Quadruplex videotape
This article needs additional citations for verification. (July 2022) |
miniDV videocassette | |
Media type | Magnetic tape |
---|---|
Encoding | NTSC, PAL |
Read mechanism | Quadrature scan |
Write mechanism | Quadrature scan |
Developed by | Ampex |
Usage | Video production |
Released | 1956 |

2-inch quadruplex videotape (also called 2" quad video tape or quadraplex) was the first practical and commercially successful
Since most United States network
The term "quadruplex" refers to the use of four magnetic record/play heads mounted on a headwheel spinning transversely (width-wise) across the tape at a rate of 14,386
The quadruplex format employs segmented recording; each transversely recorded video track on a 2-inch quad videotape holds one-sixteenth (NTSC) or one-twentieth (PAL)[6] of a field of interlaced video. (For NTSC systems, the math suggests 15 transverse head passes, each consisting of 16 lines of video, are required to complete one field.) This meant that 2-inch quad did not support "trick-play" functions, such as still, shuttle, and reverse or variable-speed playback. In fact, the quadruplex format could only reproduce recognizable pictures when the tape was playing at normal speed.[7] However, it was capable of producing extremely high-quality images with a horizontal resolution of about 400 lines per picture height, and remained the de facto industry standard for television broadcasting from its inception in 1956 to the mid-1980s, when newer, smaller, and lower-maintenance videotape formats such as Type C videotape superseded it.[8]
There were three different variations of 2-inch quad:
- Low-band, which was the first variety of quad introduced by Ampex in 1956,
- High-band, which used a wider bandwidth for recording video to the tape, resulting in higher-resolution video from the video tape recorder (VTR), and
- Super high-band, which used a pilot tone for better timebase stability, and higher coercivitytape.
Most quad machines made later in the 1960s and 1970s by Ampex can play back both low and high-band 2-inch quad tape.[9]
History
Time-shifting of television programming for the
Ampex, seeing the impracticality of prototype
Ampex continued through the mid-1950s with the Mark II[17] and Mark III prototype recorders.[18]
The Mark IV[19] was the machine first publicly demonstrated at the National Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters (now the NAB) convention (the NAB Show) in Chicago on April 14, 1956. After William Lodge of CBS finished his speech, the Mark IV replayed his image and words almost immediately, causing "pandemonium" among the astonished attendees.[10] The earlier Mark III was given some cosmetic improvements, and was also demonstrated at Ampex headquarters in Redwood City the same day. Both demonstrations were a success, and Ampex took $2 million in orders for the machine in four days.[10]

Ampex later released the first models of quad VTR based on the Mark IV which were also prototypes, the VRX-1000,[20] of which 16 were made. Machines made afterward were the final production models, and were designated as the VR-1000.[21] The advertised price for the Ampex Videotape Recorder in late 1956 was $45,000 (equivalent to $520,000 in 2024).[22]
In 1957, shortly after Ampex's introduction of the 2-inch quad format, RCA introduced a quad-compatible VTR, the TRT-1A. RCA referred to it as a "Television Tape Recorder", since the word "videotape" was a trademark of Ampex at the time.[23]
Ampex developed and released updated and improved models of their quad decks, beginning with the VR-1000B in mid-1959. At that time, Ampex advertised that some 360-plus VR-1000s had been sold worldwide, more than 250 in the U.S.—roughly 30 at each network, 100 by independent stations, and 20 by production companies.
CBS was the first television network to use 2-inch quad videotape, using it for a West Coast delay of Douglas Edwards and the News on November 30, 1956.[26] The CBS show Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts on December 24, 1956, became the first entertainment program to be broadcast live to the nation from New York and taped for a time-delayed rebroadcast in the Pacific Time Zone.[27][28] On January 22, 1957, the NBC game show Truth or Consequences, produced in Hollywood, became the first program to be broadcast in all time zones from a prerecorded videotape.[29]
The engineers at Ampex who worked on the development of 2-inch quadruplex videotape from the Mark I to the VR-1000 were
As two inch machines became more reliable, they began to see use in outside broadcast (OB) production. The massive machines required their own truck to house and were incredibly labour-intensive requiring considerable on site maintenance. Despite this, these machines allowed for OB video engineers to provide instant replays and generate opening sequences over which captions could be added.[32]
Product models
Ampex
- VR-1000 (1956) (VRX-1000)
- VR-1000 "Allen" or "Allenized" update kits (made for Ampex by Steve Allen at Allen Electronics) to color solid state, FM high band updateable, solid state servo system.[36]
- VR-1001 VR-1000 with the transport vertical.
