HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: raible@cbmvax.commodore.com (Bob Raible - LSI Design)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Re: Random LD Reading Problem w/Pioneer 1070 LD Player
Date: 2 Sep 92 20:40:22 GMT
Organization: Commodore

In article <Btwy4u.3DK@fc.hp.com> rjn@FC.HP.COM writes:
>> JWEST@r3vm.dsd.trw.com (Judson West) writes:
>
>> Occasionally, my Pioneer 1070 LD player refuses to properly play a LD.
>
>Since the 1070 is probably three or more years old, this could be an aging
>or calibration problem.
>
>It might also be as simple as dust on the laser pickup.  I assume you
>have tried the offending discs on other players.
>
>Regards,                                              Hewlett-Packard
>Bob Niland      Internet: rjn@FC.HP.COM               3404 East Harmony Road
>                CompuServe:  71044,2124               Ft Collins CO 80525-9599

How does one address dust on the pickup? I have a 980 which gets in this mode
occasionally, and I have guessed it was either dust or heat. Days later
I will try the same disk again and the problem will be gone.
-- 
_____________________________________________________________________________
Robert J. Raible		EMAIL:raible@cbmvax.commodore.com
VLSI Program Manager		 or: {uunet|rutgers|pyramid}!cbmvax!raible
Commodore Business Machines     "my comments, not Commodore's, ok ?"
Newsgroups: rec.video
From: tspyrou@vlsisj.uucp (Tom Spyrou)
Subject: Re: SONY TR71 without serial #
Reply-To: tspyrou@vlsisj.uucp (Tom Spyrou)
Organization: Compass Design Automation/VLSI Technology, Inc. (San Jose)
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 92 21:35:06 GMT

If you aordered on a credit card call up the credit card company and open 
a dispute. You will not have to pay until the dispute is resolved, generally.

Also, that is mail fraud and a federal offence. You can call the post office
and ask about reporting the problem. I think they take that stuff quite
seriously.

In article <BtF2xF.t1@acsu.buffalo.edu>, yzhang@acsu.buffalo.edu (Yinong
Zhang) writes:
|> 
|>    I ordered a SONY TR71 from a NY mail order house last week. Today
|> I received it and found out there is no serial # in the body. The place
|> in which the serial # should be is blank. I called SONY service immediately.
|> The answer is this: It is the dealer who took the serial # off. There is no
|> way I can get any service from SONY.
|> 
|>    Does anybody have the same experience? I called the mail order
house today.
|> The guy insisted that the small numbers on the viewfinder is the serial #.
|> It is not. I want to return the video recorder and the guy just hung up. 
|> 
|> What I should do?  Please help.
|> 
|> Chang
From: ees1mw@EE.Surrey.Ac.UK (Mike Willis)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Re: PAL in USA
Date: 28 Aug 92 09:07:27 GMT
Organization: University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.

In article <TML.92Aug27180216@tiuhti.tik.vtt.fi> tml@tik.vtt.fi (Tor Lillqvist) writes:
>In article <1992Aug27.140114.21427@hsr.no> vagle@hsr.no (Lars Vagle) writes:
>   I was just wondering. A friend of mine buys a lot of video casettes
>   from USA and they are all on NTSC.  He says they're not awailable
>   in PAL.
>
>   So the question is: Do the Americans really care about PAL users,
>
>(I guess you mean American video distributors, not American people in
>general...)
>
>Why would they? Not very many Europeans have the slightest interest in
>ordering videos from the US. It is after all much more complicated
>than going down to the local video rental outlet and pick up a
>cassette for the night.

No, sorry not possible, at least for the UK. Video films have to pass the
British board of flim cesnsors before sale in this country. Sounds a bit
like wartime doesn't it. Anyway, USA standards of Decency, violence etc
are considered (by the censor) to be lower than are own so importing films
for sale is not allowed. Therefore for A USA distributor to advertise in
the UK films for sale mail order that were not UK censored, would be a no
no. You could end up in prison for ordering somthing you shouln't.

