We would assemble break reels for the local/high commercial times of the day to use the acr for spot production. A 1 frame editor was much better than trying to hit a re-edit with a manual reel to reel. We set a que point for these sort of edits on the acr.
Not Quincy. This was state of the art in 1975, we had 3 ampex 2000bs before getting the acr 25. At that time, national commercials were moving from film to videotape, so this reduced the need to edit single spots to make a spot reel, a 4 video break was tough to load with 3 machines, and you didn’t perform a full setup of that 4th spot with only 3 machines to work with.
Not Quincy. This was state of the art in 1975, we had 3 ampex 2000bs before getting the acr 25. At that time, national commercials were moving from film to videotape, so this reduced the need to edit single spots to make a spot reel, a 4 video break was tough to load with 3 machines, and you didn’t perform a full setup of that 3rd spot with only 3 machines to work with.
OMG...I spent hours loading one of these beasts in the mid-70's. You had to remember to keep up with it...pull out spots that ran and replacing them with new cartridges . We had one guy who pushed the white tabs away that let you know both transports were loaded...he put a new cartridge in each side of a loaded transport. You should have heard the racket when the loaded ones tried to eject. I thought the damn thing was going to explode. The machine was down for days for repairs...LOL.
This wasn't in Quincy Illinois was it? I operated one in Quincy in 1998 when I worked at KHQA-TV. When we stopped using it they said it was the last operationg one and it got sent to a museum.
i operated the 3rd ACR-25 sold at the NAB in 1973-4 at WFTV-9 Orlando and then went on to WHAS-11 Louisville and showed them where to kick it hard when it screwed up - have had many nightmares since about forgetting to get it loaded & programmed before the next break.
I remember well this "clic-clic" noise in the middle of a commercial break, translated .. " hei operator..you forgotten to load the rest of the break" ;-(
Good god what a blast from the past. That machine was a beast. From the compressor blowing fluid in the tape compartment to lovely carousel overload. Who could ever forget that sickning "THUMP" when it would go into test mode for no reason. Love it!!!!
too bad you don't show the back of the machine. the wire wrap circuits, the miles of pneumatic tubing. amazing machine! I hated ours with a passion. I used it to assemble the days' commercials onto compilation reels. have you ever watch 8 solid hours of commercials?
Oh, wow. Operating this machine (most-likely this *actual* machine) was my 1st job in television. The magic part of those is that those tall glass windows at the front cover the tape path. The tape was threaded and held into place by vacuum. They actually worked pretty well.
I always just rattled the carousel rather than going through test mode. How that bastard thing never broke one of my fingers off I'll never know.
The tape smelled a little sweet, like honey, when new.
WOW, I haven't seen an ACR-25 since 1977 when I used to program them to play our news program stories and commercials. I have found memories of quad tape machines using 2" tape.
The blowers and air compressers were in another room making the machines quiet. The white slips on the transport door were for reloads into the other on air machine, as I was making a break tape. I got lots of overtime being called in to fix these things. Claws, PS and MDA amp transisters were most common. The interconnect book was 'fun' to read!
Now that's a nightmare returning to me... All those years working those machines - writing load lists - working out replay cycles - cleaning heads - and the dreaded phrase "We're in test" (I was able to clear a test mode during a 30sec commercial and load the next one ready - semi-auto and continue). ah bugger, it's all coming back to me and I don't think I have said the phrase "drop out and reset please" in 10 years! Great vid!
Fantastic - what memories that brings back - most of them associated with the sheer terror that the appearance of the blue 'Test' lamp brought with it..
These machines were regularly being used to transmit commercials and promos in the Thames TV (London, UK for those not familiar with the name)region until the introduction of a semi-automated Panasonic system around the end of 1990. A fantastic piece of engineering!
Nice to see this up here. A quadruplex 'cartridge' machine, ACR-25's were used for production as well as ads. Now someone needs to put the RCA equivalent, the TCR-100 here.
We would assemble break reels for the local/high commercial times of the day to use the acr for spot production. A 1 frame editor was much better than trying to hit a re-edit with a manual reel to reel. We set a que point for these sort of edits on the acr.
dcwarner 6 months ago
Not Quincy. This was state of the art in 1975, we had 3 ampex 2000bs before getting the acr 25. At that time, national commercials were moving from film to videotape, so this reduced the need to edit single spots to make a spot reel, a 4 video break was tough to load with 3 machines, and you didn’t perform a full setup of that 4th spot with only 3 machines to work with.
dcwarner 6 months ago
Not Quincy. This was state of the art in 1975, we had 3 ampex 2000bs before getting the acr 25. At that time, national commercials were moving from film to videotape, so this reduced the need to edit single spots to make a spot reel, a 4 video break was tough to load with 3 machines, and you didn’t perform a full setup of that 3rd spot with only 3 machines to work with.
dcwarner 6 months ago
The ACR-25 at our station was called "FRED". Stood for F*CKING RIDICULOUS ELECTRONIC DEVICE".
