HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: wiljo@kiel.uucp (Wiljo Heinen)
Subject: Re: What's NTSC 4.43 ?
Organization: OPeN - The Digital Advantage
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1992 22:08:30 GMT

frodo@marie.physik.tu-berlin.de (Frank Wagner) writes:

>Here in Germany they (Blaupunkt, Panasonic) are selling VCRs which
>can "replay NTSC-tapes on PAL-TVs" and below the VHS-symbol there
>stands PAL NTSC4.43.
>But as far as I know the US uses NTSC 3.58.
>So what's this all about ???

hm... the little I know, I made up by studying the circuits of my multi-standard
TV. Looking at it's decoder I would say, that NTSC4.43 is a 50 Hz signal
(i.e. 50 frames per sec) with probably 625 lines (?) and NTSC colour coding.

(Well - I could be completely off here, since only Yemen and Bolivia use such
a system [Only Brazil is weirder: they use PAL at 60Hz/525 lines]).

Anyone out there to enlighten us ??? I thought these Panasonic thingies were
supposed to give you 60Hz PAL "compliant" output, so you may watch them on
your PAL TV (as long as your TV syncs to 60 Hz).

Ahm... and yes, you're right: US uses NTSC 3.58 (BTW: the numbers denote the
frequency (offset??) of the colour burst signal ??) 

cheers
	Wiljo
-- 
wiljo@kiel.uucp            voice:+49 431 95311              fax: +49 431 978126
               "Alle woll'n was von mir haben / keiner will was von mir wissen"
                                       Die Lassie Singers --- "P.A.R.A.N.O.I.D"
Newsgroups: rec.video
From: dododge@wam.umd.edu (David O. Dodge)
Subject: Re: Letterbox versus P&S
Organization: University of Maryland, College Park
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 1992 08:52:07 GMT

In article <BuCAqL.3Mw@scd.hp.com> klui@corp.hp.com (Kenneth K.F. Lui) writes:
>In article <BuBEI2.n31@fc.hp.com> rjn@FC.HP.COM writes:
>>"Black Rain" on LD is a lose-lose proposition.  It was shot in the Super35
>>(full 1.37:1 silent aperture) format, and the letterbox LD was reportedly
>>supposed to have been a 1.85:1 extraction, but was done at 2.4:1 instead.
>>Consequently BOTH the LBX and the P&S editions are unsatisfactory.
>
>Bob, I don't understand.  Please elaborate.

I'm not Bob, but I'll take a crack at it:

The pan-n-scan version of "Black Rain" has presumably lost information from
the sides, since a pan-n-scan transfer from Super35 normally pans within
a 1.85:1 region of the film frame.

The letterboxed version has the full width, but was cropped too tight on the
top and bottom. The pan-n-scan version actually has more picture height
than the letterboxed version.

Hence both editions are missing picture information. You just have to decide
on whether you want to lose from the sides or the top/bottom.

These types of problems only come up on matted films and in particular Super35
films. Anamorphic films like "Star Wars" and "Blade Runner" are much easier
to talk about because there isn't any matting involved -- they're either
letterboxed or not.

>>If you want to start a productive debate about LBX vs P&S, and/or matted vs
>>open-matte, you need to pick another title.

Definitely. "Black Rain" is one of the worst examples to use.

>Have you gotten a chance to finish an article describing formats
>of LaserDiscs.  I'm not sure I understand what matted is versus
>open-matte.

Many films are shot with the full 35mm frame exposed (1.37:1). These are
matted down to 1.85:1 by the projector when they are shown, effectively
cropping the top and bottom of the film frame (this is intended and
in many cases things like boom mikes and camera tracks show up in the
parts of the frame being matted by the projector)

When the film is transferred to video, "open matte" means that they
transferred the *entire* film frame. You don't lose any picture width
but you end up seeing the parts of the frame that would normally be
invisible in the theater.