We now have a problem with Satellite TV. Certain European countries have
laws a little less strict than our own. Well actually a lot less strict.
You can guess what they have been transmitting. There is absolutely
nothing the Government can do about it, so you can bet there is a big
fuss.
Xref: sparky rec.video:10830 rec.arts.tv:17239 rec.arts.tv.uk:5190 misc.consumers:15982
From: langbein@pilot.njin.net (John Langbein)
Newsgroups: rec.video,rec.arts.tv,rec.arts.tv.uk,misc.consumers
Subject: AIWA M-110 in US STORES TODAY!!!!!
Keywords: Standards Conversion
Date: 2 Sep 92 18:44:47 GMT
Followup-To: rec.video
Distribution: usa
Organization: Information Builders, Inc.


I feel this is of intrest to all these groups, but followups will be
directed to rec.video.

I was in 'The Wiz' today (I refuse to use the full name they use now).
They are, for those NOT in the NY/Metro Area, a MAJOR chain home
entertainment center. Anyway, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw
it. The Aiwa M-110 multi-digital conversion VCR! It Blew my mind! I
never expected to see it it a Wiz, they usually DON'T go for
multi-systems of any kind. It is selling for $479. Considering that
'The Wiz' is, in my book, NOT the cheapest store around, I expect to
do a bit better somewhere else when it shows up. THEN, MST3K CAN BE
SET FORTH FROM THIS GREAT LAND TO ALL PARTS OF THE GLOBE! I WILL....
<AHEM>... 

It's nice to know that there is a VCR that is multi-system that is NOT
grey market.

Things I noticed:
    Output from the converter is NTSC or PAL only. The converter ONLY
WORKS as a video post-processor, meaning, you can play a PAL tape on
NTSC, but to Record a PAL Signal , you would have to have a recorder
which can record PAL and recieve the signal from the AIWA. IT WILL
ONLY RECORD THE FORMAT THAT IS INPUT, but it plays back as original,
NTSC, or PAL. This info is straight from AIWA USA Headquaters in
Mahwah, NJ.  (I just called to verify the facts.). 

WARNING: AKAI is not AIWA. Akai has a model MV-100, but it is NOT the
Aiwa. Only Aiwa (M110, MG360)  and Panasonic Worldvision (AG-W1)
standards convert. Not one manufacturer I spoke with claim that their
multi-system truly standards-converts EXCEPT the above mentioned.
(NOTE: THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE GREY MARKET MODELS: MG300, MG330, & M100)

I hope this info helps anyone looking for a VCR. Many stores in NYC
make false claims as to what each model can do, either out of
ignorance OR hope of ignorance on the part of their consumers. If you
have any questions, I plan on buying the model scheduled for release
in October (The MG-360). I will let you know what happens.

				John Langbein
-- 
D-----------Phone:<908>494-0209--------Office:<212>736-4433---------------C
E|ARPA: langbein@pilot.njin.net  USPS: 26B Brunswick Av Metuchen NJ 08840|H  
A|UUCP: !rutgers!pilot!langbein  WORK: 1250 Broadway New York NY 10001   |E
T|Quote: "Holy Cow!" The Scooter  Nickname: The Doctor/The Fugitive      |A
H----"It's-like-putting-a-B-flat-in-my-A-sharp-concerto!"---Adam--NEXP----T
Newsgroups: rec.video
From: starr@dpe.enet.dec.com (Alan Starr)
Subject: Image lowers prices on 400-500 titles to $19.98!
Reply-To: starr@dpe.enet.dec.com
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 92 16:29:14 GMT


Image Entertainment has just dropped their list price on 400-500 titles,
from $39.98 to $19.98. I think this is a great move that should help stimulate
the sell-through market! 

A sampling of the titles includes: Mermaids, Throw Mamma From The Train, My 
Left Foot, Tender Mercies, Cadillac Man, Hoosiers, Married To The Mob, 
Rollerball, and Q&A. 

