U-Matic Tapes

[Lord Summerisle]

I'm clearing out some junk from the garage that was left my the previous owner of my flat. Not much of interest or use but I found ten (or thereabouts) U-Matic tapes. I have no idea what is on them (if anything, they're not marked) and bear in mind they've been in a cold damp garage for a few years, though they look to be in quite good condition.

As I don't have access to a U-Matic tape player I was wondering what would be the best thing to do with them? The dustbin beckons but I know some useful stuff has been recovered from U-Matics so I'm loathe to just bin them.

Anyone interested?

[Rob Moss]

Don't bin them without checking them first!

I can let you have a u-matic machine if you like - I have several front loaders going spare if you (or anyone else) needs one.

[Lord Summerisle]

That's very kind Rob, but I was more hoping that someone might take them off my hands. Free of course, plus bragging rights if it turns out there's something useful on them

[exiled yorkie]

erm hello

this is exiled yorkie, are you kevin?

[Laurence Piper]

Rob said:

Don't bin them without checking them first!

I can let you have a u-matic machine if you like - I have several front loaders going spare if you (or anyone else) needs one.

Do you have an e-mail address I can contact you at, Rob, regarding the U-Matic machines? I have a lot of tapes I need to access in the fullness of time and no working machines to play them on any more!

[andrew martin]

Lord said:

I'm clearing out some junk from the garage that was left my the previous owner of my flat. Not much of interest or use but I found ten (or thereabouts) U-Matic tapes. I have no idea what is on them (if anything, they're not marked) and bear in mind they've been in a cold damp garage for a few years, though they look to be in quite good condition.

As I don't have access to a U-Matic tape player I was wondering what would be the best thing to do with them? The dustbin beckons but I know some useful stuff has been recovered from U-Matics so I'm loathe to just bin them.

Anyone interested?

Well, if there are any BBC premises within easy reach, you could take them there, and ask them to send them to the film and VT library in London to get them checked... If they turn out to be ITV or anyone else's material, they would be forwarded to the appropriate people.

[Lord Summerisle]

exiled said:

erm hello

this is exiled yorkie, are you kevin?

No, I'm not Kevin.

[Lord Summerisle]

andrew said:

Well, if there are any BBC premises within easy reach, you could take them there, and ask them to send them to the film and VT library in London to get them checked... If they turn out to be ITV or anyone else's material, they would be forwarded to the appropriate people.

I live in London so there should be a BBC building somewhere near. Thanks for the suggestion, if you genuinely think they'd be interested then I'll look into it.

[helpful hartley]

You might be able to date them by the colour of the labels and housing?

Fading red/white labels or yellow/white labels (perhaps a KCA brand ?) with a dark coloured but clear cassette housing indicate a 1970s early 1980s tape.

The BCR type with blue/white labels and light grey housing are later types . If you have these, then be warned, they were much favoured by the corporate world and your more likely to find an episode of the AGM of the carpet sellers of Salford than a missing Dr Who .;D

Then of course they might be 'SP' high band . I do not think this was used by any TV company in the UK for anything much at all , but once again used by the corporate world for shooting company videos for a while.

[Andrew Doherty]

I would say that it is worth contacting Dick Fiddy at [e-mail]. There is a chance that there may be some interesting items on those tapes.

Yours,

[Lord Summerisle]

helpful said:

You might be able to date them by the colour of the labels and housing?

I've done a bit of checking and the Salford Carpet company is beginning to sound favourite. The tapes (seven of them) are all Fuji KCS-20 H251 and H521E 3/4 inch 'For Professional Use'. No labels on the housing which is cream with a black tape protecting flap and a window.

From what I can find on the web they're a later brand of tape rather than one from the 60s/70s. Also, I'd say they were in too good condition to be that old.

[andrew martin]

Lord said:

andrew said:

Well, if there are any BBC premises within easy reach, you could take them there, and ask them to send them to the film and VT library in London to get them checked... If they turn out to be ITV or anyone else's material, they would be forwarded to the appropriate people.

I live in London so there should be a BBC building somewhere near. Thanks for the suggestion, if you genuinely think they'd be interested then I'll look into it.

Well, the BBC would be interested if there's anything of the BBC's on them. If there are no labels with titles etc on they could be anything - or nothing! As I said, if they turn out to be someone else's we could forward them to whoever owns them (if anyone!). If you want to get more information before taking them in somewhere, you can email me at [e-mail]

[Dick Fiddy]

We (the National Film and TV Archive) would certainly be interested if you drew a blank elsewhere. My details are above on the thread.

Dick

[Wright Blan]

Would anyone at the RT have access to a U-Matic machine? Mabye his lordship would interested in letting them have a look.

[Rob Moss]

Laurence said:

Do you have an e-mail address I can contact you at, Rob, regarding the U-Matic machines? I have a lot of tapes I need to access in the fullness of time and no working machines to play them on any more!

drop me a line:

humphrey[dot]cushion[at]btinternet[dot]com

Ditto if anyone else needs one - I have a pile of the damn things!