One of the most notorious examples of this going awry is "Pee Wee's Big
Adventure", where Pee Wee pulls an endless chain from a bucket. In the
theater, the bottom of the frame was masked off, hiding the bottom of
the bucket -- but on video the bottom of the bucket is completely visible
and you can see the chain leading out to the pile on the ground. Kills the
effect completely.

A "matted" transfer is basically an open-matte transfer but with black
areas placed over the parts of the picture that would normally be masked
in the theater. You lose part of the frame, but then you weren't really
supposed to see that part anyway.

                                        -Dave Dodge/dododge@wam.umd.edu
From: acct069@carroll1.cc.edu (Ron)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Re: Best Tape Brands!
Date: 12 Sep 92 03:02:18 GMT
Reply-To: acct069@carroll1.cc.edu (Ron)
Organization: Lightning Systems, Inc.

In article <1992Sep10.042620.1088@morrow.stanford.edu/ veeduh@leland.stanford.edu writes:
/In article <9920@ncrwat.Waterloo.NCR.COM>, dgs@53iss6.Waterloo.NCR.COM (David G. Schwartz) writes:
/>
/> 
/> I second the recommendation for Maxell HGX-anything. My wife and I received
/> a box of HGX-Gold as a wedding present a number of eons ago (actually 8
/> years). Two of these tapes have been in frequent use (one daily for two
/> years) and still outperform a brand-new Polaroid.
/> 
/> ..................Dave
/ 
/I don't like Maxells.  I prefer the better Sony brand tapes.

I'll third the recommendation for the Maxell HGX-Golds.  I've also got a
couple Maxell XL-HiFi's and they are pretty good as well.  I'll be
checking out the new Maxell 'Black' asap.

I stay away from Sony tapes from the old days when I had a Beta machine.
I found Sony L-750 tapes to be the worst of the name brands.

-- 
Ron                      | Lightning Systems, INC. | Apple // Forever!
acct069@carroll1.cc.edu  | (414) 363-4282  62megs  | Van Halen Rules! 
carroll1!acct069@uwm.edu | 14.4k HST/V.32bis       | Bill & Ted are cool!
Newsgroups: rec.video,rec.video.releases
From: wlrc@uhura.neoucom.edu (William R. Cruce)
Subject: What PC program To Catalog Videos (Laserdiscs)?
Organization: Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
Date: Sat, 05 Sep 1992 21:17:15 GMT

If any of you keep a catalog of your videotapes and especially your
laserdiscs with a DOS or WINDOWS program on a PC, I'd like to hear
about your experiences.  E-mail or post is fine.

After several years of keeping information on my laserdiscs in a
wordprocessing text file (Wordperfect), I have decided it is time to
use a real database.  I have looked at several shareware programs
(Video Catalog, Video Librarian, Movie 3.0, For Film & Video Tape)
and a couple of commercial databases (Pro Cite and Fox Pro).  When
I finally make a decision, I will report my findings on all the products
surveyed.

I would like to widen the survey to include experiences of others on the
net.  So please let me know what you have used.
 
-- 
                 "So many windows, So little time"

Bill Cruce, N.E. Ohio Univ. Coll. of Medicine, Box 95, Rootstown, OH 44272
VOICE: 216-325-2511,  FAX: 216-325-0522,  INTERNET: wlrc@uhura.neoucom.edu
From: sss@castle.ed.ac.uk (S S Sturrock)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: I've got it!!  (Philips 16:9 TV)
Date: 14 Sep 92 13:27:14 GMT
Organization: Edinburgh University

Well, I have been waiting for over a month for my new 28" 16:9 Philips
matchline TV to arrive and on Saturday it did!  I wasn't expecting it, my
flatmate told me later that he had known since Tuesday and had forgotten to
tell me (GRRRR).

Anyway, what's it like you ask?

Good.

