Posts: 239 From: Next to LEM, Descartes Highlands, Moon Registered: Jan 2017
posted 11-25-2020 10:10 AM
I volunteer at a Dutch public observatory, mostly concerning myself with digitizing their archive consisting of reel to reel audio tapes, slides, 8/16mm film and news papers. A lot material you have seen me post around here.
This month, one of the other volunteers has done an interesting discovery at his basement: A Philips N1700 VCR with a ton of LVC cassettes. He recorded these at the time.
This collection is interesting because it contains early 80s home recordings of Dutch, Belgium and German broadcasts related to space exploration during this time. Including the Space Shuttle, Soyuz, Voyager probes and other such projects.
Very fitting for the observatory archives and YouTube channels. There is also a chance these tapes contain broadcasts not officially archived by those channels. These may be the only recordings.
A project I am really looking forward to digitizing...
Currently I have not yet looked at the items in person, though I hope to soon. Here are some things I am going to check out and expecting to see:
Condition of the tapes, has the binder remained intact, the base flexible. Is there mold, dust or dirt inside?
Is the VCR in functioning condition? What is the condition of the video and audio heads?
I do not know in what condition the tapes and VCR were stored. Hopefully in a good, consistent climate.
As for the VCR, in all likelihood, the belts have perished, the tape path needs cleaning, mechanism needs relubrication and deteriorated components need to be replaced. I believe as long as the audio, video heads and motors that drive all the mechanisms are good, repair by component replacement is possible.
Colin Anderton Member
Posts: 211 From: Great Britain Registered: Jan 2005
posted 11-26-2020 03:58 AM
I wish I knew how you find the time for everything you do! lol
Incidentally, I have a video machine (S-VHS Panasonic NV-FS200) that I bought in 1994 that has never required repair, and still runs like new. I still come across the odd tape here and there that needs digitising.
apollo16uvc Member
Posts: 239 From: Next to LEM, Descartes Highlands, Moon Registered: Jan 2017
posted 11-30-2020 01:54 AM
The tapes and recorder arrived yesterday.
Tapes appear to be in good condition. They are free of scratches, appears shiny and without crinkles. No dust, dirt or mold.
Recorder looks fairly clean inside. Needed some expected mechanical repairs, runs good now.
No RF out, modulator broken? Tested audio and video chroma signal on PCB before RF modulator. Success! Signals look good on scope. Very promising.
Lots of shuttle and Soyuz material. Also lots of early Dutch documentary broadcasts about space. Some writing about satellites and probes.
Blackarrow Member
Posts: 3667 From: Belfast, United Kingdom Registered: Feb 2002
posted 11-30-2020 08:17 AM
In my experience, VHS tape is a very robust source, easily surviving in near-perfect condition after nearly 40 years. I archived most of my VHS recordings (from 1984 onwards) onto DVDs, then Blu-ray discs, but I still have a 20-year-old VHS recorder which can play 36-year-old original tapes perfectly.
I suspect VHS recordings will be the cockroaches of audio-visual archiving, surviving longer than optical discs and long after all the casually recorded photos and videos on mobile phones have disappeared and archived copies in the "cloud" have been forgotten, misplaced or displaced (by accident or by ill-intent).
And of course analogue video only gradually degrades. I have found that discs play perfectly, until they don't play at all.
apollo16uvc Member
Posts: 239 From: Next to LEM, Descartes Highlands, Moon Registered: Jan 2017
posted 11-30-2020 09:43 AM
Every medium has its strengths.
Magnetic tape media is susceptible to stray alternating magnetic fields and mold. Video tape is very thing and can crinkle easily.
Optical discs do not have these particular problems. A Blu-ray reader can pretty much read every prior optical disk format (rare exceptions aside such as laserdisc).
For tapes, there are hundreds of different formats and you need a dedicated machine for almost every variation.
Space Cadet Carl Member
Posts: 305 From: Lake Orion, MI Registered: Feb 2006
posted 11-30-2020 10:43 AM
We recently found some 3/4" Sony U-matic cassettes from 1975 that still play great. They're boring instructional videos but the picture and audio are still there.
By the way, I recall that a lot of Spacecraft Films' moonwalk EVA videos originally came from old 3/4" Sony cassettes.
Blackarrow Member
Posts: 3667 From: Belfast, United Kingdom Registered: Feb 2002
posted 11-30-2020 04:28 PM
quote:Originally posted by apollo16uvc: Magnetic tape media is susceptible to stray alternating magnetic fields and mold. Video tape is very thin and can crinkle easily...
36 years in an old cardboard box on a damp garage floor has had no obvious effect on the "playability" or quality of my recordings. But don't get me wrong - my HD Bluray recordings are obviously so much sharper, and if they last another 20 years or so, that should be enough.
apollo16uvc Member
Posts: 239 From: Next to LEM, Descartes Highlands, Moon Registered: Jan 2017
posted 04-11-2021 01:42 PM
Then consider yourself lucky! Mold can be a serious problem to both playback and your health. I got several video tapes and tons of audio tapes with mold. Still thinking of how to clean them.
apollo16uvc Member
Posts: 239 From: Next to LEM, Descartes Highlands, Moon Registered: Jan 2017
posted 04-11-2021 01:43 PM
This Teleac course from 1982-84 extensively covers all phases of space travel and exploration. Everything from the first satellite to the first step on the Moon and finally the space plane the Space Shuttle. With Chriet Titulaer as lead reporter,
With beautiful and unique material from the Russians, American and Europeans everything is clearly shown.
After a long repair of the recorder and soldering some circuits for the video/sound signal everything seems to finally work. Now it remains to digitize the tapes.
I am still looking for the best method. At the moment I am using a Sony AV to DVD burner. But I am busy buying a TBC and a good capture card so that I can capture in better quality.
Here is the first episode, meant as a summary:
apollo16uvc Member
Posts: 239 From: Next to LEM, Descartes Highlands, Moon Registered: Jan 2017
posted 04-26-2021 08:12 AM
Een Kwart Eeuw Ruimtevaart Afl 1: Space travel history, the first launches and Yuri Gagarin
Lewis007 Member
Posts: 167 From: Geldermalsen, the Netherlands Registered: Mar 2010
posted 07-10-2021 11:05 PM
I still remember this TV documentary series.
It was broadcast twice; with the second showing a few years after the first one, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the first Sputnik launch and having being edited slightly to include the most recent developments, like the first shuttle launch. The series had clear-cut structure, with each episode focusing on a different segment, like Russian manned spaceflight, US manned spaceflight (two episodes), space probes to moon and planets, other satellites (comsats, remote sensing satellites), Dutch satellites, etc.
Any success with digitizing the other episodes?
Philip Member
Posts: 6244 From: Brussels, Belgium Registered: Jan 2001
posted 07-11-2021 06:43 AM
Only Dutch language...
lucspace Member
Posts: 516 From: Hilversum, The Netherlands Registered: Oct 2003
posted 01-23-2024 07:50 AM
After many years of trying, Shazam suddenly recognised the music used in the leader of this series: 'Modern development' by Alan Braden.
posted 11-25-2020 10:10 AM
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