From: mfolivo@sactoh0.sac.ca.us (Mark Newton-John)
Subject: Re: Some Really Stupid S-VHS questions ...
Organization: Sacramento Public Access Unix
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 92 18:36:23 GMT

In <1992Dec29.104621.14221@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov> earle@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov (Greg Earle - Gainfully Unemployed) writes:

>Here's the stupid questions:

>(1) I keep forgetting this, but what is the resolution of S-VHS vs. normal VHS?
>    Isn't it something like 425 lines vs. 330?

VHS- about 220 lines, Super VHS- about 400 lines
(by the way, SuperBeta- about 280-300 lines, ED-Beta- 500 lines,
 Video8- 250 lines, Hi8- about 400-425 lines)

>(2) Now that I know how to record in S-VHS mode (-:, do I need a special kind
>    of tape to do so?

Yes, you need blank tape that has the Super VHS logo on it. The
formulation is different, so that it record the bandwidth, if you
will, that S-VHS uses. Any video store will have S-VHS tape. Don't
bother with trying to make standard VHS tape in S-VHS by melting
recognition holes, the tape generally is not good enough for S-VHS
recording.

>(3) The Panasonic has what looks to be a pretty decent set of VCR functions
>    built-in; there's a slider on top that can be pushed in the "For VCR
>    Play/Rec" arrow direction, revealing a set of small buttons for
>	Rec  Dub  Rew  Play  FF  Pause  Stop
>    There's also "Search" and "Search  Still" labels underneath the buttons.

>    Given that is has this VCR-esque setup, and it has S-Video input & output,
>    is there any point in getting an S-VHS VCR to play back the S-VHS tapes I
>    can now make, now that I've figured out how to make them?  (-:

Not neccessarily, you can play your S-VHS tapes through the
camcorder to your home setup. Remember your camcorder is a mini
VCR, and whatever you can do with a VCR deck, you can do with your
camcorder. By the way, people with 8mm camcorders do it this way,
they do not have to get an 8mm VCR.

I have a regular 8mm VCR, and a Hi8 camcorder. Whenever I need to
edit or whatever, I just plug in my Hi8 to my system and treat it
like another VCR.


>(4) One puzzling thing related to VCR playback; this has a built-in mic with
>    2 leads attached inside (I dunno if this is a stereo mic or not; suspect
>    that it isn't), and it also has a very tiny "Remote" jack (even smaller
>    than the "Phone" jack) that I know you can hook up an external microphone
>    into.  What I am puzzled by is the fact that you can have S-VHS and play
>    it back through S-Video out, but there doesn't seem to be any easy way
>    of getting the *audio* output out.  There's a (small) "Phone" jack, but
>    it appears to be Mono (alas).  For some reason, I would have expected that
>    an S-VHS camcorder would record (and playback) Stereo audio.  Am I dumb to
>    have assumed that, given that it's a mid-1988 vintage camera?


That seems really odd for a camcorder NOT to have RCA jacks for
audio. However it might need a special A/V cable (like some JVC
camcorders) that have a DIN-type plug that ends in standard RCA
plugs. Check your camcorder to see if it records in stereo. If not,
then it is a mono camcorder, and it is possible to get a cable to
connect from the phone plug to am RCA plug.

Check your camcorder for a DIN-type jack, it might be labelled 
"A/V".


>(5) Finally, anyone have an address for Panasonic so I might be able to get a
>    manual for this beast?  There's a button the back with "On"/"Off" settings
>    labelled "Edit"; I have no idea what enabling "Edit" affects.  I'm also not
>    real sure what the "Rec Review" and "Index" buttons grouped with the normal
>    functions do, either ... 

No, I do not have an address handy, but go to any video store's
service departments, and they should have an address.

The EDIT switch is used when making copies, it turns off the video
equalization, so your copy trns out a bit better. If your VCR has
an EDIT switch, turn it on (not o ff) also. You don't need to equalize the
video twice, and it actually degrades the picture a bit.

Again, turn the EDIT switch ON when making copies, OFF whend
viewing tapes.

Index lets you mark points on your tape, like bookmarks, so that
you can easily find spots on your tape. Like music search on music
cassettes.

Rec Review is used when recording. When the camcorder is in record
pause, you can hit Rec Review to look at the last few seconds of
what you recorded, so that you will start recording where you left
off before, and not have any glitches or blank spots.

I hope this has helped.

(Since I noticed you live in LA, go to the service department of a
local Good Guys, and you can get an address so that you can order
your manual)

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