<html><head><style type="text/css"><!-- DIV {margin:0px;} --></style></head><body><div style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt">So who's idea was it to have head the switching in back porch?<br><br>Dave Keleshian<br><div><br></div><div style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br><div style="font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif; font-size: 12pt;"><font size="2" face="Tahoma"><hr size="1"><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">From:</span></b> C. Park Seward <park@videopark.com><br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b> Quad List <quadlist@quadvideotapegroup.com><br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b> Thursday, April 30, 2009 10:06:52 AM<br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b> Re: [QuadList] History - what is the REAL story<br></font><br>
<font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">Don,</font><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">Seems like you and Ted are correct:</font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br></font></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px;"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">In 1957, Ampex agreed to compare notes with RCA, which was working on its own video tape recorder. The deal assured compatibility of tapes between machines and also gave Ampex the technology to record color television signals, a concept which RCA was eager to promote. </font></span></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="3" face="'Trebuchet MS'"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br></font></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span"
size="3" face="'Trebuchet MS'"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><span><a target="_blank" href="http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Ampex-Corporation-Company-History.html">http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Ampex-Corporation-Company-History.html</a></span></font></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="3" face="'Trebuchet MS'"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br></font></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="3" face="'Trebuchet MS'"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">A little known fact not publicized by RCA is that early NBC color recordings (1958 and early 1959) were recorded on Ampex VR 1000 monochrome
VTR's modified with RCA Labs-designed color circuits. Early in 1959 the two companies compromised on a different color recording format and the early "RCA Labs" color tapes were obsolete and could only be played on a very few of the Ampex-RCA Labs VTR's. RCA sold color VTR's before Ampex did by offering a color upgrade kit for their TRT-1B VTR</font></span></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="4" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br></font></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="4" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;"><span><a target="_blank" href="http://www.ev1.pair.com/colorTV/TVtape1.html">http://www.ev1.pair.com/colorTV/TVtape1.html</a></span></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="4" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;"><font
class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br></font></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="4" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;">But from Jim Wheeler:</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="4" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="4" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Ampex gave RCA exclusive rights to the VTR technology in exchange for Ampex being able to use RCA electronic circuit patents. It was weird to have an RCA engineer come into my office and I had to tell him what I knew.</span></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="3" face="-webkit-monospace"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span"
size="3" face="-webkit-monospace"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span><a target="_blank" href="http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/byform/mailing-lists/amia-l/2009/01/msg00045.html">http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/byform/mailing-lists/amia-l/2009/01/msg00045.html</a></span></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="3" face="'Trebuchet MS'"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="4" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br></font></span></font></span></font><div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div
style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div><div>Perhaps the "electronic circuit patents" included the color circuits.</div><div><br></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">Best,</font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">Park</font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span"
color="#000000"><br></font></div></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">C. Park Seward</font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">Cell: 818-535-2747</font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">Home: 949-679-1870</font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><span>Visit us: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.videopark.com">http://www.videopark.com</a></span></font></div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></font></span></div></span></div></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></font> </div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br></font><div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">On Apr 29, 2009, at 8:09 PM, Don Norwood wrote:</font></div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></font><blockquote
type="cite"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">Hi Park:</font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">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. </font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span"
color="#000000"> </font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">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.</font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">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. </font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">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:</font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></div><blockquote dir="ltr" style="margin-right:
0px;"><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">Thanks to everyone for all your input regarding the development of color</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>capability for the quad machines! As Larry pointed out, there's lots of</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>sometimes conflicting information, and often from good sources that may have</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>been involved in different aspects of the project. Since I wasn't old</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font
class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>enough in the late 50's to be aware of videotape, all of my knowledge has to</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>be built on what I can learn from experts such as yourselves and from what</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>printed material I can find. My collection of machines consists only of</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>Ampex but the first VTR's I ever saw were RCA and they were probably</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span"
color="#000000"><br>responsible for my lifelong fascination with these beasts.<br><br>There's lots of documented info on the VR-1000 development, both from</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>Ginsburg and Dolby. After that, I have been able to find less info about</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>the ongoing developments through the years. RCA published 'Broadcast News'</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>which did a fairly good job of documenting their product development but I</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span"
