19-06-2020, 12:38 PM
Thank you for attempting me as a member.
My name is Francis Niemczyk. I have worked, on and off, in the film, video and audio industries for nearly thirty years now, my current job being a Video & Audio Conservation Specialist at the British Film Institute's Conservation Centre in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, in the UK (although currently on furlough).
I actually live within a mile or so of Alexandra Palace ('Ally Pally' to us locals): my interest in 405-line television was re-kindled there at an event in November 2016 to mark the 80th anniversary of the first regular television service from Ally Pally. The highlight of the evening for me was a working 1936 television set - giving pictures on BOTH 405- AND 240-lines.
My 405-line collection to date includes a working GEC 14 inch (of think) screen set from around 1955, with band 1 and 3 tuners, and a Bush Nineteen De Luxe from the early 1960s: in modern parlance this might be termed '625 Ready': although it has the '405' and '625' selector buttons on its front panel, there are no mechanical linkages to the buttons, and a UHF tuner was never installed. I also have several of the beautifully versatile Sony 9-90UB dual standard sets. I also have a couple of working 819-line capable sets (Sony 9-90UM and 112UM I think the models are).
Am always fascinated by the 'non standard' operations, such as displaying 441-lines/50 Hz (from the appropriate Aurora single-standard converter) on a 9-90UB!
Speaking of the Aurora standards converters, I recently had some email correspondence with Darryl: amongst other things, I asked if there was any possibility that the WC-01 worldwide standards converter might ever be manufactured again. Darryl replied that he might if there was ever enough interest to justify the building of AT LEAST ten of the units.
As someone who never got the opportunity to purchase a WC-01 (by the time I was aware of the Aurora converters, the WC-01 was no longer available), I wondered if there were many other members who were keen to order a WC-01 but never got the opportunity?
As well as the Aurora 405-, 441- (50 Hz) and 819-line (system 'F') single converters, I have some of the wonderful Hedghog converters: my deep appreciation to Frank Cuffe on his brilliant design for these. These include the dual standard hedgehog II (625- to 405 and 405- to 625), which does a beautiful 405- to 625-line conversion from a stable 405-line source (eg, another 405-line converter).
I have tried doing a 405- to 625- conversion with the Hedghog II using 405-line source recordings (from a 405 converter), the 405 recordings being on VHS and Betamax. Unfortunately, the instability of the VHS and Betamax recordings leads to vertical and / or horizontal timing errors on the 625-line Hedghog conversions. The conversion SHOULD, I would have thought, work correctly on a STABLE 405-line recording - eg, a 405-line replay from an Ampex VR2000 2-inch quad machine with (405-line) timebase corrector.
Best wishes to all.
Francis Niemczyk
My name is Francis Niemczyk. I have worked, on and off, in the film, video and audio industries for nearly thirty years now, my current job being a Video & Audio Conservation Specialist at the British Film Institute's Conservation Centre in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, in the UK (although currently on furlough).
I actually live within a mile or so of Alexandra Palace ('Ally Pally' to us locals): my interest in 405-line television was re-kindled there at an event in November 2016 to mark the 80th anniversary of the first regular television service from Ally Pally. The highlight of the evening for me was a working 1936 television set - giving pictures on BOTH 405- AND 240-lines.
My 405-line collection to date includes a working GEC 14 inch (of think) screen set from around 1955, with band 1 and 3 tuners, and a Bush Nineteen De Luxe from the early 1960s: in modern parlance this might be termed '625 Ready': although it has the '405' and '625' selector buttons on its front panel, there are no mechanical linkages to the buttons, and a UHF tuner was never installed. I also have several of the beautifully versatile Sony 9-90UB dual standard sets. I also have a couple of working 819-line capable sets (Sony 9-90UM and 112UM I think the models are).
Am always fascinated by the 'non standard' operations, such as displaying 441-lines/50 Hz (from the appropriate Aurora single-standard converter) on a 9-90UB!
Speaking of the Aurora standards converters, I recently had some email correspondence with Darryl: amongst other things, I asked if there was any possibility that the WC-01 worldwide standards converter might ever be manufactured again. Darryl replied that he might if there was ever enough interest to justify the building of AT LEAST ten of the units.
As someone who never got the opportunity to purchase a WC-01 (by the time I was aware of the Aurora converters, the WC-01 was no longer available), I wondered if there were many other members who were keen to order a WC-01 but never got the opportunity?
As well as the Aurora 405-, 441- (50 Hz) and 819-line (system 'F') single converters, I have some of the wonderful Hedghog converters: my deep appreciation to Frank Cuffe on his brilliant design for these. These include the dual standard hedgehog II (625- to 405 and 405- to 625), which does a beautiful 405- to 625-line conversion from a stable 405-line source (eg, another 405-line converter).
I have tried doing a 405- to 625- conversion with the Hedghog II using 405-line source recordings (from a 405 converter), the 405 recordings being on VHS and Betamax. Unfortunately, the instability of the VHS and Betamax recordings leads to vertical and / or horizontal timing errors on the 625-line Hedghog conversions. The conversion SHOULD, I would have thought, work correctly on a STABLE 405-line recording - eg, a 405-line replay from an Ampex VR2000 2-inch quad machine with (405-line) timebase corrector.
Best wishes to all.
Francis Niemczyk
Francis Niemczyk
