Had these at KSTS in San Jose, CA before the switch to Spanish language programming. One for air, one for parts. JRNipper will be interested to know that those particular machines we had at KSTS were purchased from KSTP! We even had a few carts from KSTP sitting around. I guess they included some tapes with the machine purchase.
What a marvelous reminder of (PAINFUL) days gone by. Back in the early 80's, I was the first person with ovaries who was hired to feed this beast at the UHF upstart once called: "TV20 The Family Channel " (KSTU Salt Lake City)
I still have scars on the tip of my left pointer finger that got ripped to the bone because I dared to poke a cart that had been trapped by the cranky arms of this mechanical abomination of technology.
I cringed AND chuckled watching this. Gratzi for posting!
Amazing. I wonder how they did do all the setup before playing the tape? Doesn't Quad usually require you to do lots of adjustments before you get a good picture?
@bloodangel160 I am going to assume that was WEAU? I learned how to use these at KTVO in Kirksville, MO in 1993. I remember have to hold wires together while it was running, after the wires broke, so the cart would eject. Then having to get the solder iron to fix it!
@bloodangel160 I am going to assume that was WEAU? I learned how to use these at KTVO in Kirksville, MO in 1993. I remember have to hold wires together while it was running, after the wires broke, so the cart would eject. Then having to get the solder iron to fix it!
Love this video! I worked at NBC NY and they had 6 of these lined up in "Cartland." The sign above the door stated: "Abandon hope all who enter." The TCR's were amazing contraptions, but the mechanics on these machines were prone to failure. Basically the carts rotated around using a bicycle chain and the arms that pulled the cart into the machine would often jam. That's why we had broom sticks in cartland - when a cart failed to load, you'd whack it with a broom stick! No joke.
I thought that it was a really neat how a lot of the mechanism was pneumatically controlled. Sometimes the tape would not retract back into the cassette fully, then you would have fun.
Thanks for taking the time to record and post this video, takes me back to my days at KSTP and WTVC. I was a nervous wreck whenever someone called me in to fix one of these monsters, what a nightmare...nests...nests....venitian blinds and horz phase setup...arggg!! Wasn't the 144,000 RPM video head with air bearings fun to deal with, if you got more than 700 hours on it you were a magician.
Oh, yes!! Maxi-chanics. At the station where I started out, if you could fix one of these beasts you had job security for life. We called ours "The Cash Register" because it was used to play back all the spots. What a beast.
Ive heard several of our veteran engineers at the TV station I work at describe how the old TCR 100 machines use to work. They went ballistic when I showed them this video. I now have much more appreciation for the old days. Our current master control ops. have no idea how easy their job is with all of this digital non-linear playback. Thanks for posting!
I have never forgiven me for not having recorded a video of this machine working. RBSTV Network had one of this working from 70" until early 90' in Brazil.
Man, your TCR runs smoothly! You've got room for that behemoth? Wow, I'm impressed. If I had one of those, it would have to be in my garage. That sound really takes me back 35 years. Thanks.
It sounds like it's queueing the tape. Correct? I hear FFW and REW.
albertusj 2 months ago
Digital might be easier, but analog is more entertaining to watch.
albertusj 2 months ago
Had these at KSTS in San Jose, CA before the switch to Spanish language programming. One for air, one for parts. JRNipper will be interested to know that those particular machines we had at KSTS were purchased from KSTP! We even had a few carts from KSTP sitting around. I guess they included some tapes with the machine purchase.
whllmcop 7 months ago
What a marvelous reminder of (PAINFUL) days gone by. Back in the early 80's, I was the first person with ovaries who was hired to feed this beast at the UHF upstart once called: "TV20 The Family Channel " (KSTU Salt Lake City)
I still have scars on the tip of my left pointer finger that got ripped to the bone because I dared to poke a cart that had been trapped by the cranky arms of this mechanical abomination of technology.
I cringed AND chuckled watching this. Gratzi for posting!
eyaklanguageproject 8 months ago
Amazing. I wonder how they did do all the setup before playing the tape? Doesn't Quad usually require you to do lots of adjustments before you get a good picture?
wrtlpfmpf 11 months ago
Keep looking for fins & chrome on it.
heroineworshipper 1 year ago
I wonder if any Philly-area stations used these TCR-100's.
PlaneAndTVtechfan 1 year ago
I worked at a TV station in Wisconsin in the 90s and we used them. If memory serves we took them off line in 1997 or 1998.
bloodangel160 1 year ago
@bloodangel160 I am going to assume that was WEAU? I learned how to use these at KTVO in Kirksville, MO in 1993. I remember have to hold wires together while it was running, after the wires broke, so the cart would eject. Then having to get the solder iron to fix it!
flipphead 10 months ago
@flipphead It was WSAW
bloodangel160 3 months ago
@bloodangel160 I am going to assume that was WEAU? I learned how to use these at KTVO in Kirksville, MO in 1993. I remember have to hold wires together while it was running, after the wires broke, so the cart would eject. Then having to get the solder iron to fix it!
flipphead 10 months ago
Comment removed
bloodangel160 1 year ago
i can't believe i watched the whole thing.
g8btony 1 year ago
Love this video! I worked at NBC NY and they had 6 of these lined up in "Cartland." The sign above the door stated: "Abandon hope all who enter." The TCR's were amazing contraptions, but the mechanics on these machines were prone to failure. Basically the carts rotated around using a bicycle chain and the arms that pulled the cart into the machine would often jam. That's why we had broom sticks in cartland - when a cart failed to load, you'd whack it with a broom stick! No joke.
shipship 1 year ago
Yes! Maxi-chanics!
Superedit 1 year ago
wow...just wow
analyzingfunny 1 year ago
I thought that it was a really neat how a lot of the mechanism was pneumatically controlled. Sometimes the tape would not retract back into the cassette fully, then you would have fun.
smithduluth 1 year ago
That beast is amazing! What a cool piece of engineering.
nakamichiguy 1 year ago
Thanks for taking the time to record and post this video, takes me back to my days at KSTP and WTVC. I was a nervous wreck whenever someone called me in to fix one of these monsters, what a nightmare...nests...nests....venitian blinds and horz phase setup...arggg!! Wasn't the 144,000 RPM video head with air bearings fun to deal with, if you got more than 700 hours on it you were a magician.
JRNipper 1 year ago
Oh, yes!! Maxi-chanics. At the station where I started out, if you could fix one of these beasts you had job security for life. We called ours "The Cash Register" because it was used to play back all the spots. What a beast.
Superedit 2 years ago
Sounds like R2D2
K7AGE 2 years ago
Keep that hockey puck clean...or else. Thanks, Engineering
pygmon 2 years ago
Ive heard several of our veteran engineers at the TV station I work at describe how the old TCR 100 machines use to work. They went ballistic when I showed them this video. I now have much more appreciation for the old days. Our current master control ops. have no idea how easy their job is with all of this digital non-linear playback. Thanks for posting!
apathymusic 2 years ago
Thank's MurrTV, this video is really cool.
I have never forgiven me for not having recorded a video of this machine working. RBSTV Network had one of this working from 70" until early 90' in Brazil.
AdairComaru 2 years ago
Man, your TCR runs smoothly! You've got room for that behemoth? Wow, I'm impressed. If I had one of those, it would have to be in my garage. That sound really takes me back 35 years. Thanks.
DennisDegan 2 years ago