RCA TV Equipment Archive September 2022

PROLOGUE

Thanks to the American Radio History Website for Scanning 144 issues of the RCA Broadcast News Magazine and putting them on the internet so everyone may read them.
They also have a word search function for content.
CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE INDEX

Photo	Year	Model/Misc. Remarks
	1930s -1946	Early RCA Cameras NBC's First TV Star 1937 Mobile Unit - KSTP 1938 1st NBC Affiliate World Fair - 1939 Mobile Unit - May 1939 Baseball "1940 Iconoscope Camera Demonstration Kit" - at the 1946 Iowa State Fair Early NBC Production - - with 500A Icon camera THE FIRST HONEYMOONERS FILMS OF EARLY TELEVISION RCA/NBC First TV Broadcast - July 7, 1936 (22:15 min) - PART 2 - ( 22:15 ) RCA 1939 Introduction to Television (Length: 8:00min.) RCA's David Sarnoff Speech at 1939 World's Fair Introduction to TV : VIDEOS of GENERAL SARNOFF discussing the Future of Television Discusses TV of the Future After WWII - (44sec.) Technological betterment for Americans in the FUTURE (1950). (55sec.) Sarnoff & Zworykn discuss the invention of television. (1950s). (3:08 min) HOW RCA DEVELOPED PRODUCT NOMENCLATURE
	c.-1946	TK-10 - 3" I/O studio camera - First to use the large Image Orthicon Tube (I/O) TK-10s on American Bandstand - WFIL-TV (Length: 2:45min.) Photos TK-10s in TV Facilities
	October 1946	TK-30 Designed as a Field Camera using an RCA TD-11A Tripod or in studio with the TD-11A mounted on the RCA TD-15A Tripod Dolly REMOTE TRUCK - CAMERA CONFIGURATION - TRUCK Photos TK-30s in TV Facilities
	1952	The Walkie-Lookie - New miniature wireless vidicon camera designed for coverage of the 1952 Political Conventions. - (Earlier Army Version) Another wireless portable camera was built for the 1956 conventions, A third version, called ULTRA CAM - at the 1964 Conventions and another also named ULTRA-CAM at the 1968 Conventions This camera had been developed at RCA Astro-Electronics Division in 1967 to be a future COLOR TV Moon camera when we would land on the moon.
	May 1952	TK-11 - New camera designed for both Studio & Field operation. RCA promotional literature stated "..used indoors, designated TK-11, outdoors designated TK-31 when using a Mobile Unit's CCUs..." - Interior View TK-11's Design Team - (The camera could also be used with TK-10/30 CCUs) TK-11s on WSBA - (Length: 49 secs.) PHOTOS - TK-11s in TV Facilities
	1960	TK-12 - Promoted at the 1960 NAB, the TK-12 was RCA's first new camera design in 8 years. - TK-12 in RCA B/C News It had what would become the "RCA New Look" blue color for all their TV equipment. Electronically it used the new 4.5" IO tube. - (Photo: AT WKZO-TV & BTV-6 Aus.) It was restyled at the 1961 NAB with a top tally light, updated again in 1963 to become the TK-60
	circa. 1958-59	TK-14 - (Internal View) - No introductory story for the TK-14, appears in 1958-59 B/C News. A photo-article in the August 1967 Issue about the US Army Signal Corp TV Maintenance Training Center at Ft. Monmouth, NJ imply that is when they were purchased. Note the design looks like a TK-11 with a viewfinder Tally Light similar to the one that would be used on the TK-12. Photos: - KUSD-TV - KHJ - Hollywood - WGHP-TV - WHKY-TV
	NAB 1957	First "VIDECON" camera was shown at 1950 NAB TK-15 Vidicon Camera was designed for Educational & Industrial TV facilities. Later version vidicon released as TK-35 Photos TK-35s in TV Facilities
	1963	TK-60 - 4.5" IO studio camera - Using updated electronic, restyled as RCA's "New Look" B/W studio camera. Photos TK-60s in TV Facilities
	NAB 1965	TK-33 - B&W live camera designed for field usage as the counterpart to the TK-60. Its viewfinder could be removed like the TK-11 had been. A cameraman could carry the "horizontal format" camera head, suitcase style.
