RE: [AV Media Matters] Newbie to list question - tape baking, is it

[Graeme Jaye <gjaye@retemail.es>]

At 16:09 20/12/99 -0800, you wrote:
>I wish I could concur. I have seen several problems with baking -
>specifically with video tapes and as a result we don't use it unless we
>have used EVERYTHING else and failed

I have never tried this process with video tape.   In fact, until I read
your posting, I wasn't even aware that video tape suffered from the same
problem.  My experience of this problem has only occured with 'studio
grade' tape, even that sold for domestic use doesn't seem to show any sign
of it.

I'm interested in the 'everything else' bit - what else is there?  I have
certainly never managed to find another method which works.

>If you
>choose to bake - I recommend a real scientific oven - we use a Blue M
>which has very precise controls and very little cycling of temperature.

Well, I appreciate my cardboard box method might sound a little on the
crude sideand my description was necessarily brief, but the heat source is
low and easily controlled and I did quite a bit of experimenting with it
before I ever put a tape inside the thing.  It takes about an hour for the
temperature to rise and stabilise to the correct figure, following which it
remains constant as far as anyone can see on the thermometer used.  At the
end of the day, I think that I have proven it is perfectly satisfactory for
the purpose through the sheer volume of tapes which it has cured.

More to the point, for a man with one 2" reel of tape - if no one offers to
do it for him - the purchase of a scientific oven rather makes it a
non-viable proposition.

>also - btw
>
>The process of baking tapes is patented.  No kidding - it is.  Using a
>patent without permission is not a good plan. Ampex has never followed
>it up - and I have heard several people say there is prior art - BUT the
>fact remains that the patent is unchallenged - therefore it stands. And
>if you do use it - one day there could be a lawyer knocking on the door
>- not a happy story.  If you look at the patent there is some
>interesting information - one is that it appears they never tried it on
>video tapes.  In any event - beware.

Personally, I say sue me... I'll see you in court.

That's the first time I have ever heard anyone say the process was
patented... hahaha.

I'm not surprised that Ampex have never followed it up.  If it really came
to it, I would think any half-way decent defence lawyer would have them
running in circles.  After all, it was their poor formulation and
inadequate life testing of the product which got us all in this mess in the
first place - a product which they were keen enough to sell me in the first
place.  I can just imagine what the court would think of that!

Graeme Jaye
gjaye@retemail.es

Personal-CD - Affordable Audio Restoration

http://www.personal-cd.com