt made the
water VERY conductive and blew the main buss bar to the entire building.
After we used a rented carnival generator for a few days to stay up
until the burned out buss bar could be replaced, it was decided we had
better get some backup power so a generator and switchover were
installed for PBS.

Bill Spencer

RF Engineering Supervisor

NorthStar Studios, Inc.

3201 Dickerson Pike

Nashville, TN 37207

Phone 615.650.6000 ext. 6610

Cell 615.445.5616

Fax 615.650.6027

email bill.spencer at northstarstudios.tv

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________________________________

From: quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com
[mailto:quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com] On Behalf Of
DCFWTX at aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2009 8:36 AM
To: quadlist at quadvideotapegroup.com
Subject: Re: [QuadList] Computer Generated AVR-1... is a Quad
SIMgamefarbehind?

In a message dated 7/28/2009 6:19:16 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
bill.spencer at northstarstudios.tv writes:

One thing he got right was the cover on the panel to the right of the
transport was never closed on any of our ten AVR-1 machines, but another
error is that the lower right drawer was always open to smack the TBC!
Also, the lady shouldn't be operating those machines with that scarf
around her neck!

Bill Spencer

Bill,

If you get a moment, would you tell the group what the basement flood
was like at PBS? Wasn't that the permanent exit from L' Enfant
facilities? I believe that I had already left the PBS affiliate that I
was working for when that occurred.

Thanks.

David Crosthwait

DC Video 
Archived Media Transfer & Re-mastering Services
177 West Magnolia Blvd.
Burbank, CA. 91502
818-563-1073
818-563-1177 (fax)
818-285-9942 (cell)
DCFWTX at AOL.COM     
DAVID at DCVIDEO.COM
WWW.DCVIDEO.COM

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