HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: goldberg@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Mark Goldberg)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: American Camcorder - It's Time
Date: 31 Jul 92 20:28:25 GMT
Reply-To: goldberg@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Mark Goldberg)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Naval Surface Warfare Center, Annapolis, MD

I have just returned from the Wedding Video Expo, where I heard the
frustrations of users unable to get the diesired features in a camcorder.
I also spoke to a Japanese engineer from Panasonic, who showed relative
indifference to the needs of his company's customers in the special
events line.  Everyday I hear about more and more talented American
workers being added to the unemployement rolls.  Yet Americans are still
flocking to buy consumer electronic devices made in Japan!!!!!!!!

Well, it's time for a change.  I am fed up with the argument that America
will never be able to be a player in hi-tech/consumer and video electronics.
much of the basic research that went into the technology was done here.
The Japanese merely expanded on our technology base and exploited what
they learned -while we sat back and let them do it!!!!!  Shame on us.

I have personally taken it upon myself to gather desired operating character-
istics and features and performance parameters for a special-event oriented
and even consumer camcorders.  I have an upcoming meeting with a major
defense electronics firm.  My purpose is to convince them to re-enter
the video electronics market and challenge the Japanese!  This particular
firm has laid off thousands of employees due to declining business.
But this same firm had a major role in developing the video technology
we now enjoy.

What I want from you in netland are concise suggestions on you would
want in a camcorder for personal or business use.  Please keep you responses
under 10 lines, so I can read them in one screen.  I am expecting a
lot of responses.  My meeting is next Wednesday morning.  This may be
the most important email you ever send!

   /|/| /||)|/  /~ /\| |\|)[~|)/~   |   Everyone's entitled to MY opinion.
  / | |/ ||\|\  \_|\/|_|/|)[_|\\_|  |      goldberg@oasys.dt.navy.mil
========Imagination is more important than knowledge. - Albert Einstein=======
Newsgroups: rec.video
From: tmkk@uiuc.edu (Khan)
Subject: Re: LD Clubs : Quality?
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 17:41:32 GMT


In article <1992Jul25.005020.9810@bilver.uucp> bill@bilver.uucp (Bill Vermillion) writes:
>In article <BrwACz.1uC@news.cso.uiuc.edu> tmkk@uiuc.edu (Khan) writes:
>
>> Of course, as screwed up
>>as Columbia House is, I wouldn't be surprised if they refused to switch
>>someone who had already fulfilled their agreement and ended up shooting
>>themselves in the foot.
>
>Yes - screwed up is probably correct.  I got a letter from them
>saying that at the current rate of purchase from the club I not
>fulfill my obligation in the alloted time.
>
>That was when I had about 120 bonus dollars in my acount!

Man, I hear ya!

The only thing that makes the CHLDC situation tolerable is the fact that
most of the time they get it right (although their error rate is far too
high), and sometimes when they screw up it's in your favor. Like the
time I signed up a friend: he got 3 LDs for $1; I got 1 LD for $1 and
another for $14.95. Except when the bill came, they charged me $1 for
each LD. This partially compensates for the times they screwed up
AGAINST me in the past.

Xref: sparky rec.video:9674 rec.video.production:1167 rec.arts.tv:15488
From: brown@vidiot.UUCP (Vidiot)
Newsgroups: rec.video,rec.video.production,rec.arts.tv
Subject: Re: Compression artifacts in NBC Olympic coverage
Date: 28 Jul 92 03:49:38 GMT
Reply-To: brown@vidiot.UUCP (Vidiot)
Organization: Vidiot's Hangout

In article <1992Jul27.042101.9732@labtam.labtam.oz.au> graeme@labtam.labtam.oz.au (Graeme Gill) writes:
<
<	Being from Europe the TV signal probably originated as a PAL signal
<and has to be converted to NTSC, wich means both the colour encoding,
<frame rate and number of lines has to be converted to the US standard.
<Simple interpolation and smoothing of the frame rate (50Hz -> 60Hz) usually
<leads to smearing of fast motion, so the "better" standards converters have
<various "smarts" to recognize motion and transcode it specially. I guess the
<motion estimation circuits work on a block basis, and you may be seeing these
<block based motion artifacts. 

To really look at the new standards converter motion-detection technology,
I noticed something during the diving shots.  If you still have some tape
of the diving, watch the crowd in the background as the camera tracks the
diver.  Use still step on your VCR.  You will notice the crowd become real
blocky.  It gets so bad that you can't even recognize the fact that it is a
crowd.