	c. 1951	PRE-TK-40 Cameras -I/O Tubes - Black Colored Engineering Prototype live color camera, nicknamed "The Coffin Camera". Other live color camera versions were also being developed at this time.: Early Color Camera Photos .
	Apr. - July 1954	TK-40A- After testing at the Colonial Theater & RCA Exhibition Hall (COMPARISON OF RCA vs CBS COLOR SYSTEMS), NBC began colorcasting Musical Variety Programs & Shakespeare Plays . TV GUIDE ran The TK-40 Demonstration Story - MAY 15, 1953 Popular Mechanics published the story in 1954 These TV programs were produced to show that RCA's color system was compatible with the current B/W TV Broadcasts and would not require the industry to change to a new standard for color telecasting.. Jan. 1954 RCA Electrical Engineer John Wentworth wrote the article RCA Color Television System "Requirements for Compatible Color Television Systems" published in the RCA Broadcast News #77, Jan/Feb 1954 (John later wrote the world's first textbook on color television electronics.) 1953 Announcement of Compatible Color TV (Length: 2:55 min.) THE TRI-COLOR TV PICTURE TUBE RCA Camden Assembly-Line begins in 1954 The first Local TV Stations deliveries were WKY-TV -WBAP-TV- WTMJ-TV
	1954 - 1965	TK-41- Finalized design reduced large number of tubes required in the controls. - TK-41 Exhibited at 1955 NARTB & by Dec 33 TV Stations operated TK-41s Ed Reitan's Study - Local TV Stations with Early Live Color TK-41s TV Show Excerpts 1958 - 1966 (courtesy of "oldtvhistory") TK-41s at the 1964 Worlds Fair at General Sarnoff's Exhibit Opening TK-41 on Location at Fair - People in the RCA Pavilion Photos: TK-41s at NBC Network - - - -TK-41s in TV Facilities 1969 RECOVERY OF MOON ASTRONUATS 1956 -GENERAL SARNOFF discussing the Future of Color Television - (Length: 23:00 min)
	1963	TK-42 - Prototype 4 tube Color (1-I/O, 3-Vidicons) "M" tube technology shown at the 1962 NAB. Engineering Model - 1963 NAB 1964 Shown on RCA ENGINEER MAGAZINE
	1965	TK-42 - 4 tube Color (1-IO, 3-Vidicons), internal zoom lenses. (Internal View) - RCA Engineering Lab - AT the NAB SHOW - (TK-42 Advertisement) - (Big Tube Ad) - (Another) - First 60 units delivered in 1965. TK-42 at NAB 1966 - First 100 by Oct. 1966 - 200 by December 1966
	1966	TK-43 - Same electronic design as the TK-42, but with an external zoom lens, allowing use of various sizes. Camden Assy Line - Studio - Medical - On Remote - NBC Election Coverage 400 TK42/43s were delivered by NAB 1967 Photos: TK-42/43s In TV Operations Film of a TK-42 being set up at a TV Channel 10 (Time: 46 secs.)
	1967	TK-44 (3 in. Isocon Large Luminance Tube + 3 chroma tubes) - The "Isocon" model TK-44 was the prototype shown at the 1967 NAB. - TK-44 Camera Show Camera Show Display - Lens System Diagram
	January 1968	RCA's Camden HQ Building-2's first floor remodeled into TV customers Technical Training center. Photos in 1978: - Bldg. 2 Exterior - Class Room - TCP-1624 Display
	February 1968	President and CEO Robert W. Sarnoff shows new RCA Corp. Logos. "...company is no longer to be called RADIO CORP... and there is no more Nipper." (Until 1979 - RCA makes him their trademark again due to general public sentiment. In Camden, Nipper returned to Bldg. 17 - (The Story)
	1968	TK-44A (3 Plumbicon) - (Left View) - (Right View) - (MORE VIEWS) Serial Numbers 1 to 4 went to WBAP- Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX The TK-44B model was introduced the 1971 NAB. New features included Bias Light, RGB coring, & Scene Contrast Compression. TK-44 Engineering Lab - Brochure - NAB 1969 - Assy Line Photos:TK-44As in TV Facilities
