CMX Systems
Encyclopedia
CMX Editing Systems was a company founded jointly by CBS
and Memorex
, that developed some of the very first computerized systems for linear and non-linear editing of videotape
for post production. The company's name, CMX, stood for CBS, Memorex, and eXperimental.
Headquartered in Sunnyvale, California
, the company pioneered in integrating computers with videotape editing, starting in 1971 with the CMX 600
, the first non-linear video editing system. The 600 was designed primarily for off-line editing, by creating both a rough cut
edit of a video program, along with an edit decision list
, or EDL. It stored its video & audio content on disk pack
drives supplied by Memorex for instant random access
of the video content. The 600 was paired with the CMX-200, which took the edit decision list created by the 600, and automatically controlled several VTRs to auto-assemble the final program. The 600 was controlled using a Digital
PDP-11
minicomputer, and the 200 used a Teletype
Model 33 ASR terminal to input EDLs from the 600.
CMX also developed the CMX-300 in 1972, a system used for online editing
(and CMX's first online product). It was a computer-controlled linear editing system, with support for up to four VTRs, and also included and controlled a simple video mixer for wipes and fades. The edits were input to the 300 (and displayed) using a Digital
VT-05 terminal.
CMX would later develop more advanced systems such as the 340 in 1976, and the CMX Edge, which could be used for both on and off-line editing.
CMX was sold to Orrox in 1974, and then moved its headquarters to Santa Clara, California
. It was then later purchased by Chyron
, and remained under its ownership until 1998, when Chyron announced that it would discontinue all CMX products.
During the mid-1980s, CMX hardware comprised 90% of all video editing systems used for post-production video editing.
The CMX keyboard control style was used as a basis of several other editing systems, including Grass Valley
, Calaway and Strassner Editing Systems.
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
and Memorex
Memorex
Memorex began as a computer tape producer and expanded to become a major IBM plug compatible peripheral supplier. It is now a consumer electronics brand of Imation specializing in disk recordable media for CD and DVD drives, flash memory, computer accessories and other electronics.Established in...
, that developed some of the very first computerized systems for linear and non-linear editing of videotape
Videotape
A videotape is a recording of images and sounds on to magnetic tape as opposed to film stock or random access digital media. Videotapes are also used for storing scientific or medical data, such as the data produced by an electrocardiogram...
for post production. The company's name, CMX, stood for CBS, Memorex, and eXperimental.
Headquartered in Sunnyvale, California
Sunnyvale, California
Sunnyvale is a city in Santa Clara County, California, United States. It is one of the major cities that make up the Silicon Valley located in the San Francisco Bay Area...
, the company pioneered in integrating computers with videotape editing, starting in 1971 with the CMX 600
CMX 600
The CMX 600 was the very first non-linear video editing system. It was introduced in 1971 by CMX Systems, a joint venture between CBS and Memorex. CMX referred to it as a "RAVE", or Random Access Video Editor....
, the first non-linear video editing system. The 600 was designed primarily for off-line editing, by creating both a rough cut
Rough cut
In filmmaking, the rough cut is the second of three stages of offline editing. The rough cut is the first stage in which the film begins to resemble its final product...
edit of a video program, along with an edit decision list
Edit decision list
An edit decision list or EDL used in the post-production process of film editing and video editing. The list contains an ordered list of reel and timecode data representing where each video clip can be obtained in order to conform the final cut....
, or EDL. It stored its video & audio content on disk pack
Disk pack
A Disk pack is a layered grouping of hard disk platters . A disk pack is the core component of a hard disk drive. In modern hard disks, the disk pack is permanently sealed inside the drive...
drives supplied by Memorex for instant random access
Random access
In computer science, random access is the ability to access an element at an arbitrary position in a sequence in equal time, independent of sequence size. The position is arbitrary in the sense that it is unpredictable, thus the use of the term "random" in "random access"...
of the video content. The 600 was paired with the CMX-200, which took the edit decision list created by the 600, and automatically controlled several VTRs to auto-assemble the final program. The 600 was controlled using a Digital
Digital Equipment Corporation
Digital Equipment Corporation was a major American company in the computer industry and a leading vendor of computer systems, software and peripherals from the 1960s to the 1990s...
PDP-11
PDP-11
The PDP-11 was a series of 16-bit minicomputers sold by Digital Equipment Corporation from 1970 into the 1990s, one of a succession of products in the PDP series. The PDP-11 replaced the PDP-8 in many real-time applications, although both product lines lived in parallel for more than 10 years...
minicomputer, and the 200 used a Teletype
Teletype Corporation
The Teletype Corporation, a part of American Telephone and Telegraph Company's Western Electric manufacturing arm since 1930, came into being in 1928 when the Morkrum-Kleinschmidt Company changed its name to the name of its trademark equipment...
