C Format VTR & Historic Computing Tapes

[G4LXJ]

Hello Everyone,

Although I've been a radio amateur since the 1970s, and I've had a long career in developing digital TV, this is my first visit (I hope of many) to the BATC.

As well as amateur radio and TV technology, I'm also interested in the development of computing over the last few decades, and this latter interest took me to IBM at Hursley (just outside Winchester) on a British Computing Society event last year. A most interesting day, which included a tour of the private museum they have on site.

The curators there are doing their best with limited resources to preserve some key artefacts in the development of computers, and included amongst these are a large stack of what look like C-format video tape reels. They have no way of reading them, and limited knowledge of what they contain. I wonder if anyone has any suggestions about how these could be converted into digital video files, and preserved for posterity. Very little funding for this, which prevents the obvious route of a trip to a facilities house.

If anyone has any ideas or could help, please let me know, and I'll pass these on to the curators.

BCS are running another trip this September to IBM at Hursley - see http://www.bcs.org/content/conEvent/8802 if interested.

Many thanks.

G4LXJ

[G8GQS]

Hi G4LXJ

Alas I can't help, both my c format machines are out of action, job number 10000000 for repair!! I do hope someone will come forward and offer to help. If there are a lot of tapes it is not trivial in terms of time and head wear. One option would be to buy your own machine on a diy basis. Some of the later Sony BVHxxx were quite reliable.

[PaulM]

I have about six operational console type C Format machines. They are all Ampex/Marconi of various models - I don't do Sony, they're now 'falling off the cliff' in terms of reliability and they're not easy to fix due to a lack of affordable/viable spare parts. I've laid down a pretty good stock of spares for the machines 'on the books', but heads really need to be regarded as a consumable, especially with unknown quality archive tapes.

I would be happy to look at a couple of tapes to confirm what's on them, that they are indeed C Format and whether they are PAL. However, they would need to come to me (near Lincoln). I can't really spare the time to do bulk transfers and there's also the price of new heads (which can still be bought - at a price). If they want to take up my offer, I can be contacted via our website at: http://www.golden-agetv.co.uk

Best regards,

Paul Marshall

[g8cjs]

Hi and welcome to the forum

Slightly different advice to Brian and Paul based on working in Video Tape in ITV for more years than I would care to remember

I assume you have a 1" tape on reels with an NAB centres
There are several sizes of spools which sets the running time (the Marconi/Ampex machines that Paul mentions are have limit on 90 min reels (C format can go up to 2 hours and in some cases 3 hours, so don't rush around if the spool is over sized or start buying a machine on Ebay (they do come up)

The older Sony and Marconi machines are all very old (1980's) I have owned both and they both may need electronic repairs, but the Sony had better mechanics so would be my preference. The BVH 3100 been the last Sony machine 90 min spool limit, but is the one to look out for, produced long after the Marconi Ampex MR2B and VPR2B's. Needs an SPG (Sync pulse Generator) to run as did all the C and B format machines.

What would help is a photo of the reel, tape manufacturer, and are the reels in boxes if so please describe colour etc
Broadcast tapes usually have a spool label with the title of the programme and if boxed should have paperwork in the box which will help.

Where are you in the country, if we need to try something on a machine
Sorry it won't be at my place I am not a Kit Fondler so I don't have obsolete kit sitting around
Hope this helps

Trevor

[G4LXJ]

Thanks to all the feedback, and especially to Paul and Trevor for your detailed advice. My starting point with video tape was D1, so this is all unknown territory for me. Sorry to be so slow to reply - I've been side-tracked by all kinds of things over the summer, and have just managed to get back to this.

I passed on your comments to the museum curators (museum is just outside Winchester, in Hampshire). They're volunteers, and are somewhat swamped with things to do - they're interested in following up, but could be a while. I'm there again this Friday on the second British Computer Society trip, and I'll see what information I can glean about reel sizes, boxes, accompanying paperwork etc. Further post if I get anything useful.

Thanks again for the advice and help.

Colin.