I also checked out the basketball game.  Here I looked at the video cuts
from one camera to another.  This was done using one of the PPV channels
(no I didn't purchase any of the triple-cast channels, nor do I have a
cable converter in my house, so I won't explain how I can see the video.
Let's say that it is a long way from perfect (B&W even).  None of the stuff
I used is illegal.).  At the joints, depending on the difference between the
two images, it can become real blocky, to the point where you can't tell what
it image is supposed to be.

Personally I think these new standards converters are junk.  While they
elimate the jerky motion caused by PAL to NTSC conversion, they introduce
motion artifact errors that create video images that aren't even close to
the original video.

I hope someone passes my views about these converters on to NBC.  I know that
it is too late, since NBC has already purchased three of these boxes.
-- 
      harvard\     att!nicmad\          spool.cs.wisc.edu!astroatc!vidiot!brown
Vidiot  ucbvax!uwvax..........!astroatc!vidiot!brown
      rutgers/            INTERNET:vidiot!brown%astroatc.UUCP@spool.cs.wisc.edu
                                   brown@wi.extrel.com
From: jeffk@dosXX.med.utah.edu (Jeff Knell)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Re: Sony SLV696   CWO quotes $400 plus shipping
Date: 27 Jul 92 15:41:36 GMT
	<1992Jul23.085039.29789@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov>
	<JEFFK.92Jul23112108@dosXX.med.utah.edu>
	<1992Jul24.124705.7075@cbnewsh.cb.att.com>
Distribution: usa
Organization: Department of Genetics, University of Utah


I wrote:
   >I am about to buy one for $420, which, from
   >what I've been able to learn, is a very good 
   >price.
   >
   >Any reason to hold off, and consider another
   >unit?

Shun replied:
   I recently got a Sony SLV696 from CWO for ~$399 mail order
   and am very happy with it. I also have a 585 for a year;
   no problems.
   -- 
   -- Shun Cheung,    electronic: shun.cheung@att.com    voice: (908) 615-5135
	HR 1A-304, AT&T Bell Labs, 480 Red Hill Road, Middletown, NJ, 07748 USA


Several folks asked which mailorder outfit quoted $400 ($20 shiping to Utah).
Camera World of Oregon (CWO) was the place.  800-222-1557


jeff
From: robl@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com (Rob Laddish)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Re: LD Player for under $300...& CLV/CAV question
Date: 22 Jul 92 18:02:52 GMT
Organization: Hackers Headquarters

In rec.video, chriss@sam.amgen.com (Chris Silvester) writes:

> Also, a salesman told me that most LD Players use CLV, some use CAV, but none
> use both.  Is this true?  If so, which format should I be looking for?  The ad
> does not specify which format this player is.  Any help would be greatly
> appreciated.

Complete and utter B.S! Sorta like the time a salesdroid was trying to sell me
one CD player over another because the first one only had 2 transistors...
Some LD's have special digital effects that allow you to do a freeze frame on
CLV disks, but they are usually >$600. As far as I know, all LD players will
play both types of disks, and will allow freeze frame on CAV disks.

You might want to look for the availability of renting LD's in your area. If
I couldn't rent them, I wouldn't have bought my LD player.

Rob
From: bill@bilver.uucp (Bill Vermillion)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Re: LD Clubs : Quality?
Date: 25 Jul 92 00:50:20 GMT
Organization: W. J. Vermillion - Winter Park, FL

In article <BrwACz.1uC@news.cso.uiuc.edu> tmkk@uiuc.edu (Khan) writes:

> Of course, as screwed up
>as Columbia House is, I wouldn't be surprised if they refused to switch
>someone who had already fulfilled their agreement and ended up shooting
>themselves in the foot.

Yes - screwed up is probably correct.  I got a letter from them
saying that at the current rate of purchase from the club I not
fulfill my obligation in the alloted time.

That was when I had about 120 bonus dollars in my acount!

Go figure!

>
>


-- 
Bill Vermillion - bill.vermillion@oau.org
                - bill@bilver.uucp 
                - ..!{peora|ge-dab|tous|tarpit}!bilver!bill
From: mfolivo@sactoh0.sac.ca.us (Mark Newton-John)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Sony Beta
Date: 24 Jul 92 06:55:23 GMT
Organization: Sacramento Public Access Unix


Well, I doub't very much that Sony will ever produce another
SL-HF1000. But remember,there is *THE* super slick SL-HF2100. It is
so incredible, I can't describe it. (The Good Guys carry it, it can
be seen at the Van Ness store in San Francisco, I don't recall the
price- $1299?)

