reel question...

[MMBBfan327]

What excatley is the reel player that PTT used? Does it have a specific name?

[captslappy]

Yes it is a Teac brand (pronounced Tee-ack) model X-7 or X-7R. It has to be that model and special modifications are needed to make it work. An off the shelf one would not run the computer.

[captslappy]

One other note... the later X-7 MK-II will not work. There might be a way to do it, but internally it is completely different even though it looks identical externally. I have not figured out where to jump out the resistor necassary to make it work. I have consulted several reel to reel places and told them what I needed and said they were not sure either. Basically it needs to be the older X-7 or X-7R. Also, the reel to reel player is not compatible with the later cyberstar or 2 stage computer eproms. The cyberstar system used before the MMBB is a different chip and will not read the later MMBB show tapes and vice versa. The card cage and power supply have stayed the same since the early 80s, but as the software changed, modifications were done along the way. So basically there are 3 seperate "main stage systems". The balcony show which used the reel to reel eprom (which had numerous revisions along the way. I don't know that one eprom can play all the balcony reels), the cyberstar computer which was the first system that ran on VHS. That was used for the road and rocker stages and then the 2 stage which runs the modern 1 and 2 stage MMBB show used today. 3 stage is a totally different animal and not compatible with the cyberamics shows. The caberets also had different eproms as well. The King/King Kat/Beagles/Beach Bowzers had their own eprom. There were 2 versions. One was a coin-op eprom. This used a token box. Later a green button replaced the token box which is just another form of switch to make it free. A later eprom was issued where the characters would look around the room randomly similar to what CEC is today with the MMBB. This show was on a timer and did not use coins or the button. Dolli/Artie/BB had their own eprom as well and supposedly you can't run King or the Beagles off of a Dolli eprom and vice versa. As far as I know the caberet eprom (piano players) were coin op only but again they could be made free by replacing the token box with a botton. The Little Shavers had their own eprom. All of the caberet and lounges ran strictly on reel and were never converted to VHS or any other format. The Hot Fudge Show, Family album and any other shows not mentioned were made by outside manufacturers and not cyberamic characters so I don't know about their systems. They did not use the same kind of computer that the standard PTT shows used.

[dheineCECfan]

Was the TEAC model reel players also used for the ShowBiz Rock-afire/Wolf Pack 5 shows as well?

[pizzacam]

RAE used Tascam which I think is Teac..smae company or they beacme Tascam..

[RodHouTx]

Is Tascam another line of products from Teac? Their professional product line? My Tascam player had Tascam and Teac labels on it in various places.

In comparison, the reel player for the RAE did not need modifications. It had a remote control input that allowed the computer to rewind, stop, and play (just like the JVC VCR).

Unfortunately, the computer did not know when the tape had finished rewinding. It would just allot a certain amount of time to allow rewinding. If for some reason the player was having problems rewinding (i.e. too slow), the computer would start it wherever it was in the rewind process (in the middle of a show on the tape).

Normally after the rewind time period had passed, the computer would advance the tape to the beginning of the first show (there was a stop signal on the tape before the first show). It would also do this when the computer was powered up (you manually pressed a start button in the bottom drawer and it would advance both decks to the start position of the first skit, assuming you had rewound them). A deck that is not ready yet cannot be started from the beverage bar control panel.

We had problems with our 'show' deck rewinding too slow. I think Cyberstar was coming soon so they didn't want to fix it. So I recommended to the tech to just swap the decks/cables since the birthday deck had a whole lot less use on it, and it worked!

Since I am a computer programmer, I have always been fascinated by how all this stuff works. I think it is amazing for the time period it existed in, but I am also easily impressed!

[captslappy]

Yes the 2 companies merged but the reel to reel systems were very different. The Rock-afire used a Tascam 44. It plays a larger size reels and it is a 4 channel format where the X-7 is only 2 channels. The RAE has 2 channels of data and runs stereo audio. The PTP shows were mono with only one track of data. Even though both systems went to a system called cyberstar the Cyberstar system for the Rock-afire is very different from the cyberstar the Pizza Time Players used. I am not sure if they used the same kind of VCR or not. Both cyberstars modified each shows existing computers. While they use the same ideas in how they worked the 2 systems were different enough they were not interchangeable or compatible. Today the 1 and 2 stage shows are programmed using the 3 stage. They have a special program that converts all the signals into the proper format. This elimintes having to program Studio C, the cyberamic bots and the former Rock-afire robots individually. If they had 3 programming stages to deal with they'd never get done!

[pizzacam]

The VCRs were the same but the Cyberstar systems were different. I have pics to prove it also the front display piece from a 2 stage Cyberstar

[captslappy]

I thought they might use the same VCR but not sure. I honestly don't know a whole lot about the cyber star for either show. I believe they hotwired both drawers on the 3 stage together and I'm pretty sure it went to running off of 2 channels like the PTT show once it was introduced but I am not sure on that.

[RodHouTx]

Yep, same VCR for both shows. The drawers are not 'hotwired' per-se, but the ribbon cable goes from the cyberstar to the connectors in both drawers (each drawer has its own connector). I don't know how the drawers were wired for rockafire reels - were there two playback boards (one in each drawer) or is there just one playback board that has a cable that goes to both drawers?

Only 2 channels are really needed now (esp for DVD) - 1 for audio, 1 for signals. The VCR has 4 channels available, they used to be:
HIFI Left - Show
HIFI Right - Bday (later changed to telephone hold music)
Norm Left - Computer Signals
Norm Right - Gameroom

The VCR is a JVC-BR7000UA

[captslappy]

The drawers each had a playback board in them which was removed when the cyberstar came in. That is why I called it hotwire. Also I found out that you can use an MK-II to run the show, I just don't know how to modify it to run. I don't have a schematic on that one and you can't jump out the same resistor.

[RodHouTx]

What is a MK-II?

I have been looking around for the playback boards, but unfortunately I can't find them. It would be cool to be able to play some old RAE stuff!

[captslappy]

It's a later variation of the X-7 which was the reel player used on the PTT show.

[pizzacam]

I have been looking around for the playback boards, but unfortunately I can't find them. It would be cool to be able to play some old RAE stuff!

Send em here man, or a few at a time I'll transfer them for you.

[captslappy]

You don't need the computer or play back boards just to listen to shows. You can run the reels on any reel to reel player that plays that size reel unless you have a show or something you are trying to get going.

[pizzacam]

I think he meant he needs the boards for the reel to reel player

[captslappy]

Oh! I have a parts Tascam 44. Maybe I might have what you need if its circuit boards out of it. Email me off the board...
mscherpenberg@yahoo.com. If you can tell me what you need I may be able to get it for you.

[captslappy]

I also have an extra Tascam X-7R if anyone is interested. I might be open to including some original Pizza Time reels. Probably King, Beagles and Beach Bowzers. It just depends on what I have extra plus I have a box of about 16 or so pre-recorded "blank" ones. They do not have anything PTT related. I'd sell for $300. I would only sell reels WITH the reel to reel player, not individually. Serious inquiries only please.