[QuadList] Early CMX Documentation

Mon Feb 22 14:16:49 CST 2010

Hey Park,

That's a great video, never saw it before.

There was quite a bit of talk about the "Light Pen" system which was going around in 1972, my guess is that it may have been used in Hollywood or in the Labs in NYC or maybe a demo. It really had everyone shook up enough to be a big issue in the 1972 contract negotiations.  It was about the coldest November and December we have had in some time, bad time for a strike.  Don't know why they didn't stick with it.

DE  George Keller

-----Original Message-----
From: C. Park Seward <park at videopark.com>
To: Quad List <quadlist at quadvideotapegroup.com>
Sent: Mon, Feb 22, 2010 2:43 pm
Subject: Re: [QuadList] Early CMX Documentation

See 

http://viswiki.com/en/CMX_600
with video demo

Bigger picture:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bNmsKBqFPQ&feature=player_embedded#

Best,
Park

C. Park Seward1870
Visit us: http://www.videopark.com

On Feb 22, 2010, at 10:21 AM, georgenann at aol.com wrote:

Hi Don,

Once again I am reminded of CBS's depressing method of "Recycling" it's old and often historic equipment.  I recall the first CMX system at CBS.  It was referred to as "The ABC Room" as it used VTR'S A,B and C.  It used a PDP11-05 and a big interface.  I remember the interface, it was well documented as I had to modify one of the functions of it and it was surprisingly easy.

We had to toggle in the "Bootstrap" program manually.  Then a tape called the "Absolute Loader" then the program tape.  Later on as the program got bigger, the pile of tape got bigger and would frequently fall on the floor which accounted for a lot of overtime.

I don't remember the model number, but 300 sounds about right.  I think 400 was the model which had it's own built in computer, not the DEC, also had a "Decrwiter" which was rarely used.  Also along came the "BIG" floppy drives.

The last one was the "Omni1000" which is still in use in at least one of the CBS weekly shows.

At any rate, all of this stuff, manuals, computers, I2's, etc. all went in the dumpster.  I suspect that when the last Omni is replaced they will all go the same way.

We had one strike in my 42 years at CBS and the main reason was CMX.  Apparently the "Light Pen" was going to put us all out of work because the directors would be able to do all their own editing.  I never saw the "Light Pen" anywhere in CBS.

There are 2 fotos I know of, one is in DennyD1's collection and it's file name ends in CMX ABC.  I have almost the same foto with the same editor, Hank Wolf who passed away many years ago, he was the first CMX editor we had.  I will be glad to send it to you, but I don't think I can send it on this circuit, will have to do it to your e-mail address.  I tried sending a couple fotos before and received a  nastygrams about them.

One thing caught my eye, you mentioned the Ampex "Ace" editor as being a PDP11 powered.  I never saw one of them, the only Ampex "Ace" editor I came in contact with was at NSA and I remember it as a Dos based "Box" of some sort.  I only used it breifly and that was the only time I ever edited anything. It was hooked up to a few BVW-75's.

73,

George Keller

-----Original Message-----
From: Don Norwood <dwnorwood at embarqmail.com>
To: Quad List <quadlist at quadvideotapegroup.com>
Sent: Sat, Feb 20, 2010 12:36 pm
Subject: [QuadList] Early CMX Documentation

I've recently received a great deal of information on the CMX 300 & 400 systems.  Included is a 55 page training manual in 11"x17" format that was developed by NBC Burbank.  I've included a scan below of the introductory page.  I never worked on these systems, but I did have many years of experience with DEC PDP-11's in other applications, so the opportunity to learn more about how two of my favorite technologies came together has been a real treat.  My first experience with the PDP-11 in an editing environment was the Ampex ACE, and that was a decade after the CMX systems were developed.

The comparison of this technology to todays' world of non-linear editing is such a striking contrast that it's probably inconceivable to many people in the industry today.  Perhaps the idea of having an edit system composed of tape machines is not too far removed from most of our memories, but concern for what bits in which register are controlling which machine function disappeared a long time ago.  An editing system with diagnostic routines to monitor specific bits on a data bus just isn't standard fare anymore! 

I don't know how rare or how common the existence of these documents may be.  Have any of these systems been preserved?  I'd like to find the most effective way to ensure that this information is not lost.  Perhaps the folks at Woonsocket would be a good repository?  Ideas, suggestions or comments?

Don Norwood
www.digitrakcom.com
<CMX Manual Intro2.jpg>

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