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A variation on this theme of feed drag and tension was the later invention and use of servoed feed and take-up reels for capstanless tape handling used on my brother's (John Stephens) analog multitrack ATRs that are still in use by many engineers who prefer it for mastering. Ampex later used a similar type of technique on one of their models (John never patented his). His additional R&D has to do with upgrading Bosch FDL60 Telecines. http://stephensaudiovideo.com/ He is also mentioned in the AES history of American Tape Recording: http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:21D8Xe9AHy4J:www.aes.org/aeshc/pdf/chronology.pdf+Stephens+Multitrack&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=20 Also one of his legendary 1" cutting/splicing blocks is on sale on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/Ampex-Stephens-signed-Editall-2-inch-splice-blocks_W0QQitemZ7395867404QQcategoryZ15199QQtcZphotoQQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Needless to say, there is a bit of family pride in his accomplishments Rod Stephens Family Theater Productions Robert Hodge wrote: >Ampex used an indirect drive on their first machines- Models 200 and 300. The fine speed adjustment for the capstan drive was accomplished by adding and subtracting the amount of drag applied to the rubber tire coupled through a flywheel to the capstan shaft. A minimum warm up time of 5 minutes was needed before any adjustment to the drive was attempted. > >A supplied strobe disc was used to determine the correct amount of drag. >It must have been difficult to maintain speed consistancy between machines , using this method. > >No wonder later machines used the vastly superior direct capstan drive motor. > >Bob Hodge > > > > > >Robert Hodge, >Senior Engineer >Belfer Audio Archive >Syracuse University >222 Waverly Ave . >Syracuse N.Y. 13244-2010 > >315-443- 7971 >FAX-315-443-4866 > > > <snip>