Alexander M. Poniatoff
Encyclopedia
Alexander Matveevich Poniatoff was a Russian-American electrical engineer.
Poniatoff was born 25 March 1892 in Aisha, Zelenodolsky District
, Tatarstan
, Russian Empire
. He emigrated from Russia to China, where he worked for the Shanghai Power Company until he emigrated to the United States
in 1927. He founded, in 1944, the Ampex
company, using his initials, A.M.P., plus "ex" for "excellence" to create the name. The high-frequency bias technique, which made quality recording possible, was invented by Telefunken
engineers, and Poniatoff was the beneficiary of what was effectively war-booty. Danish engineer Valdemar Poulsen
's original magnetic recorder was previously only usable for telephony recording. In 1956, engineers of Ampex created the world's first rotary head recorder
, the VR-1000 videotape recorder. Poniatoff served as president of Ampex until 1955 when he was elected chairman of the board. He died in 1980.
Poniatoff was born 25 March 1892 in Aisha, Zelenodolsky District
Zelenodolsky District
Zelenodolsky District is an administrative and municipal district , one of the forty-three in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. Its administrative center is the city of Zelenodolsk . District's population: 62,251 ;...
, Tatarstan
Tatarstan
The Republic of Tatarstan is a federal subject of Russia located in the Volga Federal District. Its capital is the city of Kazan, which is one of Russia's largest and most prosperous cities. The republic borders with Kirov, Ulyanovsk, Samara, and Orenburg Oblasts, and with the Mari El, Udmurt,...
, Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. He emigrated from Russia to China, where he worked for the Shanghai Power Company until he emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1927. He founded, in 1944, the Ampex
Ampex
Ampex is an American electronics company founded in 1944 by Alexander M. Poniatoff. The name AMPEX is an acronym, created by its founder, which stands for Alexander M. Poniatoff Excellence...
company, using his initials, A.M.P., plus "ex" for "excellence" to create the name. The high-frequency bias technique, which made quality recording possible, was invented by Telefunken
Telefunken
Telefunken is a German radio and television apparatus company, founded in Berlin in 1903, as a joint venture of Siemens & Halske and the Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft...
engineers, and Poniatoff was the beneficiary of what was effectively war-booty. Danish engineer Valdemar Poulsen
Valdemar Poulsen
Valdemar Poulsen was a Danish engineer who developed a magnetic wire recorder in 1899.-Biography:He was born on 23 November 1869 in Copenhagen...
's original magnetic recorder was previously only usable for telephony recording. In 1956, engineers of Ampex created the world's first rotary head recorder
Rotary transformer
A rotary transformer is a specialized transformer used to couple electrical signals between two parts which rotate in relation to each other....
, the VR-1000 videotape recorder. Poniatoff served as president of Ampex until 1955 when he was elected chairman of the board. He died in 1980.