Cartrivision
Encyclopedia
Cartrivision was an analog video
videocassette format introduced in 1972, and the first format to offer feature film
s for consumer rental. It was produced by Frank Stanton's Cartridge Television, Inc. (CTI), a subsidiary of Avco
, who also owned Embassy Pictures
at the time. Cartrivision was available in the form of a TV set with a built-in analog recording
for the format. Cartrivision recorders and sets were manufactured by Avco
, a company that CTI partnered with to manufacture and develop the format, as well as Admiral, Packard Bell
, Emerson
, Montgomery Ward
, and Sears
, the latter two marketing Cartrivision sets under their own brand names in their stores. While Montgomery Ward's TV used the Admiral chassis, as did all Montgomery Wards Airline TVs, Admiral marketed their own Cartrivision with a different chassis.
The first model of Cartrivision-equipped TV set sold for US $1,350 (about $6600 in 2008 dollars), and was the first videocassette recorder to have pre-recorded tapes of popular movies available for rent. Like Philips' VCR
format (introduced at the same time in Europe), the square Cartrivision cassette had the two reels of half-inch magnetic tape
mounted on top of each other, but it could record up to 114 minutes. It did so using a crude "skip-field" form of video compression that recorded only every third video field
and played it back three times.
Cassettes of major movies such as The Bridge on the River Kwai
and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
were ordered via the initial 200-movie catalog at a retailer, delivered by parcel mail, and then returned to the retailer after viewing. These rental cassettes were red, approximately 7 inches (177.8 mm) high by 6.5 inches (165.1 mm) wide by 1.5 inches (38.1 mm) deep (however used the same videotape used today) and could not be rewound by a home Cartrivision recorder. Rather, they were rewound by a special machine upon their return to the retailer. Other cassettes on sports, travel, art, and how-to
topics were available for purchase. These cassettes were black, and could be rewound on a Cartrivision recorder. An optional monochrome
camera manufactured for Cartrivision by Eumig could be bought to make home videos. A color camera was in the works but never materialized before CTI's demise.
Avco Corp. introduced Cartrivision at the Consumer Electronics Show
in New York in June 1970. It was first sold in June 1972, mainly through Sears, Macy's
, and Montgomery Ward department store
s in the United States. Manufacture ended thirteen months later in July 1973 after poor sales. Later, it was found that Cartivision tapes that had been stored in a warehouse had disintegrated due to humidity.
After the demise of Cartrivision in 1973, many Cartrivision-equipped TV sets, separate recording mechanisms, tapes, and other parts and accessories were liquidated by surplus retailers, mainly in California, and many electronic hobbyists bought quite a few of the Cartrivision systems. Some made their own homebrew modifications with the hardware, such as a stand-alone Cartrivision player in its own chassis with a RF modulator
to hook it up to any TV set, much like today's VCRs.
Analog video
Analog video is a video signal transferred by an analog signal. An analog color video signal contains luminance, brightness and chrominance of an analog television image...
videocassette format introduced in 1972, and the first format to offer feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
s for consumer rental. It was produced by Frank Stanton's Cartridge Television, Inc. (CTI), a subsidiary of Avco
Avco
Avco Corporation is a subsidiary of Textron which operates Textron Systems Corporation and Lycoming.-Brief history:The Embry-Riddle Company created the Aviation Corporation in 1928 as a holding company tasked with acquiring small airlines...
, who also owned Embassy Pictures
Embassy Pictures
Embassy Pictures Corporation was an independent studio and distributor responsible for such films as The Graduate, The Lion in Winter, This Is Spinal Tap and Escape from New York.-Founding:The company was founded in 1942 by producer Joseph E...
at the time. Cartrivision was available in the form of a TV set with a built-in analog recording
Analog recording
Analog recording is a technique used for the recording of analog signals which among many possibilities include audio frequency, analog audio and analog video information for later playback.Analog recording methods store signals as a continual wave in or on the media...
for the format. Cartrivision recorders and sets were manufactured by Avco
Avco
Avco Corporation is a subsidiary of Textron which operates Textron Systems Corporation and Lycoming.-Brief history:The Embry-Riddle Company created the Aviation Corporation in 1928 as a holding company tasked with acquiring small airlines...
, a company that CTI partnered with to manufacture and develop the format, as well as Admiral, Packard Bell
Packard Bell
Packard Bell is a Dutch computer manufacturer and a subsidiary of Acer. The name was previously used by Packard Bell, an American radio manufacturer founded in 1926. In 1986, Israeli investors bought the name for a newly formed personal computer manufacturer. Originally the company produced...
, Emerson
Emerson Radio
Emerson Radio Corporation was founded in 1948. It is one of the United States’ largest volume consumer electronics distributors and has a recognized trademark in continuous use since 1912...
, Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward is an online retailer that carries the same name as the former American department store chain, founded as the world's #1 mail order business in 1872 by Aaron Montgomery Ward, and which went out of business in 2001...
, and Sears
Sears, Roebuck and Company
Sears, officially named Sears, Roebuck and Co., is an American chain of department stores which was founded by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck in the late 19th century...
, the latter two marketing Cartrivision sets under their own brand names in their stores. While Montgomery Ward's TV used the Admiral chassis, as did all Montgomery Wards Airline TVs, Admiral marketed their own Cartrivision with a different chassis.
The first model of Cartrivision-equipped TV set sold for US $1,350 (about $6600 in 2008 dollars), and was the first videocassette recorder to have pre-recorded tapes of popular movies available for rent. Like Philips' VCR
Video Cassette Recording
Video Cassette Recording was an early domestic analog recording format designed by Philips. It was the first successful consumer-level home videocassette recorder system. Later variants included the VCR-LP and Super Video formats.The VCR format was introduced in 1972, just after the Sony...
format (introduced at the same time in Europe), the square Cartrivision cassette had the two reels of half-inch magnetic tape
Magnetic tape
Magnetic tape is a medium for magnetic recording, made of a thin magnetizable coating on a long, narrow strip of plastic. It was developed in Germany, based on magnetic wire recording. Devices that record and play back audio and video using magnetic tape are tape recorders and video tape recorders...
mounted on top of each other, but it could record up to 114 minutes. It did so using a crude "skip-field" form of video compression that recorded only every third video field
Field (video)
In video, a field is one of the many still images which are displayed sequentially to create the impression of motion on the screen. Two fields comprise one video frame...
and played it back three times.
Cassettes of major movies such as The Bridge on the River Kwai
The Bridge on the River Kwai
The Bridge on the River Kwai is a 1957 British World War II film by David Lean based on The Bridge over the River Kwai by French writer Pierre Boulle. The film is a work of fiction but borrows the construction of the Burma Railway in 1942–43 for its historical setting. It stars William...
and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner is a 1967 American drama film starring Spencer Tracy, Sidney Poitier and Katharine Hepburn, and featuring Hepburn's niece Katharine Houghton...
were ordered via the initial 200-movie catalog at a retailer, delivered by parcel mail, and then returned to the retailer after viewing. These rental cassettes were red, approximately 7 inches (177.8 mm) high by 6.5 inches (165.1 mm) wide by 1.5 inches (38.1 mm) deep (however used the same videotape used today) and could not be rewound by a home Cartrivision recorder. Rather, they were rewound by a special machine upon their return to the retailer. Other cassettes on sports, travel, art, and how-to
How-to
A how-to or a how to is an informal, often short, description of how to accomplish some specific task. A how-to is usually meant to help non-experts, may leave out details that are only important to experts, and may also be greatly simplified from an overall discussion of the topic...
topics were available for purchase. These cassettes were black, and could be rewound on a Cartrivision recorder. An optional monochrome
Monochrome
Monochrome describes paintings, drawings, design, or photographs in one color or shades of one color. A monochromatic object or image has colors in shades of limited colors or hues. Images using only shades of grey are called grayscale or black-and-white...
camera manufactured for Cartrivision by Eumig could be bought to make home videos. A color camera was in the works but never materialized before CTI's demise.
Avco Corp. introduced Cartrivision at the Consumer Electronics Show
Consumer Electronics Show
The International Consumer Electronics Show is a major technology-related trade show held each January in the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Not open to the public, the Consumer Electronics Association-sponsored show typically hosts previews of products and new...
in New York in June 1970. It was first sold in June 1972, mainly through Sears, Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
, and Montgomery Ward department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
s in the United States. Manufacture ended thirteen months later in July 1973 after poor sales. Later, it was found that Cartivision tapes that had been stored in a warehouse had disintegrated due to humidity.
After the demise of Cartrivision in 1973, many Cartrivision-equipped TV sets, separate recording mechanisms, tapes, and other parts and accessories were liquidated by surplus retailers, mainly in California, and many electronic hobbyists bought quite a few of the Cartrivision systems. Some made their own homebrew modifications with the hardware, such as a stand-alone Cartrivision player in its own chassis with a RF modulator
RF modulator
An RF modulator is a device that takes a baseband input signal and outputs a radio frequency-modulated signal....
to hook it up to any TV set, much like today's VCRs.
External links
- The Cartrivision Site
- LabGuy's World page on Cartrivision
- CED Magic's page mentioning Cartrivision
- Video of "I Am Cartrivision", a demo video released on Cartrivision cassette to retailers
- Cartrivison's appearance on What's My Line?
- Details of a Cartrivision cassette
- Cartrivision.com
- Cartrivision page in Total Rewind - the Online Museum of Vintage VCRs