Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre (partially lost showtape recordings for animatronic theater of restaurant chain; 1977-1995): Difference between revisions

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(Filled out the main description, included more in-depth description of the format of the media the tapes were stored on, updated showtape dates, added additional tapes not found, and added the lost status on the signals of each tape, including references.)
(Began to update the list of lost shows to include other formats used up to the late 2000's, along with additional info.)
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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Chuck E. Cheese's (Partially lost showtape recordings for animatronic theater; 1977-Present)}}
{{InfoboxLost
{{InfoboxLost
|title=<center>Pizza Time Theater Showtapes</center>
|title=<center>Pizza Time Theater Showtapes</center>
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|status=<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Lost'''</span>
|status=<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Lost'''</span>
}}
}}
''Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre'' is an animatronic restaurant chain started in 1977 by Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell. It featured multiple animatronic stage performances amongst the dining areas, which evolved and changed over the course of a decade through bankruptcy, company mergers, and attempts to keep the brand modern. Starting in the late early 90's, the company began a movement to modernize the look, characters, and animatronic offerings presented at their stores, leading to the ''Pizza Time Theatre'' moniker being dropped, and a heavy separation from the previous brand.
''Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre'' is an animatronic restaurant chain started in 1977 by Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell. It featured multiple animatronic stage performances amongst the dining areas, which evolved and changed over the course of four decades through bankruptcy, company mergers, and attempts to keep the brand modern.  


== Showtape Info: ==
==Early Showtape Info:==
The animatronics performed songs, skits, birthday shows, and special events through a swappable showtape system. Each showtape had a select collection of character performances, which would run individually for three to ten minutes, before having a "break" to let the air compressor behind the stage refill. A full showtape would have between 30-80 minutes of shows. Every few months the stores would be sent a new showtape to keep the content fresh, along with costumes and other themed props to adorn the stage, keeping with the showtape's theme.
The animatronics (Referred to as Cyberamics) performed songs, skits, birthday shows, and special events through a swappable showtape system. Each showtape had a select collection of character performances, which would run individually for three to ten minutes, before having a "break" to let the air compressor behind the stage refill. A full showtape would have between 30-80 minutes of shows. Every few months the stores would be sent a new showtape to keep the content fresh, along with costumes and other themed props to adorn the stage, keeping with the showtape's theme.




The animatronics, lights, and other stage effects were controlled by a computer system in the backroom running off of a reel-to-reel audio tape. For the main life of the show, this was a Maxell UD 35-90 7" audio tape, which played showtape audio through one channel, and animatronic programming signals through the other. Later on in 1988 the show computers would be upgraded to run on SVHS video tapes. These tapes played showroom audio on HiFi left, game-room audio on HiFi right (birthday shows were muted in this channel), and a new animatronic signal format running across both normal channels. Video was also displayed through the TVs scattered around the store. In July of 1993 the signal format was altered to shuffle around the programming signal outputs, causing stores to be unable to play older showtapes.
The animatronics, lights, and other stage effects were controlled by a computer system in the backroom running off of a reel-to-reel audio tape. For the beginning of the show, this was a Maxell UD 35-90 7" audio tape, which played showtape audio through one channel, and animatronic programming signals through the other.  


==Media Recovery:==
==Main Showtapes - 7" Reel: (1977 - 1990) ==
Due to the showtapes only ever being owned by the store, along with becoming obsolete once the next tape was sent in, most original tape copies are lost or destroyed. Tapes are mostly found in possession of a former employee (usually the technician) after their location has shut down. This is usually either the last showtape before closure, or all tapes owned throughout the store's use. This makes older tapes increasingly harder to find, being sent to less stores than when the company was larger.
 
Tapes are typically seen on eBay every 1-3 years going for $30-40, while most are held by private collectors. Due to the analogue nature and formatting of the showtapes, reels require expensive reel-to-reel tape decks to record audio/signals. SVHS tapes are even harder to extract a full archive of, as a VCR that can output 4 separate audio channels + video, along with a capture card able to record it, is needed. The analogue format requires simultaneous recordings of AV and signals, as multiple takes or rips from separate tapes combined can result in large amounts of desync.
 
Though a large amount of showtape audio and video was archived in the early 2000's by a group of private collector's, they never released the accompanying signal audio channels, making almost all of the showtapes partially found.
 
==Main Showtapes - 7" Reel:==
The following listed are tapes performed by the main cast of animatronic characters.
The following listed are tapes performed by the main cast of animatronic characters.


