[QuadList] Question of the week-RCA AE 6000 editor

Mon Mar 7 16:50:12 CST 2011

This is not the TEP.  That had thumb wheels only.

This is actually a programmer that was made by ECCO for RCA.  It  consisted 
of a number of parts.  
The top display was an auxiliary display panel.

The Unit Programmer is the middle unit that is a couple of rack  units.  

The bottom was a transport control panel.  

It was possibly a system that was first used on Laugh In.  Can someone  
confirm that?

Chris Hill

In a message dated 3/7/2011 5:31:14 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
david at dcvideo.com writes:

Hello Trevor,  

Thanks for the insight and the confirmation of similar problems with the  
TR 600's. At least I can say now "It wasn't just me".

In regard to the TEP, here are two shots (for those who have no idea what  
we are talking about):

The TEP actually worked pretty well with the TR-70's. However, it was a  10 
second pre-roll on the record VTR and five seconds on the source. Edit 2  
and 3 at NBC Burbank had TEPs. 

David
_www.dcvideo.com_ (http://www.dcvideo.com/) 

On Mar 7, 2011, at 9:08 AM, Trevor Brown wrote:

Ted  thanks for the heavy weight credit

We  had one three machine edit suite with equipped with  TR600’s
If  the crew leader had asked,  do you want to go and try and get the  TR600
’s to lock up
or  go see the nurse she needs to stick pins in someone’s eyes I might have 
 opted for the nurse

Like  a lot of things the AE 600 was a good idea with poor  implementation
It  used an 8080 micro (big step up from RCA’s TEP is anyone remembers it   
“Tape Editing Programmer”)

Machines  had to be pulled into sync, but unlike previous systems that used 
TSO to  speed up or slow down the capstan
and  create major servo disturbances  

The  AE 600 reprogrammed a counter chain in the capstan  servo
This  was I think 4.3. 4 in pixlock  and either 4.4.4 or 3.4.3 to speed the 
 tape up or slow it down (cannot remember the original numbers or what they 
 were counting)
So  the lock to station sync slipped one way or the other without major 
servo  disturbances, and so station lock was a quick recovery process after 
time  pulling the time codes into the correct sync

It  was a poor lockup system and frequently failed

Worst  was the non standard logic to drive it, it was complex with a mix 
needing  the third machine to stagger start
Numerous  keystrokes and only an external event to drive the mixer, so if 
the preview  was OK you had to remember to reset the mixer or it would toggle 
the wrong  way on the print

Add  to that a ¼ tape deck (again external event fired) to lift audio and 
mix it  across the edit which again needed re cueing after a  preview
and  the  operating alone could make grown men cry, before machine lock up  
problems.

Easy  to look at the director and ask is that what you wanted, it was so 
long ago  when you explained I have forgotten
and  if you did like the P/V can I repeat it, I never smiled like the guys 
in the  picture

Trevor  B
UK  Member

From: _quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com_ 
(mailto:quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com)  [mailto:quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com] On 
Behalf Of Ted  Langdell
Sent: 07  March 2011 15:54
To: Quad List
Subject: Re: [QuadList] Question of the  week-RCA AE 6000 editor

Here's  a shot of what looks very much like a version of the AE-6000 in an 
RCA trade  show booth:

_http://www.oldradio.com/archives/hardware/TV/rca-tr600.jpg_ 
(http://www.oldradio.com/archives/hardware/TV/rca-tr600.jpg) 

Perhaps  someone on the list remembers this particular booth?

Or  the people in that shot or this one:

_http://www.oldradio.com/archives/hardware/TV/rca-tr600(nab77).jpg_ 
(http://www.oldradio.com/archives/hardware/TV/rca-tr600(nab77).jpg) 

The  guy in the blue suit and glasses could be the person sitting in the  
director's chair at the editor console.

Ted

On  Mar 7, 2011, at 7:36 AM, David Crosthwait wrote:

The  answer is the 

RCA AE 6000  "Automatic Computerized Editing"  devise.

"A new sophisticated  editing system providing optimum simplicity and 
efficiency to enhance  creative expression". (I've had some "creative 
expressions" when editing with TR-600A's which  cannot be printed here).

