HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: st1r8@rosie.uh.edu (Guillot, Burt J.)
Subject: I have an old Laserdisc player too, Maganavox top loading with probs
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: University of Houston
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 19:54:00 GMT

I recently purposed an old, huge Magnavox laserdisc player for $35.  I was
told it had problems when I bought it, but I though, how cares, its only
thirty-five dollars.  It does have problems, but it was worth it for the
price.  Anyway, here is a description of some of the problems:

The picture quality is worse than something I taped off TV with my two
head VCR on EP speed.

Sometimes a disc does not want to start up and it makes a "click, click"
sound.  When this happens, I can usually get the disc playing after pressing
the search forward and reverse buttons a few times.

The most annoying problem is that the discs almost always stop playing
prematurely.  I rented T2 from Blockbusters and watched the first side
of the disk twice.  The first time, it cut off about 2 or 3 minutes before
the disc should have, the second time, about 10 minutes before time.

The player also makes a bunch of noise.  After it stops premately, it
starts making noises like a car engine getting louder and louder.  This
will go on for a few minutes, then it'll quite back down and start playing
the disc from the begining.

Again, for $35 I don't consider this a bad deal, but I'd like to know
if anyone knows anything I don't about what to try to do and remedy this?

Oh, also to note is that the video adapter is in BNC and a converter has
to be used to hook into the RCA video jack on my VCR.  There is also an RF
output that I tried hooking to a Nintendo RF modulator and the quality
looked the same.
From: moriarty@tc.fluke.COM (Jeff Meyer)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Re: Holiday Specials on LD
Date: 9 Oct 92 17:24:32 GMT
Reply-To: moriarty@tc.fluke.COM (Jeff Meyer)
Organization: The John Fluke Mfg. Co.  /a.k.a. The Gizmonics Institute/

In <92279.130413EMW107@psuvm.psu.edu> EMW107@psuvm.psu.edu (Young Indy) writes:


>    Has anyone seen a listing of Holiday Specials on LD for this year yet? I
>don't think Sight and Sound has sent a list out, but I could be wrong. Any info
> of other companies such as CH, or LD fan club are welcome as well.

Well, let's see what I have on LD:

    How the Grinch STole Christmas / Horton Hears a Who (MGM/UA)
    The Gathering (Just released from Image (I think it was Image))
    Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (I haven't got this yet, it's on
                                    backorder)
    A Christmas Carol (the George C. Scott one that IBM sponsors every other
                       year -- I had to import this from Japan.  Worth it!)

And, of course, DIE HARD. :-)

                           "Frankly, I'm very surprised that this is all being
                            taken the wrong way.  We're in the comics
                            business.  We specialize in stereotypes."
                                           -- Mike Carlin
---
                                        Moriarty, aka Jeff Meyer
INTERNET:     moriarty@tc.fluke.COM
Manual UUCP:  {uunet, uw-beaver, sun, microsoft}!fluke!moriarty
CREDO:        You gotta be Cruel to be Kind...
                 **>> Keep circulating the tapes <<**
From: vibrad@os2dce06.austin.ibm.com
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Live action Disney movies
Date: 7 Oct 92 13:47:10 GMT
Organization: IBM, Austin

About 6 months ago Disney released 11 restored/remastered live action
disney movies (on LD) and also 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (on VHS), then
they released (in June) Swiss Family Robinson and Darby O'Gill and the Little
People (both on VHS - NOT LD)   My question is simple, I want to know if 
anyone knows anything about 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Swiss Family Robinson,
or Darby O'Gill and the Little People being released on LaserDisc (restored/
remastered) any time soon?

Brad
From: wave@waits.media.mit.edu (Michael B. Johnson)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Re: HDTV Myths (again) - don't believe the hype
Date: 13 Oct 92 23:15:07 GMT
Organization: MIT Media Laboratory