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|-
|-
|Original PTT Tape with Crusty
|Original PTT Tape with Crusty
|May 17, 1977
| May 17, 1977
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
|Helen Henny "Portrait" Showtape (With Crusty & Warblettes)
| Helen Henny "Portrait" Showtape (With Crusty & Warblettes)
|August 1977
|August 1977
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
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|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
| Foxy Colleen "Portrait" Showtape (With Crusty & Warblettes)
|Foxy Colleen "Portrait" Showtape (With Crusty & Warblettes)
|October 1978
|October 1978
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found?'''</span> (Some of the  segments without Crusty might have been reused in Foxy Colleen IV - Irish Stew.  All Through that's unconfirmed)
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found?'''</span> (Some of the  segments without Crusty might have been reused in Foxy Colleen IV - Irish Stew.  All Through that's unconfirmed)
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|-
|-
|Helen Henny "Portrait" Showtape (With Mr. Munch & Mopsey Sisters)
|Helen Henny "Portrait" Showtape (With Mr. Munch & Mopsey Sisters)
|November 1978
| November 1978
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
| Madam Oink "Portrait" Showtape #2
|Madam Oink "Portrait" Showtape #2
|May 1979
| May 1979
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
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|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
|Sally I
| Sally I
|November 1979
|November 1979
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
|Unknown
| Unknown
|March 1980
|March 1980
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Dr. Dux Diagnostic Stage/Shelf
|1980
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span> <ref>https://www.dropbox.com/sh/nh1v3sotagq65k7/AABD9NPgeF15BEUD9pi39BDwa/Non-Showtape%20Audio/PTT%20Diagnostic%20Reel?dl=0&subfolder_nav_tracking=1</ref>(Though signal audio is damaged)
|-
|-
|Foxy Colleen III - Showboat (With Mr. Munch & Warblettes)
|Foxy Colleen III - Showboat (With Mr. Munch & Warblettes)
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|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
|Madam Oink - Around the World (Normal and X-Mas ver.)
| Madam Oink - Around the World (Normal and X-Mas ver.)
|November 7, 1980
| November 7, 1980
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span> (Both Variations)
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span> (Both Variations)
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
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|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
|Madame Oink IV - "The Tune Machine"
| Madame Oink IV - "The Tune Machine"
|March-September 1, 1983
|March-September 1, 1983
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
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|-
|-
|Unknown (Back to School?)
|Unknown (Back to School?)
| January-March 1985
|January-March 1985
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
|Hit Parade
| Hit Parade
|April-May 1985
|April-May 1985
|<span style="color:Green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:Green;">'''Found'''</span>
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|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
| World of Kids
|World of Kids
|January-February 1986
|January-February 1986
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
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|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
| History of Rock and Roll II
|History of Rock and Roll II
|September-October 1986
|September-October 1986
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
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|-
|-
|TV Westerns
|TV Westerns
|March-April 1987
| March-April 1987
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
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|-
|-
|CEC Faves / Working
|CEC Faves / Working
| September-November 1987
|September-November 1987
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
|Home For the Holidays (Reel Only)
|Home For the Holidays (Reel Only)
|December 1987
| December 1987
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
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|-
|-
|Tune Machine/ Country
|Tune Machine/ Country
|March-April 1988
| March-April 1988
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
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|-
|-
|Home For the Holidays (Reel Only)
|Home For the Holidays (Reel Only)
|December 1988
| December 1988
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
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|-
|-
|Home For The Holidays (Reel & Cyberstar)
|Home For The Holidays (Reel & Cyberstar)
|December 1989
| December 1989
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
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|}
|}


== Cabaret Showtapes - 7" Reel: (1978 - 1995)==
Alongside the main animatronic show, other rooms in the restaurant would host additional characters, playing their own individual showtapes. They were phased out in the 90's as stores were redesigned with a new modern look.
{| class="wikitable" style="vertical-align:top;horizontal-align:left;"
|-
! style="background-color:lightblue" |Showtape title
! style="background-color:lightblue" |Date Recorded
! style="background-color:lightblue" |Audio Status
! style="background-color:lightblue" |Signal Status
|-
|Dolli Dimples
|November 1978
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
| Dolli Dimples II
|December 1982
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Helen Henny
|October 1979
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Artie Antlers
|Early 1980
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Beagles I
|1980
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Beagles II
|May 1982
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Beagles III
|February 1983
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|King I
|June 1981
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|King II
|February 1983
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|King III
| November 1985
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|King-Combo-Birthday
|July 1986
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
| King '90 #1
|October 1990
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|King '90 #2
|October 1990
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Still the King
|March 1993
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost?'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|King '95
| 1995
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Four Little Shavers
|August 1981
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Beach Bowzers
|December 1982
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Beach Bowzers '91
|March 1991
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
| B.B. Bubbles
| December 1982
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|King Kat
|October 1984
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|}


==Main Showtapes - SVHS:==
==Main Showtapes - SVHS Format #1: (1988 - 1993) ==
The following listed are tapes performed by the main cast of animatronic characters. Listed up until the discontinuation of the reel format.  
In 1988 the show computers would be upgraded to run on SVHS video tapes. These tapes played showroom audio on HiFi left, game-room audio on HiFi right (birthday shows were muted in this channel), and a new animatronic signal format running across both normal channels. Video was also displayed through the TVs scattered around the store. Breaks between shows could now have accompanying videos play on the monitors to entertain guests while they waited.  
{| class="wikitable" style="vertical-align:top;horizontal-align:left;"
{| class="wikitable" style="vertical-align:top;horizontal-align:left;"
|-
|-
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|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
|CEC Grammy Awards
| CEC Grammy Awards
|July 1988
|July 1988
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found'''</span> (Missing footage of the intermissions and live shows)
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found'''</span> (Missing footage of the intermissions and live shows)
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|-
|-
|CEC Cyberstar Diagnostics Tape (Master)
|CEC Cyberstar Diagnostics Tape (Master)
|November 7, 1990
| November 7, 1990
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Lost'''</span> (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows)
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Lost'''</span> (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows)
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
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|CEC Christmas '90 / Wave Bday
|CEC Christmas '90 / Wave Bday
|November 9, 1990
|November 9, 1990
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|CEC Jan '91
|December 10, 1990
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|CEC Future
|March 14, 1991
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Lost'''</span> (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows)
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|CEC American Pride / Wave 3 Stage
|May 7, 1991
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Lost'''</span> (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows)
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|CEC Games / Wave Bday (3-Stage)
|July 9, 1991
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|CEC September '91 / Wave (3-Stage)
|September 10, 1991
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|CEC Xmas '91 / Wave Bday
| December 6, 1991
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|CEC Jan-92 Space / Wave (3-Stage)
|December 11, 1991
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|CEC Physical Fit
|February 14, 1992
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Environment
|April 4, 1992
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Children of America
|July 1992
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Planes, Trains, And Automobiles
|August 1992
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Working For A Living
|September 1992
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Holiday Special 1992
|December 1992
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|January 1993 Show
|January 1993
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Spring Training
|March 1993
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|May 1993 Show
|May 1993
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
Line 403: Line 591:
|}
|}


