DPE 5000

From: Gary Hildebrand <ghldbrd_at_ccp.com>
Date: Tue Jul 2 13:46:29 2002

Patrick Finnegan wrote:
>
> I just picked up a Quantel Limited DPE-5000 video switcher. You ask how
> this relates to computers? The interface box is an LSI-11/02 with 4KW of
> RAM. Wahoo!
>
> Does anyone have more info on this thing? It has an 'interface unit' -
> the LSI-11/02 in a 2U 19" rack case, 4 Q/Q quad-wide slots, some control
> boxes, cables, and a big switcher unit that is about 14" tall and 19"
> wide (might be rack mount using slide rails that I didn't get because
> they were broken.
>
> Any info would be appreciated, thanks! Also, if anyone needs one of
> these, I might be willing to part with it for a decent amount of money
> - a bit more than a few tens of dollars.
>
> -- Pat


I've never seen a Quantel close up, as they were one of the 'also ran'
manufacturer of production switchers. My experience has been with Grass
Valley, Ross, and Vital.

The main guts of the switcher is in that tall 19" wide rackmount unit.
No slides are used; it is bolted in solid, and should have gobs of BNC
connectors on the back for all the video/sync inputs. I presume the
computer part is for either controlling the wipes, or communications
between the control panel and the box of guts.

You should also have the 'tub', the switcher control panel. It would
have multiple rows of pushbuttons (usually internally lighted and
lableled) in pairs of rows, and a fader bar (Tee handle that toggles
from A to B rows). If you don't have that, you have not much more than
junk on your hands.

About the only value of that stuff would be to someone who still has one
in service, and they could use it for spare boards. Analog video
switchers nowdays are just so much more fodder for the landfills.

Gary Hildebrand
St. Joseph, MO
Received on Tue Jul 02 2002 - 13:46:29 BST