Jim Davidson writes
> In article <1992Oct6.190054.15059@news.media.mit.edu>  
wave@waits.media.mit.edu (Michael B. Johnson) writes:
> 
> > We have a 40" HiVision (the current commercial version of HDTV in Japan)
> > monitor here in the Computer Graphics & Animation Lab.  It's hooked up 
> > to our SGI SkyWriter, and is driven in real time.  It's nice, but 
> > James (Millick & Cameron) is right on the money - it's not even close to 
> > 35mm projected film.  I mean, it's still interlaced, for God's sake!
> > 
>   <description of an experiment comparing NTSC, HDTV, & Showscan>
> 
> > When you compare really clean NTSC with really clean HiVision, the main 
> > difference is the aspect ratio, not the resolution.  This crowd especially,
> > with an overwhelming population consisting of laser disc owners (arguably
> > the best that NTSC can do), would, I think, be rather underwhelmed by the
> > current state of HDTV.
> 
> Thanks for the report.  However, there may be a problem with the experimental
> methods here.  In particular, you haven't told us how far you sat from the
> monitors.
> 
> The benefit of HDTV comes from the fact that you can sit much *closer* 
> without seeing the scan lines, and thus that the picture subtends a larger
> angle of your field of vision.
> 
> I.e., current NTSC is meant to be viewed from a distance of about 7x the
> picture height.  If you get much closer the scan lines start to show.  HDTV
> should be about half that -- thus providing a "larger" image to the viewer.
> 
> The experimental situation above was described as:
> "One wall had four monitors built into it - two HiVision, two NTSC."
> 
> How far were you from the monitors?  Were the monitors the same height?

I believe they were at the same height - two were really big (like 35") and
two were small (like 19").  Obviously there were a small and large of each
type (HiVision & NTSC).

> 
> If you were in fact ~7x PH from the monitors, I would expect that HDTV would
> *not* provide much noticeable improvement.  If you move closer, you should
> reach a point where the scan lines start to show on NTSC, but not HDTV.
> *That's* where the benefits of HDTV kick in.
> 
> -Jim

I don't remember the details, but part of the point of this experiment
(again, from my point of view, and I was a participant, not a researcher)
was to look at this display technology as it would be used, i.e. in
Joe Random Consumer's living room.

--

-->  Michael B. Johnson
-->  MIT Media Lab      --  Computer Graphics & Animation Group
-->  (617) 253-0663     --  wave@media-lab.media.mit.edu
-->  NeXT Mail accepted at  wave@nordine.media.mit.edu
Newsgroups: rec.video
From: rex@cs.su.oz.au (Rex Monty di Bona)
Subject: Re: What Viedo System in Australia??
Reply-To: rex@cluster.cs.su.oz (Rex Monty di Bona)
Organization: Basser Dept of Computer Science, University of Sydney, Australia
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 17:38:38 GMT

In article <Bw25or.nG@cosy.sbg.ac.at> wzwei@frosch (Wolfgang Zweimueller) writes:
| I'd like to send a VHS video tape recorded in Austria to a friend of
| mine to Australia, but I do not know what kind of television system they
| use there.  The Problem is that i can not ask the guy directly because it
| should be birthday present!
| 
| Therefore the question is: Can he watch the video which I will record on
| a VHS system on his TV set?  Ah, our system is PAL.  

The system in use in Australia is PAL too. You should be able to use
a European video here. I know we can watch a UK video with no problems on
a standard TV here, so is UK PAL and Austrian PAL the same?
--
Rex di Bona (rex@cs.su.oz.au)		 Penguin Lust is NOT immoral
Newsgroups: rec.video
From: wlrc@uhura.neoucom.edu (William R. Cruce)
Subject: Re: Any good LD and video magazine available ?
Organization: Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 14:52:57 GMT

In article <1992Oct13.091231.8989@cs.uow.edu.au> u8902989@cs.uow.edu.au (Chung Ming Liu) writes:
>I'm just hoping, if someone caould recommend a good LD and video magazine from
>the US.

The following list of laserdisc/video magazines contains information I
believe to be accurate as of October 1992, but I guarantee nothing :-)

A) Catalog of (almost) all Laser Discs in print:

Laser Video File
[semi-annually, $3.50 each at store]
[$9.95/yr, $17.95/2 yr including postage, U.S.]
PO Box 828
Westwood, NJ 07675

B) Magazines devoted (largely) to Laser Disc software reviews: 

Laser Scene (formerly Laser Views)
[monthly, $25/yr, U.S.]
c/o Scott Hughes
37 Dorland Street
San Francisco CA 94110
no phone no. given

Laser Disc Newletter
[monthly, $35/yr, U.S.]
PO BOX 420
East Rockaway, NY 11518-0420
516-594-9304
516-594-9307 FAX

Pond Scum
[monthly, $21/yr, U.S.]
J & R Frogg
19126-6 Haynes St.
Reseda, CA 91335
818-342-7886

C) Magazines devoted (largely) to Video Hardware
(with some Laser Disc software reviews):

The Perfect Vision
[quarterly, $26/yr, U.S.]
Pearson Publishing Empire
Box 357
Sea Cliff, NY 11579
800-222-3201
516-671-6342 (credit cards accepted)