The image is much better than my Sony 25" job which this replaces, the
100hz refresh makes the image appear much more sold, also there appears to
be less colour run and the colour tones are better than the Sony.  With an
ordinary 4:3 image the picture is a little smaller than the Sony but not
much, but with Movie expand all my LBX films come into their own although
they still appear slightly letterboxed because 16:9 is not quite full
width, however the image does look good, scan lines are not too apparent
either which is a surprise.  Given anamorphic prints there is the
widescreen mode which will uncompress a 4:3 image to 16:9 with the full 625
lines so this looks better than the movie expand mode with a brighter
crisper image but even so, I cannot over emphasise how good the movie
expand mode is for LBX films.  If you are willing to put up with losing
some information top and bottom a 4:3 image can be expanded too which is
great for sports events giving a much more involving time.

Oh, one thing though, the speakers supplied with it are rubbish.

Philips also make a multi standard version which will work anywhere, in the
set up menu there is a system select option, mine is UK only but it is
possible to have NTSC/SECAM/PAL selectable.

All in all, not too bad a TV, certainly a very different viewing experience
though.


-- 
Shane Sturrock, Biocomputing Research Unit, Darwin Building, Mayfield Road,
University of Edinburgh, Scotland, Commonwealth of Independant Kingdoms.  :-)

Civilisation is a Haggis Supper with salt and sauce and a bottle of Irn Bru.
From: tmkk@uiuc.edu (Khan)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Re: Empire strikes back (Version difference?!)
Date: 8 Sep 92 19:01:55 GMT
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana


In article <SS.92Sep6194813@wpi.WPI.EDU> ss@wpi.WPI.EDU (Scott Streeter) writes:
>>>>>> On 6 Sep 92 02:20:23 GMT, peishuh@author.ecn.purdue.edu (Pei-Shuh F Wang) said:
>
>peishuh> I just start collecting laserdisks, I bought "Empire strikes
>peishuh> back" Wide Screen Special version at local Videoland store
>peishuh> today for $34.98, this is regular price.
>
>Are you sure 34.95 is a sale or clearance price? The $70 price is what
>all the SW flicks have been running at.

Sounds like someone priced the widescreen LDs at the Pan&Scan price or
otherwise mis-priced them. Not that I would complain - 50% off is a
bargain, no matter what the reason. Then again, I got the SW trilogy for
$1.50 each... ;-)
From: rjn@FC.HP.COM (Bob Niland)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Re: The TRUE Anamorphic Ratio, was Re: Coming out of the closet...
Date: 8 Sep 92 19:21:05 GMT
Reply-To: rjn@FC.HP.COM
Organization: Hewlett-Packard/WSY Ft.Collins,CO,USA
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1scd1 PL4

> wowoc@acs.ucalgary.ca (Witold Owoc) writes:
>  3) What format is 1.66:1 ?

U.K. spherical widescreen, may be soft or hard matte.  1.66:1 is sometimes
used for US production as well (composed at 1.85:1, protected to 1.66:1).

>     Do movies made in it get transferred to LD letterboxed ?

Yes, such as "Henry V" (the 1989 Branagh version, Fox 2575-85 on LD).

Regards,                                              Hewlett-Packard
Bob Niland      Internet: rjn@FC.HP.COM               3404 East Harmony Road
                CompuServe:  71044,2124               Ft Collins CO 80525-9599

This article represents only the opinion[s] of its author, and is not an
official or unofficial position of, or statement by, the Hewlett-Packard
Company.  The text is provided for informational purposes only.  It is
supplied without warranty of any kind.
Newsgroups: rec.video
From: rwb@alexander.VI.RI.CMU.EDU (Robert Berger)
Subject: Re: TV to VGA / VGA to video
Organization: School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon
Date: Sun, 6 Sep 1992 05:10:02 GMT

VGA is not an "independant" standard. Notice that the horizontal rate
of 31.47 Khz is exactly twice the NTSC rate of 15.735 Khz. Also, the
VGA frame rate of 59.94 Khz is the same as the NTSC field rate.

