VT on TV

Until the arrival of file servers, playout devices and the like, VT machines transmitted the nation's television programmes - generally without fault - but they rarely made appearances themselves. To start off this new section, VT on TV, here are some short clips from TV programmes featuring video tape recording technology. In each case click the still for the short video clip.

The first clip is from an epsiode of 'Banacek' made in 1972. The location appears to be the NBC videotape area at Burbank - possibly where 'Rowan & Martin' was made. Hopefully someone can update us with the true location! In this episode Banacek is trying to find out why a football player 'vanished' during a game and is looking for the TV recording. The pictures should make some of you 'oldies' feel very much at home.

This clip is from the an episode of UFO made in 1970. The machine is, of course, purely fictional, but many of you will have worked at SHADO HQ - the series was filmed at Elstree!

The two stills above come from a programme about lost tapes of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore in Australia. This is the closing sequence, enjoy the nostalgia but watch the last thirteen seconds! - Many thanks to Pete Christy for spotting it (he can't remember where!).
Both stills play the same clip

This still is from the world of movies. It is from "Capricorn One" (1978) whose plot revolves around a faked Martian landing. Here a journalist played by Elliott Gould examines tape from the returning spacecraft. What VT machine is it though? Could it be an IVC9000 (see below)? Click on the picture above for actual movie sequence.
The picture below (from Labguys World - see our Links page) shows the deck, and, just under the open cover, the large gauges which are visible in the movie clip.

The area also appeared on several occasions in Swap Shop, the Saturday morning children's programme hosted by Noel Edmonds. Follow Swap Shop for some clips.
Around 1975 Peter Bruce made a short film about Match of the Day which also featured some shots in the Basement and of the VR3000 at the OB.