(This one hasn't appeared in many months, as of 10/92)
Video Theater (editor J.Gordon Holt)
[as often as possible :-), $16 for 6 issues, U.S.]
1215 Ravenwood Rd.
Boulder, CO 80303
303-499-4557

--------------------------------------------------------------
-- 
"Between depriving a man of one hour from his life and depriving him of his
  life there exists only a difference of degree." -Emperor Paul Muad'dib 
      Bill Cruce, INTERNET: wlrc@uhura.neoucom, VOICE: 216-325-2511
   N.E. Ohio Univ. Coll. of Medicine, Box 95, Rootstown OH 44272-0095
From: fiedler@netcom.com (Dragon (David Fiedler))
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Re: Copying protected tapes traceable?
Keywords: Copying
Date: 8 Oct 92 19:52:01 GMT
Article-I.D.: netcom.1992Oct8.195201.18886
Organization: InfoPro Systems: Writers, Consultants, and Dragons

>In article <1992Oct6.160405.4650@cs.mun.ca> craigs@garfield.cs.mun.ca (Betsy Brett) writes:
>>A friend of mine just told me that another friend's father used to rent movies
>>and copy them.  Because they were protected, attempting copying them caused
>>damage, so the store was able to trace it and charged him for the ruined tapes.
>>I speculate that it was really a problem with the VCR and not because of the
>>tape, but I am just wondering if it is possible that trying to copy a copy-
>>protected tape may end in altering the tape somehow??

This rumor was spread because a popular way for no-class people to steal
tapes is to copy the tape, open the cassette shell, and replace the
original with the copy. After being caught at this, most people are
ashamed to admit it, so this other story was cooked up. At least, that's
what my guess is.
-- 
David Fiedler       UUCP:{ames,mrspoc,hoptoad}!infopro!david        AIR: N3717R
"The future is tekon"     Internet: fiedler@netcom.com or david@infopro.com
USMail:InfoPro Systems, PO Box 220 Rescue CA 95672 Phone:916/677-5870 FAX:-5873
From: daver@felix.filenet.com (Dave Richards)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Re: HDTV Myths (again)
Date: 9 Oct 92 01:14:45 GMT
Reply-To: daver@fritz.filenet.com (Dave Richards)
Organization: Costa Mesa, CA

In article <1992Oct7.161443.9488@imax.imax.com> dave@imax.imax.com (Dave Martindale) writes:
>Finally, note that films improve every few years, so 35mm
>keeps getting better.  With video, you have to go to an even higher-
>resolution format (UDTV) which means junking all your hardware and
>starting over.

Well, in the last year, on my computer I've gone from 640 x 350 resolution
to 1024 x 768, and I didn't have to junk "all my hardware".  All that got re-
placed was a card worth less than $50.  Granted, the new one was slightly more
than that.  My point is that a digital HDTV transmission standard provides the
*possibility* of an upgradeable system.  At least one of the standards being
considered WOULD permit future improvement.  And yes, there is work currently
underway on Ultra-Definition TV.  Although there may be disagreement about
whether present "Hi-vision" HDTV rivals 35mm film, I don't think that will
happen with UDTV.  The yardstick for UDTV will be to compare it to 70mm.

I think it's noteworthy that HDTV is good enough that there is even disagree-
ment as to whether it's as good as 35mm film.  Certainly, there is not such
discussion about NTSC and 35mm.

I don't want to get into the argument about how good it is, but I'd like to
point out that some films are now being converted to HDTV for editing and
special effects, and then written back to film for distribution.  The quality
of the result is not noticeably worse than conventional post-production.  A
recent example is "Honey, I Blew Up the Baby".

Dave
Newsgroups: rec.video
From: avp@garfield.cs.mun.ca (Anthony Paul)
Subject: Half Decent VCR needed - Opinions?
Organization: CS Dept, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 18:34:30 GMT

OK, our 8 yr old RCA 2head job is finally giving up the ghost.
We need to replace it.  This Machine would be for my parents
mainly, and they aren't that big on features (but I am!).  

I'm looking for reccomendations on any machines.  We were hoping to
spend between 300 and $400 (Cdn $) (240 to 320 (US$)).  I'd love
to have Hi-Fi, but its really not necessary.

Finally, our TV is a sony, and Dad seems to lean towards a sony a
little.

Pls reply via Email.

Thanks in advance, Oh rec.video demons.

