Before There Was Videotape...

Before there was videotape, the only way to preserve TV broadcast was to make a "kinescope". Basically, all that meant was that a 16mm Film Camera was aimed at a TV set, and the audio from the TV was fed into the camera as well. The quality of this varied from decent to unwatchable. It depended mostly on the CRT in the TV.


Enter the Dumont Network Engineers.

They came up with the incredible gizmo called "The Electronicam".

Basically, this monster fit over a Dumont Video Camera lens. The big Black top with the hinges was called a "Blimp" and inside the Blimp was a 16mm or 35mm camera (most of the units made were 16mm).

The camera op received his instructions from the booth and turned the camera as directed to the live action. The "Monster" saw everything directly, recorded everything it saw onto the 16mm film, and then passed the image onto the Tv camera for transmission to the booth, where it, and the other cameras were mixed, and sent to the main transmitter. THIS feed was recorded by another electronicam, this being called the "over the air" feed.

Later. all the Electronicams (usually three to shoot a normal show) were opened, the film removed, and processed. These were then watched together, and compared to the "over the air" film from the "Over The Air" Electronicam. The three Electronicam film reels were then edited to match the Over the Air one exactly. The result? A pristine 16 or 35 mm Film reel of exactly what had gone out over the air!!!! In perfect film quality!!!

Probably the most famous show done this way was "The Honeymooners"

Shortly afterward the invention of the Electronicam, two things happened. One, Ampex invented videotape. Two, The Dumont Network folded. This made the career of THe Electronicam very short!!!

Heard of The Honeymooners "Lost Episodes"? Those are made from the "Over The Air" Electronicam film that was aimed at a TV set receiving the broadcast DIRECTLY from the master console. The "3 films" are long gone now. But its great that the "Over the Air" ones survived. Its the only record we have of the lost episodes one of the most famous shows ever made.

And there you have it, Mikeys History of The Electronicam !!!!!

 

I forget to add that there are, incredibly, some COLOR kinescopes made off the RCA CT-100 experimental color sets of 1954. Those must be amazing to see.......the first color TV broadcasts ever!!

 

Mikey, is this different than the short lived "Electrononvision" used in 1964 for such things as the TAMI show, some Twilight Zone episodes, one of the Harlow movies, and I think Burton's Hamlet? Sounds like the same thing to me.

 

Yes, it was different. The Electronvison system was videotape based, if I am not mistaken.

 

Fascinating!

 

Thanks Mikey! Wonderful Isn't it amazing how far we've progressed!?! I used to dream of owning a video recorder when I was a young lad!

 

Thanks for going to the trouble of posting that!!!

 

I'm glad you guys dig it....personally, I found this amazing...talk about American ingenuity!!!!

 

I've been away for a couple of weeks, and today skimming over old posts I'm thrilled that I read this one!
Been a TV tech geek for years, even worked at a PBS affiliate some years ago, and I've never heard about the "Electronicam" until now.
Thanks Mikey! Keep 'em coming.


Dan C

 

Thanks Mikey! I knew of the Electronicam from The Honeymooners, but didn't realize these were combination film/live video cameras. Nice picture too.

 

Joel!!! Tell me more!!! I'm "Mr Kinescope"!!!!

 

I did a Google and found this site. No more info than what Mikey gave us but there's this cool wide shot of The Honeymooners shoot. Do I see four Elecronicams there??

http://www.terramedia.co.uk/Chronomedia/picture_pages/dumont_electronicam.htm

Dan C

 

Joel, I just went to www.kinescopes.com Theres nothing there.

 

Check THIs out:

Heres a really cool Engineers diagram of how the Electronicams were hooked up. Enjoy!!

 

Hi Kevin,


Is this a similar thing...

http://www.restoration-team.co.uk/


Those Doctor Who boys have used a process called Vidfire which makes everything smoother.


There is an example in one of the Doctor Who DVD's. And it does restore the studio video look to old 16mm film stock.



Best wishes,





Nobby.

 

Mikey,

Thanks for the thread. I remember some color kinescopes of Fred Astaire in the 50's that were 'discovered' about a decade ago.

 

I didnt know about the Astaire color kinnies!!

The ones I know about were made by the CBS engineers in 1954.

 

Hi Kevin,


Good luck... I'm always fascinated by this kind of stuff.

People's enthusiasm on this board is amazing. I'm sometimes tempted to get DVD's etc., just to see what all the fuss is about.



Nobby.

 

Hey Kevin.

I am a big "Hullaballo" "Shindig" "Shivaree" etc. fan. Have you used the process on any of this material, most notable the three Hullaballo DVDs?