Close-up of the Ampex VPR 3 in operation

Close-up of the Ampex VPR-3 videotape recorder. You'll see threading and operation of the fastest 1" VTR ever made. If you need a dub from 1", let me know.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Ampex
• recording
• tape
• television
• type
• video
• VPR-3
• Sony

[Audiovideopark]

These were made in the early 80s.

[douglas787]

Dear AVP, I just saw a VPR-3 listed on ebay for $175, one card has to worth more than that. auction 290405686922

[Audiovideopark]

That one has been up for auction several time before. Missing the monitor bridge and it has not been tested. Shipping will be over $500.

[douglas787]

Dear Audiovideopark, what do you think ended up to all those hundreds of thousands of type c tapes that must have been in TV stations all across the country? Did pretty much all of them go to landfills? I see some come across ebay from time to time but not real often, and the ones I've seen are usually beat up pretty good. When you transfer tapes do you usually send the original tape back or does the client not want it? I was wondering because I have a small collection of audio/video/data reels.

[Audiovideopark]

Many tapes are on the shelf, waiting for the funds to transfer. Valuable programs already have been transferred. Some clients don't want their tapes back after approving the transfer. The aluminum reels can be recycled. I'm still transferring 2" Quad.

[miredian]

Great video, What do the tubes/pressure gauges do in the system? 5 star!

[Audiovideopark]

The compressed air is used to provide a blanket of air around the guides through a series of very small holes in the guides. The gauges tell if the air is at the proper pressure. The compressor is located in the upper rear of the VTR and the tubes feed the air to the guides. The vacuum capstan is where the air intake is. The air guides greatly reduce the tension around the transport.

[Plumpy0704]

How I remember the flow chart for operating the Zeus TBC - the VPR3 was way ahead of its time. Loved it!

[markhimsley]

Brings back memories of 1986 when I started working in TV. VTR3s we fantastic, especially in sport mode!

[NuGanjaTron]

Dang, that thing sounds so COOL! Great to see some gurus are putting their heart & soul into preserving them.

[SidV76]

Nice video !

How old is this VTR? It looks so 70's...

[slebbugcram]

als iemand wil zien hoe een VHS er vroeger uitzag, is dit een "curiusum" !! :-)

[sonnygon]

we did the air guides here in colorado springs and all the high precision shafts,and idle arms.the air guides have laser drilled holes .002 dia. we did the drilling and the grinding of them.we have a room full of old mecanical part.we did parts for over 35 years.

[fingers7dials]

I have to say, I loved all of my VPR3's just as much as my AVR1's before them. 

Does anyone have 1"C PAL playback, possibly in the UK?

[douglas787]

If that $175 ebay deck was within a few hundred miles of me, I would go get it. I doubt I would ever get it working where it played correctly, but I could put a pair of 11.75 inch reels on it and watch it run while I stared at it like a chimp at my first fire.