- VR-2000 (1964) Solid state, first color-capable quad VTR with high band. Optional Editec, Dropout compensation. Mark 10 TBC.[25]
- VR-1100E (1966) Solid-state VR-1000.[37]
- VR-1195 (1966) VR1100 with many Ampex updates.
- VR-1200 (1966) Solid state, color high-band. Analog TBC. Optional Editec. Scaled-down economy version of the VR-2000.[38][39]
- VR-3000 (1967) Portable VTR with a Mark 11 ball-bearing head. All-format VTR (NTSC/PAL/SECAM, 15 IPS/7.5 IPS, high-band/low-band). Digital TBC was possible, but required extensive mechanical modifications to the basic unit. Battery- or line-powered.[40]
- VR-3000B Portable VTR Improved version of VR-3000. Digital TBC was available as a plug-in accessory, and required no modifications to the basic unit. Improved batteries.[41]
- AVR-1 (1973) Very fast VTR,
- ACR-25 (1974) Cart VTR, with two AVR-1 type decks.[44]
- ACR-25B (1975) Cart VTR, ACR-25 with AVR-2 digital TBC.[45][46]
- AVR-2 (1974) Digital TBC, compact Quad used in studios and remote trucks. Uses 110-volt 3-phaseAC service, although the AVR-2 can be wired for either 110- or 220-volt service).
- AVR-3 (1975) Last Ampex Quad, digital TBC. Vacuum capstan. Super high band.[47]


The VR-2000 & VR-1200 (and the VR-1100E & VR-1195, as well as some updated VR-1000 VTRs) used modules to correct the playback time base errors of the videotape.[48]
RCA
- TRT-1A (1957) Tube VTR, 4 racks of tubes.[49][50][51]
- TRT-1B (1959) Tube VTR, three racks. An available option for color expanded this machine to six racks, which included the color processing equipment and color monitor.[52][53]
- TRT-1AC Prototype[54]
- TR-2 (1960) Tube VTR with some solid state. Low band or monochrome.[55]
- TR-11 (1961) Tube VTR with solid state PS-Power supply.
- TR-22 (1961) Monochrome low band, later color version.[56][57]
- TR-22C (1964) High-band color.
- TR-2 (1964) Record-only solid state.
- TR-3 (1964) Playback-only solid state.[58][59]
- TR-4 (1964) Both, solid state.[60][61]
- TR-5 (1964) Console portable solid state.[62][63]
- TR-22D (1966)[64]
- TR-70 (1966) Solid state, high/low band with dropout compensation. High-band & low band color or monochrome. RCA's multi-standard machine[65][66]
- TR-70C (1967) TR-70 with digital TBC.
- TR-50 (1967) TR-4 high band.[67][68]
- TR-60 (1969) High-band & low band color or monochrome. TR-60 is an updated TR-50. RCA's multi-standard machine 405/525/625 lines. The TR-60 and TR-70 were used in a master/slave configuration with the TCR-100 cart machines timesharing the video processing circuitry of the TR-60 and TR-70 machines when a SPU was not installed with the TCR100.
- TCR-100 (1970) Dual-deck video cartridge machine. SPU-100 was the signal processing unit. Had many air-operated mechanisms[69][70][71]
- TR-61 (1972) High-band color, digital servo system, NTSC/PAL switchable, TR-60 is an updated TR-50.
