[QuadList] Early CMX Documentation

Wed Feb 24 10:48:44 CST 2010

I have just watched the demo of the 600 and light pen on YouTube

The decision seem to have been made without listening to the music I suspect
it might not  join smoothly together

The You Tube clip shows the decision process, did someone then have to razor
the tape to match the list, with sound edits half a second late?

I assume the captured quality was not good enough to dub off

I think if the demo had been scene stitching in a soap it might be more
believable

I have access to a streamer without time limits of You Tube at www.batc.tv

It a Ham radio/TV site but we could section of part for clips like this if
the You Tube time limit is a problem

Trevor

UK Member

From: quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com
[mailto:quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com] On Behalf Of C. Park Seward
Sent: 22 February 2010 19:43
To: Quad List
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
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bNmsKBqFPQ&feature=player_embedded>
&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 <http://www.digitrakcom.com/> 

<CMX Manual Intro2.jpg>

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