==Cabaret / Other - 7" Reel:==
==3-Stage Showtapes - SVHS Format #1: (1990 - 1993)==
The following listed are the Cabaret, Lounge, and diagnostic tapes.  
Starting in 1990, after a multi-year merger with ''Showbiz Pizza Place'', Showbiz stores were converted to Chuck E Cheese's. The animatronic shows in their restaurants, ''The Rock-Afire Explosion,'' were changed into the main Chuck E Cheese cast. This meant that new signals had to be programmed for the unique offerings of the 3-stage layout, though the computer systems running the animatronics were still using the same SVHS format as the Cyberamics. Some of the shows were unique to this stage, while others only had different video displayed.  
{| class="wikitable" style="vertical-align:top;horizontal-align:left;"
{| class="wikitable" style="vertical-align:top;horizontal-align:left;"
|-
|-
! style="background-color:lightblue" |Showtape title
! style="background-color:lightblue" |Showtape title
! style="background-color:lightblue" |Date Recorded
! style="background-color:lightblue" |Date Recorded
! style="background-color:lightblue" |Audio Status
! style="background-color:lightblue" |Audio / Video Status
! style="background-color:lightblue" |Signal Status
! style="background-color:lightblue" |Signal Status
|-
|-
|Dolli Dimples
|SPP Concept Unification Premiere
|November 1978
|June 21, 1990
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|CU Jan '91
|December 10, 1990
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|CU Future
|March 14, 1991
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Lost'''</span> (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows)
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|CU Diagnostics '91
|March 14, 1991
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Lost'''</span> (Only an edited down copy has been shown)
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|CU American Pride / Wave 3 Stage
|May 7, 1991
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Lost'''</span> (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows)
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|CU Games / Wave Bday (3-Stage)
|July 9, 1991
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|CU September '91 / Wave (3-Stage)
|September 10, 1991
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|CU Xmas '91 / Wave Bday
|December 6, 1991
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|CU Jan-92 Space / Wave (3-Stage)
|December 11, 1991
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|CU Physical Fit
|February 14, 1992
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Environment
|April 4, 1992
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Children of America
|July 1992
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Planes, Trains, And Automobiles
|August 1992
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Working For A Living
|September 1992
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Holiday Special 1992
|December 1992
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|January 1993 Show
|January 1993
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Spring Training
|March 1993
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|May 1993 Show
|May 1993
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|}
 
