My senior year of HS in Arlington VA, (1972) had a "TV Lab" class, with 3, tube type TV cameras, and Sony 3600 and 3650. The Panasonic switcher, back then, was called a 'Switcher/Fader".
That's actually a pretty great find, what a way to start a new season, Ben! (I can already feel fall starting to come.. even if we don't truly get into fall until October at the earliest.)
Light's, camera, and heading into the traction ward after tripping on all the tape stock; It's Ben's Junk looks at an early Pre-Cassete Sony Video Tape Player.
5:08 It look like one of the typewriters i had. One on the early electric typewriter one. Two year later. I had to call the Fire Dept. It over heat and fire. It was a cool typewriter.
These were often used by early cable access channels ( early to mid 70's.) for recording and playing back local programming (town meetings, public affairs stuff etc.)
That's so funny that this is your season premiere video, because I, too, have been trying to get one of these exact machines to work. I brought it one repair guy, who almost made it work slightly better, but not better enough. Now, I have brought it to a studio technician who actually once worked with these machines, and hopefully, it will play right this time.
So close, I think once the pinch roller is producing a constant pressure (and therefore giving constant tape speed ) you’ll have a working deck. It might be that the rubber has gone hard, pinch rollers start off quite pliable. Sometimes a roughening up with fine grade sandpaper will be enough to give the pinch roller surface some grip.
That new track that played when you were working on the belt sounds like a 1970's health class instructional movie sped up. Eh... not THAT kind of health class movie. One about the circulatory or respiratory system. Something you'd see during the animated graphics of blood flowing through the body.
00:13:47 Lol! Use a round object and compress the foam next time and you can cut around the edge. (Like a measuring cup, drink glass) Wire brushes are excellent for scraping the crud off, as it imitates scraping with your fingernail (brass then plastic bristle here). To that effect, an automotive eraser wheel is the ultimate mechanical imitation of this act (finger scratching), built for film and adhesive removal. Soaking rags in boiling water and applying them to the glue is often a great chemical free way to remove glue.
You experienced some of hurdles I did with my AV-3600 a few months ago. Mine came from a bank and is in good shape, but it no longer records in spite of a signal coming in via line or camera, and the servo has trouble locking onto a tape, but the biggest issue is a combination of sticky tape, baking time, and temperature. A few tapes I baked 3 times, in sets of 6 hours each, allowed the tape to cool overnight in the Nesco food dehydrator, and found in an air conditioned room the tape reverted to unplayable within hours. Bad caps are also possible, the audio meter is also stuck, but the main belt is similarly in good shape. I've 2 other machines that are beaten to death - both came from schools, and one had the audio inputs upgraded / hacked to XLR. Both turn on, but the mechanics in one are misaligned - the pinch wheel has to be pushed forward by pushing down on the screw with a screwdrive and forcing it towards the capstan - and the other machine receives nor outputs a signal and is largely non-functional. The two beaters also had blown fuses from some issue. Before I contact a local tech for a possible restoration of the good machine, I'll see if lubing and testing the gears might help, and maybe test the caps which will likely need replacing. The good machine has another issue: the motor takes a while to get up to speed, so I turn it to play, then pause, wait for the motor to get steady, and then switch to play. Both Sony and 3M tapes require pre-cleaning - the dirt builds up into sharp chunks on the lubed towelettes, and it's worth checking the two guide posts and heads for the hard gunk that sticky tapes will deposit as extruded streaks, which will scratch tapes during playback. You can remove the gunk from the pins with simple dollar store sponges with the coarse side scrubbing the surfaces. I put further fiddling with my AV-3600 on pause because it became too time-consuming, but will eventually check the capacitors in case they're the reason for the good machine being unable to play tapes properly - which it did before the unit was heavily used to digitize baked tapes with decent success (see a short IGTV excerpt: instagram.com/tv/CO4gzrIBn-O/?). Looking forward to a follow-up on your AV-3600, and thanks for your episode on tape baking - it proved very helpful in getting the right dehydrator, and figuring out a rough workflow.
I don't know if Sony AV recorded colour, but it does look as if through all the dropouts and signal faults that the TV is trying to show colour, as if the unt isn't supposed to record colour but the NTSC colour signal is sort of being recorded. Kind of like how lost episodes of Dad's Army which only existed as black and white kinoscopes were restored to colour through extracting the colour signal from dot patterns on the kinoscopes. The episodes were shot in colour and recorded in colour on videotape, but the videotape was wiped for reuse because that was the time when videotape was massively expensive.
