Rca Tk-41

[Aussie Bloke]

Originally Posted by kx250rider

I believe there's a working TK-41 in a private collection in Tujunga, CA.

Charles

Out of personal interest where did you source this information from? I am interested in getting in touch with this collector and arranging a payment for a DVD recording of a direct video feed from his TK-41 in action doing outdoor and indoor shootings. I love to see the modern world through the eye of a 1950s colour video camera. I know Chuck Pharis is trying to restore one of his TK-41s to working condition and before hearing this I was expecting him to be the first to get a TK-41 working.

[kx250rider]

Originally Posted by Aussie Bloke

Out of personal interest where did you source this information from? I am interested in getting in touch with this collector and arranging a payment for a DVD recording of a direct video feed from his TK-41 in action doing outdoor and indoor shootings. I love to see the modern world through the eye of a 1950s colour video camera. I know Chuck Pharis is trying to restore one of his TK-41s to working condition and before hearing this I was expecting him to be the first to get a TK-41 working.

It's Chuck to whom I was referring... I sold him some of the chain equipment for his. I thought he was close to having it working a few years ago, but not sure... I haven't seen him in awhile.

Charles

[Aussie Bloke]

Ahh okay. Yeah, I can imagine his TK-41 would be on its way to working order, though I wish I knew what the status of his restoration job on i was, he hasn't updated his site in nearly a year and I'm waiting with baited breath to see what he'll add to his site next. It's nice to see he has some TK-31s working though and will be demonstrating one at the next convention, man I wish I were there!!! Anyways I hope his TK-41 restoration is near completion, be so good to see one working again!

[John Hafer]

W.B. - interesting comment you made about the show Flipper changing in quality from better to worse back in the mid 60's. I remember when we first got our color tv back in December 1963 how beautiful the filmed NBC network shows looked in color. Then in the late spring of 1965, some of them started to look less vibriant, low in constast, and lacked snap. The color was still OK so I could not figure what to adjust on our set to fix it. Only some programs looked this way and not every week. I could not figure what was going on.

It was not until a year or so later when local stations started getting TK-27 film chains did I finally figure what had happened. I suspected that NBC had replaced some of their RCA TK-26 35mm film chains with with TK-27 cameras.

From what I can read into, NBC also saw these issues with the TK-27 and held off replacing all their film chains until the improved TK-28 film cameras became available several years later.

Going back to your post, Flipper was one of the shows I remember changing in quality the most. Living in Boston at the time, a new WKBG-TV ch. 56 signed on in Dec. of 1966 and installed all RCA cameras, (TK-42 & TK-27 for film). I remember their 16mm color film programs really had some low contrast issues. I really missed the TK-26 film chain quality. Only the GE PE-24/240 seemed to match it.

[W.B.]

Watching the following clips (i.e. film on one and showing of slides of the other), can you tell by these which film chains were used by this station:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=220u5CRGfd8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_mF1DT4pPY

[W.B.]

I also have an amendment to make: A broadcast veteran who worked at WOR-TV as a summer relief behind-the-scenes'er (mainly a cameraman) from 1966 to 1971 noted that in terms of telecine, it was RCA all the way. Prior to 1968, the station's telecine and master control were at the Empire State Building (the same place from which King Kong fell to his doom ), and the equipment there included TK-26 color and TK-21 monochrome film chains. (Their studios and videotape facilities then were at 1440 Broadway.) After Channel 9 consolidated their studios, VT facilities, telecine and master control under one roof at 1481 Broadway (in what used to house NTA Telestudios) in 1968, the station upgraded its telecine to RCA TK-27's - thus all three commercial indie stations in NYC used TK-27 film chains. (Apparently, GE's claims of WOR using PE-24's in their ads was wishful thinking on that company's part.)

This same veteran mentioned that WNEW-TV (where he also worked) had TK-27's.

[W.B.]

Originally Posted by W.B.

I also have an amendment to make: A broadcast veteran who worked at WOR-TV as a summer relief behind-the-scenes'er (mainly a cameraman) from 1966 to 1971 noted that in terms of telecine, it was RCA all the way. Prior to 1968, the station's telecine and master control were at the Empire State Building (the same place from which King Kong fell to his doom ), and the equipment there included TK-26 color and TK-21 monochrome film chains. (Their studios and videotape facilities then were at 1440 Broadway.) After Channel 9 consolidated their studios, VT facilities, telecine and master control under one roof at 1481 Broadway (in what used to house NTA Telestudios) in 1968, the station upgraded its telecine to RCA TK-27's - thus all three commercial indie stations in NYC used TK-27 film chains. (Apparently, GE's claims of WOR using PE-24's in their ads was wishful thinking on that company's part.)

This same veteran mentioned that WNEW-TV (where he also worked) had TK-27's.