==3-Stage + Cyberamics Showtapes - SVHS Format #2: (1993 - 2007)==
For the July 1993 show, the show computers for Cyberamics and 3-Stage shows were updated to only accept a new format of shows, forcing stores to not be able to play older shows. This new format just swapped around which values represented which movements/lights were turned on, and nothing else. Showtape labels also began to remove the CU/CEC prefix from the title, along with the video and music now being the same across both show types.
An additional thing to note is that the shows produced from April 1994 to April 1996 were produced entirely by Disney, down to the voices, music, and video production, making them lost Disney media. While low quality edits have been online, the full 13+ hours of tape have not been recovered.
{| class="wikitable" style="vertical-align:top;horizontal-align:left;"
|-
! style="background-color:lightblue" |Showtape title
! style="background-color:lightblue" |Date Recorded
! style="background-color:lightblue" |Audio / Video Status
! style="background-color:lightblue" |Signal Status (Cybers)
! style="background-color:lightblue" |Signal Status (3-Stage)
|-
|Patriotic 1993 Show
|July 1993
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Best Of CEC TV (Best of 93)
|July 1993
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|You're A Star
|September 15, 1993
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Holiday '93
|November 25, 1993
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Let The Good Times Roll
|January 1994
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Spring Break
|April 1994
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Lost'''</span> (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows)
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Patriotic 1994 Show
|July 1994
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Lost'''</span> (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows)
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|September '94
|September 1994
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Lost'''</span> (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows)
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Holiday '94
|December 1994
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Lost'''</span> (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows)
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|January 1995
|January 1995
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Lost'''</span> (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows)
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow
|April 1995
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Lost'''</span> (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows)
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Destination Imagination
|August 1995
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Lost'''</span> (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows)
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Chuck E's Magical Holiday Celebration
|December 1995
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Lost'''</span> (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows)
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Chuck E's Tall Tales
|January 1996
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Lost'''</span> (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows)
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|The Totally Awesome Kids Show
|April 1996
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Lost'''</span> (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows)
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Awesome Adventure Machine
|August 1996
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Chuck E's Magical Holiday Celebration
|December 1996
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Chuck E's Jukebox Jam Show
|January 1997
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Chuck E Cheese's 20th Anniversary
|April 1997
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|August 1997 Show
|August 1997
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Chuck E's Magical Holiday Celebration
|December 1997
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Blast From The Past
|January 1998
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|May 1998 Show
|May 1998
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Patriotic 1998
|July 1998
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|September 1998
|September 1998
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Happy Holidays 1998
|December 1998
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Terrific Time Travel Review
|January 1999
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Dance Party
|April 1999
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Fabulous World Adventure
|August 1999
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|September 1999
|September 1999
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Chuck E's Holiday Party
|Holiday 1999
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Chuck E's Variety Show
|January 2000
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Just for Kids Show
|April 2000
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|"Summertime" 2000
|July 2000
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|September 2000 Show
|September 2000
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Chuck E's Holiday Party
|December 2000
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|January 2001 Show
|January 2001
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Chuck E's Rockin' Rhymes
|April 2001
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Summertime 2001
|July 2001
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
|Dolli Dimples II
|September 2001 Show
|December 1982
|September 2001
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Chuck E's Holiday Party
|December 2001
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|January 2002 Show Upgrade
|January 2002
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|April 2002 Show
|April 2002
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Summer 2002 Show Upgrade
|July 2002
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|September 2002 Show Upgrade
|September 2002
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Holiday 2002
|December 2002
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Best Of CEC TV
|January 2003
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Chuck E Cheese Spring Show 2003
|April 2003
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
|Helen Henny
|Summertime 2003
|October 1979
|July 2003
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
|Artie Antlers
|September 2003 Show Upgrade
|Early 1980
|September 2003
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
|Beagles I
|Holiday 2003 Show Upgrade
|1980
|December 2003
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
|Beagles II
|January 2004 Show
|May 1982
|January 2004
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
|Beagles III
|Chuck E Cheese April 2004 Show
|February 1983
|April 2004
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
|King I
|Summer 2004 Show
|June 1981
|July 2004
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
|King II
|September 2004 Show Upgrade
|February 1983
|September 2004
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
|King III
|Holiday 2004
|November 1985
|December 2004
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
|King-Combo-Birthday
|January 2005 Show
|July 1986
|January 2005
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
|King '90 #1
|CEC TV April 2005 Show
|October 1990
|April 2005
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
|King '90 #2
|Super Chuck Summer Show
|October 1990
|July 2005
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
|Still the King
|September 2005 Show
|March 1993
|September 2005
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost?'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
|King '95
|Holiday 2005
|1995
|December 2005
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
|Four Little Shavers
|January 2006 Show
|August 1981
|January 2006
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
|Beach Bowzers
|April 2006 Show
|December 1982
|April 2006
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
|Beach Bowzers '91
|Summertime 2006
|March 1991
|July 2006
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
|B.B. Bubbles
|September 2006 Show
|December 1982
|September 2006
|<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
|King Kat
|Holiday 2006
|October 1984
|December 2006
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|-
|Dr. Dux Diagnostic Stage/Shelf
|January 2007
|1980
|January 2007
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span> <ref>https://www.dropbox.com/sh/nh1v3sotagq65k7/AABD9NPgeF15BEUD9pi39BDwa/Non-Showtape%20Audio/PTT%20Diagnostic%20Reel?dl=0&subfolder_nav_tracking=1</ref>(Though signal audio is damaged)
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|}
|}
==Media Recovery:==
Due to the showtapes only ever being owned by the store, along with becoming obsolete once the next tape was sent in, most original tape copies are lost or destroyed. Tapes are mostly found in possession of a former employee (usually the technician) after their location has shut down. This is usually either the last showtape before closure, or all tapes owned throughout the store's use. This makes older tapes increasingly harder to find.
PTT Reel tapes and SVHS showtapes are typically seen on eBay every 1-3 years going for $30-40, while most are held by private collectors. The later disc and floppy formats come up usually every few months. Due to the analogue nature and formatting of the PTT reels, they require expensive reel-to-reel tape decks to record audio/signals. SVHS tapes are even harder to extract a full archive of, as a VCR that can output 4 separate audio channels + video, along with a capture card able to record it, is needed. The analogue format requires simultaneous recordings of AV and signals, as multiple takes or rips from separate tapes combined can result in large amounts of desync. The later disc, floppy, and USB formats are fully digital, and only need an ISO rip of the data to be complete.
== Previous Finds: ==
In the 2000's a few private collectors holding a majority of the PTT reel tapes digitized the audio and signals for use in newer custom digital animatronic controllers<ref>http://www.dsfrobots.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=9</ref>, along with uploading all of the audio to Radio Showbiz<ref>https://www.showbizpizza.com/radio/archive.html</ref>. To this day, they haven't uploaded the missing audio channels containing the signals, leaving a majority of the PTT reels partially found.
A similar situation happened in the late 2000's, when Gabriel Vasquez got in contact with CEC Entertainment Corp to digitize a large selection of their master reels, along with obtaining a large amount of their reels and SVHS tapes used in their stores. He uploaded edited cuts of a majority of the late 80's and early 90's video to his 3 YouTube channels<ref>https://www.youtube.com/user/Pizzacam3/channels</ref> around the same time. He has however stated multiple times that when he dies, he will have his collection of original tapes, along with the plethora of shows he hasn't released, destroyed and burned.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA2zMfGTn30</ref><ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20211016214955/https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/retro_pizza_zone/viewtopic.php?p=118085#p118085</ref> CEC Entertainment Corp does still own digital copies of what he acquired.
In the late 2010's, a contact of Gabriel leaked a plethora of his digital rips to YouTube, preserving the full video length of a large collection of showtapes. None of the signals were preserved in the uploads, along with lots of his collection still missing in full.
Showtapes from the late 90's to modern day have had their audio and video preserved by random contributors over the years, as there are no private collectors who hold any large majority of physical modern showtape media. No signals for Cyberamics or 3-Stage modern shows are publicly available, as the holders fear people may burn the showtapes to a blank DVD and harass store employees to play older shows on the animatronics. Studio C shows are different, however, as the signals are separately placed on a floppy disk, along with the animatronic computer's program data, allowing multiple archives to be found of the floppy ISOs.<ref>https://archive.org/details/@decode_document_digitize?and&#x5B;&#x5D;=subject%3A%22floppy%22</ref>


