RCA TR70B quadruplex recorder.....first look inside

[websuspect]

I bet RCA made alot of money selling these 20 year old technology dinosaurs to corporate america with Betamax and umatic waiting in the wings.

[NJRoadfan]

Its like "This Old House" for quad VTRs... I love it! If only these machines could talk, the stories they would tell.

[wishwacom]

Super Clip thx for upload

[RickinFLA07]

was there any "Cubans" in that machine?

[daniel869106]

hes not walking backwards lol. 

[Oldbmwr100rs]

So with a garage of old equipment, I take it your wife's happy you have a hobby..

Honestly though, I would hardly know where to begin with something like that, and I've worked in the electronics manufacturing industry. Now when it comes to motorcycles, I've restored several, mostly BMW and english bikes. That's been my career for the last 20 years now, and my electronics and manufacturing background has really helped in that.

[AllAmericanFiveRadio]

This is to cool! Hope you get it working.

[albertusj]

Wear headphones and listen to the bird at 1:42. Awesome stereo!

[kawasakih1]

WOW! You really are into the video restoration equipment! Louis

[RCAquadruplex]

@kawasakih1

Yeah, I wish I had as much experience with motorcycle restoration....LOL.

[thomasking55]

This is full of surprises, was that a fluorescent tube in side?

[RCAquadruplex]

@thomasking55

yes, there is a standard 4 ft. fluorescent tube above the transport in all TR-70s..and also in the earlier TR-22s. It's a great "operating" light, and helpful for doing maintenance when modules are on the extender.

[Superedit]

Didja get it running?

[RCAquadruplex]

Not yet. My plan is to apply power for the first time hopefully this month. I'll do a video on that as well.

The powerup of this one shouldn't be all that traumatic, as it was supposedly last fired up about three years ago before I got it. I will probably use the variac anyway though, and bring it up slowly.

[Superedit]

Got any TCR 100s in your stash? The engineers at my first station said that if you could fix one of those, you had job security no matter what. Talk about maxi-chanics. Somehow an itty-bitty DV tape in a machine about the size of a book doesn't have the same appeal.

[strong1235]

I wouldl suggest a vacuum cleaner prior to an air blast. The air can blow the dust into pots and relay contacts etc. Same reason you never blow into a microphone. Also glad to see your dog is trained not to pee on video cards! 8-)

[heehawkdown]

Seeing something like that rolled out of a garage is "just too cool for school". Even the German Shepard was excited!

[747400fan]

How the heck did SEEDS get into that machine?

[RCAquadruplex]

I've been wondering that myself! Not an easy feat for critters to get up into that blower assembly, but obviously.....something did.

[marria03]

@ 6:50, I can't believe how much crud came out of that vent. Where were they storing this thing?

[747400fan]

Seeing you with that air-gun reminds me of cleaning my computer with one of those cans of 'Dust-Off'. I will be undertaking a cleaning of my old tower PC and its monitor, to ready it for donation to an agency that works with disabled people.

[QuadVideoTapeGroup]

Guy-- Another winner in the "how to" category.

Between you and Park, there's an archive of shared knowledge about how to undertake a cleanup and restoration of several types of Quad machines.

Hope to see more as work progresses.

BTW... did you have time to take any of the seeds to an agriculture specialist to determine what they were?

Ted

[BadEditPro]

I can't believe what came out of that thing... It must be very therapeutic to do that kind of work. :) JC

[FuquarProductions]

I'm just starting out doing video transfers, and production and it is neat to see these old machines up close. I thought I had most things covered with my U-matic.... Shows what I know... and need to learn!!

Please keep it up, I enjoy getting a closer look.

[toresbe]

I really enjoy these videos. I'm a big fan of these VT units; I love how all technology used to be so much more well-engineered, tangible and repairable. Now it's all ICs - really practical, but no fun at all.

I'm 21 years old and just getting into broadcasting tech, so this is way before my time. I've witnessed a quad deck in action, though, at the NRK (The Norwegian equivalent of the BBC - scaled down accordingly, of course.) ...

[toresbe]

...I think it was the last one in action, too - it was in use with the aim of transferring quads to archival Digibeta. It had been disconnected, but they hooked it back up when they found another quad reel in storage. The sound of the head spinning up is absolutely delightful.