On Friday July 1st 2016 we are closed for Canada Day. We will return to our regular phone calls answering and shipping on Monday.
I occupy a studio space in a building that is a former movie shooting facility turned into an artist hovel. The building itself is wonderfully old but the hallways are also full of ancient audio and video equipment from the movie days. One of the things that got the attention of our RnD and tech geek was the AMPEX VR1200B Quadruplex videotape recorder from 1966. The machine stands about 5' tall, about the same in width, and weighs 'under 1000 pounds' as the spec sheet puts it. This was one of the first machines to use magnetic tape technology for recording video in the form of 2" quad tape for video, as opposed to film that was used previously.
A couple interesting points about this machine:
- 60PSI Air was needed for air bearings and a Venturi system for holding the 2" tape in alignment;
- These machines were the workhorses in TV Stations throughout the 60's and 70's. Running these machines required a full time technician!
Here's the beast in action:
A photoset of AMPEX VR1200B
An Overview of Ampex History:
On Friday July 1st 2016 we are closed for Canada Day. We will return to our regular phone calls answering and shipping on Monday.
We're starting to get feedback on Sumovore modifications by our customers. Like, turning the Sumovore into a Room-rover. Or 18V motor operation modifications. Or 'Kaoken' double-voltage adrenaline charges when pushing an opponent. All sorts of stuff! We'll start featuring these modifications shortly, but until then, you may want to take a look at our own […]
I really recommend you take a quick boo over to Richard Caudle's webpage (aka: Frankendaddy) for a well-rounded, amusing BEAM webpage. Some great technology, in a well-written webpage. Read More...
No more rubber band tires for us! We've invested in getting our very own wheels made for us, with molded-on thermoplastic rubber wheels! These wheels are slightly larger in diameter than the old style, measuring 69.2mm (2.72") diameter and 7.65mm (0.30") wide. Ah, but how good are they? They're definitely better than the old style! […]
Solarbotics, Ltd. is not responsible for misprints or errors on product prices or information. For more information, please see our Terms and Conditions.
Warning: This product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
Please visit www.P65Warnings.ca.gov for more information. This item was manufactured prior to August 31, 2018.