I've got the same unit as you and I've been working on it since May of this year. Transport was totally screwed, but I was able to sorta move the tape past the heads and see video/hear audio out of the thing. I fixed the transport by replacing belts and rebuilding the idler wheels (I used rubber gaskets). I got the transport working pretty much flawlessly, but now it seems as if I'm not getting any video output, audio is fine. I can tell that the tape which came with my unit is some sort of tribal thing, it's a group of people dancing around in loin cloths on a hillside and chanting. I really want to digitize it and see this unit working, but I'm just getting static on the video side of things. I tried to clean the heads and it didn't make any change. I also tried to examine the heads with my microscope, but it's so damn hard to get into that drum mechanism (it's a tight fit) and actually view them.
With regards to the transport, I also re-oiled/re-greased everything and removed all of the old oil/grease which had pretty much turned into grime/glue.
The alignment may very well be totally out-of-whack. If you can get your hands on a blank (or something you're ok with recording over) and that plays back ok (or at least half-discernible), it may be the problem. Could also be a skip-field recording as opposed to EIAJ-1. I've since learned (thanks to some confirmed EIAJ-1 tapes) that the alignment is totally whack on my unit--which I probably did when I rebuilt it.
8:45 devil's pitchforks, never heard them called that before, but I guess since they were as tricky as the devil to hook up right its a good name for them. 12:55 Swiss Army knife, the do it all tool for almost every occasion! I get the feeling this video recorder/player was just as frustrating to use back then when it was brand new. You are a better man than me, Benny Boy, I would have used a sledge hammer on this thing if I owned it.
Just curiosity, but it's an american thing wear your watch even inside the house? Even when doing the dishes or bathing the dang ol' dog? I've seen so many videos of americans doing that and always caught my attention.
I'm British and wear my watch in the house. I think it's just normal, or it used to be when watches were more widespread. Of course, the watch comes off when washing dishes or bathing or going to bed (and to be honest, the only reason why I have a watch is because my Dad died. The watch I'm wearing is his watch, it might only be a cheap Timex quartz thing, but it was my Dad's watch) You could say that by using smartphones as watches, we've gone back to using pocket watches instead of wrist watches!
Good to see you got an AV3600 Ben. I gotta power up mine one day and make sure it still works. This video will be a big help to get mine working a little better! Because I’m sure it’s eventually gonna Need some new belts and cleaning. Now if only I can find the camera I got with lt! Lol
@@OddityArchive Good to hear, I was warned about this when I attempted to clean my tapes. Good luck with this project - it can be VERY frustrating but worth it to see very early TV recordings.
If I found something that fit, it'd certainly be worth a try. I'd really like to replace the rubber on the pinch roller (or just the piece) completely.
Hello from Lincoln, Nebraska. I am pleased you have our (now yours) Sony AV-3600. ;)
Not Worms Nebraska, then?
I've seen Obsolete Video Services (OVS) do some transfers from EIAJ videotape, in both B&W in color. This is surely an interesting surprise from you.
Rick and Ben? That's a crossover I didn't know I needed until now.
You are giving Techmoan a run for his money now
Techmoans been phoning it in for a little while now.
Techmoan will probably do a Raid Shadow Legends promo
My senior year of HS in Arlington VA, (1972) had a "TV Lab" class, with 3, tube type TV cameras, and Sony 3600 and 3650. The Panasonic switcher, back then, was called a 'Switcher/Fader".
That closing music was lovely. Thanks again for another enjoyable video.
Just the intro had me saying: "Welcome to Banjo in the Hollow!" in my best Alabamy accent!
I misread "Hollow" as "Hoohaw" and had the PB&J Otter theme playing in my head
Previous owner was definitely making weird stag films.
“Documentary filmmaker”, riiiiight.
Our local school district had a SONY 1/2” Reel2reel video player in the early 1970’s. Saw myself on a TV screen at age 8 with that type of player.
That's actually a pretty great find, what a way to start a new season, Ben! (I can already feel fall starting to come.. even if we don't truly get into fall until October at the earliest.)
Light's, camera, and heading into the traction ward after tripping on all the tape stock; It's Ben's Junk looks at an early Pre-Cassete Sony Video Tape Player.
I didn't realise cleaning mouldy tapes could be so effective.
5:08
It look like one of the typewriters i had. One on the early electric typewriter one. Two year later. I had to call the Fire Dept.
It over heat and fire. It was a cool typewriter.
These were often used by early cable access channels ( early to mid 70's.) for recording and playing back local programming (town meetings, public affairs stuff etc.)