It seems that there are still Beta users out there, they still make
the blank tape, which is available at Good Guys, Whole Earth Access
and Tower Video, AND a few supermarkets out there. Pro-X is still
available (L-500 only)

Even if the ED-Beta format is 500 lines, SHB-Beta Is should give you
a comparable picture... (That is Super Hi-Band Beta ONE)

ED-Beta tapes are pricey though, about $20 for a EL-500 compared to
about $7 for Pro-X L-500. (Guessing prices)

Well, I'd sell some stock and buy a SL-HF2100 and a few cases of
Pro-X.

-- 
#############################################################
# Scaramento Public Access UNIX     sactoh0.SAC.CA.US       #  
#  (916) 649-0161, 722-6516 & 722-5068    E-Mail & USENET   #
################## default .signature file ##################
From: gpinzone@tasha.poly.edu (Gerard Pinzone)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: VCR Plus for sale - $35!!!!
Summary: Something about VCR Plus for sale - $35!!!!
Date: 24 Jul 92 03:58:10 GMT
Reply-To: gpinzone@tasha.poly.edu
Organization: Polytechnic Univ., Farmingdale NY and East Coast Anime

I have a VCR Plus for sale - $35!

please reply if interested!



Yours truly,
                      ___                          ___
                     /   )                  /)     /  )
                    / ___  _  __  __  __  _//     /__/    _      _   _   _
                    \___/_</_/ (_(_/_/ (_(_/__   /    _/_/ )_/)_(_)_/ )_</__
                                                              )
                                                             ()

}>:+:<{([ Gerard Pinzone ])}>:+:<{([I])}>:+:<{([ gpinzone@tasha.poly.edu ])}>:+
    _______   ________   ________    Just on the border of your waking mind
   /   ___/\ /  _____/\ /  __   /\   There lies another time
  /   ___/\//  /____ \//  __   / /   Where darkness and light are one
 /______/\//_______/\ /__/ /__/ /    And as you tread the halls of sanity
 \______\/ \_______\/ \__\/\__\/     You feel so glad to be unable to go beyond
   (everything 'cept anchovies!)     I have a message from another time...
-=:)>}]  EAST COAST ANIME  [{<(:=-   ELO: "Prologue"  -=-  Daicon IV
Newsgroups: rec.video
From: hofbauer@csri.toronto.edu (John Hofbauer)
Subject: Re: Attention Canucks!
Organization: CSRI, University of Toronto
Distribution: can
Date: 31 Jul 92 07:13:45 GMT

Mike_Quigley@mindlink.bc.ca (Mike Quigley) writes:
> I just got a catalogue from some place in Mississauga called Laserland, the
> first Canadian store I've encountered that will do mail order for laser disks.
> Just wondering if anyone else has dealt with these people and how the service
> is. Their prices on some things like MGM and Warner Bros. aren't bad, when you
> take into consideration the duty, GST, postage and handling charges that are
> added on to the prices of disks ordered from the States. Other labels you have
> to be more careful about ... like $192.99 for the CAV Criterion West Side
> Story? Get serious!

I've visited their store a few times over the past year.  I have only bought
a couple of issues of "Laser Video File", as they seem to be the only store
in the Toronto area which has it, plus the James Bond box set on a pre-order
deal (I'm still waiting for it because it has been delayed).  Their prices
are generally about $5 higher on circa $40 discs than Sam the Record/Video Man
and another small dealer I regularly visit.  

As I've said several times in the past, MGM, Warners and MCA run their own
distribution in Canada, hence their prices are excellent, especially since
their U.S. pricing policy is good to begin with (unlike CBS/Fox or Paramount)
For example, I picked up the new letterboxed "Annie Hall" for $29.95 at
Sam's today, which also happens to be the U.S. list price, so taking the
exchange rate into account, you can't get it this cheap in the States!!

Voyager/Criterion is another story.  They are distributed by Polygram in
Canada and the markup is ridiculous, particularly on the expensive CAV sets.
I personally order Criterion discs from Tewksbury in New Jersey at 20% off
U.S. list.  Even with duty (5.7%), G.S.T. (7%) plus $5 (Canada Post's pound
of flesh) plus shipping charges I still come out ahead by quite a bit. It's
wise though to order several discs at a time.
Newsgroups: rec.video
From: hofbauer@csri.toronto.edu (John Hofbauer)
Subject: Re: Wondering about the new Panasonic "SuperFlat" TVs
Organization: CSRI, University of Toronto
Distribution: rec.video
Date: 31 Jul 92 06:49:51 GMT

>> So what do people think of the new, extremely flat-screened Panasonic
>> 27-inch TVs?  ...
>
> The one I saw a few weeks ago looked terrific.  It was noticeably blacker
> and flatter than the Sony 27XBR55 next to it, and looked just as good on
> the store's laserdisc feed.  $699 sounds very good, off the top of my head.