Maybe not the greatest titles in the world, but it's a start!

Also, Pioneer has just lowered the prices on some of their catalog, down to
$24.95-29.95. A sampling of those titles include Lawrence Of Arabia, Close
Encounters of the Third Kind, The Big Chill, Tootise, Dr. Strangelove,
About Last Night, Taxi Driver, Stand By Me, Absence of Malice, and Midnight 
Express.

alan
From: Mike_Quigley@mindlink.bc.ca (Mike Quigley)
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases
Subject: Defective Right Stuff Recalled
Date: 30 Aug 92 21:34:19 GMT
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Distribution: world

I just got off the phone with a guy who deals in laser disks. He says he has
heard that the entire shipment of The Right Stuff is being recalled because of
a defect "in the sound". Apparently copies of this were shipped out to several
reviewers, who have all received a letter asking them to return their copies.
My friend said this is a result of the hands-off policy at the new Warner
Brothers plant, where they take whatever source material is given to them and
make the disks from that without any further quality control checks. If this is
true, these guys at Warner Brothers are really unbelievable!

Newsgroups: rec.video.releases,rec.video,rec.arts,movies,alt.cult-movies,rec.arts.sf.movies,rec.arts.sf.tv,rec.arts.tv,alt.tv.twin-peaks,rec.arts.comics,rec.arts.sf.written
From: gck@hector.uucp (24641-kemmerling)
Subject: Re: Hello, Goodbye
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 92 11:55:26 GMT
Followup-To: rec.arts.tv

> 
> I'd like to thank everyone who's made it so enjoyable to be here over
> the years. It's been real, and it's been fun, and at times it's even
> been real fun.
> 
> TTFN
> 
> --- jerry

Good luck to you Jerry.  Hope things work out for ya.


Gayle 'wish I was back in Illinois' Kemmerling
E-mail address: gck@hector.cc.bellcore.com 
Morristown, N.J.
(201) 829-3950
From: Mike_Quigley@mindlink.bc.ca (Mike Quigley)
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases
Subject: Indy LBX has chapters!
Date: 27 Aug 92 18:18:41 GMT
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Distribution: world

Yes, the new Indy Jones LBX do have chapters, in fact so did the P&S versions
as far as I can recall. (Apocalypse Now LBX has chapters, so does The
Untouchables -- both Paramount films.)

I know that Temple of Doom was originally slated for 2 sides, but putting it on
3 sides doesn't seem to have solved the problem of a very bad break. There are
a couple of places before and after the current break which would have been
much better and still stayed within the maximum side length.

I've never seen the CAV P&S Temple of Doom (a tight fit on 4 sides at 118
minutes), but a friend told me it had one of the worst side breaks of all time.

Newsgroups: rec.video.releases
From: datri@egsner.cirr.com (Anthony Datri)
Subject: Re: * Starman's LD review: Raiders of the Lost Ark
Organization: Central Iowa (Model) Railroad, Dallas, Tx.
Distribution: usa
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1992 03:36:49 GMT

>Two problems: First off was the fact that you can see the splice 'haze'
>on a lot of parts of the film. Apart from that, you can see a MAJOR film
>flaw on two or three frames when Indy is searching for the Well of the
>Souls with his 'scope; it looks like the damage made when film is melted
>by a hot light bulb. Ugh!

You should see some of the Star Trek discs 8^)
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases
From: jonke@kong.gsfc.nasa.gov (Stephen Jonke)
Subject: "Gushy" and formulas (Was: Aliens Special Edition -- Yuck!)
Organization: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 92 17:38:50 GMT