- TPR-10 (1975) High-band color portable. Larger than a VR-3000, Had color playback, US air force use a few.[72]
- TR-600 (1972) Last RCA Quad. Digital TBC, compact quad used in studios and remote trucks.[73][74]
Bosch Fernseh
- BM-20 B&W Quadruplex tube TVR (1963–1970).[75][76]
- BCM-40 (1970–1972) Solid state, analog TBC.[77][78]
- BCM-40C (1972–1976) Updated BCM-40[79]
Комета (Kometa), Soviet Union
- Кадр-1 (Kadr-1) - B&W, tubes (1964);[80]
- Кадр-1Ц (Kadr-1Ts) - Prototype unit, modified for color recording testing (1964);[81]
- Кадр-2 (Kadr-2) - Prototype unit, B&W, solid state (1966);[82][83]
- Кадр-3 (Kadr-3) - Color, solid state (1967);[84]
- Кадр-3П (Kadr-3P) - 2-racks version intended for production trucks (1969);[85]
- Кадр-3ПМ (Kadr-3PM) - Modified for timecode-based editing (1980);[86]
- Кадр-5 (Kadr-5) - Fast editing VTR, vacuum columns (1976).[87]
ЛОМО (LOMO), Soviet Union
- КМЗИ-1 (KMZI-1) - Prototype unit, B&W, tubes. The first soviet VTR. Based on Quad format, but used 70-mm tape instead of 2-inch (1959);[88][89]
- КМЗИ-4 (KMZI-4) - Production version of КМЗИ-1, was used for regular broadcast (1960);[90]
- КМЗИ-6 (KMZI-6) - B&W, tubes. The first mass-produced VTR. Was used for the first experimental colour recording in SECAM encoding (1962); [88] [91]
- КМЗИ-12 (KMZI-12) - B&W, tubes. Had an interchangeable head block for compatibility with 2-inch tape (1965); [88] [92]
- Электрон-2 (Electron-2) - B&W, solid state, fully compliant with Quad format (1966); [88] [93]
- Электрон-2М (Electron-2M) - Color version (1966).[94]
Others
- Sony made an experimental 2" VTR in 1958, after seeing an Ampex VTR at NHK, but never sold any 2" quadruplex VTRs.[95][96]
- The VA-50 and VA-100 sold by Visual Electronics, USA. (1965-1970) by Jim Tharpe. Use many parts from Steve Allen, these at first were Allenized VR-1000s, sold as RB 1000. Then Visual switch to Allenized Bosch BM-20, colorizing them as VA-50 and VA-100.[36]
- WZT (Warszawskie Zakłady Telewizyjne, Poland) made VTR MW-623 (prototype in 1963) then improved to MW-645 (1965, commonly used in Polish Television) and finally 100% solid state MW-700C (1971). The VTRs were never sold abroad.[97]
2-inch quad fate



2-inch quad is no longer used as a mainstream format in TV broadcasting and video production, having long ago been supplanted by easier-to-use, more practical and lower-maintenance analog tape formats like
Operation of VR-1000-era machines required the skills of a highly trained
The few quadruplex VTRs which remain in service are used for the transfer and/or restoration of archival 2-inch quad videotape material to newer data storage formats, although mainstream TV serials from the 1950s to late 1960s have mostly already been remastered onto more modern media some years ago, even digitized within the last decade.[100]
Specifications
- 2 Inch open reel to reel analog video system
- Vacuum guide to support videotape for record
- Tape speed 15 ips. (381 mm/s) [7.5 ips in half speed mode)
- Video record FM signal
- One analog control track (240 Hz) 20 mils [bottom of videotape]
- Two analog audio tracks: 2 audio tracks or one audio and one cue tone track or one audio track and one linear timecode track
- Analog audio track 70 mils [top of videotape]
- Analog audio cue track 20 mils
- Video track angle 89.5 deg.
- Video track height/length ~ 1.82 inches, ~ 46.2mm
- Four video record/play heads at 90 deg. (rotary transformer – Ampex, rotary brush – RCA)
- Drum dia. 2 inches – (5.08mm)
- Video penetration ~ .002 inches – 50 micron
- 525-lines video has 32 video tracks
- 625-lines video has 40 video tracks
- Video scanner rotation: 525 line 14,400 rpm (240 rps) (1,000 stripes per second), 625 15,000 rpm
- Video head write speed: 525 line 1508 ips (38.3 m/s), 625 39.9 m/sec (1570.8 ips)
- Video track width 10 mils – .25 mm
- Video track pitch 15.6 mils – .40 mm
- 16.4 horizontal lines per head in 525. (64 lines recorded per rotation of the head drum assembly)
- Video track per second 960.
- Studio reel ~60 minutes, 4,800 feet.