	c. 1960	TK-45 - Color Camera used on medical operations. Designed like a very large TK-11, it was ceiling mounted for overhead views. It featured a remote controlled lens turret & focusing. Photos: Walter Reed Army Medical Center - Televised Operation(1957) - Walter Reed Installation Photo - U. of Michigan & SAC Weather . One was also loaned to the Chicago Museum of Science & Industry for a Color TV exhibit in 1959-60. (In 1973 - "TK-45" was again chosen for the redesigned TK-44.)
	1973	TK-45A - (Internal View) - Upgraded electronics included automatic white level & black level settings, reduced number of cable connections, and many automatic setup features. The Camera Head now had a black viewfinder side panel and a shorten tally light on top. Photos:TK-45As in TV Facilities:
	1976	TK-46 - (Internal View) - Among other new features the TK-46 had a tiltable viewfinder. Its color scheme was also changed to a beige & brown to match new ones on other equipments. - Catalog Sheet Photos:TK-46s in TV Facilities
	1978	TK-47 - (Internal View) - Computer controlled, totally automated setup live color camera. - (Initial Testing) - Its viewfinder could be extended up from the camera head and rotate in all directions. Its color scheme returned to the RCA blue. After the NAB it was also shown at the 1978 SMPTE Convention. At NAB 1980. TK-47EP -(Enhanced Performance) was shown : RCA BN-168 RCA won an EMMY AWARD for the TK-47 camera design. at the NAB 1981. The Triax Cabled TK-47B was introduced at the NAB 1982. The TK-47T version was developed at RCA Ltd. Jersey Isles U.K. RCA BN-170 All Set-Up controls were now EXTERNAL The TK-47B's "Smart RCU" allowed any combination of up to 12 TK-47s, TKP-47s, & TK-290s to share one SET-UP TERMINAL By 1983 well over 500 TK-47s were in TV facilities worldwide. Photos: TK-47s in TV Facilities - Close-up Views of TK-47 Head (Time: 2:47 min..) by Firenze Prima Behind the Scenes at WOR-TV baseball & TK-47 s (Time: 3:00 min..)
	1984	"TK-48" - RCA's Last Studio Camera. It was white, styled just like the TK-47 and added an "electronic screwdriver" feature. Only two prototypes were made and the design wasn't finalized, so RCA went on selling the TK-47. What happened to these 2 TK-48s remains a mystery. Feb. 2007 - Frank Rizzo, one of the engineers for the TK-48 design in Gibbsboro, sent these comments on the "TK-48's Backstory" - "At a Demonstration" Photos courtesy of Jay Ballard, - Catalog Sheet - Brochure - Operator's CCU The Virtual Archives of RCA Camera Design Engineer Harry Wright from Bobby Ellerbee s Eyes of a Generation website
	1972	CFTO - Toronto created the first Handheld TK-44 cameras in 1972 by converting two of their TK-44s into a 2 piece unit. It had a 38lb. hand-held camera head & an electronics backpack. Photo in studio. RCA showed its version of a Portable Pack TK-44 at the 1973 NAB. The housing was first sold as a conversion kits for stations who wanted to build a portable unit from one of their current TK-44s. Then RCA developed an Engineering Model of the camera, first using the coversion kit parts, before the finalized camera
	1974	TKP-45 - Production Portable Color Camera. RCA's electronics redesign reduced the Camera Head's weight to 22 pounds. Internal View - Back Pack Photos: KTLA Televising Rose Parade - In TV Facilities and in the studio it could work as a standard pedestal camera (as was done on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson) TKP-45 DEMONSTRATION (Time: 7:20min.)
	1976	TKP-46 - Updated TKP-45 Portable Color Camera - Its color scheme was styled to match the new TK-46. See Photo on the Left: TKP-46 mounted on adapter for using various TK-46 compatible Long-Range Lenses & a Large Viewfinder. In 1980 color scheme was changed to match the TK-47 - 1980 Catalog Sheet.
