1969 RCA TR-60 Broadcast Video Tape Recorder Demo

[timinlex]

Do you perform transfers for people who have rare 2" videotapes in their possession, before those tapes deteriorate? There ought to be a grant to have these videos copied before the video is lost forever.

[johninfl]

I found this after watching "Hendrix: Live At Woodstock", on blu-ray. There is an extra CV section of the video...They apparently shot video at the show as well. They added it as a nice little extra, although they had to interlace it with film footage, as it dropped out constantly...Searching around for "CV" info......Thank you....

[qahtani]

I was born in '79 but I could hang around guys like this and never get bored learning about this stuff.

[jcburns]

I bow to your technical expertise, but ONE SECOND for a TR-60!? I've had experience with much more beat up RCA Quad TVRs, I guess.

THANKS for this video. It's unreal to see an HD video of an old quad machine...makes my brain disconnect a bit.

[Cds56]

"very very very quiet." "Compact size" >__________> It's all relative, I suppose.

[Boeing744andRCAquad]

How much did these machines cost, and were they part of packages that RCA sold to stations?

[TwinMillMC]

It's amazing and scary how much technology has advanced since then. Now, everything this machine does is basically a standard feature on most any cell phone.

[QuiltedPine]

@TwinMillMC

True. However, you could not hide inside your cellphone in the event of a nuclear blast and be protected...

On a more serious note, where is this warehouse?

[TwinMillMC]

@QuiltedPine China

[Boeing744andRCAquad]

How much does a VTR like this weigh? I know a TR-70 weighs 1800 lbs.

What a beautiful machine. I'm happy that some people salvage these.

[Interests2010s]

Great video

[Boeing744andRCAquad]

When did helical-scan VTRs start replacing Quad machines in broadcast and video production facilities?

[videolabguy]

@Boeing744andRCAquad Around the mid to late 1970s. It was the digital time base correcter that made the Helical machine reach its full potential.

[Boeing744andRCAquad]

How could I possibly find out what equipment a TV station used long ago?

I visited a Philly TV station (WPHL-17) back in 1973 to be in the audience for a children's show. I remember the cameras possibly being Norelco, and I definitely wonder whether they used RCA or Ampex Quad machines. Would contacting the station by mail help?

[videolabguy]

@Boeing744andRCAquad Try joining the OLDVTRs group on Yahoo. (this responder won't let me post a link) Lots of people there who know their TV station history.

[Boeing744andRCAquad]

Thanks.

My interest in video/TV gear started in high school. My school had U-Matic machines and a few Sony 'portapaks' that they used for AV presentations rather than projectors.

[videolabguy]

Gotta give a guy a chance to check the comments once in a while. Here goes. You need a sound background in vintage analog electronics including signal processing, television theory, servo systems and high power power supplies. A background in digital video processing for later models and modified / updated older models. The TR-60 can lock up in less than one second, as John actually states in the video. The TR-60 is a sweet collectors' machine due to its compact size.

[Boeing744andRCAquad]

Does anyone know the answers to my questions?

[Boeing744andRCAquad]

How long does it take this TR-60 to 'lock up'?

[TurnerEng]

@Boeing744andRCAquad This is the best of four TR-60s we have here. I have spent many hours on all aspects of the machine to make it as stable as possible. With a well formed recording on good tape stock, I can get reliable lockups of under 3 seconds even with the color framer enabled. In a broadcast plant of the time, nobody would have been permitted to spend this time working on a machine or have one out-of-service. Lockup time is a function of the capstan mass. The TR-61 & TR-70C fixed this.

[Boeing744andRCAquad]

What does someone have to know to use and maintain one of these VTR's?

[TurnerEng]

@Boeing744andRCAquad The MBT guys and I were discussing this topic last night. Long story short, it's getting more difficult as time progresses for someone who did not work with this technology because a thorough knowledge of analog broadcast video is a prerequisite and not taught nor mentored anymore. These machines were a tight amalgamation of mechanical engineering, electro-mechanical servo theory and analog/FM signal processing. Mentoring is probably the only path left.

[wishwacom]

great post... thank you so much @videolabguy

[Boeing744andRCAquad]

Thanks for posting this. I think these old Quad VTR's are pretty cool. And the fact that some people care enough about vintage TV technology to get the machines up and running again is great.

[Pizzacam3]

Oh wow and the tape on the deck from KENS 5 from here in San Antonio!! LOL I wonder if Chris Marrou is on that or if it was older...? Hmmm In any case very cool/interesting! Thanks for posting!! :)



[FeCr3]

Thats a AWESOME and very nice machine!! Very interesting video!

[mspysu79]

Very good job Rich! Now there is a place i would like to spend a day or two. We must keep this kind of thing alive and pass it on to those of us that are younger so that it is not LOST.