Philm35 6 months ago
AMPEX HAD A TURKEY IN THE AUDIO WORLD CALLED MODEL 400
THIS LOOKS LIKE THE VIDEO VERSION>I THINK IT WOULD BE EASY TO REPAIR A
QUAD MACHINE THAN THIS UNIT>THEY MUST HAVE HAD GOOD SALES MEN TO SHIFT THAT.?
JULIAN8845 7 months ago
OMG...I spent hours loading one of these beasts in the mid-70's. You had to remember to keep up with it...pull out spots that ran and replacing them with new cartridges . We had one guy who pushed the white tabs away that let you know both transports were loaded...he put a new cartridge in each side of a loaded transport. You should have heard the racket when the loaded ones tried to eject. I thought the damn thing was going to explode. The machine was down for days for repairs...LOL.
dnhgry 9 months ago
This wasn't in Quincy Illinois was it? I operated one in Quincy in 1998 when I worked at KHQA-TV. When we stopped using it they said it was the last operationg one and it got sent to a museum.
DirectorKC 1 year ago
i operated the 3rd ACR-25 sold at the NAB in 1973-4 at WFTV-9 Orlando and then went on to WHAS-11 Louisville and showed them where to kick it hard when it screwed up - have had many nightmares since about forgetting to get it loaded & programmed before the next break.
johnnypeabrain 2 years ago
I loved this one!
We went live on air with those!
I remember well this "clic-clic" noise in the middle of a commercial break, translated .. " hei operator..you forgotten to load the rest of the break" ;-(
rubinoangelo 2 years ago
Good god what a blast from the past. That machine was a beast. From the compressor blowing fluid in the tape compartment to lovely carousel overload. Who could ever forget that sickning "THUMP" when it would go into test mode for no reason. Love it!!!!
thehebrewnational 2 years ago
too bad you don't show the back of the machine. the wire wrap circuits, the miles of pneumatic tubing. amazing machine! I hated ours with a passion. I used it to assemble the days' commercials onto compilation reels. have you ever watch 8 solid hours of commercials?
jimdingo 2 years ago
I kept an ACR 25 Kart as a souvenir when Scottish TV got rid of theirs in 1990. They were an amazing piece of technology!
TheFrogfather1 2 years ago
Was this the machine used before the Betacart?
bumtownv2 2 years ago
way way way before the betacart.
jimdingo 2 years ago
Comment removed
scottgfx 3 years ago
Oh, wow. Operating this machine (most-likely this *actual* machine) was my 1st job in television. The magic part of those is that those tall glass windows at the front cover the tape path. The tape was threaded and held into place by vacuum. They actually worked pretty well.
I always just rattled the carousel rather than going through test mode. How that bastard thing never broke one of my fingers off I'll never know.
The tape smelled a little sweet, like honey, when new.
DontSailBackwards 3 years ago
last time that i restored a ACR-25 was in 1995 in the RTVE, its a amazing machine...
guimbadriver 3 years ago
WOW, I haven't seen an ACR-25 since 1977 when I used to program them to play our news program stories and commercials. I have found memories of quad tape machines using 2" tape.
BroadcastJohn 3 years ago
The blowers and air compressers were in another room making the machines quiet. The white slips on the transport door were for reloads into the other on air machine, as I was making a break tape. I got lots of overtime being called in to fix these things. Claws, PS and MDA amp transisters were most common. The interconnect book was 'fun' to read!
dcwarner 3 years ago
Now that's a nightmare returning to me... All those years working those machines - writing load lists - working out replay cycles - cleaning heads - and the dreaded phrase "We're in test" (I was able to clear a test mode during a 30sec commercial and load the next one ready - semi-auto and continue). ah bugger, it's all coming back to me and I don't think I have said the phrase "drop out and reset please" in 10 years! Great vid!
tubeie07 3 years ago
Fantastic - what memories that brings back - most of them associated with the sheer terror that the appearance of the blue 'Test' lamp brought with it..
These machines were regularly being used to transmit commercials and promos in the Thames TV (London, UK for those not familiar with the name)region until the introduction of a semi-automated Panasonic system around the end of 1990. A fantastic piece of engineering!
tag1807 3 years ago
Nice to see this up here. A quadruplex 'cartridge' machine, ACR-25's were used for production as well as ads. Now someone needs to put the RCA equivalent, the TCR-100 here.
kimberlyKfnOphiEAGLE 3 years ago