[QuadList] From the TR 800 Crypt--Questions seeking answers

[Gary Adams]

One of my favorite stories (Phillip can correct me if I'm wrong) was about
the guide assembly.  We all know this is the most important piece that
affects interchange the most.  Ampex seemed to have it right with the steel
band.  Sony and RCA had aluminum which wore out way too early.  Not the
actual entrance and exit guides, but the tape path guide rabbit (or some
strange animal) was machined at a vendor in Philadelphia.  Very critical
design, of course.  "Sure", the vendor said.  "I'll make all the guides you
want for X dollars and you will buy them all, rejecting none".  And that's
what they did.  They built a complex measuring device on "Rock of Ages"
(loved those perfectly smooth marble tables), using microscopes and cameras.
The guide would turn and the track would be measured for acceptability.  If
within certain limits, it would be accepted.  Of course it was difficult to
achieve certain limits.  That's why I didn't like wearing down the first 100
hours on a guide that probably didn't last 1000.  

 

The other fun thing was in the audit room where we cycled the machines.
They would run all night and we would often hold our fingers when we walked
in the next morning to find piles of tape on the floor. The actual problem
was the design of the power transistors and not completely the design of the
circuit.  They would collect the bad ones and send them back to the vendor
(which happened to be RCA) for analysis.   There were flaws in the
components and were found to be operated within tolerances.  Once they got
past this, there were fewer of this type of failure.  Other things caused
this as well, but the faulty transistors were a big part of it.

 

I enjoyed the sunsets looking West across the Delaware over Philadelphia.  I
tried to take may camera in to take pictures of the sunsets but for some
reason they didn't like that idea.

 

Gary

 

From: quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com
[mailto:quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com] On Behalf Of Ted Langdell
Sent: Thursday, February 24, 2011 3:31 PM
To: Quad List
Subject: Re: [QuadList] From the TR 800 Crypt--Questions seeking answers

 

Philip,

 

Thanks Very Much!  This provides a great deal of background that I'm sure
others will enjoy reading, and provides more context to the history of RCA's
tape machines and the people who were involved.

 

Feel free to describe your experiences with the training side. Any tips or
techniques would be much appreciated.

 

Ted

 

 

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