VGA is essentially a non-interlaced version of NTSC; this is why
NTSC-VGA-NTSC conversions work well. PAL would not work so well.
Newsgroups: rec.video
From: jab3@cec2.wustl.edu (John Alonzo Breen)
Subject: Re: How accurate is your VCR's clock?
Organization: Washington University, St. Louis MO
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 20:13:04 GMT

In article <1992Sep10.182149.3023@tc.cornell.edu> olin@cheme.tn.cornell.edu writes:
>In article <1992Sep10.180615.14585@wuecl.wustl.edu>, jab3@cec2.wustl.edu (John Alonzo Breen) writes:
>>I'm curious to find out how accurate the clocks of various VCRs are.
>
>I have a Magnavox VCR - the clock has been accurate to approximately one
>minute every two months ever since I bought it (three years). 

I assume that you're implying that it does drift some though.  I'm
surprised, because I was under the assumption that they would use the
60Hz line frequency (at least in the US), which I've been told is
quite accurate (at least over a 24-hour period).
-- 
John A. Breen                   |
jab3@cec1.wustl.edu             | This space unintentionally left blank
From: rjn@FC.HP.COM (Bob Niland)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Re: NTSC to PAL signal conversion?
Date: 11 Sep 92 21:08:17 GMT
Reply-To: rjn@FC.HP.COM
Organization: Hewlett-Packard/WSY Ft.Collins,CO,USA
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1scd1 PL4

wwitt@adara.intel.com () writes:
: I am looking for a box that will convert an NTSC video signal to PAL
: (The reverse would be interesting, too, but is not as important right now).

Several vendors offer standards-converter boxes.  The going rate for
one that has minimal artifacts is $20,000.

: I realize that NTSC to PAL conversion (or the reverse) is not trivial due
: to the resolution and frame rate differences, but I imagine that some sort
: of circuit to perform the conversion must exist since I have heard of VCRs
: that can play NTSC tapes on PAL TVs.

The consumer multi-std VCRs fudge the rate conversion (temporal) by
performing drop- and/or repeat-field.  I haven't seen what they do with the
spatial problem, but I'll bet it's not line-by-line interpolation with
motion detection.  In any case, these decks are all VHS (not S-VHS),
so the signal quality after conversion is less than VHS.

Regards,                                              Hewlett-Packard
Bob Niland      Internet: rjn@FC.HP.COM               3404 East Harmony Road
                CompuServe:  71044,2124               Ft Collins CO 80525-9599

This article represents only the opinion[s] of its author, and is not an
official or unofficial position of, or statement by, the Hewlett-Packard
Company.  The text is provided for informational purposes only.  It is
supplied without warranty of any kind.
Newsgroups: rec.video
From: scweddel@nyx.cs.du.edu (scott weddel)
Subject: Re: Mits U-84?
Keywords: SVHS, VCR, U82
Organization: University of Denver, Dept. of Math & Comp. Sci.
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 92 02:39:04 GMT


After returning to one of the two stores that stock Mitsubishi products
and talking to the fourth salesman so far, I decided that I might as well
not wait for the U84.  But no local store had any new machines available.
The store where I was shopping had one display model out in the open which
had suffered some cosmetic damage.  I told the rep I wouldn't pay $1300 to
get a beat up used model when I could easily get a machine new for $1100.
The saleman went to talk to a manager and came back with a deal on a demo
that had been sitting in a audiophile room.  I bought the machine with
a couple minor blemishs for $1225 total.  I decided that I like local
service better than mail order risks, and I believe the price was fair.
-
Now I have a JVC 6600 and a Mits U82.  Each has advantages with the Mits
having the obvious lead in quality.  The U82 still, slow and scan display
withou noise bars and look great.  One feature the 6600 has over the
U82 is that the index codes can be erases and rewritten without 
disturbing the pre-recorded material.  The only option with the U82 is
to go into record mode for a few seconds.

Editing looks good, though I've only use the function once so far.

