1 inch type A videotape
Encyclopedia
1 inch type A
1 inch type A (designated Type A by SMPTE
) is a reel-to-reel helical scan
analog recording
videotape
format developed by Ampex
in 1965, that was one of the first standardized reel-to-reel magnetic tape
formats in the 1 inch (25 mm) width; most others of that size at that time were proprietary.
Type A was developed as mainly an industrial and institutional format, where it saw the most success. It was not widely used for broadcast television, since it did not meet Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) specifications for broadcast videotape formats; the only format passing the FCC's muster at the time was the then-industry-standard 2-inch quadruplex.
The Type A format received broad use by the White House Communications Agency from 1966 to 1969. The WHCA, under U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson
, used the format to videotape television broadcasts off the air or from direct White House feeds. The WHCA recorded programs and events including television appearances by President Johnson, special news broadcasts and news interview programs. Beginning on April 1, 1968, the WHCA taping system was expanded to also include daily morning and evening news programs, both network and local. When U.S. President Richard M. Nixon succeeded Johnson in office in 1969, the WHCA's Type A recording system was continued until it was gradually phased out, later that year, in favor of a recording system using a 2 inch format.
The Ampex 1 inch Type A format was later replaced by the 1 inch type C videotape
format (which was based on Type A), manufactured by Ampex, Sony
and Hitachi
.
1 inch type A (designated Type A by SMPTE
Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers
The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE , founded in 1916 as the Society of Motion Picture Engineers or SMPE, is an international professional association, based in...
) is a reel-to-reel helical scan
Helical scan
Helical scan is a method of recording high bandwidth signals onto magnetic tape. It is used in reel-to-reel video tape recorders, video cassette recorders, digital audio tape recorders, and some computer tape drives....
analog recording
Analog recording
Analog recording is a technique used for the recording of analog signals which among many possibilities include audio frequency, analog audio and analog video information for later playback.Analog recording methods store signals as a continual wave in or on the media...
videotape
Videotape
A videotape is a recording of images and sounds on to magnetic tape as opposed to film stock or random access digital media. Videotapes are also used for storing scientific or medical data, such as the data produced by an electrocardiogram...
format developed by Ampex
Ampex
Ampex is an American electronics company founded in 1944 by Alexander M. Poniatoff. The name AMPEX is an acronym, created by its founder, which stands for Alexander M. Poniatoff Excellence...
in 1965, that was one of the first standardized reel-to-reel magnetic tape
Magnetic tape
Magnetic tape is a medium for magnetic recording, made of a thin magnetizable coating on a long, narrow strip of plastic. It was developed in Germany, based on magnetic wire recording. Devices that record and play back audio and video using magnetic tape are tape recorders and video tape recorders...
formats in the 1 inch (25 mm) width; most others of that size at that time were proprietary.
Type A was developed as mainly an industrial and institutional format, where it saw the most success. It was not widely used for broadcast television, since it did not meet Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) specifications for broadcast videotape formats; the only format passing the FCC's muster at the time was the then-industry-standard 2-inch quadruplex.
The Type A format received broad use by the White House Communications Agency from 1966 to 1969. The WHCA, under U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
, used the format to videotape television broadcasts off the air or from direct White House feeds. The WHCA recorded programs and events including television appearances by President Johnson, special news broadcasts and news interview programs. Beginning on April 1, 1968, the WHCA taping system was expanded to also include daily morning and evening news programs, both network and local. When U.S. President Richard M. Nixon succeeded Johnson in office in 1969, the WHCA's Type A recording system was continued until it was gradually phased out, later that year, in favor of a recording system using a 2 inch format.
The Ampex 1 inch Type A format was later replaced by the 1 inch type C videotape
1 inch type C videotape
1 inch Type C is a professional reel-to-reel analog recording helical scan videotape format co-developed and introduced by Ampex and Sony in 1976...
format (which was based on Type A), manufactured by Ampex, Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
and Hitachi
Hitachi
Hitachi is a multinational corporation specializing in high-technology.Hitachi may also refer to:*Hitachi, Ibaraki, Japan*Hitachi province, former province of Japan*Prince Hitachi and Princess Hitachi, members of the Japanese imperial family...