	NAB 1981	TKP-47 - Introduced at the 1981 NAB, replaced the TKP-46 design. It was blue & looked like a very large TK-86. - Brochure In 1982 it was redesigned smaller in a brown color & optional Triax Cable Brochure (1) - (2) - (3) - Electronics Schematic
	1972	TK-630 - medium priced Studio Color Camera Developed by RCA Burbank - Manufactured for Industrial & Educational TV facilities These lower cost cameras also sold OVERSEAS Burbank had also introduced two other low cost live color cameras in 1969, the single tube PK-730 and the (No Viewfinder) PK-710. RCA Burbank started developing low cost B/W TV equipment back 1965. A unique live camera design they introduced in 1968 was the PK-330
	1975	?TK-75? - Prototype - "Newsmaker" demonstrated to the NAB in 1975. It was to become a fully self contained portable camera . See its story here
	1976	TK-76 - First fully self contained 19 lb. portable camera. Named for the bicentennial year in which it was introduced at the NAB - 1976. - NAB'76 Rain Demo - Internal View - On the GO - In a Crowd 1977- the TK-76 design team received the IEEE David Sarnoff Award 1979 - Mark Nelson's engineering group celebrated their 1000th ECP By the end of 1980 over 2000 cameras were sold worldwide. The TK-76C, shown at NAB 1980, had 18mm "Saticon" tubes(which eliminated red flaring). It was 3 lbs. lighter & could also operate on 5000' of Triax cable. Photos:TK-76s In TV Facilities *"2021 was the 45^th Anniversary of the TK-76"* OLD RADIO still continues to survey to see how many of the 2000+ TK-76s. have survived. HELP US by e-mailing Lytle Hoover your information so he can list these on our website and your TK-76 photos for the Virtual Museum
	NAB 1981	TK-86 - Redesigned TK-76 with a lower profile that wrapped around the cameraman's shoulder. - Photos: TK-86 at WITI-TV, Milwaukee - 50 years history TK-47 Mobile Unit with a TK-86s - Televising Sports TK-86 Internal View - On A Workbench (Length: 7:01min..)
	1977	TK-760 - Studio/Field Color Camera. (The camera's head was mounted around the TK-76's electronic chassis.) Breakaway view of the TK-760 The triaxial cable version, was introduced at the 1980 NAB , the TK-780. Other versions of these 2 models were TK-761 and TK-781. Photos:TK-760s In TV Facilities
	1981	RCA Hawkeye - Portable Color Camera/VCR Combination. Photos: 1981 NAB EXHIBIT - Camera Show - The Display - Close-Up Viewing In Production - TV News - Sports Coverage and International News Hawkeye won another Emmy for RCA Broadcast in 1983. The Hawkeye HR-1 recorder's companion was the HR-2 recorder.
	NAB 1983 Demo.	RCA CCD - The Prototype Camera: first shown at the NAB 1980. The production model CCD was shown at NAB 1983 , It was named HC-2 for Hawkeye Camera 2. - CCD-1 S/N #1 Accessories. Some were manufactured and shipped in 1984. - CCD-1 Cat. Sheet - Page 2. 1984 CCD-1 Field Test - AT NBC 1984 - Photo In B/C News - NAB 1984 Ad In 1985 - RCA received an Television EMMY for their CCD-1 development - HC-2 Serial No. 4 sold to MPL Productions
.	.	RCA Horizon Camera - Ironically named - the last new studio camera in development at the Sunset of the RCA Broadcast Equipment business. After years trying to decide on a design, the concept was scrapped in lieu of doing the TK-48.
.	.	Do You Have Any Old RCA Cameras or Other Equipment You've Kept as a Souvenir or Still Operating in a TV Facility or Sitting in an old Storage Room? Let Us Know Where They are & Send Us a Photo to add here in Our "RCA VIRTUAL MUSEUM". Send Your RCA Photos and Stories, to The Broadcast Archive at the addresses on the bottom of the page. "HELP SAVE THE DINOSAURS" Also let us know if you have some equipment you would like to donate to a Museum or Collector. We can help you locate a place for your donation - Thanks

