[vcf-midatlantic] More about the STK library

[william degnan]

On Tue, Mar 8, 2016 at 10:31 AM, Dave McGuire via vcf-midatlantic <
vcf-midatlantic at lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:

> On 03/07/2016 01:35 PM, Matt Patoray via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
> >>   One thing I had thought to do with that tape juke is to use a sheet
> >> metal nibbler to cut a "window" in the main door, put some lucite/plexi
> >> in there with a rubber surround to make it look good, then write some
> >> code to move the tape picker around inserting/rearranging tapes.  I hate
> >> modifying hardware, and normally I'd never consider such a thing, but as
> >> you observed, the thing just isn't old enough to be "vintage" to anyone
> >> but the most clueless PC person, and they're not terribly rare either.
> >> But most people are never in an environment where such things are in
> >> use, so it'd be a new experience to see one batting its positioner
> around.
> >
> > Simmilar to the StorageTek tape juke is the Sony BetaCart and its
> > variations, but insted of DLT tapes it contained some form of videotape
> > cassette either BetaCam 1/2" variants or D-2 3/4" tapes.
> > The system was introduced in 1985 and allowwd a TV station to air many
> > different videotapes automatically, the minimum system consisted of
> > 1(expandable to 4) BetaCam VCR modified to take tapes in from the side, a
> > cart robot that could hold 30 tapes, an AV matrix switcher and a custom
> > control computer with bar code printing and reading cability.
>
>   Oh yes.  I'd love to find one of those systems intact.  A fantastic
> example of early-ish computer control in a non-computer-related tech
> industry.  The broadcast industry seems to have been a fairly early
> adopter of computerization in process control (rather than just "human"
> tasks") areas.
>
>              -Dave
>
> --
> Dave McGuire, AK4HZ
> New Kensington, PA
>


How about the IBM 3850.  Automated tape loading from the mid 70's.

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