In article <1992Aug29.081033.11349@engage.pko.dec.com>, boyajian@ruby.enet.dec.com (Two days and a wake-up...) writes:
> 
> } A second complaint is that many of the additions/changes in dialog are
> } really pretty "gushy" -- in particular the exchange of first names
> } scene nearly made me throw up!
> 
> I had complaints about that scene, but never in a million years would I
> have thought of calling it "gushy". My problem with it was that everything
> is going along at a desperate pace: the plant is about to mushroom out,
> Newt is about to become Purina Alien Chow, and Ripley just stops dead
> in her tracks and exchanges first names with Hicks.
> 
> Now someone I know who didn't care for the additional material in general
> thought that that was the one scene that worked the best, and his reasons
> are rather compelling: it humanizes the characters. It's *despite* the
> fact that all this chaos is erupting left and right, that time is critical,
> that Ripley throws out that emotional anchor and bonds with Hicks in a
> simple, yet effective way. Well, I *still* think the pacing gets blown
> to Hell and back, but I think his argument is on target enough that I
> look upon that scene with kinder eyes.
> 

I think I need to better define the word "gushy".  Gushy dialog is dialog
which attempts to bring an emotional reaction, but instead comes across
as being fake or forced.  As a strong contrast to "gushy" emotional dialog,
take a look at the ending of the film, One False Move.  Now there is a
scene which is very emotional, but it comes across as genuine instead of
forced.

The main problem with the name exchange scene and many others is that it
feels forced as I describe above, but there is another problem -- although
it does better define Ripley's character, it is also formulaic.  Formulas
like this are part of the reason (maybe the entire reason) that the dialog
ends up feeling phony.  It was being forced onto us by the formula.  The
original film felt much fresher to me.

Incidentally, several people have seemed to imply that I really hated this
special edition.  That isn't true, I'm just not happy with it and wish
there were a non-special widescreen edition.

Steve
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases
From: lindgren@sics.se (Thomas Lindgren)
Subject: Re: Eraserhead?
Organization: Swedish Institute of Computer Science, Kista
Distribution: rec.video.releases
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 16:57:17 GMT

In article <1992Sep2.110215.9987@alf.uib.no> singg@alf.uib.no (Kurt George Gjerde) writes:
...
   Eraserhead is not available on video in the US (it has been in England but that's
   on PAL) (I've got it!).

   The Elephant Man, Dune, Blue Velvet (normal+letterbox), Wild at Heart (normal+
   letterbox) and Twin Peaks episodes is available in England, and also in the US
   i think...
...
   -----
   Kurt.
   -----

Quite OK with me, since I'm in Sweden! Do you know where I can order
the movies you mention, in England or thereabout? (Well, I'm mostly
interested in Eraserhead, BV, Wild at Heart and possibly TP, actually.)
(Do I detect a trend? :-)

	Thanks a lot,
			Thomas
--
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thomas Lindgren, UPMAIL, thomasl@csd.uu.se, lindgren@sics.se

"I know what I've told you I'm going to say, I'm going to say.
 And what else I say, well, I'll take some time to figure out --
 figure that all out." -- George Bush, 4 December, 1990.

"Hey, hey, nihao ma. Hey, yeah, yeah. Heil, heil -- a kind of
Hitler salute." -- George Bush, 29 March 1992.
From: dbfarenw@apgea.army.mil (Drew B. Farenwald <dbfarenw>)
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases
Subject: Re: Sleeves for LD boxes ??
Date: 3 Sep 92 10:21:56 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: APG-Edgewood

In article <1992Aug26.043628.17083@uhura.neoucom.edu> wlrc@uhura.neoucom.edu (William R. Cruce) writes:
>There are all kinds of plastic sleeves available for the standard
>single disc in cardboard sleeve.  Many will fit double discs and
>even Criterion's triple disc folders.  I have found that the ones
>from Tewksbury will even fit over some of the slimmer boxes. But...
>
>** Has anyone found a sleeve to cover boxes with laserdisc sets? **

Yes.

