[QuadList] TCR-100 vs ACR-25

Tue Mar 1 15:45:59 CST 2011

Worked on early TCR-100 at KVRL-26 Houston, then later TCR-100A at WSNS-44 Chicago. Half park sensors were a continual problem, finally removed them and had much better performance.

Much later had experience with ACR-25 at CBS WBBM Chicago. What a beautiful machine! TCR-100 was a Chevy, ACR-25 a Mercedes! But you could get a TCR for half the price of an ACR and the GM would always look at the $$.

Still have 2 "Little Red Boxes" sitting in my den! 

----- Original Message -----
From: quadlist-request at quadvideotapegroup.com
To: quadlist at quadvideotapegroup.com
Sent: Tuesday, March 1, 2011 1:50:27 PM
Subject: QuadList Digest, Vol 33, Issue 9

Send QuadList mailing list submissions to
	quadlist at quadvideotapegroup.com

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
	http://mail.quadvideotapegroup.com/mailman/listinfo/quadlist_quadvideotapegroup.com

or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
	quadlist-request at quadvideotapegroup.com

You can reach the person managing the list at
	quadlist-owner at quadvideotapegroup.com

When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of QuadList digest..."

This is the Digest of the QuadList.  Please highlight the part you want to reply to before hitting reply.

That will keep the entire digest and a bunch of headers with gobblydgook from being re-sent to the list.  Thanks.

Today's Topics:

   1. Re: Ampex Models (Gary Adams)
   2. Re: Ampex Models (David Crosthwait)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Tue, 1 Mar 2011 15:41:21 -0500
From: "Gary Adams" <garyada at ix.netcom.com>
To: <videovault at sky.com>,	"'Quad List'"
	<quadlist at quadvideotapegroup.com>
Subject: Re: [QuadList] Ampex Models
Message-ID: <005c01cbd851$06518ef0$12f4acd0$@netcom.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

It was a financial compromise.  We probably saved $100K or more on the
purchase which is significant for small market facilities.  When we came up
with the multiple 10 second thing, we would simply edit the two together
using the built in (optional) editor.  Was automatic and fast.  Not elegant
but got us by.  

I was always able to convince the technical staff it would be easier to
repair the TCR since a ?tractor mechanic? could probably figure most of the
mechanics out.  And I didn?t mean that in a negative way.  The mechanics
were simple and the 7 steps to thread and unthread were all visible during
the process.  As much as I would have wanted the ACR, I was able to make the
TCR very reliable.  We should set the ACR and TCR up together for a
demonstration.  It would not be a cheap investment.  It would be nice to see
once again before some of us (included) are gone.

Gary

From: quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com
[mailto:quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com] On Behalf Of Trevor Brown
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2011 2:34 PM
To: 'Quad List'
Subject: Re: [QuadList] Ampex Models

I too remember the TC100 rules short carts only first or last in the break

We also had special half park switches on our TCR100?s to arrest the thread
cycle to help with short carts

But 10? would still not have been possible other than as stated beginning or
end of break

TrevorB

UK Member

From: quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com
[mailto:quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com] On Behalf Of Thomas,
Stephen D
Sent: 01 March 2011 18:24
To: Quad List
Subject: Re: [QuadList] Ampex Models

I remember having to explain to a director in 1985 why the 10 second ID had
to be at the end of a multi-spot break when played on an RCA TCR-100.  This
wouldn?t have been an issue with the Ampex ACR.

In college in 1975, our local studio became the proud owner of our first
quad.  It was a VR-1000B purchased from a military surplus warehouse.  I
still have the original instruction manual.  I think the studio lights
dimmed a little when the thing was first fired up in the morning.  Many
months were spent replacing tubes, obtaining heads and adjusting tension
before an acceptable monochrome picture was achieved.  It was quite an
education for this student (who grew up on 1? helical and then ?? U-matic
VTRs) to learn about head guides, tip penetration, Intersync and proc amps.

Although I haven?t been physically close to a quad since my current station
gave away our last VR-2000 about 15 years ago, I have a great respect for
all who worked on them and kept them running for the benefit of future
generations.   Thank you, group members, who keep history alive.

STEVE THOMAS

SENIOR EDITOR and TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

248.351.7905

e-mail:  sdthomas at cbs.com

"If your grammar is incorrect, then you?re in need of help"

  _____  

From: quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com
[mailto:quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com] On Behalf Of David
Crosthwait
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2011 12:40 PM
To: garyada at ix.netcom.com; Quad List
Subject: Re: [QuadList] Ampex Models

In my opinion, there is nothing quite impressive than watching a station
break with back-to-back 10 second promos being played on A, then B playing
while A ejects, threads up, and almost immediately plays A again when B is
done, etc. This theoretically can occur to a carousel full (24) of 10 second
spots if the ACR is told to do so. Of course, in this mode, the spots have
to be rewound or cued up later, but that's not a problem. It is a flawless
transition from deck A to B and back to A again etc.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mail.quadvideotapegroup.com/pipermail/quadlist_quadvideotapegroup.com/attachments/20110301/abc2b890/attachment-0001.html>

