HS-100/200

HS100 Electronics

HS100 Manual Controller

In 1967 Ampex introduced the HS-100 video disk recorder. The HS-100 could record and play back up to 30 seconds of broadcast quality video. The HS-100's first use was to provide stop and slow motion effects for sports broadcasts, but soon found its way into post production.

The following "Specifications and Controls" comes from Ampex's 1967 HS-100 sales brochure.

Storage Capacity:
30 seconds of NTSC color or monochrome video information at normal 30 frames/second replay speeds, forward or reverse (equivalent to 900 frames for 1,800 fields in stop motion). Recording and playing times may be increased to 30 seconds by recording every other field and playing back in slow motion. Faster than normal replay may also be achieved by recording every other field and playing back at normal speed.
Horizontal Resolution:
Indistinguishable from normal picture; full NTSC transmission standards of 4.2 MHz bandwidth.
Slow Motion Modes:
Position No. 1 - 2:1 speed reduction (factory preset)
Position No. 2 - 5:1 speed reduction (factory preset)
Position No. 3 - Activated variable speed control lever permitting continuously variable speed from normal to freeze.
Slow Motion Reverse:
Same positions and speed reductions as above, in reverse operation. Operator can switch between forward and reverse slow motion at will.
Freeze Mode:
Frame Freeze continuously repeats a sing field (stop motion).
Frame Advance Mode:
While in the Freeze Mode (stop motion), the HS-100 will advance one frame each time the Frame Advance button is pressed.
Fast Search Mode:
Operates in both Forward and Reverse; locates any part of a 30 second recorded segment within 4 seconds.

The HS-200 Teleproduction System added a control console to the HS-100 making it a much more useful tool in production and post production.

The following is a list of some of the features offered in the HS-200.

Animation
You could pre-mark frames on a video tape, then in one playback pass of the tape record the desired frames.
Instant Frame Access
You could mark cue points on the disk (frame number), and instantly cue to that frame.
Programmable sequences Using the logic patch panel (right side of console), you could set up sequences for the HS-100. As an example: You might start with full motion, and then at a specific frame, begin a dissolve or freeze frame. These sequences could be externally triggered.
Frame accurate dissolves
The internal dissolver provided rates from 4 - 256 frames. The dissolves could be triggered externally, or from the logic patch panel as part of a sequence.
Time controlled freeze frames
As part of a sequence, you could program a freeze for any number of frames, then transition into slow motion or normal play (either forward or reverse).
Sequences could be externally triggered