Model 33 ASR terminal to input EDLs from the 600.
CMX also developed the CMX-300 in 1972, a system used for online editing
Online editing
Online editing is an older post-production linear video editing process that is performed in the final stage of a video production. It occurs after offline editing...
(and CMX's first online product). It was a computer-controlled linear editing system, with support for up to four VTRs, and also included and controlled a simple video mixer for wipes and fades. The edits were input to the 300 (and displayed) using a Digital
Digital Equipment Corporation
Digital Equipment Corporation was a major American company in the computer industry and a leading vendor of computer systems, software and peripherals from the 1960s to the 1990s...
VT-05 terminal.
CMX would later develop more advanced systems such as the 340 in 1976, and the CMX Edge, which could be used for both on and off-line editing.
CMX was sold to Orrox in 1974, and then moved its headquarters to Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara , founded in 1777 and incorporated in 1852, is a city in Santa Clara County, in the U.S. state of California. The city is the site of the eighth of 21 California missions, Mission Santa Clara de Asís, and was named after the mission. The Mission and Mission Gardens are located on the...
. It was then later purchased by Chyron
Chyron Corporation
The Chyron Corporation is a Melville, N.Y.-based company that develops products and services for digital broadcast graphics creation. The company’s solutions, which include the AXIS Graphics online content creation software and order management system and a range of on-air graphics systems, clip...
, and remained under its ownership until 1998, when Chyron announced that it would discontinue all CMX products.
During the mid-1980s, CMX hardware comprised 90% of all video editing systems used for post-production video editing.
The CMX keyboard control style was used as a basis of several other editing systems, including Grass Valley
Grass Valley (company)
Grass Valley, previously known as Grass Valley Group, is a privately held company based in California, USA. Grass Valley produces technology for the video and broadcast industry. On January 29, 2009, Thomson announced its intention to sell the Grass Valley business unit...
, Calaway and Strassner Editing Systems.
See also
- Strassner Editing SystemsStrassner Editing SystemsNo longer in production, Strassner Editing Systems was a line of PC-based linear "CMX style" keyboard video editing controllers invented in 1988 by Norman H. Strassner in Los Angeles, CA. Over 400 systems were sold up to the time, in 1995, that Mr...
, one example of other "CMX Style", PC-based editing systems. Another popular system was the Calloway. developed by Jack Calloway, and the ETC. All these were examples of CMX style systems. - 2" Quadruplex (AmpexAmpexAmpex is an American electronics company founded in 1944 by Alexander M. Poniatoff. The name AMPEX is an acronym, created by its founder, which stands for Alexander M. Poniatoff Excellence...
, RCARCARCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
and BoschRobert Bosch GmbHRobert Bosch GmbH is a multinational engineering and electronics company headquartered in Gerlingen, near Stuttgart, Germany. It is the world's largest supplier of automotive components...
's FernsehFernsehThe Fernseh AG television company was registered in Berlin on July 3, 1929 by John Logie Baird, Robert Bosch and other partners with an initial capital of 100,000 Reichsmark....
) - 1" Type A (AmpexAmpexAmpex is an American electronics company founded in 1944 by Alexander M. Poniatoff. The name AMPEX is an acronym, created by its founder, which stands for Alexander M. Poniatoff Excellence...
) - 1" Type B (BoschRobert Bosch GmbHRobert Bosch GmbH is a multinational engineering and electronics company headquartered in Gerlingen, near Stuttgart, Germany. It is the world's largest supplier of automotive components...
's FernsehFernsehThe Fernseh AG television company was registered in Berlin on July 3, 1929 by John Logie Baird, Robert Bosch and other partners with an initial capital of 100,000 Reichsmark....
- BTS PhilipsPhilipsKoninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
) - IVC 2 inch Helical scan (International Video CorporationInternational Video CorporationInternational Video Corporation, or IVC, was a California company that manufactured several models of low to middle-end videotape recorders, or VTRs, for industrial and professional use. Their products were quite popular in the industrial and institutional markets.- IVC 800 series 1 Inch VTR :IVC...
's IVC 9000 Format) - 1" Type C (SonySony, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
, AmpexAmpexAmpex is an American electronics company founded in 1944 by Alexander M. Poniatoff. The name AMPEX is an acronym, created by its founder, which stands for Alexander M. Poniatoff Excellence...
, NECNEC, a Japanese multinational IT company, has its headquarters in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. NEC, part of the Sumitomo Group, provides information technology and network solutions to business enterprises, communications services providers and government....
and HitachiHitachi, Ltd.is a Japanese multinational conglomerate headquartered in Marunouchi 1-chome, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. The company is the parent of the Hitachi Group as part of the larger DKB Group companies...
)