Apparently, WNEW-TV's TK-27's came after 1970, as according to an August 1968 issue of BM/E magazine (as on the World Radio History site), Channel 5 had in their telecine department three 4-V General Electric color film chains (presumably PE-24, as they started broadcasting in limited color in 1965 via film, slides and tape) and seven B&W Sarkes Tarzian film chain cameras. Naturally their slide projectors were RCA TP-7's, their 16mm projectors a mixture of TP-6's and TP-66's. They ordered additional RCA equipment in 1977; TK-46 studio cameras were definitely among them, probably TK-28 chains as well.

And WOR - when they moved to 1481 in '68, they already had two TK-27's - and once settled there, ended up with four of that model.

[John Hafer]

W.B.,

Interesting about WOR-TV using all RCA. If I am not mistaken, back then was WOR-TV an RKO General station? I know that WNAC-TV ch. 7 in Boston was an RKO General station and they did have GE PE-250 (live) and PE-24/240 (film) color cameras. I had a tour of that station back in the 60s' and saw the studios and film chains. I remember the telecine islands were RCA (TP-7) slide projectors, with TP-15 mutiplexers, but they had replaced their RCA TP-6 16mm projectores with Eastman 285 projectors and all were feeding into the GE color film cameras. Videotape was all Ampex (either VR1200B or VR2000B high-band VTRs' - I can't remember)

As far as other Boston stations, if I recall, WBZ-TV (Westinghouse Broadcasting) had RCA TK-42 and TK-27 cameras, WHDH-TV ch. 5 (first with color) had RCA TK-41 and TK-26 with TK-43 remote cameras for Boston Redsox home games, WNAC-TV with GE equipment (as mentioned above), WSBK-TV ch.38 GE PE-240 color film, (still no live color at the time but later PE-250 live color cameras), and WKBG-TV ch.56 had all RCA with TK-42 and TK-27. Finally, if I remember, I think WGBH-TV ch.2 (Edu) which had RCA TK-60 B&W cameras went with Marconi 4-tube live color cameras. Not not know about their film cameras.

[W.B.]

Originally Posted by John Hafer

W.B.,

Interesting about WOR-TV using all RCA. If I am not mistaken, back then was WOR-TV an RKO General station? I know that WNAC-TV ch. 7 in Boston was an RKO General station and they did have GE PE-250 (live) and PE-24/240 (film) color cameras. I had a tour of that station back in the 60s' and saw the studios and film chains. I remember the telecine islands were RCA (TP-7) slide projectors, with TP-15 mutiplexers, but they had replaced their RCA TP-6 16mm projectores with Eastman 285 projectors and all were feeding into the GE color film cameras. Videotape was all Ampex (either VR1200B or VR2000B high-band VTRs' - I can't remember)

As far as other Boston stations, if I recall, WBZ-TV (Westinghouse Broadcasting) had RCA TK-42 and TK-27 cameras, WHDH-TV ch. 5 (first with color) had RCA TK-41 and TK-26 with TK-43 remote cameras for Boston Redsox home games, WNAC-TV with GE equipment (as mentioned above), WSBK-TV ch.38 GE PE-240 color film, (still no live color at the time but later PE-250 live color cameras), and WKBG-TV ch.56 had all RCA with TK-42 and TK-27. Finally, if I remember, I think WGBH-TV ch.2 (Edu) which had RCA TK-60 B&W cameras went with Marconi 4-tube live color cameras. Not not know about their film cameras.

RKO had a reputation for being notoriously cheap - and I think the fact that WOR-TV didn't switch to GE film chains in '64 may've had to do with their having shown films in color beginning in 1960, when RCA was practically the only game in town, and their TK-26's working just fine and dandy . . . only upgrading their telecine when they moved their studios and prodution facilities.

To be sure, WOR-TV did have GE PE-250 studio cameras. Beginning in 1967, as a replacement for the B&W RCA TK-11's they had from their earliest days in 1949, and for the TK-41 color cameras that since c.1963-64 had been at the studio in the off-(baseball) season and at Shea Stadium when the Mets were playing their then-hapless seasons. (WPIX was another NYC station that had PE-250's, also starting around 1966-67.) * EDIT: WOR-TV, in late 1967, ordered nine (surprise, surprise) PE-250's - six for use at Shea during Mets games, the other three to their studios for year-round local live color programming. *

Back to Boston: After WHDH-TV was kicked off Channel 5 in 1972 and the then-new WCVB-TV took over, which film chains did the new station use?

And as for the Marconi 4-tube color cameras used by WGBH: Sounds like the Mark VII, in a 'YRGB' arrangement; their subsequent Mark VIII was three-tube, arranged as 'GRB'.

[John Hafer]

Originally Posted by W.B.

After WHDH-TV was kicked off Channel 5 in 1972 and the then-new WCVB-TV took over, which film chains did the new station use?

