Charles P. Ginsburg

Born:
July 27, 1920
San Francisco, California

Died:
April 9, 1992
Eugene, Oregon

Charles P. Ginsburg made a huge contribution to technology with his invention and development of video magnetic tape recording for instant playback. Although he began his career as a pre-med student and even studied animal husbandry, by 1940 he was working as a sound technician and later as a studio and transmitter engineer. He graduated with a B.A. from San Jose State College in 1948 and joined the Ampex Corporation in 1952 where he would make his mark in the world of television.

Ginsburg revolutionized television broadcasting by developing a system which used a rapidly rotating recording head to apply high-frequency signals onto a reel of magnetic tape. This invention made possible instant replay, the reduction of production time by many hours, allowed for rapid editing, and increased flexibility in presenting news and other programs. In 1957 Ginsburg won an Emmy for his outstanding contribution of the VTR or Video Tape Recorder. He was also inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1990 for leading the research team at Ampex Corporation in developing this video tape recorder.

In 1956, CBS was the first network to use VTR technology after demonstrations caused Ampex to be bombarded with new orders for the gadget. Ampex sold the first video tape recorder for $50,000 in 1956. NASA has used Ampex recorders and magnetic tape for all space missions since 1958, and in 1960 Ampex received an Oscar for technical achievement. In 1957, Ampex also received an Emmy from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Ginsburg was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1973 for invention and pioneering development of video magnetic tape recording for instant playback. His list of honors is quite lengthy. In all, Ginsburg received seven U.S. patents and 32 foreign patents. He sired five girls with his wife Edna and although he was diagnosed a diabetic at age four, it was two years after insulin was discovered. Charles P. Ginsburg died at the age of 71 in Eugene, Oregon. Remember him when you watch an instant replay or previously recorded broadcast.

Source:     National Academy Press


Additional Learning Links

National Inventors Hall of Fame
This is a link to Charles P. Ginsburg’s Hall of Fame profile. Get access to programs, workshops, and information on some of history’s most famous inventors.
Source:     National Inventors Hall of Fame

National Academy Press
Part of the Memorial tributes from the National Academy of Engineering, this excerpt includes a photo and a detailed description of Ginsburg’s most influential projects and inventions.
Source:     National Academy Press

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