LabGuy's World: Ampex VPR-20 Portable One Inch Type C Video Tape Recorder
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CLICK THE PICTURE TO ENLARGE, BACK BUTTON TO RETURN CLICK THE PICTURE TO ENLARGE, BACK BUTTON TO RETURN

CLICK THE PICTURE TO ENLARGE, BACK BUTTON TO RETURN CLICK THE PICTURE TO ENLARGE, BACK BUTTON TO RETURN CLICK THE PICTURE TO ENLARGE, BACK BUTTON TO RETURN 

CLICK THE PICTURE TO ENLARGE, BACK BUTTON TO RETURN CLICK THE PICTURE TO ENLARGE, BACK BUTTON TO RETURN CLICK THE PICTURE TO ENLARGE, BACK BUTTON TO RETURN
Ampex VPR-20 poertable broadcast recorder

        I am getting off topic here, but here is another one inch type C VTR added to my collection. Not really a home video tape recorder, but what the heck. I'll bet some maniac out there somewhere does all his TV time shifting on a broadcast quality VTR.

        Today, I picked almost two of these. One complete unit and a parts donor machine. I have no immediate data on these, but in general the description is as follows. One inch type C, battery powered portable production video tape recorder. Containing full time code facilities to ease later editing of tapes recorded on this machine. Three audio tracks or two audio tracks and time code track. Probably contains limited editing facilities. One hour recording time on the 10.5 inch reel of tape shown. Can operate on the large internal battery pack or on external 12 volts DC. Direct record FM system. For color playback, an external heterodyne color corrector or digital time base corrector is required.

        The unit is 19 inches by 17 inches by 9 inches and weighs approximately 60 pounds. The cabinet is odd in that is an extremely cheap vacuum formed plastic type that was popular for cost reduction in the late 1980s. I believe there was a great plastics company salesman working silicon valley back then. A lot of budget equipment came packaged in the stuff. As you can see in the photos, the plastic sheets around the connectors and switches is warping and breaking down after only 20 years. They just don't make anything to last any more...

        There are many switches and functions on this deck. Since I do not have a manual, I will not bother embarrassing myself at this time by attempting to describe them. Just be assured this deck works just like the dozen others described elsewhere on this site. I believe this is VTR number 145 in the Labguy collection.

        NEEDED: Service manual and or Operators manual and or any other literature about this product. Could also use a control panel with an intact LCD display. This one is obviously broken and the parts donor machine is missing the entire panel.


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Created August 13, 2006 Last updated: May 02, 2008