[QuadList] Updates to previous stories: WRC-TV Dedication, Bosch Quads, Ampex Retirees Picnic

Sun Sep 20 00:43:11 CDT 2009

Seems like the list has gone three days without a post... so I thought  
I'd stir the pot with updates to some previous content:

WRC-TV Dedication restoration:
Both of the WRC-TV dedication tapes we've discussed earlier on the  
list  were recorded at NBC Burbank, according to Robert Sarnoff. He  
says so about 15 minutes into the broadcast, right after Sarnoff  
presses the "Color" button.  He also makes reference to video taping  
as having begun on a full-scale basis a month earlier with the switch  
to daylight savings time.

Sarnoff also indicates that the tape would be replayed several hours  
later in the day. He says he's "asked our engineers to make two tape  
copies of this program." One to be sent to the White House for the  
President, and the other to the Library of Congress.

At around 23:45, there's a noticeable audio change.  This is likely  
the unexplained switch in Burbank to what Don Kent believes is the  
backup network audio line, which he says sounded like a POTS line  
(Plain Old Telephone Service.) Don says he had to work very hard to  
get the audio to sound reasonably good.

I spent several weeks after the transfer had been done fixing little  
glitches, etc. using the D-2 dub as my Edit Master and building a  
finished reel from that.  The audio equalization took me about four or  
five days after work to get as close to the original sound as I could  
with the “protection” audio.  I still don’t know why they switched.   
There was nothing wrong with the 5KC feed up to that point.  For those  
who’ve  never heard what network television used to sound like, it was  
a bit tubby and had no highs to speak of.  To put it in context, AM  
Radio is usually good to about 7500 cycles.  This was only 5000 cycles!

The posted file has a severe echo to it that I don't remember Don  
mentioning in any e-mails or phone conversations, so I don't know  
whether that was the way either tape sounded, or whether its a case of  
the un-altered sound is on one audio track and the "restored" sound is  
on the other, with an out of sync condition when both are mixed.  I'll  
ask.

He is emphatic about where the recordings were made:
And, both were recorded in Burbank.  I can say that with some  
certainty because of the sound quality.  If it were recorded at WRC it  
wouldn’t have 5KC audio, and it does.  There would be absolutely no  
reason to buy a crappy telco line when they could just drop a cord out  
the window, you know?  Anything’s possible, though.  To be sure, just  
ask that guy at the L.O.C. what the audio frequency response was on  
his tape.  That will tell the tale.

And Don also gives credit to one of our QuadList members, who went  
unrecognized when the Emmy Awards were handed out:

There was a guy from Merlin Engineering, Ken Zin, who helped us.  I  
think the NEC (NEC NTC-10 TBC) came from Merlin, but I really don’t  
remember that well.  Dan or Ed will, though.  Ed remembers that kind  
of stuff a lot better than I do.  Sorry.

So what brought this up again? The fact that there was an on-line post  
of the restored videotape here:
http://www.veoh.com/browse/morelike/v18866629PBfqyzrh

I do not know the source of the tape used to make this file, and  
imagine my surprise to see the RCA TRT-1 transport and the Quad  
Videotape Group icon at the beginning of the posted video and again at  
the end, where reference is made to the Quad Videotape Group website  
and where to find the story of the restoration.

First, I appreciate the ability to see the video again. It is in  
content, what I remember Park and I saw at the UCLA Film and  
Television Archive screening in July of 2008.

Second, I also appreciate the mention of the group, and hope that it  
has helped people find the site and the group.

Since neither I or "the group"—however it may exist—had anything to do  
with this posting, it might be better for all concerned if the logos  
were not on the posted clip and the open or close didn't make it seem  
as though there was a connection.

If a member is responsible for this, we thank you for your efforts.  
Hope it didn't expose you to some risk.  Mentioning the URL about the  
restoration should be enough... and would keep any potential hot water  
from coming into contact with yours truly :)

Moving along from content to equipment—Ted has a Bosch nosh:
In the course of representing MWA Nova's film transfer and film  
picture and sound recording gear, I've got a trip to Berlin coming up  
a week from tonight.

Since I fly through Frankfurt on my way to and from, I've arranged to  
meet Gert Redlich from Weisbaden near Frankfurt, who is the man behind  
Deutsches Fernsehmuseum Wiesbaden at http://www.Fernsehmuseum.info.

That's where I got the photos of Bosch Quads you've seen previously.
http://www.fernsehmuseum.info/fese-bcm40c.html

Now http://www.Fernsehmuseum.info exists only on the net.

He is working to arrange a visit to the place where the machines in  
these pictures are stored, and I hope to be able to get more photos  
and videotape some interviews about the stories behind Bosh Quads and  
the RCA and Visual/Allen connections we've written about earlier.

I'm spending from Sunday afternoon Oct. 4 through the morning of Oct.  
7 in Frankfurt, and he's going to take me to visit other people...  
whom I understand have heard the zing and made Bosches sing. Likely  
other brands, too.

So we may have more stories to tell when we return to the US.

Ampex Retirees Picnic, last Saturday:
Did anyone on the list get to go?  Tim (Stoffel, Quadruplex Park/KNPB)  
was planning to come over from Reno and we'd ride together from  
Marysville, but tire problems caused that to go flat... and I had a  
major backlog of work so neither of us could go.

Ken Zin was considering it, and so was his Merlin colleague Al Sturm.   
Richard (Lab Guy) from the Old VTR's group on Yahoo was also planning  
to go.

Did anyone on the list make it?  If so, what happened?  Pictures?   
Gert would love to have some for inclusion on the fernsehmuseum.info  
website—and so would we. Particularly of the surviving members of the  
Ampex Quad team.

I think that's enough stirring... except to say that I'll be demoing  
equipment in Burbank this week... Sunday—Friday, and a get together is  
possible.  (530) 301-2931.

Driving down tonight... and if you're up late working on equipment or  
bored stiff, call me and keep me awake!

Have a good weekend, and hope it's nice where you are with no fires or  
unpleasantness.

Ted

Ted Langdell
Secretary
Skype: 	TedLangdell
e-mail:	ted at quadvideotapegroup.com

Ted Langdell
Ted Langdell Creative Broadcast Services
209 East 12th Street
Marysville, CA 95901
Main: 	(530) 741-1212
Cell: 	(530) 301-2931
Skype: 	TedLangdell

tedlangdell.com. Storytelling through Broadcast Coverage and Creative  
Services since 1974

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