HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: steinarb@idt.unit.no (Steinar Bang)
Subject: LD quality disappointing
Organization: Norwegian Institute of Technology, Trondheim, Norway
Distribution: rec
Date: 14 Sep 92 13:13:21

Yesterday I finally got the chance to take a look at LD quality, and
frankly the results were disappointing. Sitting some 3-4m from the
telly (a 24" or 25" Finlux), I could actually see the lines on the
screen. It looked worse than VHS (at home, I don't see the individual
lines on a good VHS recording,... at least not as clearly).

The LD player was that old Pioneer <something>-1450 multisystem
player. I don't know if the laser-disc itself was NTSC, The film was
"Freejack" (letterboxed), which I didn't bother to see when it was
showing in the theatres, so I don't know anything about the original's
quality.

The setup was for demonstrating surround sound, and the people at the
stand didn't know anything about the LD-player itself (or the LD for
that matter).

Is this a common experience? If so, then I'm going to remove an
LD-player from my "must have" list.

- Steinar
Newsgroups: rec.video
From: rjn@FC.HP.COM (Bob Niland)
Subject: Re: Kodak CD pictures vs. LD
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1992 18:13:09 GMT
Reply-To: rjn@FC.HP.COM
Organization: Hewlett-Packard/WSY Ft.Collins,CO,USA
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1scd1 PL4

> winfia@vccnorthd.its.rpi.edu (Anthony Edward Winfield) writes: >

> I saw on QVC a divice put out by kodak that lets you play photos stored to
> CD (stored by taking your film or negative to a kodak developer and placed
> there).  The player cost around $450 (for the QVC price).  The player
> device also plays standard audio CDs as well.  I was wondering if this
> format is compatible with LD players.

PhotoCD media can currently be played only on CD-I players, dedicated
PhotoCD players, and some CD-ROM players (XA, preferrably multi-session).

Current consumer LD and combi players support only:
 LD (8- and 12-inch IEC 857 LaserVision/Laserdisc)
 CDV (5-inch CD_audio w/6 minutes of IEC 857 video)
 CD  (5-inch ordinary "red book" audio)
 CD3 (3-inch CD audio)
Karaoke players may also support
 CD+G and LD-G low-rate graphics (for lyrics)

Consumer LD and combi players do not currently support:
 CD-I
 CD-ROM
 CD-ROM/XA
 CD-TV
 CD-WO/CD-WORM
 DVI
 LD-ROM 
 PhotoCD

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.
From: Mike_Quigley@mindlink.bc.ca (Mike Quigley)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Re: Random LD Reading Problem....
Date: 7 Sep 92 21:37:33 GMT
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Distribution: world

> David Drucker writes:
> For the most part, a good "wet" cleaning tape should be used
> after each 25 hours of vcr use...


I disagree strongly with this. Unless you live in a house where the cat sleeps
on the VCR or you smoke 5 or 6 packs of cigarettes a day, cleaning your VCR in
this manner is totally unnecessary. Roderick Woodcock many years ago wrote in
Video that these cleaning tapes (which are usually pushed with new VCRS at
grossly inflated prices) should be regarded like a fire extinguisher -- to be
used only in an emergency.

Newsgroups: rec.video
From: cosc1828@menudo.uh.edu ((COSC181S) 92F00762)
Subject: Camcorder problem
Organization: University of Houston
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 19:01:44 GMT

I bought this Panasonic (I forgot the model number) Digital HQ about 2 years ago
and rarely use it.  When I used it last time, there appeared to be a bright 
vertical thin line recorded.  Anyone out there has this similar problem and
know a way to fix it?  Any help or suggestion will be appreciated.

Q. Nguyen

From: chan@hpfcmgw.FC.HP.COM (Chan Benson)
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 21:31:01 GMT
Subject: Re: Sony Vdeck, Vbox, and your PC - a match made in heaven?
Organization: HP Fort Collins, CO
Newsgroups: rec.video


My $.02

Unless the Vbox has video-insert, I'm not interested.

And I still feel extremely uneasy about using fragile Hi8 tapes 
for anything but acquisition.

			-- Chan
Newsgroups: rec.video
From: tmikul@cbnewsb.cb.att.com (thomas.mikulay)
Subject: Camcorder Recommendations:
Keywords: Sony Brands
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 13:27:04 GMT


Hello,
I am currently looking at buying a HI8 camcorder. I have narrowed it down 
to two. The Sony TR81 and the Sony V801. I would like to know what are
the advantages of 801 over the TR81 are.
 
I would also like to know if anyone has good/bad experiences with Mibro 
or United.

Thanks in advance,
TOM
From: sestina@thing.East.Sun.COM (Mike Sestina - Sun BOS Hardware)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Re: <None>
Date: 15 Sep 1992 22:10:42 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems
Distribution: world
Reply-To: sestina@thing.East.Sun.COM
NNTP-Posting-Host: thing.east.sun.com


>Back in the early to mid 80's Panasonic produced dockable portable VCR's. These
>were the last two piece units produced before Camcorders.  They were sold under
>the GE, Panasonic, Quasar, Canon, Olympus, and Elmo brand names.  They 

	I have the Panasonic 8600 model.  I still use the portable VCR
	and docking station but no longer use the PK-452-S color video
	camera that goes with the unit.  the 452 works fine but I have
	 a Sony 8mm camcorder that replaced it.

	I'd sell u the video camera if u r interested. I have an extra 
	battery for the 8600 vcr an AC adapter I no longer use also.  
Newsgroups: rec.video
From: chriss@sam.amgen.com (Chris Silvester)
Subject: Re: Letterbox versus P&S
Organization: Amgen
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 19:17:08 GMT

In article <1992Sep9.131843.3787@exu.ericsson.se>, ebupaf@ebu.ericsson.se (Pat Fargo 6266) writes:
> 
> After reading this group for some time, I noticed that
> most favor the widescreen or letterbox format, and that
> more and more movies on LD are coming out in this format.
> Maybe I'm alone, but I do not like letterbox. I have
> a 53 inch Sony, and it bothers when watching a strip of
> video in the middle of my screen. I just purchased
> Black Rain, and of my 40 inch vertical screen, there is a
> 20 inch strip of picture. Sure, the broad scenes are better,
> but the rest of the movie looks like their heads are sliced off.
> Do all of you really love this effect? I have seen the Black
> Rain P&S, and the feeling of being in the movie is enormously
> improved from letterbox. Isn't this effect more important
> than getting the fringes? As a director, doesn't most of what
> you want the people to see, get put in the middle of the 
> screen? Oh well, just my thoughts....
> 
> ---
> Patrick A. Fargo		Ericsson Business Communication
> 				Anaheim, California
> 
> 

Take heart, you are not alone...as I stated in a previous thread ("Coming out 
of the Closet"), it is far more anoying to me to have my picture squeezed than
to have the occasional P&S to catch the relevant action.

As with all such debates, since P&S is and has been the norm for so long, those
who take the opposite viewpoint are the ones who are most heard.  After all, if
the format you prefer is the one most available, you have nothing to complain 
about.  I believe LBX has been tried on both TV and VHS, and been unsuccesful.
Since people who watch movies on LD are by far in the minority at this point,
it would be safe to say that most Home-Theatre movie watchers prefer/view P&S.
Since LD is a higher quality medium both in respect to video and audio, the
perception is that for video-philites, the only choice for true videophiles is
LBX.  But in reality, it's  just a matter of opinion...Now once widescreen TV's
/Monitors become popular, that will change...

In the meantime, people like you and me who want to rent/buy LD movies in P&S
will continue to have a difficult time of it, unless we start making more noise
than the other crew.  I have made some comments to this effect to my local LD
retailer/renters...

Just coming out in support...

Chris S.
From: deastman@VNET.IBM.COM ("Don Eastman")
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: RE: SLV-R5 audio problems
Date: 14 Sep 92 05:27:19 GMT
Reply-To: deastman@vnet.ibm.com (Don Eastman -IBM,San Jose,CA)

>Subject: SLV-R5 audio troubles
>From: white@APXTG03.APEX.DG.COM (Ken White)
>Message-ID: <9209101226.AA14870@apxrr01.apex.dg.com>
>Date: 10 Sep 92 12:26:41 GMT
>Sender: usenet@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
>Organization: The Internet

>I'm getting really frustrated with my SLV-R5, and I can't tell if something
>is wrong with it, or I'm just stupid.  On most recordings I play back, you can
>use the audio monitor button on the remote to chose to listen to stereo, L or
>R channel, or the mono audio track.  That has worked fine on things I have
>recorded with it in the past.  Now, for some reason, it only seems to be
>recording in mono, and won't play back in stereo.  If I put in a previously
>recorded tape, it plays back stereo fine.  Any ideas??
>Anyone know of a sony number to call to get tech help over the phone??
>Thanks, e-mail responses welcome.

Ken, on page 28 of your Operating Instructions in Item 3 one of the
Mode Set options is - AUTO STEREO  *ON  OFF.  Make sure that ON is
selected or everything you record will be in MONO.  A description
of this function is on page 29.  The reason for this 'feature' is
so you can record a program with intelligible audio even if the stereo
signal is very noisy.  Most often recording in mono reduces the noise,
if present on the stereo signal.

This is also covered in the back of your operation instructions, page 87,
Troubleshooting.

Recording and Playback - Symptom      Possible causes and remedies
----------------------   -------      ----------------------------

Stereo recording cannot be made.      AUTO STEREO is set to OFF in the
                                      MODE SET menu.

I hope this solves your problem.

Don

=========================================================================
|Don Eastman                       |   INTERNET: DEASTMAN@VNET.IBM.COM  |
|ADSTAR (IBM) Corporation          |     BITNET: DEASTMAN@VNET.BITNET   |
|San Jose, CA. 95193               |        FAX: (408) 256-7221         |
=========================================================================
Newsgroups: rec.video
From: wowoc@acs.ucalgary.ca (Witold Owoc)
Subject: Re: The TRUE Anamorphic Ratio, was Re: Coming out of the closet...
Date: Tue, 08 Sep 92 17:46:40 GMT
Organization: The University of Calgary, AB, Canada

In article <19929@fritz.filenet.com> daver@fritz.filenet.com (Dave Richards) writes:
>  One of the problems with formats is that they become easy to
> refer to by the aspect ratio. Then the aspect ratio is changed
> for some reason, and although everybody *knows* the aspect ratio
> is a new number, they continue to use the old number because
> THAT has become the name of the format. This happened with the
> Academy ratio (supposedly 1.333:1 but actually 1.37:1,
Three related questions.

1) Disney's "Fantasia", on the LD jacket says
   "presented to you in original 1.33 ratio" (or something similar),
   so which one is true
   a) filmed in 1.333:1
   b) filmed in 1.37:1 ratio presented with sides (sligthly) cropped
   c) filmed in 1.37:1 ratio presented (sligthly) letterboxed [I know
      that it makes approximately only 5 scan lines of difference on
      top and bottom, i.e. less than what is lost on most of consumer
      TVs - similarly in case b)]

2) What about the newest "Casablanca" on LD ?

3) What format is 1.66:1 ?
   Do movies made in it get transferred to LD letterboxed ?
   Examples ?

Witold Owoc <wowoc@acs.ucalgary.ca>
From: andrew@frip.WV.TEK.COM (Andrew Klossner)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: TV with scan rate much greater than 15kHz?
Date: 9 Sep 92 00:00:47 GMT
Reply-To: andrew@frip.wv.tek.com
Organization: Tektronix Color Printers, Wilsonville, Oregon

I need a TV or a video monitor whose fundamental scan rate is much
greater than 15kHz, or which uses some alternate technology so that no
15kHz painting is involved.  (This is for medical reasons; it has
nothing to do with picture quality.)  I want a room-sized screen, 25"
or more, so a VGA adapter won't do it.

A couple of years ago, somebody tried to make a big splash with "IDTV"
(not to be confused with HDTV), in which the system would capture and
display two fields at once.  It painted a double scan rate,
non-interlaced picture.  Contemporary reviews suggested that the minute
improvement in picture quality didn't justify the price.  Is any
manufacturer still making IDTV units?  Or does anybody know of a
non-15kHz system on the market?

  -=- Andrew Klossner  (andrew@frip.wv.tek.com)
                       (uunet!tektronix!frip.WV.TEK!andrew)
From: kachun@astro.as.arizona.edu (Ka Chun Yu)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Sped up SW and ESB on CLV?
Date: 7 Sep 92 00:52:33 GMT
Organization: University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

I read in an old issue of _Video Watchdog_ that CBS Fox had sped up their CLV
issues of Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back to make them fit onto one disc, by
upping the frame speed from 24 to 25 or 26 fps.  Has CBS Fox continued that
practice for their CLV's or did they cease?  Are there other releases or
companies that one should watch out for?


--
*Ka Chun Yu                 * "Deputy dog dog a ding dang depa depa deputy     *
*kachun@as.arizona.edu      *  dog dog a ding dang depa depa . . ."            *
*                           *                         --"Don't Let's Start"    *
From: wilsobr@mist.CS.ORST.EDU (Blooberry muffins!)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Please tell me more about Phillips TVs...
Date: 12 Sep 92 20:18:46 GMT
Organization: Oregon State University, Computer Science Dept.


    Hello! I am contemplating buying a friends phillips top of the series
27" tv. There are no dealers in the immediate vicinity, so I would like to 
turn to the net for help. How do they perform? Are owners out there 
satisfied with their phillips tvs? Have you ever had any problems which are
common in phillips tvs? Last but not least, how is the warranty and service
for phillips in general?

Thanks for any info...
reply by e-mail or post here, please.
Brian Wilson
wilsobr@mist.cs.orst.edu
Newsgroups: rec.video,rec.video.cable-tv
From: saf@netcom.com (Steve A. Feinstein)
Subject: Tocom 5503-VIP 9-Pin Pinouts?
Date: Sat, 05 Sep 92 22:33:23 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 


I know this has been asked and answered before, but I'm sure it's been
a while, and I'll bet there are others that would benefit from this
info.  And since I've just got "permission" from my friendly cable
Co-Op to use this connector, I'd like to try it out.

I think there's Composite video, and some kind of audio on this plug.
And surely that'd be a better picture than having to go through the RF
connector.  I'm also told that there's some kind of Data on this
connector for the Express (I'm not sure if that's how it's spelled)
service.  Apparently a box with an RS-323 connector plugs into this
connector and the RS-232 goes to the computers serial port and you
have online stock quotes or some such thing.  The cable CoOp wants a
reasonable sum on that box as a deposit.  But I was wondering what is
coming off the Cable Box that might be usefu besides the composite
video.

Any pinouts would be great. Also the place that this plug goes into is
a bit narrow for a standard radio shack 9-pin connector.  The flange
that the hood clamps onto is too wide to allow the plug to mate
properly.  Anyone have any ideas where a more appropriate connector
might be found. I thought that an old Atari Joystick plug might work
but I remember that the joysticks didn't use all 9 pins and Murphy's
law would require that the pins used by that connector wouldn't be the
ones I need.
-- 
 Steve A. Feinstein | saf@netcom.com | When a man points a finger at someone
  360 Cowper Street |================| else, he should remember that four
Palo Alto, CA 94301 |                  fingers are pointing at himself.
     (415) 326-8224 |                                          - Louis Nizer


Newsgroups: rec.video
From: strike@steam.rome.ny.us (Strikemaster)
Subject: Re: So Long, Columbia House!
Organization: Iron Horse InfoSys
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 92 02:49:38 GMT

g-martin1@uiuc.edu (Gregory A. Martin) writes:

>tmkk@uiuc.edu (Khan) writes:

>>I decided to finally free myself of the hassle of
>>returning those stupid postcards every month. I called the customer
>>service number, and asked the operator (who identified herself as
>>"June") to be placed on positive response. She asked me if I had another
>>account on positive response, and I replied that I did not. She then
>>told me that CH can no longer place accounts on positive response. She
>>claimed that they used to do it, but that they have not done it for
>>anyone for over a year now (obviously she's full of it, as people report
>>successful switches all the time). I said "so you'd rather lose a
>>customer than switch someone over to positive response?" and she replied
>>affirmatively. So I cancelled my account, and that was that (assuming,
>>of course, that CH doesn't screw up ;-)

>Which part do you object to: 1) having to pay for a stamp every month, or
>2) being bothered with the chance to purchase LD's every month?

>If 1), then why don't you call the 800 number instead of mailing the card?
>If 2), then what difference does positive/negative response make?

Thought I'd throw my .02 YPU (Yankee Purchasing Unit) in this fray.  I have
accounts with the Small Computer Book Club, as well as CH Music, and both
are on "positive response" because of my situation.  I'm Air Force flight
crew, unmarried, and without someone here to watch the mail during an
extended trip, I'd end up with unwanted materials.  This happened with
annoying frequency during "Desert Storm", so I requested the "positive" as
a way to avoid the hassles (and expense) of returns.

The 800 number is not readily available to the "unwashed public"; I had to
call via long distance to get the initial work done.  Try it once, the AT&T
800 Directory doesn't have a listing for Columbia House.