==References==
==References==
Line 544: Line 1,148:
*https://www.youtube.com/user/Pizzacam3/videos
*https://www.youtube.com/user/Pizzacam3/videos
*https://www.youtube.com/c/pizzacam/videos
*https://www.youtube.com/c/pizzacam/videos
*https://www.dropbox.com/sh/nh1v3sotagq65k7/AABD9NPgeF15BEUD9pi39BDwa/Non-Showtape%20Audio/PTT%20Diagnostic%20Reel?dl=0&subfolder_nav_tracking=1
*https://www.youtube.com/c/ChuckECheeseShowtapeArchive/videos
*https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS_WzSwT0QqjayJfR6hRQaA/videos


[[Category:Lost audio]]
[[Category:Lost audio]]

Revision as of 22:15, 16 October 2021


Shelf-reel.jpg

Example of a showtape.

Status: Partially Lost

Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre is an animatronic restaurant chain started in 1977 by Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell. It featured multiple animatronic stage performances amongst the dining areas, which evolved and changed over the course of four decades through bankruptcy, company mergers, and attempts to keep the brand modern.

Early Showtape Info:

The animatronics (Referred to as Cyberamics) performed songs, skits, birthday shows, and special events through a swappable showtape system. Each showtape had a select collection of character performances, which would run individually for three to ten minutes, before having a "break" to let the air compressor behind the stage refill. A full showtape would have between 30-80 minutes of shows. Every few months the stores would be sent a new showtape to keep the content fresh, along with costumes and other themed props to adorn the stage, keeping with the showtape's theme.


The animatronics, lights, and other stage effects were controlled by a computer system in the backroom running off of a reel-to-reel audio tape. For the beginning of the show, this was a Maxell UD 35-90 7" audio tape, which played showtape audio through one channel, and animatronic programming signals through the other.

Main Showtapes - 7" Reel: (1977 - 1990)

The following listed are tapes performed by the main cast of animatronic characters.

Showtape title Release Dates Audio Status Signal Status
Original PTT Tape with Crusty May 17, 1977 Partially Lost Lost
Helen Henny "Portrait" Showtape (With Crusty & Warblettes) August 1977 Lost Lost
Madam Oink "Portrait" Showtape (With Crusty & Warblettes) February 1978 Partially Lost Lost
Foxy Colleen "Portrait" Showtape (With Crusty & Warblettes) October 1978 Partially Found? (Some of the segments without Crusty might have been reused in Foxy Colleen IV - Irish Stew. All Through that's unconfirmed) Lost
Helen Henny "Portrait" Showtape (With Mr. Munch & Mopsey Sisters) November 1978 Partially Found Lost
Madam Oink "Portrait" Showtape #2 May 1979 Lost Lost
Unknown August 1979 Lost Lost
Sally I November 1979 Found Lost
Unknown March 1980 Lost Lost
Dr. Dux Diagnostic Stage/Shelf 1980 Found Found [1](Though signal audio is damaged)
Foxy Colleen III - Showboat (With Mr. Munch & Warblettes) May 1980 Lost Lost
Foxy Colleen IV - Irish Stew August 1980 Found Lost
Madam Oink - Around the World (Normal and X-Mas ver.) November 7, 1980 Found (Both Variations) Lost
Harmony Howlette's Wild West Show May 1981-October 1982 Found Lost
Harmony II - Harmony's Hoedown (Normal and CEC's 5th B-day) December 1981 Found (Both Variations) Lost
Madame Oink III - Tunnel of Love (CEC's 5th B-day and Normal) May 1982-March 1983 Found (Both Variations) Lost
Madame Oink III - "Tunnel of Love" Spanish Version 1982 Lost Lost
Madame Oink IV - "The Tune Machine" March-September 1, 1983 Found Lost
Broadway Helen Henny June 1983-March 1984 Found Lost
Bandstand 1 March 1984 Found Lost
Bandstand 2 1984 Found Lost
Country Helen 1984 Found Lost
Unknown (Back to School?) January-March 1985 Lost Lost
Hit Parade April-May 1985 Found Lost
Salute to America June-July 1985 Found Lost
Salute to Kids August-September 1985 Found Lost
Happy Holidays (1985 & 1986) November-December 1985 & November-December 1986 Found Lost
World of Kids January-February 1986 Found Lost
Unknown March-April 1986 Lost Lost
Unknown May-June 1986 Lost Lost
History of Rock and Roll July-August 1986 Found Lost
History of Rock and Roll II September-October 1986 Found Lost
Happy Holidays (1985 & 1986) November-December 1985 & November-December 1986 Found Lost
Movie Magic January-February 1987 Found Lost
TV Westerns March-April 1987 Found Lost
Summertime May-June 1987 Found Lost
Working / Summertime July-August 1987 Found Lost
CEC Faves / Working September-November 1987 Found Lost
Home For the Holidays (Reel Only) December 1987 Found Lost
Country / Faves January-February 1988 Found Lost
Tune Machine/ Country March-April 1988 Found Lost
Summertime/Tune Machine May-June 1988 Found Lost
CEC Grammy Awards/Summertime July-August 1988 Found Lost
CEC Dance/CEC Grammy Awards September-November 1988 Found Lost
Home For the Holidays (Reel Only) December 1988 Found Lost
Fractured Classics/Dance January-February 1989 Found Lost
CEC Kiddie Songs/Fractured Rock March-April 1989 Found Lost
Best of 1988 May-June 1989 Found Lost
CEC Dreams/Kiddie Songs July-August 1989 Found Lost
CEC Neighbors / Dreams September-November 1989 Found Lost
Home For The Holidays (Reel & Cyberstar) December 1989 Found Lost
CEC American Pride/Neighbors January-February 1990 Found Lost
CEC Kids/American Pride March-April 1990 Found Lost
CEC TV Classics May-June 1990 Found Lost
Summer Days July-August 1990 Found Lost

