[QuadList] was Helical, Quads, now Marconi cameras

[Guy Spiller]

Hi Trevor,
I sure have first hand knowledge about the tantalum cap problems in 
these things.  Even when relatively new, their failure rate was 
spectacular. 
I remember one particular one, in one of the post amps in the head, that 
would go shorted when the camera was tilted down below about 30 
degrees...above that, it was fine.  I used these things on location for 
football and such, and things like that made me crazy.  Luckily, by the 
time I was doing a lot of work with them, I had acquired a bunch of 
parts cameras for spares.
Every once in a while, when I think it would be fun to get one of these 
up and running again, I'm reminded just how many caps I would have to 
change at this point.  So, at least for the foreseeable future, they 
will remain "static displays".
I never got to see an EMI camera in person unfortunately, as I don't 
think many, if any, made it over here.  As David mentioned, several of 
the large market PBS stations were big users of MkVIIs.  Along with 
KQED, WGBH in Boston and I seem to remember that WNET in New York had 
them for a while.  The original Sesame Street programs were done with 
MkVIIs at Reeves Teletape, as well as the David Frost show.  I ended up 
with a couple of cameras from there as well.
Congratulations to your colleague who has that one up and running....he 
must have lots of patience!
Guy

Trevor Brown wrote:
> The MKV11 belongs to my colleague 
>
>
> The VAC's never worked from new and were always in bits (delay line
> problems)
>
> If you opened the CCU front panel you ran the risk of breaking swan neck
> wiring
> Lost count of the number of times we had to edit shows recorded as live
> for tant capacitors problems on the MKV11 camera's
>
> When I was in broadcast we had two full sized studio's one with EMI 2001
> camera's for making programs
> and one with Marconi MKV11 which was more often out of service than in
> service
>
> Marconi thought up the four tube Plumbicon camera, EMI just made better kit
> IMO
>
> G101 was the camera cable, in use 
>
> TrevorB
> UK Member
>
>   
>

-- 
Guy Spiller
email: quadruplex at verizon.net
phone: (804) 379-2050
website: www.GuySpiller.com
Midlothian, VA