I like the layout of the remote.  Unlike many button laden remotes
included with <$400 vcr's, I believe I'll be able to use this remote
in the dark.  Wish manufacturers would design there equipment to be
used exclusively by tactile sense.  The U82 has a bright and dim
status display control.  The remote has the play and stop buttons
reversed - minor nuisance, used to having the stop at the bottom
and the play controls immediately above.

In all a very solid machine (heavy op manual too) and I'm glad I'm
not adding to the Sony R5 messages that seem to be rather prevailent.

Now if only I could put a U82 transport in my JVC 6600 :)
Need to decide which will be slave to the other too :)

Scott Weddel   strider   Apple /// aficionado   eeidscw@engvms.unl.edu
   Sterling Rider        ^^^  Amiga too!  ^^^   UNLincoln Nebraska USA
From: brown@vidiot.UUCP (Vidiot)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Re: Cheap solutions for singlestepping animation to VHS/S/VHS(FAQ?)
Date: 10 Sep 92 18:27:33 GMT
Reply-To: brown@vidiot.UUCP (Vidiot)
Organization: Vidiot's Hangout

In article <1992Sep9.190023.12965@daimi.aau.dk> pilgrim@daimi.aau.dk (Jakob G}rdsted) writes:
<Hi.
<
<I'd like to record an animation on video-tape, for non-professional
<purposes. This meaning, that I am willing to suffer lots of disadvantages,
<at least in certain areas.

[rest of posting deleted]

No consumer gear that I know of can do what you want.  You need frame accurate
editing.  No consumer piece of equipment is frame accurate.  No pro-gear is
frame accurate, unless it has time-code.  You are now getting into expensive
gear, period.

The 3/4" UmaticSP system that I have cost me about $12,000US and it has SMPTE
LTC.  I don't know what the same system will cost overseas.  To do single frame
editing is very time consuming with the editing controller that I have.  It
would take a more expensive computerized controller to reduce the time between
edits.

Personally, I don't believe you are going to find cheap.
-- 
      harvard\                          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: rjn@FC.HP.COM (Bob Niland)
Subject: Re: Laserdisc vs. VCR
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1992 04:34:48 GMT
Reply-To: rjn@FC.HP.COM
Organization: Hewlett-Packard/WSY Ft.Collins,CO,USA
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1scd1 PL4

singg@alf.uib.no (Kurt George Gjerde) writes:
: 
:    I'm thinking of buying a Laserdisc player (I already have a VCR), and
:    would like to hear other people's opinions (and get some facts right)...

Sent standard LaserDisc article LD#01 (Intro) and index.
From: pcolmer@acorn.co.uk (Philip Colmer)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Interesting deviant VideoPlus handset
Date: 10 Sep 92 10:16:18 GMT
Organization: Acorn Computers Ltd, Cambridge, England

Having succumbed to buying a VideoPlus (VCR+), I was rather surprised to
find that it didn't work. Although I'm going to take it back and ask for
another one, I thought it might be interesting to share my findings.

The first problem was trying to get the handset to control my JVC 5800 deck.
According to the helpdesk, the code 21-2 should work. It didn't do anything.
According to the helpdesk, the full code is 00-28. This succeeded in turning
on the video recorder, but instead of stepping the channel up from 1 to 3,
it stepped it down to 9!

So, I decided to go for that setting anyway to try and use the rest of it.
So the next thing I tried was the test button. This is supposed to turn the
VCR on, set it to channel 3 and record for 5 seconds.

It didn't do anything. The big red LED on the handset didn't blink at all
and the display didn't change to "test".

So then I thought I'd have a look at the satellite bit 'cos by this time I
was getting curious. Instead of the display saying "Set Sat", it said "Set
Cab" ... hmm, could this be a cable-based handset I've got?

So then I tried the channel allocations option. I didn't do much with this
except note that yet again the display was different from the one in the
manual, in that the manual said (and this is from memory) "Sat channel -
channel used" and the display said "TV guide - tv set".

Finally, I actually tried entering some codes from a listings magazine -
they all came up with "Err: DATE".

Curious ... let's just hope the next one is OK.