Cabaret Showtapes - 7" Reel: (1978 - 1995)

Alongside the main animatronic show, other rooms in the restaurant would host additional characters, playing their own individual showtapes. They were phased out in the 90's as stores were redesigned with a new modern look.

Showtape title Date Recorded Audio Status Signal Status
Dolli Dimples November 1978 Partially Lost Lost
Dolli Dimples II December 1982 Found Lost
Helen Henny October 1979 Found Lost
Artie Antlers Early 1980 Found Lost
Beagles I 1980 Partially Found Lost
Beagles II May 1982 Found Lost
Beagles III February 1983 Found Lost
King I June 1981 Found Lost
King II February 1983 Found Lost
King III November 1985 Found Lost
King-Combo-Birthday July 1986 Partially Found Lost
King '90 #1 October 1990 Found Lost
King '90 #2 October 1990 Found Lost
Still the King March 1993 Lost? Lost
King '95 1995 Found Lost
Four Little Shavers August 1981 Lost Lost
Beach Bowzers December 1982 Found Lost
Beach Bowzers '91 March 1991 Found Lost
B.B. Bubbles December 1982 Partially Found Lost
King Kat October 1984 Found Lost

Main Showtapes - SVHS Format #1: (1988 - 1993)

In 1988 the show computers would be upgraded to run on SVHS video tapes. These tapes played showroom audio on HiFi left, game-room audio on HiFi right (birthday shows were muted in this channel), and a new animatronic signal format running across both normal channels. Video was also displayed through the TVs scattered around the store. Breaks between shows could now have accompanying videos play on the monitors to entertain guests while they waited.

Showtape title Date Recorded Audio / Video Status Signal Status
CEC Country / Faves January 1988 Lost Lost
CEC Tune Machine / Country March 1988 Partially Lost (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows) Lost
CEC Summertime May 1988 Partially Found (Missing footage of the intermissions and live shows) Lost
CEC Grammy Awards July 1988 Partially Found (Missing footage of the intermissions and live shows) Lost
CEC Dance Showtape September 7, 1988 Partially Found (Missing footage of the intermissions and live shows) Lost
CEC Home for the Holidays November 1988 Partially Lost (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows) Lost
CEC Fractured Classics January 1989 Partially Lost (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows) Lost
CEC Kiddie Songs March 1989 Partially Lost (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows) Lost
CEC Best Of 1988 May 1989 Partially Found (Missing footage of the intermissions and live shows) Lost
CEC Dreams/Kids Showtape June 29, 1989 Partially Found (Missing footage of the intermissions and live shows) Lost
CEC Neighbors / Dreams September 1989 Partially Lost (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows) Lost
CEC Christmas '89 / Wave Bday November 9, 1989 Partially Lost (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows) Lost
CEC American Pride / Neighbors January 1990 Partially Lost (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows) Lost
CEC Kids / American Pride March 1990 Partially Lost (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows) Lost
CEC Summer Days July 1990 Partially Found (Missing footage of the intermissions and live shows) Lost
CEC September 1990 Show September 1990 Partially Lost (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows) Lost
CEC Cyberstar Diagnostics Tape (Master) November 7, 1990 Partially Lost (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows) Lost
CEC Christmas '90 / Wave Bday November 9, 1990 Found Lost
CEC Jan '91 December 10, 1990 Found Lost
CEC Future March 14, 1991 Partially Lost (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows) Lost
CEC American Pride / Wave 3 Stage May 7, 1991 Partially Lost (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows) Lost
CEC Games / Wave Bday (3-Stage) July 9, 1991 Found Lost
CEC September '91 / Wave (3-Stage) September 10, 1991 Found Lost
CEC Xmas '91 / Wave Bday December 6, 1991 Found Lost
CEC Jan-92 Space / Wave (3-Stage) December 11, 1991 Found Lost
CEC Physical Fit February 14, 1992 Found Lost
Environment April 4, 1992 Found Lost
Children of America July 1992 Found Lost
Planes, Trains, And Automobiles August 1992 Found Lost
Working For A Living September 1992 Found Lost
Holiday Special 1992 December 1992 Found Lost
January 1993 Show January 1993 Found Lost
Spring Training March 1993 Found Lost
May 1993 Show May 1993 Found Lost

