[QuadList] Mechanical Splices

Thu Dec 2 11:02:18 CST 2010

Yes we only had the Ediview solution to see the tracks, There was later kit
that displayed the control track on a scope tube, but I never got my hands
on one, 

being a PAL county you had to get the 4 frame sequence correct or there were
blue faces.

Also needed to record tack phase correctly if you wanted to join one tape to
another, or you lost or gained lines at the edit and it would roll over.

Whenever the edit did not work and had to be remade earlier ( even in
electronic days) they expression "working your way back to the lineup" was
coined ie the bars at the head

I still use the expression today when something goes wrong and you need to
dig further, often fixing the car

Old habits die hard 

TrevorB

UK member

From: quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com
[mailto:quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com] On Behalf Of David
Crosthwait
Sent: 02 December 2010 16:34
To: Quad List
Subject: Re: [QuadList] Mechanical Splices

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
<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
<mailto:quadlist at quadvideotapegroup.com> >
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 <http://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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