Anthony V. PauL             AV     VPPPP 
137 Rennies Mill Rd.       A V    V   P 
St. John's, Nf            A  V   V   P 
CanadA                   AAAAV  VPPPP
A1B 2P2                 A    V V 
                       A     VV   

avp@garfield.UUCP      || It wasn't me.           || Electrical  '9 
avp@garfield.cs.mun.ca || Boston Celtics in 92-93 || Engineering  4     
||   The best defense is a good offense. --- How do you Drive?   ||
From: jhansen@convex.com (James Hansen)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Re: HDTV Myths (again)
Date: 15 Oct 92 16:36:58 GMT
Organization: Engineering, CONVEX Computer Corp., Richardson, Tx., USA
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by a user at CONVEX Computer
              Corp. The opinions expressed are those of the user and
              not necessarily those of CONVEX.

In <20481@fritz.filenet.com> daver@felix.filenet.com (Dave Richards) writes:

>Nope.  If a video tap is used on the set, it's regular old NTSC video. (at
>least right now.)  It would not be cost-effective to use HDTV equipment
>merely as feedback for the director.

Are you absolutely certain of this?  I seem to recall reading an article
a long time ago where Francis Ford Copola used the Japanese MUSE system
to video tape as he was shooting.

--
James B. Hansen                                  {sun,uunet}!convex!jhansen
CONVEX Computer Corporation                              jhansen@convex.com
3000 Waterview Parkway, P. O. Box 833851
Richardson, TX 75083-3851                              Phone: (214)497-4802
Newsgroups: rec.video
From: m14494@mwvm.mitre.org (Mike White)
Subject: Re: VCR+Plus Code
Organization: The MITRE Corporation
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 20:24:54 GMT

Terrance L Eck writes:
> I would like to write a program which will convert a date, time, channel,
> and time length into a numeric code used by VCR+Plus. Does anyone know if
> this has been done or what the algorithms are?

I heard that the VCR+Plus algorithm and codes were closely
guarded secrets, as the VCR+ folks make big bucks licensing
their technology to VCR manufacturers.  I also heard that some
bit-heads at the University of Somewhere cracked the code, 
posted it on a BBS, and promptly got their ASCIIs sued by the
VCR+ guys for patent (copyright?) infringement.  Anyway,
those codes are not common knowledge, and certainly not in
the public domain.  Anyway, that's what I heard...

************************
* These are my opinions only.*
************************
From: brown@vidiot.UUCP (Vidiot)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Re: VIDEO FORMATS
Date: 13 Oct 92 03:03:33 GMT
Reply-To: brown@vidiot.UUCP (Vidiot)
Organization: Vidiot's Hangout

In article <1992Oct11.164921.17906@imax.imax.com> dave@imax.imax.com (Dave Martindale) writes:
<brown@vidiot.UUCP (Vidiot) writes:
<>
<>I can't think of a system that record YUV.  But, technically our color system
<>has two major components, two axises that are U and V.  If you look at the
<>color bars that can be seen late at night on some channel or another, the two
<>colored boxes near the lower left corner are the U and V frequencies.
<
<U and V are the two colour-difference components.  PAL broadcasts them
<directly, while NTSC applies a 33 degree rotation to get I and Q for
<broadcast.
<
<Anyway, Betacam and MII analog decks record Y, U, and V separately - that's
<why they're called "component" recorders.  D-1 digital recorders record
<the same thing but in digital form

Yep, my mind went blank.  The U and V are also equal to Y-R and Y-B, the terms
that I see in the specs for those pieces of equipment.
-- 
      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
From: jdavidso@teknowledge.com (Jim Davidson)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Re: HDTV Myths (again) - don't believe the hype
Date: 8 Oct 92 16:08:48 GMT
	<1992Oct6.190054.15059@news.media.mit.edu>
Organization: Cimflex Teknowledge Corporation, Knowledge Systems Division
In-reply-to: wave@waits.media.mit.edu's message of 6 Oct 92 19:00:54 GMT

In article <1992Oct6.190054.15059@news.media.mit.edu> wave@waits.media.mit.edu (Michael B. Johnson) writes:

> We have a 40" HiVision (the current commercial version of HDTV in Japan)
> monitor here in the Computer Graphics & Animation Lab.  It's hooked up 
> to our SGI SkyWriter, and is driven in real time.  It's nice, but 
> James (Millick & Cameron) is right on the money - it's not even close to 
> 35mm projected film.  I mean, it's still interlaced, for God's sake!
> 
  <description of an experiment comparing NTSC, HDTV, & Showscan>

> When you compare really clean NTSC with really clean HiVision, the main 
> difference is the aspect ratio, not the resolution.  This crowd especially,
> with an overwhelming population consisting of laser disc owners (arguably
> the best that NTSC can do), would, I think, be rather underwhelmed by the
> current state of HDTV.

