Charles Ginsburg

Charles Ginsburg (1920–1992) was an engineer and the leader of a research team at Ampex which developed one of the first practical videotape recorders^[1].

Born in San Francisco, California, Ginsburg earned a bachelor's degree from San José State University in 1948. He worked as an engineer at AM-radio station KQW (now KCBS). He joined Ampex in 1951, and remained there until his retirement in 1986, holding the title Vice President of Advanced Technology.^[2] Ginsburg was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering in 1973, being cited for invention and pioneering development of video magnetic tape recording for instant playback^[3].

Honors and Awards

• David Sarnoff Award of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) (1957),
• Vladimir K. Zworykin Award of the Institute of Radio Engineers (1958)^[4],
• Valdemar Poulsen Gold Medal from the Danish Academy of Technical Sciences (1960),
• Howard N. Potts Medal from the Franklin Institute (1969),
• John Scott Award from the City of Philadelphia Board of Directors of Trusts, Video Achievement Award from the former International Tape/Disc Association (1975),
• Inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame (1990)^[5].
• Inducted into the Consumer Electronics Hall of Fame (2000).^[2]

US Patents

• U.S. Patent 3,003,025
• U.S. Patent 2,968,692
• U.S. Patent 2,956,114
• U.S. Patent 2,921,990
• U.S. Patent 2,916,547
• U.S. Patent 2,916,546
• U.S. Patent 2,866,012

References

1. ^ Group photo including Ginsburg and his team
2. ^ ^{a b} "Charles Ginsburg". Consumer Electronics Association. 2000. http://www.ce.org/Events/Awards/485.htm. Retrieved 2007-07-16. 
3. ^ Memorial Tribute NAE
4. ^ List of IEEE Vladimir K. Zworykin Award recipients
5. ^ Short bio