[Tig] D2 lives !

[James Deluca]

	Tim Sassoon writes:
	
	D-2 is a format that was being peddled heavily as a great
library format by mid-sized shops in the 1980's, and I thank my lucky
stars we never invested a dime into it, being essentially digital 1-inch
C. I thought it'd died a thorough and complete death ten years ago. So
who even makes tapes for it? And how many other facilities are actually
using it, still? Head drums? I'm mystified how you even keep them
running. I'd be almost less surprised if you'd said you were still
mastering to Quad 2" (because the sheer number of tapes out there makes
it more worthwhile keeping reader machines alive).
[End]

Yes, the D2 format was partially pushed as a drop-in 1" type-C
replacement in cassette format, but what most people forget is that
before we had affordable digital servers, short format promos and
adverts were the domain of the cartridge VTR namely the Ampex ACR-25 (2"
quad format). Clients were desperate to replace it late in the 1"
lifetime and the Ampex ACR-225 (D2 format) was their answer. The long
format VPR-300 D2 VTR used essentially the same transport and
electronics and offerred a true digital (clone) dub capability to create
protection masters or to copy to the ACR-225 cassettes.

We produce subtitled dubs directly to D2 daily. (Got any D2 to D1
digital translators/decoders lying around? Accom, Vistek or Sony.)

Believe it or not Ampex still sells mechanical parts for most D2 & 1"
VTRs, including heads and scanners, but replacement pwa's are harder to
come by or have repaired.
 
By the way, aside from the Ampex DCT digital component format (8-bit)
VTR, and the large DVC & DVCAM pro formats (IMHO: not broadcast
quality); where else can you record 3 hour features on a single tape?

James M. De Luca, Sr Video Engr.
Crest Digital Media
1000 N Highland Ave
Hollywood, CA 90038
james_deluca at crestdigital.com
www.crestdigital.com