Ampex Type A Format. 1" tape, 1 head, alpha wrap. It has built in a television
receiver, audio amplifier and speaker, but NO clock that flashes,
"12:00", "- - : - -",
"12:00", "- - : - -",
"12:00", "- - : - -".
That had not been invented yet!
This VR-6275
is housed in a decorative furniture grade cabinet, implying to me, that
it was intended to blend in with other furniture. That qualifies this machine
as a "Home VTR". This is the largest VTR in the museum's collection.
Plainly marked: "Manufacture date: 1966" making it the largest "Home VTR"
in my collection!
UPDATE: 01.05.21:
This product
appeared in the Burstein-Applebee 1967 Annual Catalog. The VR-6275 is listed
for $1495.00. A VR-6200 VTR only, without the TV control center, lists
for only $1450.00! An accessory video camera outfit lists for $589.00 and
a 30 minute roll of tape is a mere $44.95 and a 60 minute tape is only
$59.95! No wonder Ampex didn't sell very many of these!
I've found
a magazine article, dating back to May, 1966, about this very machine!
The article was written by Joseph Roizen, the man who recorded and then
helped to smuggle the famous Nixon / Kruschev "kitchen debate" video tapes
out of Moscow in the early 1960s. These tapes were some of the earliest
demonstration of color video recordings in history! Mr. Roizen worked for
Ampex at the time this article was written, but later also worked at IVC. |
Update
info about Mr. Roizen 02.04.07:
I received
information recently that Joseph Roizen is no longer living. If you would
like to read more about this remarkable man, [CLICK
HERE]. This page is a memorial to a man I never met, only knew of by
rumor, but whom I have come to respect for his contributions to video state
of the art at both Ampex and IVC.
Here is the official description
of the VR-6275:
The
Model 6200 consolette, which includes deck, base and video control center,
costs $1495. The control center contains TV receiver front end circuits
for making a recording but no display monitor. The center also permits
the recorder to be connected to any TVset's antenna terminals to allow
the set to be used as a monitor during playback. The recorder weighs just
under 100 pounds and will record and play back a one hour program using
special one inch video tape. A 10 inch reel of this tape (3000 feet) costs
$59.95. The video head used is expected to have a minimum life of 500 hours
with a replacement cost of under $35. A tape made on one of these recorders
can be played back on any other similar Ampex recorder.
WANTED: Service manuals, operators manuals, advertisements,
magazine articles, belts, idler wheels, tape(s) and a take up reel for
this machine. Contact me if you have any of these items available.
Let's haggle! |