36:30 that is like real video archeology right there. Maybe I should start calling you Indiana Ben :-)
That's so funny that this is your season premiere video, because I, too, have been trying to get one of these exact machines to work. I brought it one repair guy, who almost made it work slightly better, but not better enough. Now, I have brought it to a studio technician who actually once worked with these machines, and hopefully, it will play right this time.
So close, I think once the pinch roller is producing a constant pressure (and therefore giving constant tape speed ) you’ll have a working deck. It might be that the rubber has gone hard, pinch rollers start off quite pliable. Sometimes a roughening up with fine grade sandpaper will be enough to give the pinch roller surface some grip.
That new track that played when you were working on the belt sounds like a 1970's health class instructional movie sped up. Eh... not THAT kind of health class movie. One about the circulatory or respiratory system. Something you'd see during the animated graphics of blood flowing through the body.
AM radio channel dose old tv shows Wed-Fir 8-11 Pm EST
Just like last night. I love lucy was on. The one where she drink the bottle of the V stuff
00:13:47 Lol! Use a round object and compress the foam next time and you can cut around the edge. (Like a measuring cup, drink glass) Wire brushes are excellent for scraping the crud off, as it imitates scraping with your fingernail (brass then plastic bristle here). To that effect, an automotive eraser wheel is the ultimate mechanical imitation of this act (finger scratching), built for film and adhesive removal. Soaking rags in boiling water and applying them to the glue is often a great chemical free way to remove glue.
You experienced some of hurdles I did with my AV-3600 a few months ago. Mine came from a bank and is in good shape, but it no longer records in spite of a signal coming in via line or camera, and the servo has trouble locking onto a tape, but the biggest issue is a combination of sticky tape, baking time, and temperature. A few tapes I baked 3 times, in sets of 6 hours each, allowed the tape to cool overnight in the Nesco food dehydrator, and found in an air conditioned room the tape reverted to unplayable within hours. Bad caps are also possible, the audio meter is also stuck, but the main belt is similarly in good shape. I've 2 other machines that are beaten to death - both came from schools, and one had the audio inputs upgraded / hacked to XLR. Both turn on, but the mechanics in one are misaligned - the pinch wheel has to be pushed forward by pushing down on the screw with a screwdrive and forcing it towards the capstan - and the other machine receives nor outputs a signal and is largely non-functional.
The two beaters also had blown fuses from some issue. Before I contact a local tech for a possible restoration of the good machine, I'll see if lubing and testing the gears might help, and maybe test the caps which will likely need replacing. The good machine has another issue: the motor takes a while to get up to speed, so I turn it to play, then pause, wait for the motor to get steady, and then switch to play. Both Sony and 3M tapes require pre-cleaning - the dirt builds up into sharp chunks on the lubed towelettes, and it's worth checking the two guide posts and heads for the hard gunk that sticky tapes will deposit as extruded streaks, which will scratch tapes during playback. You can remove the gunk from the pins with simple dollar store sponges with the coarse side scrubbing the surfaces.
I put further fiddling with my AV-3600 on pause because it became too time-consuming, but will eventually check the capacitors in case they're the reason for the good machine being unable to play tapes properly - which it did before the unit was heavily used to digitize baked tapes with decent success (see a short IGTV excerpt: instagram.com/tv/CO4gzrIBn-O/?). Looking forward to a follow-up on your AV-3600, and thanks for your episode on tape baking - it proved very helpful in getting the right dehydrator, and figuring out a rough workflow.
I don't know if Sony AV recorded colour, but it does look as if through all the dropouts and signal faults that the TV is trying to show colour, as if the unt isn't supposed to record colour but the NTSC colour signal is sort of being recorded.
Kind of like how lost episodes of Dad's Army which only existed as black and white kinoscopes were restored to colour through extracting the colour signal from dot patterns on the kinoscopes. The episodes were shot in colour and recorded in colour on videotape, but the videotape was wiped for reuse because that was the time when videotape was massively expensive.
The 8600 does color.
Proof Of Concept would make a great band name
Have you considered maybe implementing a small mechanism or object to keep the pintroller down so you don't have to keep holding it manually?
Don't have anything that would work without grabbing ahold of something else.
Enjoyed the lubing!❤❤❤
The effect of the intro made the Pavanned waaaaaay better, Benny Boy should use this as the official audio 🙂
@2:25 1965? Home video? CD?
Nevermind. You said, CV, "CEE-VEE."
Enunciate, Benny Boy, Enunciate!
