[QuadList] NHK's research lab developed a Quad machine in 1958

[Wayne Watson]

This post jogged a very foggy old memory. In about 1973 or 74 at NAB was there a one inch quad shown by an Asian manufacturer? My recall was that it had a head that looked like a very small Ampex quad. When I went by the both I was surprised to see it, however there was nobody there at that time that could speak enough English to tell anything about it.
Was there ever such a recorder was it a bad dream?

Wayne Watson


________________________________
From: quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com [quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com] On Behalf Of Ted Langdell [ted at quadvideotapegroup.com]
Sent: Sunday, February 27, 2011 3:23 PM
To: Quad List
Subject: [QuadList] NHK's research lab developed a Quad machine in 1958

While poking around NHK's history site for a post on OldVTR's, I ran across this link, which shows a Japanese flatbed Quad developed in 1958 by NHK's "STRL"—its research lab.

http://www.nhk.or.jp/strl/aboutstrl/evolution-of-tv-en/p15col_4.html

In the second picture, note what look like AVR-2s beyond the Sony BVH-machines.

The Sony's look like BVH-1000/1100 series machines. Can anyone opine as to how to tell the differences in a photo that small?
VTR
The first domestic VTR system in Japan was a 4-head VTR using 2-inch tape reels, test manufactured in 1958. Developments were later made on a frame converter and a slow-motion VTR system , with the aim of implementation for the Rome and Tokyo Olympics. In 1964, NHK obtained a basic patent for a 1.5-head helical-scan VTR system. This system was later implemented on a 1-inch helical-scan VTR.
[cid:BDD9E1BA-8320-426A-90C4-BC8AFCCC9BFD]
2-inch VTR by STRL in 1958
A 4-head VTR using 2-inch magnetic tape - extremely expensive at the time of introduction.

Video tape: price and recording area per bit (square micrometer)

2-inch (Ampex)

90 min.

1,000,000 yen

100μm2/bit

1-inch (Sony Type C)

60 min.

120,000 yen

10μm2/bit

1/2-inch (Matsushita D-3)

60 min.

20,000 yen

2μm2/bit

[cid:350A9494-A2A0-444A-9DDC-37D7F3D54D30]
1- inch VTR in 1978
The analog VTR helical-scan system using a 1-inch open reel tape was called the Type C format. This 1-inch tape was smaller and cheaper than 2-inch tape. It later became the basis for the 1-inch HDTV analog VTR and the 1-inch HDTV digital VTR.

[cid:FFDB29B7-EA34-442F-B298-FE44DFC43C1C]
D-3 VCR in 1991
A 1/2-inch small cassette digital VCR was introduced in 1991. It allowed repeated taping without deterioration of picture quality. This technology was succeeded by the HDTV digital VCR, the HD-D5.


Ted

Ted Langdell
Secretary
Skype:  TedLangdell
e-mail: ted at quadvideotapegroup.com<mailto:ted at quadvideotapegroup.com>

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