--Philip

---------------------------------------------------------------------
        Practise random kindness and senseless acts of beauty
From: raible@cbmvax.commodore.com (Bob Raible - LSI Design)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Re: Silence of Lambs LBX? was Re: Image lowers prices on 400-500 titles to $19.98!
Date: 10 Sep 92 21:11:28 GMT
Organization: Commodore

In article <1992Sep09.181625.15224@uhura.neoucom.edu> wlrc@uhura.neoucom.edu (William R. Cruce) writes:
>In article <1992Sep9.120735.19812@tc.cornell.edu> chrisp@theory.TC.Cornell.EDU (Chris Pelkie) writes:
>>
>>Can someone verify that Silence was soft-matted, accounting for the non=LBX
>>pressing, or did I misunderstand this?
> 
>In the credits at the end of the film it says "FILMED IN [PANAVISION]"
>with "Panavision" in the logo-box.  A sure sign that an anamorphic process
>was used.  Perhaps the director kept the action within the safe area
>for video.  I have been puzzled about this one myself.
>
>-- 
>                 "So many windows, So little time"
>
>Bill Cruce, N.E. Ohio Univ. Coll. of Medicine, Box 95, Rootstown, OH 44272
>VOICE: 216-325-2511,  FAX: 216-325-0522,  INTERNET: wlrc@uhura.neoucom.edu

I picked up Beetlejuice recently, and was surprised to find the Panavision
logo on that film's credits as well. My understanding was that it wasn't a
wide-screen film, and curiously enough it doesn't seem to suffer too much
if it was indeed cropped. It doesn't seem that P&S was utilized. Does 
anybody have definitive knowledge as to how it was transferred???
				Thanx in advance.

-- 
_____________________________________________________________________________
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 ?"
From: pvh@apple.com (Pete Helme)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Re: Sony KVXBR55 (High Frequency Noise)
Date: 15 Sep 92 22:37:17 GMT
Followup-To: rec.video
Organization: Apple Computer, Inc.

I've heard this noise from other XBRs. You can usually alleviate the
problem by tilting the cabinet either forward or back a few degrees.  An
old, unwanted CD case ( ABBA works nicely ;) ) shoved up slightly under the
back of the cabinet usually does the trick.  Why this works I don't know...

I've heard that the whine is caused by the flyback transformer being out of
adjustment.
 
name: Pete Helme
work: Apple Computer, Inc.
mail: pvh@apple.com
Newsgroups: rec.video
From: dododge@wam.umd.edu (David O. Dodge)
Subject: Re: Silence of Lambs LBX? was Re: Image lowers prices on 400-500 titles to $19.98!
Organization: University of Maryland, College Park
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 08:06:11 GMT

In article <1992Sep09.181625.15224@uhura.neoucom.edu> wlrc@uhura.neoucom.edu (William R. Cruce) writes:
>In article <1992Sep9.120735.19812@tc.cornell.edu> chrisp@theory.TC.Cornell.EDU (Chris Pelkie) writes:
>>
>>Can someone verify that Silence was soft-matted, accounting for the non=LBX
>>pressing, or did I misunderstand this?
> 
>In the credits at the end of the film it says "FILMED IN [PANAVISION]"
>with "Panavision" in the logo-box.  A sure sign that an anamorphic process
>was used.  Perhaps the director kept the action within the safe area
>for video.  I have been puzzled about this one myself.

I don't remember SoTL being anamorphic in the theater (but I could be wrong).
I haven't seen it on video so I haven't had a chance to look for some other
artifacts that would be a sure sign of anamorphic photography.

I think I saw a made-for-TV show last week that said "Filmed in Panavision".

                                              -Dave Dodge/dododge@wam.umd.edu
From: DonD@cup.portal.com (Don Robert DeCosta)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: SONY LANC/CTRL-L
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 92 22:34:27 PDT
Organization: The Portal System (TM)

It appears this group had a lively LANC discussion a year ago, could
someone point me to an archive? 

DonD@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: rec.video