3-Stage Showtapes - SVHS Format #1: (1990 - 1993)

Starting in 1990, after a multi-year merger with Showbiz Pizza Place, Showbiz stores were converted to Chuck E Cheese's. The animatronic shows in their restaurants, The Rock-Afire Explosion, were changed into the main Chuck E Cheese cast. This meant that new signals had to be programmed for the unique offerings of the 3-stage layout, though the computer systems running the animatronics were still using the same SVHS format as the Cyberamics. Some of the shows were unique to this stage, while others only had different video displayed.

Showtape title Date Recorded Audio / Video Status Signal Status
SPP Concept Unification Premiere June 21, 1990 Found Lost
CU Jan '91 December 10, 1990 Found Lost
CU Future March 14, 1991 Partially Lost (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows) Lost
CU Diagnostics '91 March 14, 1991 Partially Lost (Only an edited down copy has been shown) Lost
CU American Pride / Wave 3 Stage May 7, 1991 Partially Lost (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows) Lost
CU Games / Wave Bday (3-Stage) July 9, 1991 Found Lost
CU September '91 / Wave (3-Stage) September 10, 1991 Found Lost
CU Xmas '91 / Wave Bday December 6, 1991 Found Lost
CU Jan-92 Space / Wave (3-Stage) December 11, 1991 Found Lost
CU Physical Fit February 14, 1992 Found Lost
Environment April 4, 1992 Found Lost
Children of America July 1992 Found Lost
Planes, Trains, And Automobiles August 1992 Found Lost
Working For A Living September 1992 Found Lost
Holiday Special 1992 December 1992 Found Lost
January 1993 Show January 1993 Found Lost
Spring Training March 1993 Found Lost
May 1993 Show May 1993 Found Lost

3-Stage + Cyberamics Showtapes - SVHS Format #2: (1993 - 2007)

For the July 1993 show, the show computers for Cyberamics and 3-Stage shows were updated to only accept a new format of shows, forcing stores to not be able to play older shows. This new format just swapped around which values represented which movements/lights were turned on, and nothing else. Showtape labels also began to remove the CU/CEC prefix from the title, along with the video and music now being the same across both show types.

An additional thing to note is that the shows produced from April 1994 to April 1996 were produced entirely by Disney, down to the voices, music, and video production, making them lost Disney media. While low quality edits have been online, the full 13+ hours of tape have not been recovered.

Showtape title Date Recorded Audio / Video Status Signal Status (Cybers) Signal Status (3-Stage)
Patriotic 1993 Show July 1993 Found Lost Lost
Best Of CEC TV (Best of 93) July 1993 Found Lost Lost
You're A Star September 15, 1993 Found Lost Lost
Holiday '93 November 25, 1993 Found Lost Lost
Let The Good Times Roll January 1994 Found Lost Lost
Spring Break April 1994 Partially Lost (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows) Lost Lost
Patriotic 1994 Show July 1994 Partially Lost (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows) Lost Lost
September '94 September 1994 Partially Lost (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows) Lost Lost
Holiday '94 December 1994 Partially Lost (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows) Lost Lost
January 1995 January 1995 Partially Lost (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows) Lost Lost
Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow April 1995 Partially Lost (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows) Lost Lost
Destination Imagination August 1995 Partially Lost (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows) Lost Lost
Chuck E's Magical Holiday Celebration December 1995 Partially Lost (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows) Lost Lost
Chuck E's Tall Tales January 1996 Partially Lost (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows) Lost Lost
The Totally Awesome Kids Show April 1996 Partially Lost (Some footage can be pieced together from other tapes. Missing intermissions and live shows) Lost Lost
Awesome Adventure Machine August 1996 Found Lost Lost
Chuck E's Magical Holiday Celebration December 1996 Found Lost Lost
Chuck E's Jukebox Jam Show January 1997 Found Lost Lost
Chuck E Cheese's 20th Anniversary April 1997 Found Lost Lost
August 1997 Show August 1997 Found Lost Lost
Chuck E's Magical Holiday Celebration December 1997 Found Lost Lost
Blast From The Past January 1998 Lost Lost Lost
May 1998 Show May 1998 Partially Lost Lost Lost
Patriotic 1998 July 1998 Lost Lost Lost
September 1998 September 1998 Lost Lost Lost
Happy Holidays 1998 December 1998 Found Lost Lost
Terrific Time Travel Review January 1999 Found Lost Lost
Dance Party April 1999 Found Lost Lost
Fabulous World Adventure August 1999 Found Lost Lost
September 1999 September 1999 Found Lost Lost
Chuck E's Holiday Party Holiday 1999 Lost Lost Lost
Chuck E's Variety Show January 2000 Found Lost Lost
Just for Kids Show April 2000 Found Lost Lost
"Summertime" 2000 July 2000 Found Lost Lost
September 2000 Show September 2000 Found Lost Lost
Chuck E's Holiday Party December 2000 Lost Lost Lost
January 2001 Show January 2001 Found Lost Lost
Chuck E's Rockin' Rhymes April 2001 Lost Lost Lost
Summertime 2001 July 2001 Found Lost Lost
September 2001 Show September 2001 Found Lost Lost
Chuck E's Holiday Party December 2001 Lost Lost Lost
January 2002 Show Upgrade January 2002 Found Lost Lost
April 2002 Show April 2002 Found Lost Lost
Summer 2002 Show Upgrade July 2002 Found Lost Lost
September 2002 Show Upgrade September 2002 Found Lost Lost
Holiday 2002 December 2002 Lost Lost Lost
Best Of CEC TV January 2003 Found Lost Lost
Chuck E Cheese Spring Show 2003 April 2003 Found Lost Lost
Summertime 2003 July 2003 Found Lost Lost
September 2003 Show Upgrade September 2003 Found Lost Lost
Holiday 2003 Show Upgrade December 2003 Found Lost Lost
January 2004 Show January 2004 Found Lost Lost
Chuck E Cheese April 2004 Show April 2004 Found Lost Lost
Summer 2004 Show July 2004 Found Lost Lost
September 2004 Show Upgrade September 2004 Found Lost Lost
Holiday 2004 December 2004 Found Lost Lost
January 2005 Show January 2005 Found Lost Lost
CEC TV April 2005 Show April 2005 Found Lost Lost
Super Chuck Summer Show July 2005 Found Lost Lost
September 2005 Show September 2005 Found Lost Lost
Holiday 2005 December 2005 Found Lost Lost
January 2006 Show January 2006 Found Lost Lost
April 2006 Show April 2006 Found Lost Lost
Summertime 2006 July 2006 Found Lost Lost
September 2006 Show September 2006 Found Lost Lost
Holiday 2006 December 2006 Found Lost Lost
January 2007 January 2007 Found Lost Lost

