CMX Systems

CMX Editing Systems

Company type	Private
Industry	Video editing technology
Founded	1971
Founder	CBS and Memorex collaboration, with Ronald Lee Martin involvement
Defunct	1998
Fate	Ceased production of CMX products; acquired by Chyron
Headquarters	Sunnyvale, California (later relocated to Santa Clara, California) , United States
Area served	Worldwide post-production industry
Products	Video editing systems including CMX-600, CMX-200, CMX-300, CMX-340, CMX Edge, CMX-3400, CMX-3600, CMX-6000, CMX CINEMA, CMX CASS 1, OMNI Series

CMX Editing Systems—also recognized as CMX Systems—was established through a collaboration between CBS and Memorex, with key input from figures such as Ronald Lee Martin, who later became head of Universal Studios. The company was instrumental in creating groundbreaking computerized solutions for both linear and non-linear videotape editing processes used in post-production. The acronym CMX represented CBS, Memorex, and eXperimental.

History

Based in Sunnyvale, California, CMX was a trailblazer in integrating computer technology with videotape editing. In 1971, it launched the CMX 600, the industry's first linear video editing system. Primarily intended for offline editing, this system enabled the creation of rough cuts and generated edit decision lists (EDLs). Video and audio data were stored on Memorex disk pack drives, allowing immediate random access. The CMX-600 functioned in tandem with the CMX-200, which automated the final assembly of programs by managing multiple VTRs according to the EDLs. The 600 utilized a Digital PDP-11 minicomputer, while the 200 received commands through a Teletype Model 33 terminal.

In 1972, CMX introduced its first online editing system, the CMX-300, which supported up to four VTRs and incorporated an internal video mixer for effects like wipes and fades, controlled via a Digital VT-05 terminal. Subsequent developments included the CMX-340 released in 1976 and the CMX Edge, both capable of handling offline and online editing tasks.

Following its sale to Orrox in 1974 and relocation to Santa Clara, California, CMX was eventually acquired by Chyron. Chyron retained ownership until ceasing production of CMX products in 1998.

By the mid-1980s, CMX equipment accounted for nearly 90% of video editing systems employed in post-production. The company’s keyboard control interface influenced other prominent manufacturers such as Grass Valley, Calaway, and Strassner Editing Systems.

Models

• CMX-200 – An auto-assembly system from 1971 operated via Teletype that loaded EDLs created by the CMX-600 to control Quadruplex VTRs.
• CMX-300 – Debuted at NAB in 1972 as CMX’s first online editor based on EDLs; managed up to four 2" Quadruplex VTRs along with an audio mixer and video switcher.
• CMX-400 – An offline editing system utilizing IVC 870 1" helical scan VTRs.
• CMX-600 – Introduced in 1971 as the pioneering non-linear video editor; featured a DEC PDP-11 computer paired with Memorex disk packs storing analog black-and-white video embedded with digital PCM audio. It adhered to SMPTE timecode standards and produced punch tape outputs facilitating offline-to-online workflows.
• CMX-50 – Regarded as the first practical offline editing controller designed for 3/4" U-matic VCRs.
• CMX-340 – Released in 1976 with Intelligent Interfaces (I2) that enabled integration with various VTRs and video switchers; included an ergonomic jog knob known as "GIZMO" built into the keyboard. Within eighteen months of its launch, over 90% of broadcast videotape editing utilized CMX systems.
• CMX EDGE – Supported both offline and online editing functions featuring an integrated CRT display and dual jog knobs.
• CMX-3400 – A widely adopted online videotape editor introduced in 1979.
• CMX-3600 – Another extensively used online videotape editing system.
• CMX-6000 – Launched in 1986 as a videodisc-based offline editor aimed at long-form productions such as television series and feature films using Kodak KeyCode technology.
• CMX CINEMA – A digital video iteration of the 6000 released in 1993, incorporating a Windows graphical user interface and mouse control.
• CMX CASS 1 – A timecode-driven audio editing and console automation platform introduced in 1986.
• OMNI Series (OMNI-1000E, OMNI-500, OMNI-1000 AEGIS) – Redesigned hardware suites capable of managing multiple analog/digital VTRs, ATRs, video switchers with effects timelines, and audio mixers. These systems featured color graphical interfaces based on early X-Windows technology along with integrated jog dials and sophisticated EDL handling.

This product range highlights CMX’s influential role in creating innovative tools that transformed post-production workflows worldwide across diverse market sectors.

See also

• Strassner Editing Systems, a prominent example of PC-based editing platforms following the "CMX Style," alongside the Calloway system created by Jack Calloway and ETC.
• 2" Quadruplex (developed by Ampex, RCA, and Bosch's Fernseh)
• 1" Type A (produced by Ampex)
• 1" Type B (manufactured by Bosch's Fernseh in collaboration with BTS Philips)
• IVC 2 inch Helical scan (the IVC 9000 format from International Video Corporation)
• 1" Type C (formats from Sony, Ampex, NEC, and Hitachi)
• Timeline, the history of editing (John Buck 2018), which includes a comprehensive account of the CMX-600's development (Tablo Books).