Organization: University of Illinois at Chicago
Date: Tuesday, 7 Apr 1992 10:32:33 CDT
From: Tom Ascher <U15310@uicvm.uic.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: LETTER TO PIONEER

In regard to my previous post re: PIONEER LOGO appearing at the beginning
of every side on a new offering, I'm sharing a letter that I'm sending to
a customer service person at the Pioneer Laserdisc Fan Club who's been
empathetic and helpful in the past.  This letter may prove of interest
to persons who might be bothered by the appearance of unwanted "commercial"
messages on laserdiscs...
==========================================================================
899 S. Plymouth Ct.
Chicago, IL 60605
1-312-427-5108
April 7, 1992

Donna Harley
Pioneer LDC
1058 East 230th St.
Carson, CA 90745

Dear Donna:

I'm writing to you as I don't know who the appropriate person would be
to write this to at Pioneer, but thought you might forward it to
where it might do some good.

I'm writing in regard to a new "feature" which I've discovered on a
recently purchased Pioneer offering which I find especially pernicious
and mis-guided, a feature which could bring much ill will on the part of
laserdisc consumers.

I recently purchased a copy of a Verdi Opera, Macbeth, PA-91-411.  Upon
viewing the opera, I discovered that at the beginning of EVERY side is
a PIONEER LOGO, replete with picture and sound for about 15 seconds!
This is an unwanted commercial break that disrupts the continuity of the
opera.

I subscribe to an electronic bulletin board that serves
laserdisc users all over the world.  A frequent topic on the network
is how to create a seamless interface between two sides of a laserdisc
when switching from one side to another.  Many people on the net are
even disturbed by the momentary display of lettering "Side B" that comes
on for a moment when certain machines (including Pioneer) automatically
change sides.  Proposals have been made for various types of machines with
twin laser heads to avoid this discontinuity.  On my Pioneer 3080 LD
player, on a normal disc, the last frame from side A is frozen and held
in place momentarily during the movement of the playing head from one side
to another, so at least you hold on the last image of the previous side
while waiting for the first image of the new side to be presented.  This
new "feature" of having the PIONEER LOGO come on instead, is extremely
jarring and disruptive!  I consider it a defect in the disc and am sure
you will hear from others if this practice is expanded.

If the idea is to promote PIONEER by including the logo at the beginning
of every side, I think you will find that this marketing concept will
backfire.  People invest in laserdiscs because they want something of
better quality than what they can get from tape, or broadcast tv.  If
I want commercials interrupting my viewing, I can get them for free
off my broadcast channels.  I don't need laserdisc.

Please stop this pernicious practice.  And, if there's a way of returning
my Verdi Macbeth and getting a refund or credit for it, please advise, as
I find the "commercial" so disturbing, I would never play it again.

Thank you very much.

Tom Ascher
Newsgroups: rec.video