ITC

International Tapetronics Corp

ITC was a major producer of taqpe cartridge machines. They also produced reel to reel tape machines. At some point, 3M acquired ITC.

Broadcast tape cartridges were similar to four track consumer tape cartridges. The machine had the pinch roller in contrast to consumer 8 track cartridges where the pinch roller was part of the cartridge. Mono tape cartridge machines had a two track head (and a record head on record machines). The top track carried the program audio. The bottom track carried "cues" as described below. Stereo machines used a three track head with the left channel at the top, right channel in the center, and the cue track at the bottom.

Broadcast cartridge cue tones were as follows

• 1 kHz - Primary Stop cue. A 1 kHz 500 ms tone was recorded when recording started. On playback, this tone would be detected, and the playback would stop ready for the next playback.
• 150 Hz - Secondary EOM cue. A 150 Hz tone was recorded at the "end of message". The beginning of the tone would start the next program source (such as another tape cartridge machine or in automation systems, the next event). The end of the 150 Hz tone would mute audio from this source. Use of the variable length 150 Hz tone allowed audio overlap as desired.
• 8 kHz - Tertiary cue. This cue was typically used to advance to the next slide in television stations. A commercial would consist of audio on a tape cartridge along with slides for the vide. The tertiary cue would advance the system to the next slide at the appropriate time.
• 3.5 kHz - An FSK signal centered on 3.5 kHz was used to drive program logging systems. The data would be printed identifying the commercial or other audio played.

Manuals

• 3D 3 Dec k Reproducers - 7 MB. Includes the following addendum:

  • 811-0077-000 - Improves the reproduce head, the mead mounting assembly, pressure roller, and carttridge hold-dwon system. Includes new adjustment procedures.
  • Gauge Update - Due to a change in the composition of the pressure roller, a minor change in the mechanical adjustments is made.
  • 811-0055-001 - New reproduce amplifier.
  • 810-0008-000 - Repair returns require prior ITC authorization.
• Delta Series Broadcast Cartridge Recorder/Reproducer System - Includes Delta I, II, III, IV. This appears to be the original manual with a later revision below.

• Delta Series Cart Machines "Today's Most Popular Cartridges Machines" revised September 1985 - "today" being 1985. This was a lower-cost series following on from, and supplementing, the "Series 99" flagship models. Scanned and uploaded by Peter Smerdon.

  • Delta Cart Manual Part 1 - Part 1 - 43MB Sect I - Specifications, Sec II - Install & Operation, Sec III - Adjustments and Alignment, and Sec IV - Routine Maintenance
  • Delta Cart Manual Part 2 - Part 2 - 28MB Sect V - Electrical Illustrations (Schematics), Sec VI - Mechanical Parts Lists.
• Series 99B Cartridge Machine Reproducer/Recorder. 1982. 12 MB

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