- Video FM modes: Low band, High Band, B&W, Super High Band[101]
The tape used in quadruplex machines may have magnetic particles oriented transversely, to increase the magnetic field strength of the tape when read transversely. This allows for higher signal to noise ratios and the possibility of reducing linear or longitudinal tape speeds. The particles are oriented by applying a strong transverse magnetic field during manufacturing after the particles are applied but before the tape is baked to fix the particles in place.[102][103][104]
See also
- VTR
- Videotape
- Ampex 2 inch helical VTR
- Contrast with helical scan recording
- Erhard Kietz's work at Ampex
- Lunar Orbiter Image Recovery Project, recovered still images from physically similar tapes
References
General references
- TV Broadcasting, by Harold E. Ennes, 1971, Chapter 8, Page 356 to 388
- quadvideotapegroup.com, Quad VTR on Planes
Inline citations
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- ^ "Quad Videotape Group-Quad History-Page Index". Retrieved 28 April 2016.
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- ^ "Chapter 5 - The VTR". Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ "Videotape Formats". Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ Wink Hackman blog; training for MVS users Retrieved September 17, 2015
- ^ "Equipment Museum". Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ "Chapter 9 - VTR Interchangeability". Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ a b c Wolpin, Stewart. "The Race to Video Archived April 4, 2011, at the Wayback Machine". Invention & Technology, Fall 1994.
- ^ "History of Tape Recording Technology". Archived from the original on 3 June 2004. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ "Mark I head from lionlamb.us".
- ^ "Mark I head and chart".
- ^ "danalee.ca". www.danalee.ca.
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- ^ "Chapter 14 - Maintenance, Troubleshooting, and Minor Repairs". Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ "Mark II from lionlamb.us".
- ^ "Mark III".
- ^ "Mark 4".
- ^ "VRX-1000 being made at Ampex".
- ^ "The First Videotape Machines at KRLD-TV". Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ ""How Much Should a Tape Recorder Cost? [Ampex ad]" Broadcasting-Telecasting, 15 October 1956, 220" (PDF).
- ^ "The Knacker's Yard - Control". www.meldrum.co.uk.
- ^ ""Announcing the New Ampex VR-1000B," Broadcasting-Telecasting, 22 June 1959, 58-59" (PDF).
- ^ a b "VR-2000".
- ^ a b "Charles P. Ginsburg". Memorial Tributes: National Academy of Engineering, Vol. 7. 1994: The National Academies Press, Washington DC.
- ^ Val Adams, "C.B.S. Shows Off Tape-Recorded TV", New York Times, Dec 21, 1956, p. 43.
- ^ "CBS, 1956, VR-1000 in use photo from javeriana.edu.co".
- ^ "Daily N.B.C. Show Will Be on Tape", New York Times, Jan. 18, 1957, p. 31.
- ^ "terramedia.co.uk Ampex Team Photo 1956".
- ^ "Ampex Team Photo with Emmy from photobucket.com".
- ^ Ellis, John; Hall, Nick (2017): ADAPT. figshare. Collection.https://doi.org/10.17637/rh.c.3925603.v1
- ^ "VR-1000 VTR". Flickr - Photo Sharing!. 4 April 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ "Alex Poniatoff (Ampex) introduces the VR1000, Photo from javeriana.edu.co".
- ^ "Ampex Video Recorder VR1000". Science Museum Group Collection. Science Museum Group. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
- ^ a b "Visual/Allen | The Quad Videotape Group". November 12, 2014.
- ^ "VR-1000E.jpg photo".
- ^ "Ampex 2 Inch Helical Vtr". World News. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ "Photo". newhorizonbroadcast.com. Archived from the original on 3 April 2012.
- ^ "LabGuy's World: Ampex VR-3000 Portable Quadruplex VTR 40th Anniversary!". Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ "$42,000 Ampex VR-3000 Camcorder from 1967". Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ "AVR-1 from quadvideotapegroup.com".
- ^ "AVR-1 from quadvideotapegroup.com".
- ^ "1979 ACR Hemingway". Flickr - Photo Sharing!. 15 June 2005. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ "ACR-25B photo".
- ^ "1995 - Lisa Fillingham with ACR-25 (VC2)". Flickr - Photo Sharing!. 11 January 2009. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ "Ampex Quad Catalog". Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ Photo of Ampex correct units, wikipedia
- ^ "RCA TRT-1 VTR". Flickr - Photo Sharing!. 4 April 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ "Dave's Blog » Confessions of a Tape Head". Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ "TRT-1A 1957, add" (PDF).
- ^ "1971 VT area - Peter Partridge". Flickr - Photo Sharing!. 11 March 2009. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ "RCA TRT-1B VIDEO TAPE". Flickr - Photo Sharing!. 30 October 2006. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ "videopreservation.conservation-us.org NBC TRT-1AC Room".
