LabGuy's World: Extinct Mullin / Crosby Video Equipment Directions:  For a larger view of any image, click on the small image. To return, click your browser's back button.   DECK: The Mullin-Crosby 1/2 inch, 3 channel, fixed head, longitudinal video tape recorder deck. It used a tape speed of 240 IPS! A color version was demonstrated in 1955. Unfortunately, the whole thing was made obsolete by the Ampex Quad machine. Update! (12/1/00) Mullin's first version of the VTR was a 1 inch, 12 track machine first demonstrated in 1951. He used two Ampex model 200's as the basis for the "Crosby Video" tape transport. A very sad note: John T. (Jack) Mullin, the man who put Bing Crosby on tape, died at the age of 85 on June 24, 1999. Source: SMPTE journal, Sept. 1999. Rack(s): The electronics racks dwarf the Mullin-Crosby video tape recorder deck as well as the highly skilled operator. First prototype was demonstrated in 1952, the final (color) model, just three years later. Bing Crosby and a guest: Checking out the longitudinal video recorder. Photo: Matt Patoray.  [HOME]......[CATALOG INDEX] Last updated: January 09, 2005