[QuadList] Early CMX Documentation

[COURYHOUSE at aol.com]

does anyone remember a system that used a DEC-  pdp-8E in it? it  had a 
diablo 2 or 5 meg hard drive on it as  well.
 
thanks Ed#.




 
In a message dated 2/22/2010 1:28:23 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time,  
david at dcvideo.com writes:

George  and Don,

When I worked at NBC Burbank, they too had an early version of  a CMX  
300 on the PDP-11 (punch tape). Thanks for reminding me of  "the  
Bootstrap program" and the he "Absolute Loader". Four VR  2000A's and  
an HS 200. The other CMX systems (in a TR 600A room and  a BVH 1000  
room) were 340's, later upgraded to 3400's and  3600's.

David Crosthwait
DC  Video
www.dcvideo.com


Quoting  georgenann at aol.com:

>
> 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

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