With attachments this time. (Infrequent posting... sorry)
John's print ads ID the CBS NYC Broadcast Center cameras as PE-240's, as seen in these pictures provided by retired Broadcast Center Engineer Harold Deppe, Sr.
The first shows a PE 240 without cover and doors. There's a Simplex 35mm projector
The second shows film island #11 with Eastman 16mm projector 16-11, and a slide projector system—SL-11—that I don't know whom manufactured.
Just noticed the name on the multiplexer door, and wonder whether it says "Eastman." The character count is right, and the blurred lettering seems to suggest that.
You'll note that while there's a multiplexed island in the foreground, the line of gear stretching beyond that has 16mm Eastman projectors feeding a single PE-240 through the side of a rack.
Note how they alternate: Projector, Camera, Projector, Camera.
In this photo
http://www.cbsretirees.com/Degan/image5.html
from NBC Today Show editor Dennis Degan's visit to CBS in 1978, you see a 35mm Simplex "35-5" shooting through a rack into a single PE-240.
By using a single-projector/single-camera setup CBS could ensure that there weren't accidents involving mirror flops during a broadcast.
That design also allowed a number of things to happen during broadcasts or transfers to videotape.
CBS often did A-B-C picture rolls with separate magnetic sound. By rolling the four machines in sync, they could cut, dissolve, wipe and key from any of the cameras.
Looking at Film Island 11 again: The Eastman 16mm projector has what seems to be a "PicClear" type attachment on top (glass bowl on metal bracket to left of supply reel arm).
That used a fluid with refraction similar to film base. The fluid flowed onto pads located before the film gate, and cleaned the film and caused base-side scratches to be minimized.
The black box to the left of that might be a Selsyn or synchronous motor that would enable multiple machines to be interlocked during broadcast of A-B-C and Mag Sound reels.
About the photos:
Harold Deppe, Jr. passed his dad's photos to me as Secretary of the Quad Videotape Group (
http://www.quadvideotapegroup.com) Both Deppes live in Tucson, AZ, where Sr, is still an active Ham, at last report, and Jr is a maint. engineer for one of the original alphabet net affiliates.
Both are on the QuadList, as is Dennis Degan.
Dennis's photos are seen several places... including the Retired NY CBS Engineers' website:
http://www.cbsretirees.com/Degan/page1.html with some people and location identifications added.
Also on Bobby Ellerbee's Eyes of a Generation website:
http://www.eyesofageneration.com/dd_cbs.php which link to his Flickr collection:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dennisdegan/sets/
It's interesting how there's a mix of new and old in some facilities.
In this photo at NBC/1976,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dennisd...7600587940970/
New TP-55A multiplexers and other equipment is being installed.
Here's Dennis's view of NBC NY's fifth floor Telecine room in 1978, showing the older RCA multiplexers in use.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dennisd...7600587940970/
Hope this is of interest.
Ted