Bunch of U-matic (I think) tapes found

[Chip Chester]

3/4 cassettes topped out at either 60 or 90 minutes (probably 60) so it took two tapes for a movie playback. Based on the label, it looks like the system cued up tape 2 (precisely) and automatically rolls it at the right time. Probably triggered a switcher, too.

I imagine they leverage the traditional film reel break points, which have a bit of slop built-in for operator inattention.

(A work colleague years ago developed and sold a kind of continuously-cycling broadcast time-shifter using 4-5 3/4" machines (BVU-800s with timecode and edit control). It would take in a live or network feed and time shift it as needed for local playback -- anything from five minutes up to over an hour. It recorded, re-cued, and played back all under editor-type control. The system had the benefit of network commercial breaks to re-group if needed, though it was capable of frame-accurate hot-switching within the program content. It was used in situations where the desired delay was less than the running time of the program. Any longer delay, and you just record it, rewind, and play it back. The segmented processing was necessary when the desired delay was less than the program duration.)

A bootleg DVD generated from a 3/4" tape would be quite a sight... The mold is probably an improvement. Recycle (not re-use) what you can -- outer cases for sure.