That machine is awesome. yes/10
I've got the same unit as you and I've been working on it since May of this year. Transport was totally screwed, but I was able to sorta move the tape past the heads and see video/hear audio out of the thing. I fixed the transport by replacing belts and rebuilding the idler wheels (I used rubber gaskets). I got the transport working pretty much flawlessly, but now it seems as if I'm not getting any video output, audio is fine. I can tell that the tape which came with my unit is some sort of tribal thing, it's a group of people dancing around in loin cloths on a hillside and chanting. I really want to digitize it and see this unit working, but I'm just getting static on the video side of things. I tried to clean the heads and it didn't make any change. I also tried to examine the heads with my microscope, but it's so damn hard to get into that drum mechanism (it's a tight fit) and actually view them.
With regards to the transport, I also re-oiled/re-greased everything and removed all of the old oil/grease which had pretty much turned into grime/glue.
I got mine for 10 dollars at a thrift store.
The alignment may very well be totally out-of-whack. If you can get your hands on a blank (or something you're ok with recording over) and that plays back ok (or at least half-discernible), it may be the problem. Could also be a skip-field recording as opposed to EIAJ-1. I've since learned (thanks to some confirmed EIAJ-1 tapes) that the alignment is totally whack on my unit--which I probably did when I rebuilt it.
Truly raising the Titanic event...
8:45 devil's pitchforks, never heard them called that before, but I guess since they were as tricky as the devil to hook up right its a good name for them.
12:55 Swiss Army knife, the do it all tool for almost every occasion!
I get the feeling this video recorder/player was just as frustrating to use back then when it was brand new.
You are a better man than me, Benny Boy, I would have used a sledge hammer on this thing if I owned it.
I used a butter knife to secure the pitchforks
“It plays video OK.” Define “OK.”
For the age, format and condition, OK = half-discernible.
Plays video at least
The warped VHS tape effect should be used for all the episodes this season
What effect? That IS from the AV-3600!
Effects don't hold a candle against genuine hardware like this
Just curiosity, but it's an american thing wear your watch even inside the house? Even when doing the dishes or bathing the dang ol' dog? I've seen so many videos of americans doing that and always caught my attention.
I'm British and wear my watch in the house. I think it's just normal, or it used to be when watches were more widespread. Of course, the watch comes off when washing dishes or bathing or going to bed (and to be honest, the only reason why I have a watch is because my Dad died. The watch I'm wearing is his watch, it might only be a cheap Timex quartz thing, but it was my Dad's watch)
You could say that by using smartphones as watches, we've gone back to using pocket watches instead of wrist watches!
Wristwatches are water proof. I have a digital one with a cloth Velcro sports band. I have it on all the time.
My 1/4" Akai VT-110 has a similar tracking problem, hope it's an easyish fix I can do myself.
I guess I'm not the only one who pronounces BASF as "bassif".
Good to see you got an AV3600 Ben. I gotta power up mine one day and make sure it still works. This video will be a big help to get mine working a little better! Because I’m sure it’s eventually gonna Need some new belts and cleaning. Now if only I can find the camera I got with lt! Lol
Tonight on Oddity Archive, Bible Study, brought to you by the Most High Reverend Johnny Carson. LOL
Guerilla styled; we are truly in Dockumentary territory
Benny boy, I hope you wore a mask when cleaning there mouldy takes, seriously, it's very toxic. Great video!
I was. Managed to score some proper 3M N95’s back in May.
@@OddityArchive Good to hear, I was warned about this when I attempted to clean my tapes. Good luck with this project - it can be VERY frustrating but worth it to see very early TV recordings.
Mold the mold.
N 9 5 worth their weight in gold.
Yes Very surpises in video..
38:42 where is this station at and its current status.
could you not put a tight fitting rubber sleve over the pinch roller to take up the gap and improve the grip of the tape
If I found something that fit, it'd certainly be worth a try. I'd really like to replace the rubber on the pinch roller (or just the piece) completely.
On one of your video years ago, you said you weren't a collector or a fan of old media... I'm calling BS on that statement... but that's ok! :)
I don’t remember that one.
Do you remember what the song at around 12 minutes is?
It's an original called Telesound 13. ua-cam.com/video/eTb3GVZmB2o/v-deo.html
@@OddityArchive that's a great track. Very 'recent aphex twin'
Moldy...
Not like the box of British tapes he got which were mouldy.
Leave the drums out doesn't need it. Good ending song. Get the balance and you are done.
Keep doing this. After work sleep then see you.
H&M Mich Co
Po Box 104
Three Rivers MI 49093
dont sit on units for two months. eww.