Earliest American Home Video Recordings

[clanky06]

I knew Dick Van Dyke in the mid-60's and he did indeed have a tv-taping tape recorder which cost a few thousand dollars. However the quality wasn't all that good and he ended up donating it to some black youth organization, for a tax write-off, I assume. I have no idea who made the thing.

[gsgalaxy82]

I think in terms of the trading circuit, probably one of the earliest off-air recordings would have to be that $10,000 Pyramid with Richard Deacon and Kaye Ballard. That was probably taped off WCBS, as it it had commercials for Brooklyn stores and other things. That looked like it could've been taped off of a VCR from that era, especially since even a first or second gen copy looked lousy, lol.

[bscripps]

[quote name=\'Kniwt\' post=\'175181\' date=\'Jan 16 2008, 08:07 PM\']
Yes, and I frequently hit myself over the head for it.  I distinctly remember recording anywhere from two to three hours a day of game shows in 1984 (got my first VCR in December 1983 -- a bargain at only $750 at J.C. Penney!), and then watching them and promptly reusing the same tape the very next day.  Oh, the things I could have kept.
[/quote]
Should've shopped at Ward's--they had them for $699...:-)  

I still kick myself over finding an old tape at home with the back half of "Saturday Night Live", an "Ironside" rerun after that, then a late news wrap-up with details from "last week's nuclear accident at Three Mile Island".  Watched it, enjoyed it, then didn't lock it away and it got taped over...ugh.

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'bscripps\' post=\'175509\' date=\'Jan 19 2008, 03:33 AM\']Should've shopped at Ward's--they had them for $699...:-)  [/quote]
Wanna know something sad?  I still have a working model of a Sony Betamax not all that different than the one in that ad!

[geno57]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'175514\' date=\'Jan 19 2008, 08:04 AM\']
[quote name=\'bscripps\' post=\'175509\' date=\'Jan 19 2008, 03:33 AM\']Should've shopped at Ward's--they had them for $699...:-)  [/quote]
Wanna know something sad?  I still have a working model of a Sony Betamax not all that different than the one in that ad!
[/quote]


For anyone else who has an old Betamax ... I know a way that you can get lots of tapes for it, cheap ... or even free.

Most TV stations have been using machines that play Betamax cassettes for years.  But the head scan pattern is different.

Now, most stations are changing to digital, so they're getting rid of shelves and shelves worth of tapes.

Or, if you'd just as soon buy new ones, they're available from businesses that sell to TV stations.

[Chief-O]

[quote name=\'geno57\' post=\'175518\' date=\'Jan 19 2008, 10:55 AM\']
For anyone else who has an old Betamax ... I know a way that you can get lots of tapes for it, cheap ... or even free.

Most TV stations have been using machines that play Betamax cassettes for years.  But the head scan pattern is different.

Now, most stations are changing to digital, so they're getting rid of shelves and shelves worth of tapes.

Or, if you'd just as soon buy new ones, they're available from businesses that sell to TV stations.
[/quote]

Problem is, the Betacam SP tapes those stations have been using have a metal particle formula, instead of the metal oxide formula used on Betamax [or original non-SP Betacam] tapes. Put a Beta SP tape in your Betamax deck, and it'll ruin the video heads. Non-SP Betacam tapes will work just fine.

[Eric Paddon]

In some non-game show genres, the earliest off-air sports broadcast I've come across is a Dallas-Minnesota NFC playoff game from late December 1975 (Drew Pearson's "Hail Mary" catch to pull off an upset Dallas victory), recorded off a Houston station.

I also have the first 90 minutes of Johnny Carson's 12th Anniversary program (October 1974) that comes from some Michigan station as there are a couple local ads in there.

[TheFlea]

The earliest home VCR that was not a reel-to-reel machine and was available for the general public was the Cartivision.  This machine had prerecorded movies available for rent, which could only be watched once, as the hardware necessary to rewind them was only available to retailers.  Mostly available through Sears and Montgomery Wards, they retailed for about $1,350 and were manufactured from 1972-1973.  

Betamax as we know it first appeared in New York and Los Angeles in September 1975, and then expanded its reach in January 1976.  Its original price tag was about $2,295, with tapes that could hold 1 hour costing around $20-$25.  Prices dropped in the next few years as the format war with VHS intensified, and we all know how that story unfolded.

Given that history, it's almost certain that the earliest home recordings circulating are from late 1975 or early 1976.  The March 1, 1976 episode of the $20,000 Pyramid is from a home recording for sure.  As far the 1973 Deacon-Ballard $10,000 Pyramid, that is likely from a U-Matic machine, which were generally used by TV stations.  

-Flea

[TimK2003]

[quote name=\'TheFlea\' post=\'175554\' date=\'Jan 19 2008, 08:41 PM\']
The earliest home VCR that was not a reel-to-reel machine and was available for the general public was the Cartivision.  This machine had prerecorded movies available for rent, which could only be watched once, as the hardware necessary to rewind them was only available to retailers.  Mostly available through Sears and Montgomery Wards, they retailed for about $1,350 and were manufactured from 1972-1973.  
[/quote]


Wow, I never realized that the limited viewing option for movies went that far back!

I don't know what crashed sooner:  The Cartvision or that DVD ripoff in the 90's from Circuit City (or was it Best Buy) that allowed you to watch a DVD once or twice before it would 'lock' up until you bought the rights to unlock it again from the store.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'TimK2003\' post=\'175661\' date=\'Jan 20 2008, 05:53 PM\']
The Cartvision or that DVD ripoff in the 90's from Circuit City (or was it Best Buy) that allowed you to watch a DVD once or twice before it would 'lock' up until you bought the rights to unlock it again from the store.
[/quote]
Divx! Horrible product, great codec.

/no, the two aren't related

[rugrats1]

And of course, there's those DVDs that play for only 48 hours before they turn black and become non-playable.

They tried selling these at 7-11s, but it fell flat. I do see them still on sale at airports and truck stops, though.

[Ian Wallis]

As far the 1973 Deacon-Ballard $10,000 Pyramid, that is likely from a U-Matic machine, which were generally used by TV stations.

Not really about home recordings, but having been inside some TV station "back rooms" before I always wonder if any of the stations that tape-delayed shows like that for airing later that day, or early the next day, still might have some of those tapes lying around somewhere.  Granted, that was decades ago, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were still some out there from some "lost" shows, especially considering what's turned up in recent years.  I guess the format they're in probably would cause problems for anyone trying to view it though.