------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Tue, 1 Mar 2011 12:49:51 -0800
From: David Crosthwait <david at dcvideo.com>
To: "Gary Adams" <garyada at ix.netcom.com>
Cc: 'Quad List' <quadlist at quadvideotapegroup.com>
Subject: Re: [QuadList] Ampex Models
Message-ID: <EAC793CC-9A90-419D-829C-E12B97A28690 at dcvideo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252"

Well,

Paul Beck has a complete TCR and I have two ACRs in storage (way in the back). It could happen...but don't hold your breath! I also have a top ACR maintenance engineer on standby in Arizona to bribe for help.

David

On Mar 1, 2011, at 12:41 PM, Gary Adams wrote:

> It was a financial compromise.  We probably saved $100K or more on the purchase which is significant for small market facilities.  When we came up with the multiple 10 second thing, we would simply edit the two together using the built in (optional) editor.  Was automatic and fast.  Not elegant but got us by. 
>  
> I was always able to convince the technical staff it would be easier to repair the TCR since a ?tractor mechanic? could probably figure most of the mechanics out.  And I didn?t mean that in a negative way.  The mechanics were simple and the 7 steps to thread and unthread were all visible during the process.  As much as I would have wanted the ACR, I was able to make the TCR very reliable.  We should set the ACR and TCR up together for a demonstration.  It would not be a cheap investment.  It would be nice to see once again before some of us (included) are gone.
>  
> Gary
>  
> From: quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com [mailto:quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com] On Behalf Of Trevor Brown
> Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2011 2:34 PM
> To: 'Quad List'
> Subject: Re: [QuadList] Ampex Models
>  
> I too remember the TC100 rules short carts only first or last in the break
> We also had special half park switches on our TCR100?s to arrest the thread cycle to help with short carts
> But 10? would still not have been possible other than as stated beginning or end of break
>  
> TrevorB
> UK Member
>  
>  
> From: quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com [mailto:quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com] On Behalf Of Thomas, Stephen D
> Sent: 01 March 2011 18:24
> To: Quad List
> Subject: Re: [QuadList] Ampex Models
>  
> I remember having to explain to a director in 1985 why the 10 second ID had to be at the end of a multi-spot break when played on an RCA TCR-100.  This wouldn?t have been an issue with the Ampex ACR.
>  
> In college in 1975, our local studio became the proud owner of our first quad.  It was a VR-1000B purchased from a military surplus warehouse.  I still have the original instruction manual.  I think the studio lights dimmed a little when the thing was first fired up in the morning.  Many months were spent replacing tubes, obtaining heads and adjusting tension before an acceptable monochrome picture was achieved.  It was quite an education for this student (who grew up on 1? helical and then ?? U-matic VTRs) to learn about head guides, tip penetration, Intersync and proc amps. 
>  
> Although I haven?t been physically close to a quad since my current station gave away our last VR-2000 about 15 years ago, I have a great respect for all who worked on them and kept them running for the benefit of future generations.   Thank you, group members, who keep history alive.
>  
> STEVE THOMAS
> SENIOR EDITOR and TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
> 248.351.7905
> e-mail:  sdthomas at cbs.com
>  
> "If your grammar is incorrect, then you?re in need of help"
> From: quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com [mailto:quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com] On Behalf Of David Crosthwait
> Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2011 12:40 PM
> To: garyada at ix.netcom.com; Quad List
> Subject: Re: [QuadList] Ampex Models
>  
> In my opinion, there is nothing quite impressive than watching a station break with back-to-back 10 second promos being played on A, then B playing while A ejects, threads up, and almost immediately plays A again when B is done, etc. This theoretically can occur to a carousel full (24) of 10 second spots if the ACR is told to do so. Of course, in this mode, the spots have to be rewound or cued up later, but that's not a problem. It is a flawless transition from deck A to B and back to A again etc.
>  
>  
> _______________________________________________
> Please trim posts to relevant info when replying!
> Send QuadList list posts to QuadList at quadvideotapegroup.com
> Your subscribe, unsubscribe and digest options are here:
> http://mail.quadvideotapegroup.com/mailman/listinfo/quadlist_quadvideotapegroup.com

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mail.quadvideotapegroup.com/pipermail/quadlist_quadvideotapegroup.com/attachments/20110301/55a424d4/attachment.html>

------------------------------

_______________________________________________
Send QuadList list posts to QuadList at quadvideotapegroup.com
Your subscribe, unsubscribe and digest options are here:
http://mail.quadvideotapegroup.com/mailman/listinfo/quadlist_quadvideotapegroup.com

End of QuadList Digest, Vol 33, Issue 9
***************************************

-- 

Patrick McGowan 
NCP 3 New Century Productions 

pmcgowan at ncpvideo.com 
602-690-4410 cell 