Thanks for the report.  However, there may be a problem with the experimental
methods here.  In particular, you haven't told us how far you sat from the
monitors.

The benefit of HDTV comes from the fact that you can sit much *closer* 
without seeing the scan lines, and thus that the picture subtends a larger
angle of your field of vision.

I.e., current NTSC is meant to be viewed from a distance of about 7x the
picture height.  If you get much closer the scan lines start to show.  HDTV
should be about half that -- thus providing a "larger" image to the viewer.

The experimental situation above was described as:
"One wall had four monitors built into it - two HiVision, two NTSC."

How far were you from the monitors?  Were the monitors the same height?

If you were in fact ~7x PH from the monitors, I would expect that HDTV would
*not* provide much noticeable improvement.  If you move closer, you should
reach a point where the scan lines start to show on NTSC, but not HDTV.
*That's* where the benefits of HDTV kick in.

-Jim
From: rkobenter@galaxy.gov.bc.ca
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Ausi vs Aus PAL Video
Date: 15 Oct 92 09:58:26 -0700
Organization: BC Systems Corporation

Ausi vs Aus PAL

The poster from Harvard is CORRECT, if the tape is PAL then you
will see and HEAR it regardless of PAL-I or B/G.

A friend of mine had to invest 50 pounds Sterling to get a audio
section for his B/G tv to listen to PAL-I.

But for tapes its no problem at all. So, what was the Austrian TV show
maybe you'll send me a copy as well ??? ;)

robert kobenter
c/o 4068 Borden St.,
Victoria BC Canada
V8x 2G1

;)

robert@softwords.bc.ca
rwkobent@bcsc02.gov.bc.ca

Newsgroups: rec.video
From: hhamouda@unity.ncsu.edu (Hechmi Hamouda)
Subject: Re: PAL/SECAM/NTSC CONVERSION OF VIDEO TAPING
Followup-To: PAL/SECAM/NTSC CONVERSION OF VIDEO TAPING
Organization: North Carolina State University Project Unity
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 17:17:26 GMT

Hi,

In reply to several e-mail requests for more information about video coversion:
concerning INTERNATIONAL VIDEO CONVERSION:

There is a service in Raleigh, NC where video conversion from any format
to any format  can be made both from and to VHS, VHS-C and 8 mm cassettes.
 
Mailing Address:  INTERNATIONAL VIDEO CONVERSION
                  520 Harvet Lane
                  Raleigh, NC 27606-2217

Phone:            (919) 233-8689

Fees:             $20.00 + $5.00 S&H 
                  (Price of a High Grade Cassette Included, 2hrs or less)

Delivery:         Mailed back the next day, express shipping at request. 


Payment: 	  Cheque, Cash or Money Order.
From: bss+@N3.SP.CS.CMU.EDU (Bruce Siegell)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Laser disc rental/retail (Pittsburgh area)
Date: 8 Oct 92 19:37:25 GMT
Organization: ECE Department, Carnegie Mellon University
Originator: bss@N3.SP.CS.CMU.EDU

Where can I buy or rent laserdiscs in the Pittsburgh area?  I already know
about Heads Together Video and West Coast Video in Squirrel Hill (both for
rental).  Are there other laserdisc outlets nearby?

Thanks.

					Bruce Siegell
					bss@cs.cmu.edu
From: rjn@FC.HP.COM (Bob Niland)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Re: Copying a Laserdisc to SuperVHS?
Date: 12 Oct 92 16:19:17 GMT
Article-I.D.: fc.Bw0o05.1Kz
Reply-To: rjn@FC.HP.COM
Organization: Hewlett-Packard/WSY Ft.Collins,CO,USA
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1.3 PL6]

david ricardo (davidric@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu) wrote:

> If I were to buy a laserdisc, say of a concert video, and then try
> to copy this to a SuperVHS tape through my SVHS VCR, will this work?

Yes, although the discriminating viewer will be able to notice a degradation
in the image and the sound.  S-VHS and HiFi are vastly preferrable to VHS
and linear analog, but they aren't quite up to Laser video and digital
sound, particularly if the tape is ever played on a machine different than
the one that recorded it.

> Is there some sort of copy protection involved that would make this
> impossible.

LDs have no copy protection, but if piracy becomes widespread, you can
expect the industry to react by screwing up the LD format.

> Please email your responses to me. 

No, I won't, since I am generally not supportive of "hit and run posting".
Whenever I drop into an unfamiliar newsgroup to get quick question answered,
I always subscribe for a week or so to watch for the answer, and any
discussion.

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.