The Panasonic GAO sets do look impressive.  They are noticably sharper than
other makes, including Sony XBRs, but I find the colours too vivid.  The
greens are emerald green, the blues are too blue, and the skin tones don't
look natural.  I've also heard stories that the Panasonic's use a higher
voltage (can anyone confirm this) and so the picture tube will "burn out"
much sooner (perhaps after 4-5 years) than other sets (my 8 year old Toshiba
still looks perfect).  Personally I'm waiting for the Sony XBR-2, coming in
a month or so.
Xref: sparky rec.video:9456 misc.wanted:7249
From: Rupin.Dang@dartmouth.edu (Rupin Dang)
Newsgroups: rec.video,misc.wanted
Subject: WANTED:VIDEO TRIPOD
Date: 23 Jul 92 03:33:20 GMT
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH


I am looking for a heavy-duty video tripod, such as the Bogen 3194 (with the
3066 head). It must be able to support a 20 lbs. camera. Examples, Bogen,
Vinten, Sachtler Video 10,14, etc.

I am ready to pay upto 80% of the market price depending on condition.

Contact
Rupin.Dang@dartmouth.edu
(603) 640 4478
From: brown@vidiot.UUCP (Vidiot)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Re: Video Boosters/Macrovision
Date: 23 Jul 92 17:50:37 GMT
Reply-To: brown@vidiot.UUCP (Vidiot)
Organization: Vidiot's Hangout

In article <54728@mentor.cc.purdue.edu> westr@mace.cc.purdue.edu (Robert _FinnAgain_ West) writes:
<
<	Can any of the readers of rv help with questions about video
<signal enhancers? Specifically:
<
<~ Are the Macrovision {defeaters?} simply signal boosters?

No.

<~ Are the boosters worth the money?

No such thing as a signal booster.  If a signal is NTSC spec ( 1v p-p),
then trying to do something with that will violate NTSC specs.  Most
consumer VCRs will except a video signal in the range of .5 to 2v p-p.

<~ Does anyone have any opinions as to which of the multitude of signal
<	boosters are the best? Are they in any way different from each
<	other?

So, in my opinion they are a waste of money.
-- 
      harvard\     att!nicmad\          spool.cs.wisc.edu!astroatc!vidiot!brown
Vidiot  ucbvax!uwvax..........!astroatc!vidiot!brown
      rutgers/            INTERNET:vidiot!brown%astroatc.UUCP@spool.cs.wisc.edu
                                   brown@wi.extrel.com
Newsgroups: rec.video
From: dwjz@bnr.ca (Doug Zolmer)
Subject: SVHS/VHS switch on SVHS VCR
Reply-To: dwjz@bnr.ca (Doug Zolmer)
Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd.
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 19:08:53 GMT

In article <MAO.92Jul30090658@s23.es.llnl.gov>, mao@s23.es.llnl.gov (Nai-hsein Mao 422-3518) writes:
|> 
|>   If the SVHS tape has a special hole to be sensed by a SVHS player, can
|> anybody tell me why SONY SLV R5 has a switch for SVHS and VHS. The
|> manual says to set the switch according to the type of tape during
|> recording.  Is it just for manual override?

Correct.  I only have SVHS tapes.  If I want to make a tape for a friend
that's viewable on a non-SVHS VCR, the switch allows me to turn off the
SVHS and record in regular VHS mode.  However, if a regular VHS tape is
inserted, that switch does nothing; it won't let you record in SVHS mode
on a regular VHS tape.
-- 
dwjz@bnr.ca  Voice: +1 613 763-8217  Disclaimer: my opinions only
From: jdavidso@teknowledge.com (Jim Davidson)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Re: Sony's cornucopia of formats (was: ED Beta  ...)
Date: 24 Jul 92 02:33:43 GMT
Organization: Cimflex Teknowledge Corporation, Knowledge Systems Division
In-reply-to: goldberg@oasys.dt.navy.mil's message of 21 Jul 92 19:11:40 GMT

In article <22523@oasys.dt.navy.mil> goldberg@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Mark Goldberg) writes:

> It is not always easy to understand the motives of Sony - and why it
> appears NOT to support its own formats despite user demand.
	....
> Bottom line is that ED-Beta was attractive to a small group (in their
> opinion) of purists and that the existence of the format endagered other
> formats in their pro line.  They were also banking on the success of
> 8mm/Hi8.  Due to the past victory of VHS over Betamax, the substantial
> success of 8mm/Hi8 has been called Sony's Revenge and I don't think
> they want to segment their share of the 400-plus-line resolution market.