Sleeves for box sets; LP or LD:

	Bags Unlimited, Inc.
	7 Canal St
	Rochester, NY 14608

	(716)436-9006
	ORDERLINE (800)767-BAGS
	FAX (716)328-8526

	They have a real nice selection of "Collection Protection"

	including 14" X 14 1/4" 2 mil,  Prod Code SBLP2

I've always gotten excellent and prompt service.
From: Mike_Quigley@mindlink.bc.ca (Mike Quigley)
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases
Subject: Kronos
Date: 28 Aug 92 15:34:09 GMT
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada

Does anyone know where this laser disc of the Imax film was pressed? A friend
recently got it and was depressed by what he considers the "speckly" quality.
There doesn't seem to be any indication where it was made, either on the jack,
the label, or stamped on the disc itself.
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases
From: boyajian@ruby.enet.dec.com (Two days and a wake-up...)
Subject: Re: Aliens Special Edition -- Yuck!
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1992 23:51:10 GMT

In article <1992Aug29.081033.11349@engage.pko.dec.com>, boyajian@ruby.enet.dec.com (Two days and a wake-up...) writes...

} It made them realize that humanity was totally bereft of worthwhile
} qualities.                         ^^^

Why is it that one always leaves out "not"s when it does the most damage?

Something else I forgot to include the last time...

Stephen Jonke sez:

} Oh, the letterboxing does wonders for the film, but I only wish that
} there were a "less then special" edition that was a letterboxed version
} of the film as it was released in the theaters (or include the extra
} footage in the extras section instead of the film itself, as will be
} done for the Alien special edition.)

Actually, so do I. Because I will be on the other side when the ALIEN
Special Edition comes out. I'm the opposite of you: I *want* the extra
footage edited into the film, not just present in a supplement. Because
I want to see how the additional footage works *in context*. Seeing the
extra footage externally, while interesting, doesn't have the same impact
as seeing it as part of the film.

Now, if Fox had been nice and understanding, they might have chapter
encoded the extra footage sections on ALIENS so that if you didn't want
to see it, you could just hit the "skip to next chapter" button, or
program the player to skip over the section. Then we could both be
happy.

-- 

	"She's my radiation baby.
	 She's my teenage fallout girl."

--- jayembee (Jerry Boyajian, DEC, "The Mill", Maynard, MA)

    boyajian@ruby.enet.dec.com
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases
From: fineberg@win31.nas.nasa.gov (Samuel A. Fineberg)
Subject: Re: More Letterboxing Heresy
Organization: CSC, NASA Ames Research Center, NAS Division
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 92 16:38:02 GMT
Reply-To: fineberg@nas.nasa.gov
Distribution: sqnt

In article <1992Sep1.201923.20444@sequent.com>, davest@sequent.com (David C. Stewart) writes:
|> EMW107@psuvm.psu.edu (Young Indy) writes:
|> 
|> >I don't know how many others out there had the same experience I had watcing
|> >Raiders in letterbox for the first time in 11 years, but I honestly couldn't
|> >believe the feeling I got when I was done watching it.
|> 
|> 	I have tried hard to make sure that all of the films in my
|> (limited) LD collection are in the correct aspect ratio where possible.
|> Sometimes it isn't, of course, because the title has not appeared in
|> anything but pan and scan.
|> 
|> 	Letterboxing is said to be more acceptable on LDs than VHS
|> because LDs have a higher resolution, so the loss in detail is not
|> significant.
... 
|> 
|> 	The other problem I have with films wider than 1.85:1 is that
|> I find myself sitting really close to my 27" screen to get a sense
|> of being close enough to the screen action to "lose myself" in the
|> picture.
I don't think anyone will disagree with you that the loss is significant.
However, it is a problem with NTSC that will hopefully be fixed with HDTV.
I hate losing half my 30'' screen to black lines too, but it is better than 
having the sides of the picture chopped off.  Letterboxing is a tradeoff,
and is the best one available today.  I just wish they had chosen a wider
aspect ratio for HDTV.  With a 16:9 aspect ratio on HDTV, letterboxing will
probably be around for a long time, but the loss of resolution will be less
drastic.