That was the million dollar question. I never was able to find out. If I remember, when they signed on in 1972, their studio cameras were Phillips. so I was thinking they went with Phillips film chains. The only thing I never could figure was if Phillips made telecine units. I think they did at some point but I don't recall if they had them in 1972 or not.

WCVB-TV did have to go with all new broadcast equipment because WHDH-TV would not give up anything for them. They held out to the end in hoping they would win the legal battle to stay on the air.

[W.B.]

Originally Posted by John Hafer

That was the million dollar question. I never was able to find out. If I remember, when they signed on in 1972, their studio cameras were Phillips. so I was thinking they went with Phillips film chains. The only thing I never could figure was if Phillips made telecine units. I think they did at some point but I don't recall if they had them in 1972 or not.

WCVB-TV did have to go with all new broadcast equipment because WHDH-TV would not give up anything for them. They held out to the end in hoping they would win the legal battle to stay on the air.

Philips/Norelco did make some telecine equipment, which few stations, it seemed, had used. One such unit, produced in the late 1960's, was called the PCF-701, a three-Plumbicon (what else?) color film camera, used in conjunction with a PCM-800 multiplexer (I may've mentioned this earlier). The PCF-701 was as big in size, from what I've seen in old Broadcast Engineering issues, as GE's PE-24/240's and RCA's TK-26/27/28's. However, most 3-Plumbicon color telecine cameras Philips/Norelco made, especially by the early 1970's, were small compact units, generally for smaller TV outfits (like public-access channels or college TV stations). For that matter, I've read that RCA's TK-28's had the option of using vidicons or Plumbicons.

I seem to recall that when WCVB-TV first took to the air, they used Philips/Norelco PC-100's - one of the few in the U.S. to do so.

[Fenway]

Originally Posted by John Hafer

W.B.,

Interesting about WOR-TV using all RCA. If I am not mistaken, back then was WOR-TV an RKO General station? I know that WNAC-TV ch. 7 in Boston was an RKO General station and they did have GE PE-250 (live) and PE-24/240 (film) color cameras. I had a tour of that station back in the 60s' and saw the studios and film chains. I remember the telecine islands were RCA (TP-7) slide projectors, with TP-15 mutiplexers, but they had replaced their RCA TP-6 16mm projectores with Eastman 285 projectors and all were feeding into the GE color film cameras. Videotape was all Ampex (either VR1200B or VR2000B high-band VTRs' - I can't remember)

As far as other Boston stations, if I recall, WBZ-TV (Westinghouse Broadcasting) had RCA TK-42 and TK-27 cameras, WHDH-TV ch. 5 (first with color) had RCA TK-41 and TK-26 with TK-43 remote cameras for Boston Redsox home games, WNAC-TV with GE equipment (as mentioned above), WSBK-TV ch.38 GE PE-240 color film, (still no live color at the time but later PE-250 live color cameras), and WKBG-TV ch.56 had all RCA with TK-42 and TK-27. Finally, if I remember, I think WGBH-TV ch.2 (Edu) which had RCA TK-60 B&W cameras went with Marconi 4-tube live color cameras. Not not know about their film cameras.

Here is WCVB's projection room in 1977

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...0HZpZqA#t=400s

WMUR-TV in Manchester also had a TK-27 chain.

[julianburke]

All tube cameras needed to reach stability before showtime. To minimize this time they were left 'on", that is the all filaments were kept on 24/7 with no plate voltage when not in use. All tube cameras required some tweaking before showtime.

Yes, all early cameras required considerable light to make them work properly but as time went on they were able to develop tubes that required less light. The English were making far better tubes than RCA or GE. In England EEV, (English Electric Valve Co.) were making high quality tubes but were also more expensive, but most studios bought domestically so EEV's are scarce in this country.

For a TK41 camera, 2P23's were developed and tested/marked specifically for it's best specific color spectrum. Usually each tube had a suffix letter (R/G/B) for its' tested color spectrum. Fortunately red was an easier color to match for as it is probably the most important color in the three as in making good flesh tones. Testing tubes for their efficiency in the RGB spectrum's will make the camera more efficient and thus use less light. These tubes are complicated to make in manufacturing and no two are ever exactly alike so they are sorted out for their best application.

Early studios who did use lots of light had to take this into consideration because artists/performers who had to wear heavy costumes could pass out due to heat exhaustion and their makeup would also run and have to be done over and over many times. All television actors who worked in the '50's will tell in their memoirs about this problem. Also A/C wasn't everywhere either.

[Gianni]

...

[J Ballard]

Hi all-

I recall reading in Broadcast News that 300 Tk-40/41s were produced, but Lytle's figures are probably more accurate. He should know. They sold for $65 K without color monitor-a LOT of money in those days.

Remeber also that both Marconi and Toshiba were RCA licensees, and produced variations on the 41 design. The Toshiba model had many additional features (filter wheels,etc). But I have no idea on what their sales numbers were.

regards,

JB