[SBE] Here's a shocker

[A9xw at cs.com]

In 1970 I tried to persuade a couple AM-FM's to convert to stereo AM using 
AM for sum and FM for difference, or ISB.  In 1982 Motorola asked me what 
hardware I was using to make stereo AM at WJJD.  I informed them it was jus t 
the residual FM on the 50 KW Ampliphase.  In 1972 I proposed TV stereo using 
the sync pulse as the "pilot" carrier. I was told nonsense. We were using 
the cue channel for left and the main audio for right on the Quad machines 
then. ATSC came along years later, synchronized to the sync pulses. In 1977 I  
wrote an article about using digital encoding for TV. But rather than 
trying to send bits for every pixel,  send a descriptor that would describe the 
picture elements, flat field, circles, shapes, etc. to fit in 6 MHz.  Well, 
MPEG, JPEG came later.  While working at WMAQ (NBC) and WGN in 1987 I 
suggested while we were building stereo plant that central casting ( no MC) would 
work easily via satellite (no Internet back then) for groups (Tribune, NBC).  
During an internal satellite conference at NBC with Grant TInker in 1986, I 
suggested NBC consider foreign markets and cable channels for news and 
sports for TV products.   etc etc.  All this and much more have come to pass.  
Several folks have written to say, "good call" on analog shut down. I made no 
secret of that to everyone that knows me that I expected analog to end in 
2012  An easy call, 25 years to adapt and switch over, just like 405 to 625. 
I expect some $ and restaurant coupons in the mail box  :-)  Meanwhile 
blazing bits, rainbow sound teletext have all gone away, along with pay TV (OTA  
Oak Industries,  as had Zenith Phonovision, etc.)   I made a good buck 
selling reel to reel video recorders to consumers from 1972-1975, long before 
Betamax and VHS. Sears was trying to sell cartrivision. Along with RCA video 
disks, a flop. I think I still have my old sine wave and sync suppressed 
decoders. The Z-1 board became useless when all the caps dried out. That locked 
to 3.58. When Bob Cooper et. al.  had a conference in Oklahoma for home 
satellite I published his how to do it and built one myself. We only had HBO, 
Spotlight  and WTSB and cable was never going to reach my house.  It finally 
did in 2001. DES turned out to only be MPEG, and cracking that killed the VC 
II. 

I sold out of the stock market in 2001-2002 just ahead of that crash, and 
put a 100 gallon gas tank in my pickup truck in 1974 seeing the gas shortage 
looming (back then $1 a gallon vs 32 cents).  When I bought my Toyota RAV 4 
7 years ago I told them I wanted the better MPG because gas was going to $3 
a gal soon. Well, it hit $5 in CA  and $3.50 here not long after, but I got 
rid of the RAV 4 after I was rear ended for the 4th time while stopped in 
traffic. Got a big Chevy Express custom van for self preservation.  Not been 
hit since.  :-)  but the big V8 gets 17 mpg, vs our new Escape that gets 33 
hwy, 26 city (6 cyl auto)  Now if I could only pick Lotto numbers!

Just an older than dirt engineer. Anyone need a mark X Ampex headhweel? 

Regards,
Henry


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