[QuadList] A Present to the Quad Videotape Group--VT Hell on Christmas Eve

[Ted Langdell]

VT Hell on Christmas Eve
To the tune of Jingle Bells:
Written Christmas Eve, 2011 by Ted Langdell
© and ⓟ Ted Langdell, 2011

Here's an A capella recording.


And the Lyrics:

Working tape on Christmas Eve
Hit "Rewind" on VT 3
A One-hour Net delay
Just two minutes till it plays.

When suddenly I hear
An unexpected snapping noise.
A hidden splice let go, and 
I went, "No! No! NO!"

Hey MC! 
VT Here!
We have a problem tape.
The Como Christmas Special reel
Has got a special break. Yeah!

I can fix.
But we'll need
to play this in two parts
One will come from VT 3
Tell me what else have we got? 

"VT 6'll work just fine
It'll take me just a sec...
Gotta move the supply reel over there
and not step in the tape..."

So I quickly make the swap
Then, I grab an empty reel
Lace VT 3 in record time
And re-sume my rewind!

Please go fast.
Don't let go
If there's another splice!

This Como Show has got to run
Or I'm out in the ice!

Let's hit play.
Will it lock?
Will we beat the clock?

Are the four heads still in working shape?
I pray the EQ's on the dot.

I shake as I hit stop, and I pray as I hit play.
The servo lock comes on, and we're just :15 away.
My cuing guess was right.
We're in the break before the show.
Now, MC is on the ID slide.
We can let  VT 3 roll.

Oh, Thank God.
There's no clog.
No banding I can see.

I hope the splice break happened
Where our local spots will be.

Turn to 6.
Lace it up, and then hand wind the reels
I hope it's in a PSA,
and that God hears my appeals.

With my fingers shaky, still. 
I hit play on VT 6.
I hear the head wheel whine
and the picture is just fine!

There's an image on the screen
Of a talking book machine.
Then Como Show!  
Thank, God, ya know!
I'll back it up :15!

Quadruplex!
Quadruplex
Christmas reels abound 

Punch play. The head wheel spins up 
With such a happy sound! Oh!

Como show. Such a glow!
Color from I/Os. 

In Heterodyne or in Direct
It Could! Look! Quite Diii viiiiiiiiine. 



Merry Christmas!

Ted

Ted Langdell
Secretary for the  QuadVideotapeGroup.com: 
Preserving Tape, Equipment and the Knowledge to use them, in conjunction with the Library of Congress
ted at quadvideotapegroup.com




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