.
Some Ampex Type A Models
- VP-4900 (1965) B/W Player only, no record option.
- VR-5000 (1965) B/W
- VR-5100 (1965) B/W 3 Mhz with horizontal resolution of 300 lines, noise ratio of 42 dB.
- VR-5200 VR-5100 (1965) B/W with TV Tuner.
- VPR-5200 VR-5200 with professional connectors
- VR-5800 Low and high band. Very popular, many made.
- VPR-5800 VR-5800 with professional connectors
- XVR-5800 Medical certified 1 Type A VTR.
- VR-5803 PAL VR-5800 TVR
- VR-6000 Low band VTR, With stop motion mode added. Wood case.
- VR-6003 PAL VR-6000
- VR-6050 Low band VTR, very basic, low cost.
- VR-6275 (1966) Wood cabinet with a two TV Tuners (one watch one to record), load speakers.
- VR-6300 (1966) VR-6275 with out the TV Tuner.
- VR-7000 Microphone input add, playback RF modulator, low and high band and other improvements.
- VR-7100 (1967)With roll around cart, self contained, with TV tuner, small monitor and B&W camera.
- VR-7300 (1968) Color option with external color stabilizer. Hetrodyne color processor.
- VR-7003 PAL VR-7300.
- VL-7404 A time lapse VTR. Up to 38 hours with 9-3/4" reel of 3000' 1" tape. $5,900
- VR-7450
- VR-7500 Rec/play B&W and color. 4.2 MHz video bandwidth. Very popular, many made.
- XVR-7500 higher record band, better color pictures. Professional connectors
- VR-7503 PAL VR-7500
- VR-7800 Editing added, Color option. 1st with removable electronic cards for servicing.$9,500 in 1968.
- VPR-7800 VR-7800 Professional.
- VR-7803 PAL VR-7800
- VP-4500C A VR-7800 VTR, but a Player only, no record option, hetrodyne color processor.
- VR-7900 Is a VPR-7800 with an extra modulation standard added is very high, same quality as quad high band. 1975
- VPR-7900A (TBC option, the TBC-790, 1975)
- VR-7903 PAL VR-7900
- VPR-7950A Console model of the VR7900, with monitoring and a TBC (TBC-790 analog, TBC-800 digital).
- VPR-1 (1976) Studio VTR, Digital TBC with SlowMo and still frame. Replaced with VPR-2 1976.
- VPR-10 (1976) Portable VPR1, discontinued before delivery, replaced with VPR-20, C format, 1977.
See also
- Video tape recorderVideo tape recorderA video tape recorder is a tape recorder that can record video material, usually on a magnetic tape. VTRs originated as individual tape reels, serving as a replacement for motion picture film stock and making recording for television applications cheaper and quicker. An improved form included the...
(VTR) - 1 inch type B videotape1 inch type B videotape1 inch type B VTR is a reel-to-reel analog recording video tape format developed by the Bosch Fernseh division of Bosch in Germany in 1976...
- 1 inch type C videotape1 inch type C videotape1 inch Type C is a professional reel-to-reel analog recording helical scan videotape format co-developed and introduced by Ampex and Sony in 1976...
- Ampex 2 inch helical VTRAmpex 2 inch helical VTRFrom 1963 to 1970, Ampex manufactured several models of VTR 2 inch helical VTRs, capable of recording and playing back analog black & white video. Recording employed non-segmented helical scanning, with one wrap of the tape around the video head drum being a little more than 180 degrees,...
External links
- labguysworld Link to a 1" Type A VTR, the Ampex VR-7300
- labguysworld VPR-1 The last Type A VTR
- VidiPax Video Formats Guide
- labguysworld Other one inch VTRs
- labguysworld Ampex VR- VTRs
- labguysworld Ampex VR-6000
- DC Video operator of VR-7800
- Experimental TV Center Ampex page
- labguysworld.com Ampex VR-7100 Ops manual
- lionlamb Ampex Cat.
- The History of Television, 1942 to 2000, By Albert Abramson and Christopher H. Sterling
- Rewind Museum.com Ampex
- fundinguniverse.com Ampex Corporation History