TELECINE:
Back to Cameras - Go to Video Tape Recorders - Go to Transmitters/Antennas

Photo
Year Model/Misc. Remarks

NAB 1950 TK-3a Flying Spot Scanner Telecine System for 35mm slides
Monitor Display - Optical System - Internal View of Cabinet
Rack & Slide Holders

1950 TK-20 B&W telecine camera - WOR-TV Telecine-
used a #1850 iconoscope pickup tube

1955 TK-21 B&W telecine camera - 1 Vidicon, tube.
Could be mounted Directly onto a Film Projector or a Multiplexer
TK-21B model introduced in 1958.
(See TK-21 mounted on a Telecine Island with a TK-26 Color Camera)

1964 TK-22- B&W Vidicon, transistors. One of the most famous TV pictures ever seen was through a TK-22...but it wasn't from film. The camera was part of the scan converter used for the video feed from the Apollo 11 lunar module.
TK-22 configured directly on a TP-66 film projector

Oct. 1953 TK-25 - Color telecine camera, Flying Spot Scanner. The FSS design was first selected as best of 3 formats. Design work continued into 1954, but discontinued when TK-26 design was perfected. See Photo: Experimental TK-25 at left/rear - Projector aims directly in its opening - TK-25 Close Up View

NAB 1955 TK-26 - 3 Vidicon tube color telecine camera. - 3V Engineering Model
Internal View - At WQAD-TV At WHDH-TV - Balop Device on a TK-26
The TK-4A Flying Spot Scanner Camera was the first color slide system delivered with TK-26 telecines but was phased out after a short period.

NAB 1964
Prototype
NAB 1965
Production TK-27 - (Internal View) - 4 Vidicon Color Telecine Camera,
transistorized electronics, with new "RCA Blue" color
Engineering model shown at 1963 NAB as TK-27X
Used Three 1 in. Vidicon tubes & a single 1.5 in. Vidicon for Luminance Channel
Pics. Installed on a TP-15 - TP-55 Island - 1965 Assy. Line - 1967 Ad

1972 TK-28 - Color telecine camera, 3 Vidicons or optional Plumbicons.
An optional hardware configuration let the camera be internally mounted in the new model TP-55B Multiplexer - At WSM-TV - At WSPA-TV
Compact Video -Hollywood - TK-28 W.W. Users List - August 1973

NAB 1980 TK-29 - Color telecine camera with new "RCA Biege" color. (Internal View)
Three models were introduced
TK-29 for Standard Broadcast Operations
TK-29B High Performance Telecines with unattended operation;<
TK-29C for Teleproduction.
TK-290 version was introduced at the 1982 NAB. Now it shared the computerized TK-47B's "Smart RCU" remote control unit. It used a TK47 deflection board and yokes, along with a DC interface from the Auto Setup bus to the standard Video Processor boards.
Up to 12 TK-47s, TKP-47s, and TK-290s could share one setup terminal. Although RCA worked on a CCD Telecine they didn't develop one before going out of business. In 1984 they showed the vendored CCD Telecine the TKS-100 designed for Film-Tape transfers.

1972 TK-610 - Low cost color telecine camera, pictured on telecine island.
Camera originally was the PK-610 on the PFS-610

1955 TP-3C - 2x2 Slide Projector, dual drum, 12 slides.
Photo: TP-3 mounted on a telecine island
Previously 35mm slides were shown on Flying Spot Scanners
Photos: 1950 - TK-3A FSS System - 1954 - TK-4A FSS

1953 TP-6A - 16 mm film projector; 4000' reels, optional magnetic sound
Directly Mounted on a Vidicon TV Camera

Before 1950, prior to use of multiplexers, TV projectors did direct projection.
Here is a TP-10, shown at NAB 1950, used on TV Remotes with live cameras.

1956 TP-7A - 2x2 Slide Projector, dual drum, 36 slides - Internal View

1970 TP-77 - 2x2 Slide Projector, random access single drum.

c. 1952 TP-11B - Mono glass prism multiplexer

1957 TP-15 - Multiplexer(4 in & 2 out) utilizing 4 double sided Mirrors,
which flipped up and down to switch projector inputs
TP15 island in TV Station - Live Object Balop Device mounted on a TP15

NAB 1952 TP-16 - 16 mm film projector; 2000' reels, magnetic sound optional

1955 TP-35CC - 35 mm film projector - (Internal View)
Photo: - TP-35 mounted on a Telecine Island
At the ABC-TV Network - TP-35B Spec Sheet
1970 TP-55 -Multiplexer( 4 in & 2 out) utilizing 4 double sided Mirrors, which retracted vertically to switch projector inputs. (Instead of "flopping" the mirrors like a TP-15 did)
The TP-55B model, shown in 1972 , allowed for an internal TK-28.
1964 TP-66 - (Large Capacity) - (Close-up Views) - 16 mm film projector became the most widely used telecine projector in the TV industry. Its large capacity reels allowed TV stations to splice a whole day's film commercial spots on one reel. Foil markers placed on the film would automatically stop the TP-66; so it was cued up to the beginning of each film segment. It had the new "RCA Blue" color.
TP-66 film projector Slideshow onYouTube
1975 TCP-1624 - 16 mm film TV Cartridge Projector. (Internal View) Developed to automatically playback 16mm commercial films in carts (Just as the TCR-100 did for Video Tape commercials)
The TCP-1624 model number stood for: 16mm films in a 24 Cartridge Carousel.
1980 FR-35B - 35mm film projector (Biege) Developed by the RCA Photophone Division, Burbank, Used for Movie Studios Sound-on-Film Production,
Video Teleproduction, & International TV Networks
SMPTE Convention Telecine Exhibit
The design won a Technology "Oscar" from the movie industry` -
A Look-Alike FR-16 16mm version was developed later, but very few went into production.