Media Recovery:

Due to the showtapes only ever being owned by the store, along with becoming obsolete once the next tape was sent in, most original tape copies are lost or destroyed. Tapes are mostly found in possession of a former employee (usually the technician) after their location has shut down. This is usually either the last showtape before closure, or all tapes owned throughout the store's use. This makes older tapes increasingly harder to find.

PTT Reel tapes and SVHS showtapes are typically seen on eBay every 1-3 years going for $30-40, while most are held by private collectors. The later disc and floppy formats come up usually every few months. Due to the analogue nature and formatting of the PTT reels, they require expensive reel-to-reel tape decks to record audio/signals. SVHS tapes are even harder to extract a full archive of, as a VCR that can output 4 separate audio channels + video, along with a capture card able to record it, is needed. The analogue format requires simultaneous recordings of AV and signals, as multiple takes or rips from separate tapes combined can result in large amounts of desync. The later disc, floppy, and USB formats are fully digital, and only need an ISO rip of the data to be complete.

Previous Finds:

In the 2000's a few private collectors holding a majority of the PTT reel tapes digitized the audio and signals for use in newer custom digital animatronic controllers[2], along with uploading all of the audio to Radio Showbiz[3]. To this day, they haven't uploaded the missing audio channels containing the signals, leaving a majority of the PTT reels partially found.

A similar situation happened in the late 2000's, when Gabriel Vasquez got in contact with CEC Entertainment Corp to digitize a large selection of their master reels, along with obtaining a large amount of their reels and SVHS tapes used in their stores. He uploaded edited cuts of a majority of the late 80's and early 90's video to his 3 YouTube channels[4] around the same time. He has however stated multiple times that when he dies, he will have his collection of original tapes, along with the plethora of shows he hasn't released, destroyed and burned.[5][6] CEC Entertainment Corp does still own digital copies of what he acquired.

In the late 2010's, a contact of Gabriel leaked a plethora of his digital rips to YouTube, preserving the full video length of a large collection of showtapes. None of the signals were preserved in the uploads, along with lots of his collection still missing in full.

Showtapes from the late 90's to modern day have had their audio and video preserved by random contributors over the years, as there are no private collectors who hold any large majority of physical modern showtape media. No signals for Cyberamics or 3-Stage modern shows are publicly available, as the holders fear people may burn the showtapes to a blank DVD and harass store employees to play older shows on the animatronics. Studio C shows are different, however, as the signals are separately placed on a floppy disk, along with the animatronic computer's program data, allowing multiple archives to be found of the floppy ISOs.[7]

References

  1. ↑ https://www.dropbox.com/sh/nh1v3sotagq65k7/AABD9NPgeF15BEUD9pi39BDwa/Non-Showtape%20Audio/PTT%20Diagnostic%20Reel?dl=0&subfolder_nav_tracking=1
  2. ↑ http://www.dsfrobots.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=9
  3. ↑ https://www.showbizpizza.com/radio/archive.html
  4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/user/Pizzacam3/channels
  5. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA2zMfGTn30
  6. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20211016214955/https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/retro_pizza_zone/viewtopic.php?p=118085#p118085
  7. ↑ https://archive.org/details/@decode_document_digitize?and%5B%5D=subject%3A%22floppy%22
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