color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>do not have similar info from Ampex. Having gone through a lot of the</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>printed material I have, here are my findings, some of which support what</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>has been said here and some of which may need more discussion or</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>clarification.<br><br>1) Ampex was experimenting with color in 1957. At that time, they had</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span"
color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>given a development contract to Stanford Research Institute, and they were</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>attempting to achieve color by perfecting the servo system of the machine to</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>a point where timebase errors would be almost non-existent. Mechanical</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>limitations proved this to be impossible. According to Dolby's notes as</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span"
color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>presented to SMPTE in 1986, on Aug 28, 1957 he demonstrated a pilot tone</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>system to achieve color and noted that "color stability appears to be good".</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>Beyond that point, I can find no further reference to this method being</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>considered for use on the quads and as far as I know, it was not used until</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span"
color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><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</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>trade press in October of '57. The February 1958 edition of "Broadcast</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>News" previews the new "Color Processing in RCA Video Tape Recorder". A</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>small number of prototypes were delivered to NBC in 1958 as the model VTRX</font><span
class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>quads. These used the heterodyne system that would later be the basis for</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>their first production color machines. In 1959 (month unknown but see #3</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>below), they began delivery of the color rack for updating the RCA TRT-1A</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>quads. A later updated version of the color system was made available the</font><span
class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>following year in 1960 (month unknown) with the delivery of the TRT-1B</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>machines. References for this info include "Engineering Color Video Tape</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>Recording" by A.H. Lind.<br></font></div></blockquote><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">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. </font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span"
color="#000000"> </font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> "</font><strong><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">Video Tape Recording</font></strong><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">" by Julian Bernstein, copyright 1960 by John F. Rider, 268 pages, covers the VR-1000 and the TRT-1 and their respective color systems.</font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> "</font><strong><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">Television Broadcasting Tape and Disc Recording Systems</font></strong><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">" 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.</font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">Both books are available on Amazon and the Ennes books are cheap! Good additions to your ancient technology libraries.</font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">Don </font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">----- Original Message -----</font></div><div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">From: "C. Park Seward" <</font><a rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:park@videopark.com" target="_blank" href="mailto:park@videopark.com"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">park@videopark.com</font></a><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">></font></div><div><font
class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">To: "Quad List" <</font><a rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:quadlist@quadvideotapegroup.com" target="_blank" href="mailto:quadlist@quadvideotapegroup.com"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">quadlist@quadvideotapegroup.com</font></a><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">Sent: Wednesday, April 29, 2009 4:39 PM</font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">Subject: Re: [QuadList] History - what is the REAL story</font></div></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br></font></div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">> Jim Wheeler joined Ampex five years after the first Quad was </font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>> introduced. I had the pleasure of
speaking with him today and asked </font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>> him about our question.<br>></font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>> Jim was familiar with the Ampex/RCA exchange and said Ampex got </font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>> transistor technology plus $100,000 and RCA got the FM patent. As we </font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>> know, analog video needs FM recording to make the VTR possible. </font><span
class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>> Without that patent, RCA would have never made compatible quad VTRs.<br>></font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>> He said RCA was first with experimental color recording. They used a </font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>> direct recording with heterodyning playback. This was the method used </font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>> in the famous Astaire recording. Ampex invented high band direct color </font><span
class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>> record and direct color playback in 1964.<br>></font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>> Jim was the inventor sol-mo replays, of the air bearing effect of the </font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>> Ampex scanners, the VR-660, the AST slo-mo heads and the product </font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>> manager for the VPR-1 and 2.<br>></font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span"
color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>> Best,<br>> Park<br>></font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>> C. Park Seward<br>> Visit us:</font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.videopark.com"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">http://www.videopark.com</font></a><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>></font><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>_______________________________________________<br>Please trim posts to relevant info when replying!<br>Send QuadList list posts to</font><span
class="Apple-converted-space"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"> </font></span><a rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:QuadList@quadvideotapegroup.com" target="_blank" href="mailto:QuadList@quadvideotapegroup.com"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">QuadList@quadvideotapegroup.com</font></a><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><br>Your subscribe, unsubscribe and digest options are here:<br></font><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://mail.quadvideotapegroup.com/mailman/listinfo/quadlist_quadvideotapegroup.com"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000">http://mail.quadvideotapegroup.com/mailman/listinfo/quadlist_quadvideotapegroup.com</font></a></div></span></blockquote></div><br></div></div></div></div></body></html>