VIDEO TAPE RECORDERS:
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Photo
Year Model/Misc. Remarks

1940'50s In the 40-50's, Before Videotape recording there was Kinescope Film Recording
A Film Camera on a fixed mount filmed a TV monitor's "Kinescope Tube".
1947 RCA Kinescope Machine TMP-20 Debuted - At WQED Pittsburgh
Film Recording System described in RCA Broadcast News #54 in 1948
In 1962 RCA Photophone in Burbank, CA displayed its
Hi-Resolution Film Recorder TFR-1 - It used a High quality Camera &
a FLAT TV Screen) Internal View.
NHK received the first 6 units August 1963.

Comparison of Kinescope Film & Color Video Tape (1:15 min.)
(from: OLDTVHISTORY)

1953 The First Videotape Recorder - Shown here in test at NBC-TV, NYC. This longitudinal tape recorder also did color video recording. Gen. Sarnoff at Demo.
RCA's Largest longitudinal Video Tape Recorder. - VIDEO TAPE HEAD

1957 TRT-1 - Rack mount Quadruplex Video Tape Recorder, tube design.
The pre-production unit was tested at WBTV Charlotte, NC.
WBTV also received the First production model. - Both TRT-1s - NBC Burbank
Photo of first production TRT-1 displayed to RCA Broadcast Management
President Eisenhower at WRC-TV - May 22, 1958 (6:30 min.)
(Oldest Color Video Recording) This 1st 1958 Color Videotape at Library of Congress The Dinah Shore Show(1958) - 3rd Oldest Surviving 2" Videotape

C. 1959 TRT-1B - Rack mounted, tube design - TRT-1B Brochure
Video Tape Editing was manual cutting like Film editing:, much harder, as described here by Pete Fasciano on the MBT Website -- Editor Close-Up
Example of Rowan & Martin's Manual Editing
Click Here for an example of how it looked manually editing a TV Show.
Photos: RCA Video Recorders in TV Facilities

1960 TR-2 - Rack mounted tube with some transistorization and a solid state power supply. Two selectable recording speeds - Monochrome or Color (Closer View)

1964 TR-3. - Play-Back only - transistor, color capable -
Was possible to be converted to a recoder if desired.

1964 TR-4 - Record/Play - transistor, color capable - TR-4 Brochure
TR-4 Demo by RCA Engineer John Wentworth (Length: 27:45min.)
Two TR-4s sold to NASA were special recorders for the LM4.

1964 TR-5 - Record only - transistor, color capable, roll around cabinet.
Photo: 1967 NAB Exhibit (L. to R.) TR-22, TR-4, TR-3, and TR-5.
Photos: RCA Video Recorders in TV Facilities

NAB 1961 TR-11 - Self Contained Rack VTR. - only 8.2 sq. ft. floor space.
Power - 2750 watts/30 amp twist-lock socket, Transistorized Power Supply. Prewired & tested at Factory - "Just plug in and operate".
WMVS, Milwaukee built a Mobile Unit TR-11 by shortened the rack to fit in their truck. The TR-11 was promoted at the 1961 NAB as as a new recorder for Closed Circuit TV Facilities. The RCA Tape Exhibit also had the MR-700, a slant track VTR using only 2 recording heads.

NAB 1961 TR-22 - Monochrome, Transistorized Console Video Recorder.
(convertible to color). - TR-22 Brochure First units went to ABC/NY
Colorized Low-Band version went into production in 1962.
Assembly Line in Camden
The TR-22C High-Band Color Version was introduced at NAB 1964.
and in 1965 the TR-22HL was shown at NAB which became a TR-70 the following year.