<RCA  AE 6000 bro1x.jpeg><RCA AE 6000 bro2x.jpeg><RCA AE 6000  
bro3x.jpeg><RCA AE 6000 keyboard1.jpg><RCA AE 6000  screen1.jpg><RCA AE 6000x1.jpg><RCA 
AE 6000  bro4x.jpg>

I  do not know if this product ever came out, but certainly from what I can 
 tell by pulling brochures from the DC Video file cabinet is that I picked 
up  this printed material in 1978 or so and it appeared to be a real 
product.  But I never heard of any implementation. Perhaps the heavy weights here 
on  the list i.e. Gary Adams, John Turner, Don Norwood, Chris Hill, Trevor 
Brown  and others who were associated with RCA gear (perhaps the recipient of 
a  sales pitch or two) could elaborate. If 1978 is an accurate time period 
for  this product to be marketed, then I think we have to keep in mind what 
the  competition was then i.e. Ampex ACE, CMX 340, ISC, Mach 1, and perhaps 
some  others that I've failed to mention. If one looks at the CRT display 
here,  it's a bit convoluted compared to the industry standard at the time (in 
my  opinion), that being the CMX 340. So perhaps the RCA AE 6000 was a 
little  too late to come to market. 

I  once worked with a woman who had just come from a religious network 
editing  facility who had four TR-600A's tied to (I think) a CMX edit system, 
and she  swore by them. 

There  were four 600As tied to a CMX 340 (no AE-6000) in edit five at NBC 
Burbank,  and those machines would move tape very fast, even dual edit record 
under  CMX control. However, they were not very reliable in other aspects. 
That  edit room had been originally projected to have four AVR-3's, but an 
"upper  level decision" placed the 600A's in that project  instead. 

One  last note: The brochure mentions that this editor has a "switcher 
control  system designed to interface with any 1600 series Grass Valley E-MEM  
equipped switcher" (did not scan that page yet but can if someone wants to  
see it). I can't recall RCA ever mentioning another major manufacturer in a  
brochure, although I could be dead wrong. Perhaps this was a no brainer as  
RCA was (?) totally out of the switcher business by  then.

David  Crosthwait

DC  Video

_2"  quad transfers_ 
(http://www.dcvideo.com/obsolete-video-formats/2-inch-quad.html)  and _more..._ 
(http://www.dcvideo.com/obsolete-video-formats/2-inch-ampex-vr-660.html) 

_www.dcvideo.com_ (http://www.dcvideo.com/) 

Not  seen this before, but I'd say it's an RCA multi-machine edit 
controller  circa 1983-86.  

Perhaps  a product that didn't make it into any facilities before the door 
was shut  and Nipper's doghouse closed.

Ted

Looks  like a "super-duper" CMX type editing device for the TR-600 or above 
RCA  quads. BIG floppy drives to hold edit info (reminds me of the 4100  
Chyron's). Buttons and panels very similiar to the TR-600 edit system at  
Olympic Broadcasting Studio in Chicago mid to late 70's. Machines had come  from 
Montreal Olympics, no 2 quite alike, what complete DOGS. Thankfully the  
truck had HS-100!

Pat

Good  stumper.

It  looks like it was done by either CDL or  Telemation.

The 5  inch disc drives give it a time frame of the 70's or early  80's.

It has  to be after the original CMX as the unit has some features that 
were  enhancements.

Have  no idea other than that.

Chris  Hill

_________________

On  Mar 4, 2011, at 9:33 AM, Trevor Brown wrote:

Looks  like an RCA AE600 edit panel 
You can clearly see the gold  key as in 66 gold key 6 (Change Pal Phase)
There should be a Blue key too  (edit replay)
Picture is a little burnt out to identify

Don't  remember the 5 1/4 discs or the comments key board 

TrevorB
UK  member

-----Original Message-----
From: _quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com_ 
(mailto:quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com) 
[_mailto:quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com_ 
(mailto:quadlist-bounces at quadvideotapegroup.com) ]  On Behalf Of David
Crosthwait
Sent: 04 March 2011 15:59
To: Quad  List
Subject: Re: [QuadList] Question of the week

Here is a photo  from the file cabinet.
The questions for the contest are:
What is  it?
What is the model number?
Did anyone ever see one in action other  than on the showroom floor? 
Was it a product that was "Dead  On Arrival"?

Other documentation will be posted about what this is  (or was supposed to
be) once the questions have been answered. 

_______________________________________________
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Ted Langdell

Secretary

Skype:    TedLangdell

e-mail:   _ted at quadvideotapegroup.com_ (mailto:ted at quadvideotapegroup.com) 

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