[QuadList] Question about NBC color TZ delay prior to Quad

[Ted Langdell]

Hi, Gary,

On Oct 26, 2009, at 6:42 PM, Gary Stark wrote:
> I found your website almost by accident and it's terrific. I have a  
> question that I hope you or someone can answer. Since color  
> videotape recording didn't really get started until 1958 or later,  
> how were NBC's color programs seen by west coast viewers prior to  
> then?

That's a good question and people on the QuadList may have some  
information.  You can join the list and receive their answers by e- 
mail, or go here:

http://mail.quadvideotapegroup.com/pipermail/ 
quadlist_quadvideotapegroup.com/
to see what people have said.

> Were they shown on a delay in black and white or did NBC air the  
> color programs live in all time zones? I'm just curious as to  
> whether west coast viewers were essentially shut out of color  
> programming prior to the invention of color tape recording. Many  
> thanks and keep up the great work on this site.
>

Generally, networks used a kinescope recorder to create a filmed  
recording of a high-resolution TV monitor.

This could be done in black and white very easily, and was used for  
time-zone delay by some networks until they felt comfortable with  
videotape.

Color kinescopes could also be made using color film, but I don't  
have any handy info about what NBC did as a regular practice.

RCA/NBC did work on a lenticular film process that encoded color  
information into black and white film. The results weren't all that  
spectacular, I understand.

Glad you've enjoyed the site. Thanks for the kind words.

Ted
>

Ted Langdell
Secretary