Breneman Labs has announced that a version of the MACH ONE VIDEOTAPE EDITOR is provided as freeware! A popular system for large online editing suites in the early 80's, the PC-based FREEWARE MACH ONE.5 VIDEOTAPE EDITOR was first uploaded to CompuServe in the Broadcast Professionals forum on May 26, 1994. Jack Calaway has a page about the Mach One (or Mach 1) as part of his Museum of Early Video Editing Equipment and Techniques.

The FREEWARE MACH ONE.5 VIDEOTAPE EDITOR controls 6 VTRs, Ampex Vista or Grass Valley Group model 100, 200, or 300 video switchers, ESAM II audio mixers, and Zaxcom or Ensemble Designs TBC controllers. The parallel port provides 8 TTL-level GPI signals which could be wired to your own relay drivers and relays. The EE mode of the record VTR provides the preview switcher function.

The FREEWARE MACH ONE.5 VIDEOTAPE EDITOR is contained in several files:

• The Mach1I.htm file provides information about the requirements and configuration of the FREEWARE MACH ONE.5 VIDEOTAPE EDITOR, as well as the brochure for the MACH ONE.5 VIDEOTAPE EDITOR. Read this before downloading any other Mach One files.
• The Mach1U.htm file contains the latest manual corrections, software patches, and other upgrade information.
• The Mach1O.htm file contains the latest information on hardware, software, and support options.
• The Mach1D.exe file (Size: 85762 Bytes, version 1.14 Rev B) contains the installation/technical (20 page) and tutorial (50 page) manuals in files formatted for the Windows 3.x Write program (the Win9x/NT WordPad program can also be used). The manual reference section is also provided in an online help file (not available in the present freeware version 1.30).
• The Mach1E.exe file (Size: 161637 Bytes, version 1.30) contains the executable program files, as well as other diagnostic programs and various configuration files.
• The Mach1V.exe file (Size: 29217 Bytes, version 1.1) contains Turbo Pascal source code for a VTR simulator for the Freeware Mach One.5 Videotape Editor. You could use this as a framework to interface parallel-controlled VTRs. Only download this if you enjoy building circuits and writing software! Turbo Pascal 5.5 is now available free from Borland in their museum.

The three EXE files are self-extracting files, and should be placed into an empty subdirectory on your hard disk and then run.

I have been providing MACH ONE support since 1984. Please contact me with any questions or comments. Limited free support for the Freeware Mach One.5 is available by email. Telephone support for this free product is only available if a support fee is paid.

Thanks for your support and consideration!
Paul Breneman,
Breneman Labs