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<DIV>Hi Park:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Much of this very same discussion about RCA and Ampex took place on the
Ampex mail list at various times between 1999 and 2005. During that time,
a number of former Ampex employees contributed to the discussion including Ross
Snyder who was video products manager at the time of the events in question,
David Sarser, Stan Busby and others. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Unfortunately, after almost 50 years, there are some differences in
first-hand accounts. Consequently, written material from the actual time
period tends to be more accurate. Still, there was total agreement in
these exchanges that what Ampex wanted and got from RCA was rights to their
color technology, and that is borne out in the written documents on the subject
as well. I'm fairly certain based on verifiable information that it was
indeed color technology, and not transistor technology, that Ampex received in
exchange for their knowledge of the FM recording system.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>That being said, the sort of conversation that you had with
Jim offers fascinating insight into what it was like "back in the day".
The stories from all the folks that were actually present comprise a
fascinating look into the history of this
technology. Unfortunately, Ross Snyder passed away last year
and there is an all too quickly vanishing opportunity to capture the memories of
others in the esteemed group. However, while I cherish the stories I've
heard, I'm always mindful of the need to consider the effects of time on the
accuracy of the details. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Below is an excerpt from what I posted on the Ampex list in early
2005. It sumarizes the outcome of my research at that time and the
conversations with the folks who worked at Ampex at the time of the color
developments:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV>Thanks to everyone for all your input regarding the development of color
<BR>capability for the quad machines! As Larry pointed out, there's lots
of <BR>sometimes conflicting information, and often from good sources that may
have <BR>been involved in different aspects of the project. Since I
wasn't old <BR>enough in the late 50's to be aware of videotape, all of my
knowledge has to <BR>be built on what I can learn from experts such as
yourselves and from what <BR>printed material I can find. My collection
of machines consists only of <BR>Ampex but the first VTR's I ever saw were RCA
and they were probably <BR>responsible for my lifelong fascination with these
beasts.<BR><BR>There's lots of documented info on the VR-1000 development,
both from <BR>Ginsburg and Dolby. After that, I have been able to find
less info about <BR>the ongoing developments through the years. RCA
published 'Broadcast News' <BR>which did a fairly good job of documenting
their product development but I <BR>do not have similar info from Ampex.
Having gone through a lot of the <BR>printed material I have, here are my
findings, some of which support what <BR>has been said here and some of which
may need more discussion or <BR>clarification.<BR><BR>1) Ampex was
experimenting with color in 1957. At that time, they had <BR>given a
development contract to Stanford Research Institute, and they were
<BR>attempting to achieve color by perfecting the servo system of the machine
to <BR>a point where timebase errors would be almost non-existent.
Mechanical <BR>limitations proved this to be impossible. According to
Dolby's notes as <BR>presented to SMPTE in 1986, on Aug 28, 1957 he
demonstrated a pilot tone <BR>system to achieve color and noted that "color
stability appears to be good". <BR>Beyond that point, I can find no further
reference to this method being <BR>considered for use on the quads and as far
as I know, it was not used until <BR>the helical machines applied a similar
approach in the 60's.<BR><BR>2) At about this same time, RCA
demonstrated a color tape system to the <BR>trade press in October of
'57. The February 1958 edition of "Broadcast <BR>News" previews the new
"Color Processing in RCA Video Tape Recorder". A <BR>small number of
prototypes were delivered to NBC in 1958 as the model VTRX <BR>quads.
These used the heterodyne system that would later be the basis for <BR>their
first production color machines. In 1959 (month unknown but see #3
<BR>below), they began delivery of the color rack for updating the RCA TRT-1A
<BR>quads. A later updated version of the color system was made
available the <BR>following year in 1960 (month unknown) with the delivery of
the TRT-1B <BR>machines. References for this info include "Engineering
Color Video Tape <BR>Recording" by A.H. Lind.<BR></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV>Finally, to wrap up an already too long post, there are a couple of books
that are good sources of information about both RCA and Ampex machines.
</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> "<STRONG>Video Tape Recording</STRONG>" by Julian
Bernstein, copyright 1960 by John F. Rider, 268 pages, covers the VR-1000 and
the TRT-1 and their respective color systems.</DIV>
<DIV> "<STRONG>Television Broadcasting Tape and Disc Recording
Systems</STRONG>" by Harold E. Ennes, copyright 1973 by Howard W. Sams, ISBN
0-672-20933-0, 576 pages, covers everything from the first models up through the
ACR-25 and the TCR-100. There is also a second edition published in 1979
(ISBN 0-672-21567-5) that is updated accordingly but actually contains less info
on the early models.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Both books are available on Amazon and the Ennes books are cheap!
Good additions to your ancient technology libraries.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Don </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>From: "C. Park Seward" <<A
href="mailto:park@videopark.com">park@videopark.com</A>></DIV>
<DIV>To: "Quad List" <<A
href="mailto:quadlist@quadvideotapegroup.com">quadlist@quadvideotapegroup.com</A>></DIV>
<DIV>Sent: Wednesday, April 29, 2009 4:39 PM</DIV>
<DIV>Subject: Re: [QuadList] History - what is the REAL story</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>> Jim Wheeler joined Ampex five years after the first Quad
was <BR>> introduced. I had the pleasure of speaking with him today and
asked <BR>> him about our question.<BR>> <BR>> Jim was familiar
with the Ampex/RCA exchange and said Ampex got <BR>> transistor
technology plus $100,000 and RCA got the FM patent. As we <BR>> know,
analog video needs FM recording to make the VTR possible. <BR>> Without
that patent, RCA would have never made compatible quad VTRs.<BR>> <BR>> He
said RCA was first with experimental color recording. They used a <BR>>
direct recording with heterodyning playback. This was the method used
<BR>> in the famous Astaire recording. Ampex invented high band direct
color <BR>> record and direct color playback in 1964.<BR>> <BR>>
Jim was the inventor sol-mo replays, of the air bearing effect of the
<BR>> Ampex scanners, the VR-660, the AST slo-mo heads and the product
<BR>> manager for the VPR-1 and 2.<BR>> <BR>> Best,<BR>>
Park<BR>> <BR>> C. Park Seward<BR>> Visit us: <A
href="http://www.videopark.com">http://www.videopark.com</A><BR>>
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