- ^ "Western Australian Television History (WA TV History) » Blog Archive » Video Editing". Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ "Kool TV Tr-22".
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- ^ "RCA TR-3 VTR". Flickr - Photo Sharing!. 4 April 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ "TR-3".
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- ^ "Western Australian Television History (WA TV History) » Blog Archive » The Ron (DINGO) Reddingius Story". Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ "TR-5".
- ^ "TR-22D add" (PDF).
- ^ "EzineMark". EzineMark.
- ^ "TR-70B".
- ^ "Equipment Museum". Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ "TR-50".
- ^ "TR-100".
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- ^ "TCR-100".
- ^ "TPR-10".
- ^ "RCA tr 600". Flickr - Photo Sharing!. 20 May 2006. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ "RCA Quad Equipment Catalog". Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ Dipl. Ing. Gert Redlich Wiesbaden. "Fernsehmuseum1- Sie sind im Bereich : Fese BM-20 - 1963". Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ "BM-20 B&W Quad TVR photo". Archived from the original on April 18, 2015.
- ^ "WEBSITE.WS - Your Internet Address For Life™". www.broadcasting101.ws.
- ^ radiomuseum.org Magnetbandanlage BC M 40A, 1966
- ^ "Fernsehmuseum1- Sie sind im Bereich : Fese BCM 40C 1972". www.fernsehmuseum.info.
- ^ "Кадр-1". Видачество - история видеотехники. 24 November 2024.
- ^ "Кадр-1Ц". Видачество - история видеотехники. 24 November 2024.
- ^ Лишин, Л. Г. (1966). "Репортажный видеомагнитофон "Кадр-2"" (PDF). «Труды ВНИИРТ»: сборник научных трудов. (1): 13–15.
- ^ "Кадр-2". Видачество - история видеотехники. 24 November 2024.
- ^ "Кадр-3". Видачество - история видеотехники. 24 November 2024.
- ^ "Кадр-3П". Видачество - история видеотехники. 24 November 2024.
- ^ "Кадр-3ПМ". Видачество - история видеотехники. 24 November 2024.
- ^ "Кадр-5". Видачество - история видеотехники. 24 November 2024.
- ^ a b c d Баланин, Л. Н. (2010). "Видеомагнитофоны для телевизионного вещания и прикладных ТВ систем" (PDF). Вопросы радиоэлектроники, серия Техника телевидения (1): 84–88.
- ^ "КМЗИ-1". Видачество - история видеотехники. 24 November 2024.
- ^ "КМЗИ-4". Видачество - история видеотехники. 24 November 2024.
- ^ "КМЗИ-6". Видачество - история видеотехники. 24 November 2024.
- ^ "КМЗИ-12". Видачество - история видеотехники. 24 November 2024.
- ^ "Электрон-2". Видачество - история видеотехники. 24 November 2024.
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- ^ "Sony TVR 1958".
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- ^ "LOC, TELEVISION AND VIDEO PRESERVATION 1997" (PDF). Library of Congress.
- ^ "7.1 The Evolution of Television – COM_101_01_TestBook". opentext.wsu.edu.
- ^ "2" Quad Tape". archive.totterslane.co.uk.
- ^ "Dual-layer quadruplex video recording tape".
- ^ Office, United States Patent (June 18, 1973). "Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office: Patents [microform]". The Office – via Google Books.
- ISBN 9780849383458– via Google Books.
External links
- Former OB video engineer discussed the differences between 2 inch machines and 1 inch video machines
- Video systems theory, with expanded information on the history of 2-inch Quad.
- Quadruplex Park, Museum of 2-inch Quad VTRs.
- The Edsel Show was the first TV entertainment program originating from the West Coast to be delayed for the West Coast on videotape.
- The History of Recording Technology, with a section with pictures on 2-inch quad and Ampex's development and introduction of it.
- The Birth of Video Recording.
- Promotional kinescope extolling the benefits of producing commercials on videotape instead of film.
- CED Magic's page on 2" quad.
- Color Television History page about early Color VTR.
- Bosch 2" VTR 1970.
- RCA VTRs.
- RCA VTR details.
- Quad Videotape Group, helping to preserve the content, machines and the knowledge to use them in conjunction with the Library of Congress. Has historical information and discussion list.
Patents
- U.S. patent 2,866,012 "Magnetic Tape Recording and Reproducing System", Ampex patent filed May 1955, issued December 1958.