1967 TR-50 - High Band Color. Looked same as TR-4, except the TR50 had a larger tape path cover plate.
Promoted at NAB as a low-cost $54,500 companion to the $87,500 Deluxe TR-70

1969 TR-60 - (Internal View) - High Band Color, much improved over the TR-50. ---
TR-60 demo - May 2011(8:00 min.) by Lab Guys
When the TCR-100 came out many TR-60s were sold with it, since it could replace the SP-100 signal processor unit. Then the TCR-100 also had reel recording/playback capabilities, without needing additional floorspace.

1973 TR-61 - High Band Color upgrade to the TR-60, with digital servo system. New design feature was recording either NTSC or PAL at a flip of a switch. Automatically detect & change to PAL or NTSC when playing tapes. Color: Dark Chocolate Brown and Biege like the new G-Line equipment.

NAB 1966 TR-70 - Hi-Band Color. Also using the TR-22 Console Styling.
New TR-70 Features - TR-70 Assembly Line in Camden, 1966
International PAL TR-70 was introduced in 1967
TR-70B Introduced at NAB 1969 restyled with dark blue contoured side panels. Had automatic switching to B/W, Lo-Band, or Hi-Band playback. CAVEC, Color Dropout Compesator, & audible malfunction Alarm Signals

NAB 1975 TR-70C - High Band Color. Console mounted. At NAB 1976
TR-70C Being Packed for Shipping in Camden
YouTube Videos about TR-70s
Photos: RCA Video Recorders in TV Facilities

1975 TPR-10 - High Band Color Portable Quadruplex TV Tape Recorder, with Record-Playback operation. First developed as a data instrumentation recorder.
Photos: KCMO-TV - Restyled at NAB '77 Video demonstration of a TPR-10 at NAB 2014

Prototype
NAB 1969
1970 TCR-100 - Dual Deck 2" Quad Video Cartridge Machine.
Held 22 cartridges that could all playback sequentially in segments from 20 seconds up to 3 Minutes in length. (View of Electronics) - (STORAGE RACKS)
WDCA-TV in DC first tested the production model TCR-100.
The TCR-100 received an EMMY Award for its engineering design.
Photos: NAB 1969 Prototype - Assembly Line -
Photos: RCA TCR-100s in TV Facilities
2011 Video of the ORIGINAL TCR-100 Demo.
(Courtesy of www.oldtvgear.com )
19?? The HDSR - RCA's final design of a TV Commercial Disc Storage Device. (Disc storage technology for TV facilities was overcome by HD computer chip technology)

1972 TR-600 - Small console quadruplex video tape recorder.
TR-600 1st Publicity Photo- Note that it is RCA blue, Later changed to the
new biege color at the NAB - -- AE-600 Editor introduced in 1976 - NAB 1977
Photos: RCA Video Recorders in TV Facilities - -- The TR-700 VTR

1977 HR-400 - 1" Helical console VTR, Format "B"
(Vendored from Bosch Fernseh)

1978 TH-100 - 1" Helical console VTR, Format "C"
(Vendored by Sony) - Photo: Pacific Video Post Production Center
The TH-200 superceded it, shown at the 1980 NAB
The TH-400 was the final vendored 1" VTR, shown at the 1984 NAB

1978 TH-50 - 1" Helical portable VTR
(Vendored by Sony)

NAB 1980 TR-800 - 1" Helical console VTR, developed by RCA Camden.
Photo: TR-800 Editing Suite display at the 1981 NAB

EPILOGUE 1984
1997
Today
In 1984 , The RCA Broadcast Systems Division moved out of Camden to Gibbsboro, NJ and eventually its various product lines were closed down or sold off to other companies. All but three of its buildings, on the Camden Waterfront, were demolished along with the adjacent vacant Campbell's Soup Factories.
Bldg. 17, main manufacturing Bldg. with the Nipper Tower, also Bldg. 8 and
Bldg. 2 Headquarters escaped destruction when they were declared national historical buildings.
The others were blown up in 1997. - 1997 Destruction of Bldgs. 10-13 Photos Video of Bldg. 13-17 Demolition - 1997 - (Length: 6:47min.) -
(courtesy of "MIKE FOX")
June 2002 - Bldg.17 still remained Vacant and Vandalized
September 2004 - A refurbished Bldg. 17 reopened as
"THE VICTOR LOFTS" luxury waterfront lofts. - Aerial View Now