Sam
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases
From: bill@bilver.uucp (Bill Vermillion)
Subject: Re: TRON on free DISNEY this weekend, was Re: Looking for Tron LD
Organization: W. J. Vermillion - Winter Park, FL
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1992 15:25:27 GMT

In article <1992Aug26.183911.118470@zeus.calpoly.edu> claudius@zeus.calpoly.edu (King_Claudius (Chris Knight)) writes:
>vibrad@os2dce06.austin.ibm.com says:
>>Videorama might have Tron on LaserDisc  (their latest catalog claims it)
>>they are an EXCELLENT source for hard to find LaserDiscs. ...

>Well, gave them a buzz and no can do.  Called another place and they said $75
>for a used American release copy.  Erg...I'm not THAT much of a fan.  I'd be
>willing to pay $75 for an unopened/letterboxed edition but certainly not used
>non-letterboxed.

Willing to pay $75 for unopened/letterbox?  You'd have a hard time
finding a used copy for under $150.  And be prepared to pay more.


-- 
Bill Vermillion - bill@bilver.oau.org  bill.vermillion@oau.org
                - bill@bilver.uucp 
                - ..!{peora|ge-dab|tous|tarpit}!bilver!bill
Organization: Penn State University
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1992 10:24:39 EDT
From: Young Indy <EMW107@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases
Subject: Reflections on "Raiders" LD


I know, I know, I'm sure you're sick of hearing things about the new Raiders
of the Lost Ark LD in letterbox format. Ok, I understand. But, this one is a
little bit different.

I don't know how many others out there had the same experience I had watcing
Raiders in letterbox for the first time in 11 years, but I honestly couldn't
believe the feeling I got when I was done watching it. Maybe I hyped myself up
for the LBX edition of Raiderss, or maybe there is such a mystique about view-
ing a film in LBX. If there is, this one is quite capable.

I was new to the whole idea of LBX until I purchased my LD player a little
more than a year ago, and as soon as I saw it, I vowed to only buy LBX format
discs. But more than just "getting the whole picture", there really is some-
thing to a film being presented in it's original aspect ratio. All those years
watching Raiders on VHS, it was ok, but it really gave me that kid feeling
after watching it once again in LBX. Sorry to babble....I guess I was truly
inspired.

                                     -Ed

   ====================================================================
               Edwin 'Big Ed' Weiland - EMW107@PSUVM.PSU.EDU
              Architectural Engineering; Penn State University
       "You're just a petty bureaucrat with a gun." -- Indiana Jones
   ====================================================================
From: smah@sdcc13.ucsd.edu (Steve Mah)
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases
Subject: Is the LBX Excalibur OK?
Date: 28 Aug 92 08:26:03 GMT


I've noticed that a few people have posted saying that their copies
of the new Excalibur LD had some slight defects- are these just
isolated incidents or is it widespread?  (i.e. is there someone out
there with a disc without any defects?) 

Appreciated in advance,

-- 
*  Steve Mah                             smah@sdcc13.ucsd.EDU *
*							      *
*                    "Is it safe?"                            *
***************************************************************
From: boyajian@ruby.enet.dec.com (Two days and a wake-up...)
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases
Subject: Re: JFK Still Defective, So Is The Store!
Date: 26 Aug 92 08:14:23 GMT
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation

In article <1992Aug21.202526.15017@nas.nasa.gov>, fineberg@win31.nas.nasa.gov (Samuel A. Fineberg) writes...

} In article <14478@mindlink.bc.ca>, Mike_Quigley@mindlink.bc.ca (Mike Quigley) writes:
[Mike's problems with the JFK disc deleted]

} This is nonsense. Pioneer should take the disc back from them and replace
} it with a fresh one.

Why?  What does Pioneer have to do with it. The disc was pressed by Warner,
not Pioneer.

-- 

	"She's my radiation baby.
	 She's my teenage fallout girl."

--- jayembee (Jerry Boyajian, DEC, "The Mill", Maynard, MA)

    boyajian@ruby.enet.dec.com
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases