Piero Angela in 1959: the magnetic tape

https://www.raiplay.it/programmi/angelaleorigini - Piero Angela at the Paris expo explains the operating of the magnetic tape, back then an extraordinary technical novelty that would mark the history of television. The host shows how it works and its perks compared to film reel.

ARTS AND SCIENCES

NEWS REPORTS

CURATED BY
LEONE PICCIONI

REALIZED BY
RAIMONDO MUSU

TECHNOLOGY

From the Paris expo,

Piero Angela tells us
about a technical novelty...

...that will be extraordinarily
important for television.

A revolutionary procedure...

...in the field of
image reproduction is displayed...

...at the American pavilion
at the Paris expo.

For the first time
since photography exists.

since cinema exists,

it won't be necessary
to use film tape...

...to reproduce an image,

but a magnetic tape will suffice:

the videotape,
the television recorder.

Here's how it works.

Here is a normal camera,

which sends the picture
to the van outside,

van normally equipped
for television filming.

And down here is the magnetic recorder.

Look at the spinning reels:

the working principle is exactly
the same as a voice recorder.

The speed is the same,
15 inches per second.

The maneuvers are the same too:

a series of buttons to stop the tape,

rewind it, inserting or removing
the recording at will.

The tape is simply taller,
it's 5 centimeters tall.

The upper part records sound,

the lower part the image.

How does it record the picture?

Exactly as with the sound.

Lights and shadows are translated
into electric impulses,

and a magnetic head,

above the recorder,

imprints on the tape.

The procedure is naturally
inverted in order to play it.

Now we only need to
run a practical test,

and ask the American technician
to insert the recording.

Would you please start recording?

Thank you.

So, what are the perks
of this new system?

The perks are huge
in the television field...

...compared to the film
used until now.

First of all, we need to consider
it avoids the developing and printing.

Furthermore, the tape can be erased...

...and you can record again,

and especially the possibility
to record a picture...

...with a light ten times lower
than the one needed to film.

Stop. You can rewind
and send back now.

Now the American technician stopped
the recording.

We have a control screen...

...on which we could see
the picture appear in a few seconds.

Truly it's a matter of
counting to three maybe.

One, two, three.

...system? The perks are huge
in the television field...

...compared to the film
used until now.

First of all, we need to consider
it avoids the developing and printing.

Furthermore, the tape can be erased...

...and you can record again,

and especially the possibility
to record a picture...

...with a light ten times lower
than the one needed to film.

Stop. You can rewind and send back now.