[QuadList] Mechanical Splices

Thu Dec 2 10:33:37 CST 2010

George,

In case you missed the post a few months ago, here are a couple of editors who used to splice NBC programs as we gathered for a monthly luncheon. Add the edit view solution, the iron oxide, the Smith Splicer, and these editors, you could produce a well edited show.

The restaurant is still abuzz about what this contraption was at the table.  We may have been one step short of a visit by LAPD SWAT at that time.

David

On Dec 2, 2010, at 7:38 AM, george keller wrote:

> Right,
>  
> The stuff was called "Ediview" solution, it was a real fine iron oxide mixed in "Freon TF". It worked fine. You just squirted some on the tape, blow on it for a moment and you could see the  "Edit" pulses on the tape. The splicers had a small microscope on it to make it easier to see them. They weren't doing many splice edits by the time I got there, but the splicer used was made by the CBS machine shop, it didn't do any "L" type splices.  Most of the edits I saw done and later on old 2"tapes was mostly video only splices.
>  
> Another use for this stuff was you could put a piece of scotch tape on the covered area, lift it off and put it on a white 3 x 5 card and check to see where the frame pulse was relative to the vert int. There were a couple other things you could see with this method, but I can't think of them at the moment.
>  
> I knew George Hartman well, he was very good at editing, in any mode.  Very nice guy, if I remember He collapsed in the airport on his way back from a remote. If anybody remembers the night time show "Mary Heartman Mary Heartman"?  During that time whenever there was a page for George, the girl would always page "George Hartman George Hartman". I think he enjoyed the gag, he was a "Gentle Giant", very well liked by everyone.
>  
> Also I can't remember any head damage due to tape splices.  The heads could really take a beating, the main damage to them by tape at all was to the small wires coming from the head to the rotary xmfr contacts, and those were easily repaired with a small soldering iron.
>  
> George Keller
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Greene <Steve.Greene at nara.gov>
> To: Quad List <quadlist at quadvideotapegroup.com>
> Sent: Thu, Dec 2, 2010 10:05 am
> Subject: Re: [QuadList] Mechanical Splices
> 
> I had heard that they usually "developed" tracks using a solvent containing fine iron powder, so they could cut at field lines for the video.  The control track "should" be in-phase and not jump, if you cut precisely.  The audio was a different story.
>  
> Of course, playing back spliced tapes always seemed like a crap-shoot to me.  Every time I went over a splice, I held my breath for $2000 worth of quad heads.
>  
> 
> 
>  
>  
> Steve Greene
> Archivist
> Office of Presidential Libraries
> (301) 837-1772>>> David Crosthwait <david at dcvideo.com> 12/2/2010 9:32 AM >>>
> 
>> "you tend to be pleased if they play without frame rolls" Agreed!
> 
> 
> Yes, I have spliced 2" tape also, and have made some recently in preparing tape for transfer. It's just part of the routine here.
> 
> In my opinion, any sort of physical "L" cut would mean cutting the video first, where the incision would extend only to within the last few millimeters of the top of the 2" tape where the audio track resides, then precisely making a 90 degree cut to the "in sync" audio down the tape, and finishing the incision with a second 90 degree cut. Then, that exact cut (mirrored) would have to be made to the "B" side, to make a proper and seamless mate. Respectfully, I don't see this happening. And if so, it certainly would warrant a round of drinks at the Tiki Room for all the hear the story of success. 
> 
> <Image.jpeg>
> This guy will be happy if the routine splice works. No fancy stuff.
> 
> David
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Dec 2, 2010, at 2:31 AM, Trevor Brown wrote:
> 
>> Having made physical splices on quad tapes, you tend to be pleased if they play without frame rolls, yes the sound edit is about half a second after the video edit, and in theory  it could  to be cured by an L splice, but then the top of the L would be 9" long,. (for a sound and picture cut in the same place)
>> So I think the L splice is a concept that,  but would not in practice have been carried out by a physical  L cut in the tape, which would be almost impossible to perform, and would be rather hard on the head wheel which would scan across the top of  L,  getting on for 500 head passes, ( could be expensive in terms of head ware)
>> I suspect buy some sort of audio lift, or parallel audio recording although the dates you quote are very early for anything along these lines
>> TrevorB
>> UK Member
>> From: quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com [mailto:quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com] On Behalf Of trandoc at aol.com
>> Sent: 02 December 2010 04:21
>> To: quadlist at quadvideotapegroup.com
>> Subject: Re: [QuadList] Mechanical Splices
>> David,
>> 
>> Thanks for your reply.
>> 
>> A little more background on my question:
>> 
>> My dad, (who worked at CBS 1949-1973, but not in tape) remembers hearing of a 1962 musical show edited with an "L Splice" which was a mechanical cut to include the audio track. This seems to be quite a feat, yet it has been verified by a friend of his who also has memories of such an edit. The editor mentioned might have been a George Hartmann?. This is all I know. Quite a feat and really tough on the headwheel!!
>> 
>> Regards,
>> Harold
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: David Crosthwait <david at dcvideo.com>
>> To: Quad List <quadlist at quadvideotapegroupcom>
>> Sent: Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:23 pm
>> Subject: Re: [QuadList] Mechanical Splices
>> Harold, 
>> I have not heard of this from a standpoint of physically splicing the tape in a non-straight form. What this "L" cut may be referring to is the practice of cutting the picture and conforming a separate mag or audio tape to have the audio cuts be in-sync with the picture cut. Such a system was in place in the 50's and 60's at NBC Burbank. Having laughs cross the edits also helped in the separate system approach, such as in Laugh-In. On the Cyd Charisse (1959 color) presentation, such a system of post pix edit audio conform was used throughout the program, but was especially critical in the first dance scene, which was heavily spliced. The music track that Cyd danced to was consistent and uninterrupted by the physical cuts.
>> David
>> www.dcvideo.com
>> On Dec 1, 2010, at 3:08 PM, trandoc at aol.com wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> Hi all,
>> 
>> I would like to access the experience of the list. I have heard of an "L Splice" which was said to compensate for the separation between the video drum and audio stack on a quad machine. This seems quite amazing to me and I wonder if anyone else has heard of this?
>> 
>> Thanks,
>> Harold
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