Back to Cameras - Back to Telecine - Back to VTRs - Top of Page

RCA TRANSMITTERS and ANTENNAS Website

I need to offer my sincere appreciation to Lytle Hoover of Cherry Hill, NJ, for his kind help with this page, and to files.
Email Lytle at: hooversnj@verizon.net
Also Tom Sprague, Paul Beck, Jay Ballard, Chuck Pharis, KrisTrexler, Mark Nelson,
David Croshwait - DC Video, John Kosinski, James Redford, Dave Abramson, Bob Dreste, Winston Tharp, Dave Jeffery, Trevor Brown, Maurice Schechter, Steve McVoy, Wayne Bretl, Mario Hieb,
Bruce Arledge, Bob Cannon & Don Sears
along with DesMoinesBroadcasting.Com, "The VICTOR LOFTS" of Camden,
Gerry Wilkinson, The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia & KYW-TV, & others
who supplied commentary & photos to this latest 2018 update.
Special thanks to Jay Ballard who supplied TK-48 & TKP-47 material & Histories.
And a Very Special Tribute in Memoriam to Ed Reitan a true TV Historian & Restorationalist.
Ed's Tribute & Biography presented by The Early Television Museum.

and in 2010-11 to DOUG QUICK, for his photo history of the local TV stations across central Illinois.
From 2011 up to today John Kosinski, in Stamford, CT, has been a great help by researching & supplying new internet listings of RCA TV Cameras so they can be added to the Camera Model Pages.
A great number of photos in this update were supplied from Chuck Pharis' website. We weren't able to find individual credits for those so if you originally supplied one to him let us know & we will list your name on it.

The entire Broadcasting Industry will be eternally greatful for the original creator and Editor-In-Chief of the RCA Broadcast News,
John P. Taylor, & the many staff members of RCA Broadcast Division's Creative Department,
later under the leadership of Miles Moon, who gathered and published this great history of Broadcasting Facilities, Worldwide.
If you have any old photos of your RCA equipment that operated at your TV facility which you would like to have in our Virtual Museum, please send them along and we will add them to this page.

Chuck Pharis, former senior video engineer at ABC-TV Hollywood , now living in Turtletown, TN, has been collecting old TV Cameras for years and restores them. He has collected virtually ever model of the RCA Live cameras. You can see them at http://www.pharis-video.com/

Kris Trexler's King of the Road web page has a large collection of TK-40 & TK-41 photos featuring KSTP-TV as well as Many Other Facilities
The latest Collector is Bobby Ellerbee in Winder, Georgia who started collecting TV cameras a few years ago, when he lived in Athens, GA, and now has the website Eyes of A Generation. By direct contact with many TV Organizations, Collectors and early TV pioneers he has a huge array of "Behind the Scenes" photos of Classic Network TV programs. WXIA-TV Tour of His Collection
In 2017 another RCA History link has been added The "Rowan University RCA HERITAGE MUSEUM". Transcripts & Interviews videotaped by RCA Retirees from New Jersey as their personal records of how the VTMC/Radio Corporation of America/RCA Corp. impacted the State of New Jersey and development of the worldwide Electronics Industry.
Finally we would like to thank the Camden County Historical Museum who has uncrated this treasure and, on November 8, 2009, put on display their Nipper Stained Glass Window, one of the 4 original windows in the Bldg. 17 Tower. It was 93 years old, Others were provided to the U. of Penna, The Smithsonian in D.C.. in 1979 when the company created the new company logo. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE UNCRATING

TV Equipment Section of The Broadcast Archive

See our "VIRTUAL MUSEUM" for displaying YOUR ITEMS - "CLICK HERE" to see recently added photos.
(Thanks to contributors who continue to send Comments & Photos. Their names are listed at the bottom of the page or the photo)

Camden, NJ.

TV Equipment Section of The Broadcast Archive

See our "VIRTUAL MUSEUM" for displaying YOUR ITEMS - "CLICK HERE" to see recently added photos. (Thanks to contributors who continue to send Comments & Photos. Their names are listed at the bottom of the page or the photo)

Camden, NJ.

See our "VIRTUAL MUSEUM" for displaying YOUR ITEMS - "CLICK HERE" to see recently added photos.
(Thanks to contributors who continue to send Comments & Photos. Their names are listed at the bottom of the page or the photo)