Recording TV in 1972.

[ADMIRAL]

I have never posted here before because I'd be completely out of my depth in the presence of experts, but I am in an ongoing search (fruitless I expect) for a recording of the BBC children's drama Anne of Green Gables that was originally aired in February and March 1972. The Beeb, bless 'em, wiped their tapes of this show, as was their wont at the time so to do, for reasons of economy so that they could be re-used. The prospects of a home-based recording of this ever emerging clearly relies on the availability of suitable equipment at that time to have performed the task. My understanding is that 1972 pre-dated the arrival of both VHS and Betamax, but, I gather, there was a Sony semi-pro system around (probably costing zillions!) that a very few enthusiasts had access to who, conceivably, might have made a recording of this programme. The point of this post is really to try, once for all, to get a definitive view as to what domestic TV recording equipment there actually was in 1972 so that those of us looking for a copy of this programme can either persevere or forget all about it!
The BBC did, apparently export this programme to Canada, and one holds on to the faint hope that somebody in the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation did a copy of it. But this is really clutching at straws!

[Fellwanderer]

It is possible that a recording taken from a UK broadcasting could exist as I know for certain that one was made of The Snow Goose when it was broadcast on BBC in June 1972 - although it may have been made by a professional at home so using equipment not publicly available yet.

The better known recording that many here have a copy of comes from an NTSC broadcast so it is possible that someone in the colonies recorded Anne of Green Gables when broadcast there.

It's a shame that there dosn't seem to be an equivalent website devoted to recordings made in North America.

[Arfur Teacake]

Various big companies like Philips and Sony had home Videotape recorders starting around 1964However there was no way of directly recording off the television so if you owned one you would have to point a camera at the TV screen and film it like that.

(There was a British invention called the Teletaper which could record video directly off the television in 1964 on quarter inch audio tape ,but that is a another story as it faded into obscurity very quickly)

By about the early 1970s the Sony CVH2000 (which was reel to reel) had an adapter to record directly from the TV and some programmes in this format have turned up (like Steptoe & Son) but it only recorded in B/W.
Sony also had the UMatic which was a cassette that recorded in colour but was semi professional and only found in the homes of the very rich.

However the first home colour cassette which could timer record was the Phillips N1500 which arrived in about 1973 but could only record an hour, but was completely overwhelmed by the arrival of the Betamax and VHS in about 1977 .

So in answer to your question, by the date of your programme if it survives on anything it would probably be a Sony CVH2000 tape or a Sony Umatic cassette or a Philips N1500 cassette

The N1500 was very popular in schools at the time who used it to time shift evening programmes for study in classroom..so an old school archive might one place to look?

[Mr Pastry Time]

Hello
Dad and I used to record clips off TV by filming direct from the screen using our Cine camera and recording the sound on Revox open reel tape later to be synchronised and dropped onto the films magnetic sound stripe after processing. A few years later Dad got one of the first Philips 1500 VCR’s in the country and gave user reports back to them in London I think it was. Together we recorded a number of broadcasts for Hughie Green on the 1500 machine for his own record and Hughie used to come and watch them at our home, along with his pipe which created much smoke to the annoyance of mum.

Sadly I cannot help you with your quest but you never know what will turn up and when. Best with your search.

[Film Man]

Many prog's were 'Telerecorded' before videotape came along...resulting in a 16mm or 35mm film copy complete with an optical sound track. The BBC & ITV used to sell these prints abroad....many actors and writers used to buy pirate copies of these gems...Galton & Simpson paid £20 a print for Hancock and Steptoe runs. Thank goodness they (and others) did, otherwise most material would be lost forever!

It's a pity 'The Big Reel' magazine for film collectors has packed up...this was a great place to find 'lost' TV prog's. They often pop up on E-Bay...you might have luck finding these old gems.
Film Man.

[dvdman]

Various big companies like Philips and Sony had home Videotape recorders starting around 1964However there was no way of directly recording off the television so if you owned one you would have to point a camera at the TV screen and film it like that.

(There was a British invention called the Teletaper which could record video directly off the television in 1964 on quarter inch audio tape ,but that is a another story as it faded into obscurity very quickly)

By about the early 1970s the Sony CVH2000 (which was reel to reel) had an adapter to record directly from the TV and some programmes in this format have turned up (like Steptoe & Son) but it only recorded in B/W.
Sony also had the UMatic which was a cassette that recorded in colour but was semi professional and only found in the homes of the very rich.

However the first home colour cassette which could timer record was the Phillips N1500 which arrived in about 1973 but could only record an hour, but was completely overwhelmed by the arrival of the Betamax and VHS in about 1977 .

So in answer to your question, by the date of your programme if it survives on anything it would probably be a Sony CVH2000 tape or a Sony Umatic cassette or a Philips N1500 cassette

The N1500 was very popular in schools at the time who used it to time shift evening programmes for study in classroom..so an old school archive might one place to look?

hi arfur i remember Iver film services using umatics when i was very young the films they tried to sell on vhs was pretty awfull

[Mr Pastry Time]

Derann and Barry Wiles Films also offered up very early video movies. Ah they were happy days!