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Can you point to a model? I wasn't aware that there ever was a 1" that recorded component video. Are you sure you aren't talking about D1 or Betacam?

Sony did come out with a 1" digital HD (native 1080p, uncompressed) recorder in the early 90's, but it was more of a test piece, not so much a production unit. However, that is not the same as the analog 1" Type C machines (omega wrap) that Ampex introduced in the 80's. It used a D1 type component output at a much higher data rate (still in use today). Those old 1" machines were in use until Sony finally crushed them with the 1/2" Betacam SP format, driving the final nail into Ampex, a once-great american company.

An interesting side note, one of the last places to see a 1" tape in use was on remote trucks at football games, because it is very easy to recue and run them in slow motion. The tape operator could just lean on the tape reel flange and slow down the playback.

This is my favorite warning label too.

You can see a picture (sorta) of this tape library at DST 812/814 library. Our other libraries have similar warning labels, but not quite as fun as the 812. I think they only show a hand getting crushed.

The warning on the DST 414, which is a 7 tape stacker, shows the gears mangling some luser's hand. It's quite vivid.

As you might have guessed, I work at Ampex in engineering. We usually take the sides off and bypass the safety interlocks for the 714 and 914 libraries, but not the 812. You just gotta know where not to stick your head. :-)

(Aside: All of these libraries use the same tape drive, a variant of this. The first digit in the model number refers to the robot type and the last digit refers to the density drive installed: 0 = single, 2 = double, 4 = quad.)

This is my favorite warning label too.

You can see a picture (sorta) of this tape library at DST 812/814 library. Our other libraries have similar warning labels, but not quite as fun as the 812. I think they only show a hand getting crushed.

The warning on the DST 414, which is a 7 tape stacker, shows the gears mangling some luser's hand. It's quite vivid.

As you might have guessed, I work at Ampex in engineering. We usually take the sides off and bypass the safety interlocks for the 714 and 914 libraries, but not the 812. You just gotta know where not to stick your head. :-)

(Aside: All of these libraries use the same tape drive, a variant of this. The first digit in the model number refers to the robot type and the last digit refers to the density drive installed: 0 = single, 2 = double, 4 = quad.)

This is my favorite warning label too.

You can see a picture (sorta) of this tape library at DST 812/814 library. Our other libraries have similar warning labels, but not quite as fun as the 812. I think they only show a hand getting crushed.

The warning on the DST 414, which is a 7 tape stacker, shows the gears mangling some luser's hand. It's quite vivid.

As you might have guessed, I work at Ampex in engineering. We usually take the sides off and bypass the safety interlocks for the 714 and 914 libraries, but not the 812. You just gotta know where not to stick your head. :-)

(Aside: All of these libraries use the same tape drive, a variant of this. The first digit in the model number refers to the robot type and the last digit refers to the density drive installed: 0 = single, 2 = double, 4 = quad.)

This is my favorite warning label too.

You can see a picture (sorta) of this tape library at DST 812/814 library. Our other libraries have similar warning labels, but not quite as fun as the 812. I think they only show a hand getting crushed.

The warning on the DST 414, which is a 7 tape stacker, shows the gears mangling some luser's hand. It's quite vivid.

As you might have guessed, I work at Ampex in engineering. We usually take the sides off and bypass the safety interlocks for the 714 and 914 libraries, but not the 812. You just gotta know where not to stick your head. :-)

(Aside: All of these libraries use the same tape drive, a variant of this. The first digit in the model number refers to the robot type and the last digit refers to the density drive installed: 0 = single, 2 = double, 4 = quad.)

This is my favorite warning label too.

You can see a picture (sorta) of this tape library at DST 812/814 library. Our other libraries have similar warning labels, but not quite as fun as the 812. I think they only show a hand getting crushed.

The warning on the DST 414, which is a 7 tape stacker, shows the gears mangling some luser's hand. It's quite vivid.

As you might have guessed, I work at Ampex in engineering. We usually take the sides off and bypass the safety interlocks for the 714 and 914 libraries, but not the 812. You just gotta know where not to stick your head. :-)

(Aside: All of these libraries use the same tape drive, a variant of this. The first digit in the model number refers to the robot type and the last digit refers to the density drive installed: 0 = single, 2 = double, 4 = quad.)

Working for a television program service provider, I can tell you that StorageTek silos are quite bad when it comes to the abuse of the many mounts and rewinds that occur when you read the video off a tape repeatedly. In fact, we are trying to get rid of our StorageTek right now. Those small little tapes jam, break or have the oxide wear down pretty quickly.

We've become quite partial to Ampex DST libraries. The only problem I can see so far with them is the easiest expansion method is to attach cabinets in a straight line. Of course they can get pricey, but deliver reliable reads and writes. The tapes they use are a 3/4" and based on the transport of time-tested digital video tape recorders.

The one other big warning I'll give is to choose your archive managment/robot control software carefully. Some of the software out there claims to do a lot, but it comes to real world situations, do silly things like try and put tapes into a storage bin that already has a tape in it. It's the software that's holding us up from replacing our StorageTek with an Ampex DST.

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Standard disclaimers apply. All opinions are my own.

http://www.ampexdata.com/Products/Mass_Storage/mas s_storage.html
Used for storage of digitized movie frames (24 fps @ 3000 x 4000 pixels x 120 minutes x how many composite layers?) during post operations.