🚀 go-pugleaf

bryanh@hplsla.hp.com  writes:
> 
>      Before camcorders, there were video cameras.  A bit smaller than
>   today's VHS camcorders, these things were plugged into certain VCRs
>   that had the appropriate adapter (a DIN-like connector with 5 or 10
>   pins).  The VCR was either stationary or portable; the portable had
>   a shoulder strap and batteries.
> 
>      An acquaintance picked up several of these beasts, minus the
>   VCR portion, and has asked me for assistance.  Does anyone know
>   anything about these video cameras?  

I used a Sylvania video camera in 1960 which was connected to a
monitor and drew its power from the power supply in the
monitor.  While this is ancient history, maybe I can shed some
light on your questions.
> 
>      Specifically:
> 
>    - The connector appears to be standard between vendors.  Is (was) it?
> 
>    - Can the camera be made functional without the VCR?  In other words,
>      can I put in power and get out video?  Or was some important part
>      of the electronics in the VCR portion (scanning circuits, etc)?
> 
In the camera I speak of, the scanning signal was supplied from
the monitor (made the sync problems simple) and as I recall,
the monitor also supplied the power, however I might be
mistaken in this point.


>    - Any ideas where I could get documention on the connector?
> 
>    - Finally, how does the picture quality in these old cameras (vidicon
>      tubes?) compare with the new CCD technology?  
> 

The vidicon had a "memory" which means that when you panned the
camera the resultant picture on the monitor was smeared until
the camera was at complete rest.  Usually it took about a
second for the memory to fade and the image on the monitor to
resume it detail.  As for quality, the vidicon is old technology
and at its time was a marvel because it was a TELEVISION
CAMERA!!!!  If you have ever seen pictures of kinescope
recordings of boxing matches, the ropes appear to pass right
through the boxer's bodies.  This was typical of the vidicon
image tube, the smear and "memory" were facts we lived with at
the time - we didn't know they could be corrected.  Neal
Armstrong's first steps on the moon were recorded using a
videcon image tube.  Look closely the next time this is shown
on TV and you will get a good idea of what a vidicon would do.

One of the common problems with the vidicon was the adjustment
of the brightness and contrast controls.  Unless they were set
correctly (very critical) the picture would tear apart when the
light level would change drastically.

-- 
Fred W. Culpepper, ODU

fculpepp@norfolk.vak12ed.edu