Face it, when Sony developed ED-Beta they really conceded the high-end
consumer market to S-VHS.

Up until that point, Beta had generally led VHS technically, coming out with
features that were later copied by VHS.

When Super-VHS appeared, it was natural to assume that Sony would come out
with something that was at least slightly better.  That they did -- but they
priced it in such a way that it was unaffordable to most consumers.  Face it,
a list price of $3300 pretty much put the 9500 in a class by itself.  Even
inventing a whole class of users ("pro-sumer") didn't seem to help.  Given
the prices, ED-Beta was relegated to a nice market from the start.

After ED-Beta had been out for about a year, Sony had some kind of revelation
(as in "gee, no-one is buying our machines") and lowered the price.  I think
the reduction was something like 30%; pretty substantial.  But by that time,
even the hard-core Betaphiles had gone off & bought S-VHS or LD or anything
else.

Maybe it's true that Sony didn't want to trash the 8mm/Hi8 market, or the
Betacam market.  Either way, they succeeded; ED-Beta is almost unheard of
these days.

Not that Super-VHS has made great strides.   It has been pretty slow to
penetrate the market, because of such things as lack of rental software, and
the fact that the average consumer is happy with VHS.  But that's a different
story.

-Jim
Newsgroups: rec.video
From: pburke@vms.macc.wisc.edu (Peter Burke, MIC, 608-263-7744)
Subject: VCR recommendations - jog and shuttle???
Organization:  University of Wisconsin Academic Computing Center
Distribution:  usa
Date: 22 JUL 92 11:39:33    

I am shopping for a VCR right now. It will be used for regular playback 
and recording from TV, but half of its projected use will be reviewing 
research videos of interviews.  This will require extenshort rewinding, 
pausing, single frame viewing, etc.  I haven't used high-end VCRs with 
the so-called jog or shuttle wheel.  Will this facilitate editing enough 
to justify the higher price (about $150 more than units without the 
wheel .  I do not need special effects, just fast editing speed.  Any 
recommendations?  I would like to stay below $450.

thanks in advace,
Peter

_____________________________________________________________________
Peter Burke                           | PBURKE@MACC.WISC.EDU 
Micro-Information Center              | PBURKE@Wiscmacc.BitNet
Madison Academic Computing Center     | 608-263-7744
1210 W. Dayton St., Madison, WI 53706 | 
______________________________________|______________________________
Newsgroups: rec.video
From: freedmanm@woods.ulowell.edu
Subject: Re: LD Player for under $300...& CLV/CAV question
Organization: University of Lowell
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 01:19:52 GMT

In article <1992Jul21.235329.12655@amgen.com>, chriss@sam.amgen.com (Chris Silvester) writes:
> Hi All.
> 
> I recently saw in a Damark Catalog the Samsung DV5000 Laser Disc Player priced
> at $299.99.  It plays 3" & 5"CD's, CDV's, and 8" & 12" LD's.  I realize it's
> not the latest or greatest, but it may suffice, especially on a limited budget.
> Anyone have any advice, or experience to relate on this company/model?
> 
> Also, a salesman told me that most LD Players use CLV, some use CAV, but none
> use both.  Is this true?  If so, which format should I be looking for?  The ad
> does not specify which format this player is.  Any help would be greatly
> appreciated.
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> 
> Chris S.


All laserdisc players, at least newer ones, use CLV and CAV without
exception...  Maybe a cheaper one wont give you the special effects that you
can get with CAV but, that is irrelevant.. someone should slap that
salesman.....
						Mike.
From: killeen@spcvxb.spc.edu (Jeff Killeen)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Re: Does "video stablizer" work?
Date: 24 Jul 92 13:54:48 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: SPC Community Access System

In article <1992Jul24.072232.11398@microsoft.com>, peterwu@microsoft.com (Peter Wu) writes:
> Many mail order places advertise a $50 box to remove copy protection from
> video tapes (the kind that goes dark and bright and dark ...).
> 
> Does anyone know what's in the box and how well it works?
> If it's just a zener diode or something equally simple, I'd rather not
> pay $50 for it.

I have tried 3 of these...

Showcraft - You would still see an occasional flash

Vidcraft - It would clear the flash problem but caused noise

Southern Computer Corp/Polaris Industries MTIIS - rock solid
(800) 752-3571

The MTIIS has both S-VHS and RCA connectors.  It costs $99.95.  They have an 
RCA connectors only model for $59.95 - but I haven't tried it.