[QuadList] Slight OT: When did networks transition from 2" Quad to 1" Type C?

Tue Aug 21 17:59:40 CDT 2012

NBC Burbank had two Sony BVH 1000's/BVT 1000's in C format in the tape room in 1979. I believe one of the uses of this pair of machines was for Real People, a George Schlatter production (he had an edit bay with early VPR's or BVH's off the lot). Burbank's edit 4 had a CMX 340 with four BVH 1100's as their only one-inch bay in May of '79. For about 24 months onward, BVH 1100 or 1100A's were replacing RCA 2" gear. The six VR 2000's were some of the last quads to be taken out of service, with most quads going away about 1982 except for the TCR's. The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was a late adopter of 1" type C but not until the BVH 2000's arrived in 1981-82 IIRC. There may have been a TR 70 that stayed around for a few more years for the rouge 2" spot reel that came in till about 1985. A lot of syndicated programming i.e. Don Kirshner's Rock Concert continued to come in-house well into the 80's on 2" quad. But having a zone delay/production tape room on two distinct formats caused all sorts of juggling in scheduling, hence the conversion to 1" could not have happened fast enough for management or the group six desk.

One of the two early, original Sony BVH 1000/BVT 1000 (TBC up above) type C units can be seen on the far right of the shot below (note also the vintage blue NBC Brand "X" DA's above Connie's head):

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1826510694932&set=a.1239751666323.2033527.1005211240&type=3&theater

It might be noted here that never was there an AVR installed in the 3000 West Alameda facility. The last quads purchased were TR 70 C's and TR 600A's (the latter was for an edit bay, budgeted/designed for AVR-3's, a story to be told later)

Best Regards,

David Crosthwait
DC Video
Videotape transfers and more!

177 West Magnolia Blvd.
Burbank, CA. 91502
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david at dcvideo.com
www.dcvideo.com

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On Aug 21, 2012, at 8:52 AM, Wayne Watson wrote:

> 
> I was in sales for Ampex in Canada from 1981 to 1993. I would say the big "C" format years were from 1979 to 1990.
> 
> Sent from my iPad
> 
> 
> On 2012-08-21, at 12:19 AM, "Dennis Degan" <DennyD1 at verizon.net> wrote:
> 
>> 
>> 
>>       On Aug 20, 2012, at 8:03 PM, David Perrussel wrote:
>> 
>>> Overall, when did the "Big 3" networks (ABC, NBC, CBS and even PBS  
>> for that matter) start the transition from 2" Quad to 1" Type C or  
>> similar formats?
>> 
>>       I answer:
>> 
>>   Since the Type C format was first shown in 1977, VTRs found their way  
>> into tape rooms starting around 1978.  Here are 3 photos of NBC's very  
>> first machines as they were installed in 1978:
>>   <http://www.flickr.com/photos/dennisdegan/515329174/>
>>   <http://www.flickr.com/photos/dennisdegan/515328974/>
>>   <http://www.flickr.com/photos/dennisdegan/515355785/>
>> 
>>       David said:
>> 
>>> I'm sure it was over a period of time, but I'm wondering when the  
>> transition to 1" really started to get going, pushing out 2" Quad to  
>> backup status?
>>> For example, when did NBC start to use 1" for the Tonight Show  
>> instead of 2" Quad?
>> 
>>       I reply:
>> 
>>   I was in NY, not Burbank, but the transition, started in 1978, was  
>> complete in 30 Rock around 1982 or so.  Most likely, the same was true  
>> in Burbank.
>> 
>>       David:
>> 
>>> Also, while I'm on the subject, when did 1" Type C start to end  
>> it's reign and other formats started to take over?
>> 
>>       I answer:
>> 
>>   Again, there was a considerable transition period.  BetaCam, followed  
>> by Beta SP started to become prevalent in the mid 1980's.  D2 digital  
>> Composite VTRs helped push out 1-inch starting in 1989.  We were still  
>> using all these formats until 1995.  Then, it became mostly D2 for us  
>> at Unitel Video, NY.  Unitel had 4 Type C VTR's in every edit room,  
>> but they stood mostly silent at that point.  Here's an example:
>>   <http://www.flickr.com/photos/dennisdegan/557702480/>
>> 
>>           Dennis Degan, Video Editor-Consultant-Knowledge Bank
>>                        NBC Today Show, New York
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
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