-- 
       Tim Bowser ("Strikemaster")       | strike@steam.rome.ny.us or try
    Chip Socketer & Tape Twiddler of     |    batcomputer!steam!strike
   The Iron Horse Information Service    |--------------------------------
----> "Advanced technology is indistinguishable from a rigged demo." <----
Newsgroups: rec.video
From: becker@areaplg2.corp.mot.com (John Becker)
Subject: JVC BR-S378U: Any experiences with this model??
Organization: Motorola, CCR&D, CORP, Schaumburg, IL
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 13:09:49 GMT

This is a low cost industrial S-VHS editing machine. Has anyone had any good
or bad experiences with it? In particular, I'm wondering if it is more
ruggedly constructed than the JVC consumer models, and if it is free of the
loading mechanism and automatic tracking problems that seem to plague many
JVC consumer machines.

John


Newsgroups: rec.video,rec.audio
From: keivjam@elof.iit.edu (James Keivom)
Subject: NEED A PAL TO NTSC CONVERTER
Organization: Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 92 01:12:11 GMT

rid of.  I was in new york and they were selling it for 120 which is
sort of steep for a college student.  i make home videos and i d lioke
to see them in color.  unfortunately my videocamera is using the pal
system.  would anyone know where i can order it for cheap if they dont
have one

thanks

jim
From: brown@vidiot.UUCP (Vidiot)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Re: Seeking info on a 10 year old video disk player
Date: 8 Sep 92 02:34:28 GMT
Reply-To: brown@vidiot.UUCP (Vidiot)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Vidiot's Hangout

In article <Bu7zGu.4sJ@fc.hp.com> rjn@FC.HP.COM writes:
<> brown@vidiot.UUCP (Vidiot) writes: >
<>>  <HELP!  Can somebody tell me anything about this beast?
<
<Sent standard article LD#16.
<
<> You just wasted $5 on a piece of junk.  CED discs are no longer made.
<> I hope you like your boat anchor :-)
<
<I would pay $5 for a working CED player.  The going rate is $50.  The discs
<may no longer be made, but there are still a number of titles available on
<CED that have not turned up on LD, according to CED afficionadoes.  Stashes
<of CED media turn up from time to time.

Personally I say you would be putting good money into bad.  CED didn't make it
because the discs just wouldn't play right (skipping etc) and the quality just
wasn't as good as LD.

Sooner or later the supply is going to dry up and you will end up with worn out
CED discs and probably a player that breaks.

To me, it isn't worth it under any circumstances.

Maybe I'd pay $5.00 to collect it as a piece of bad technology for future
reference.  Not to use or to play discs.
-- 
      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: srm@dimacs.rutgers.edu (Scott R. Myers)
Newsgroups: rec.video.production
Subject: Re: Sony CCD-V801 replaced?
Date: 12 Sep 92 21:28:16 GMT
Distribution: rec
Organization: Rutgers University

In article <KATZ.92Sep8181036@clarity.princeton.edu> katz@clarity.Princeton.EDU (Irvin Katz) writes:

> Recently I've been trying to acquire a second Sony V801 camcorder.
> Many of the distributors in my area claim that the V801 is
> discontinued.  I've not been able to reach Sony for comment, however.
> Has anyone heard if the V801 is discontinued?  If it is, what new
> equipment replaced it?  Does the new equipment support RC time code (I
> already have another V801 and a VDeck for computer-based editing, so
> RC support is a key issue for me)?
> 
> Any help appreciated,
> 
> irv
> 
> ikatz@rosedale.org
> --

I would appreciate any feedback on this also since I just got the
bucks to go and buy one today.  I'd be dissapointed if I couldn't get
one.  Thanx.

srm
-- 

				Scott R. Myers

Snail:	8544 Temple Road			Phone:215.247.2551
        Philadelphia, PA 19150	
				       		Voice Mail:215.440.6066

Arpa:	srm@dimacs.rutgers.edu			Uucp: ..!dimacs!srm

	"Every time I think I'm wrong I realize that I was mistaken!"
Xref: sparky rec.video.production:1450 rec.video:11325
From: daniel@faith.uchicago.edu (Daniel Fu)
Newsgroups: rec.video.production,rec.video
Subject: calculating field of view (how to?)
Date: 15 Sep 92 17:16:30 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: University of Chicago Computing Organizations

I'm trying to figure out the field of view for the Panasonic AG-450
SVHS camcorder.  It has a minimum 8mm focal length and a 1/2" ccd
array (although I've been told it's 2/3").  Offhand I'd say it's 55
degrees.  Can someone tell me how to calculate the field of view?

Daniel

--------------------------------------
Daniel Fu       daniel@cs.uchicago.edu
From: joeo@hpscit.sc.hp.com (Joe Oliverio)
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 16:35:15 GMT
Subject: Re: Flagging errors
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Santa Clara, CA