HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: wlrc@uhura.neoucom.edu (William R. Cruce)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: TR81 Battery Removal, was Re: TR81 "triangle" warning
Date: 21 Jul 92 21:35:26 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine

In article <1992Jul20.210725.16735@ll.mit.edu> hemenway@ll.mit.edu writes:
>However, I definitely do not support the idea of
>removing the main battery when the camera is not in use.  
>Not only does the SONY manual tell you not to, but the 
>battery is designed to be rechargable so what's the problem? 
>Also, the date and clock and other memory functions are
>maintained by the special large lithium cell in the camera.  
>That is what will run down when there is no battery attached.  
>Care to guess what SONY charges for that battery?

It was my impression that the internal clock and memory was always
supported by the lithium cell and that the main battery supported the
LCD screen (and, of course, motor, focussing etc.).  When the main
battery is removed the LCD screen goes dead.  Where in the manual
does it say to leave a main battery attached?  I would certainly do
it if adviseable - I just didn't see any point in illuminating the LCD
display for the inside of the camera case.


-- 
                 "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: bender@oobleck (Duke of Canterbury)
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Re: Rent Stuff For Flight?
Date: 29 Jul 1992 00:06:41 GMT
Organization: SPARK's R US
Reply-To: bender@oobleck.eng.sun.com
NNTP-Posting-Host: oobleck
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL3

rdemarti@PICA.ARMY.MIL (Ralph DeMartino, CCAC-LAD) writes:
: .In article <1992Jul22.845.15707@dosgate>, james.kewageshig@canrem.com (james
: . kewageshig) writes:
: .> You can rent the following items and return them at your destination:
: .> Sony's Video-8 player (the one with the built-in colour LCD)
: .> 8mm feature movies
: 
: ..HOWEVER beware!  American Airlines will not let you use these devices in
: ..flight.  They give an excuse they have not been tested (AA FORM T220 CPN
: ..5616354).  United Airlines has _no_ problem with you using these devices.
:
: There can be a real interference problem with some equipment.  The biggest
: potential culprits are devices with RF recievers such as AM, FM, and TV 
: tuners.  You will see the RF problem by holding a radio near the antenna
: input on a TV.  There will be cross hatch interferencs on the picture.

I fly for business fairly often, and I notice that almost universally
American is the only airline that has video-equipped planes; US Air, United
and Southwest do not, at least not on the routes that I fly (SFO ->
midwest/east).  I believe that American's prohibition on using personal
in-flight TVs/VCRs is because doing so would cut into their $4/head movie
rental charge.  BTW, I never pay the $4 - I just plug my Walkman headphones
into the seat jack and have much better sound than the pneumatic headphones
that American wants $4/head for in the cheap seats.

Has anyone ever noticed in what a stupid place the volume and channel
selector controls are placed on many planes?

mike
From: bobali@ac.dal.ca
Newsgroups: rec.video
Subject: Re: Sony SLV-R5 power-up problems
Date: 24 Jul 92 08:53:12 -0300
Organization: Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

I have been reading on this newsgroup about some people who have been 
experiencing power-up problems with the Sony SLV-R5 after a power failure or
an extended time of being unplugged.

I just got back from a 2-week vacation where my R5 was unplugged.  I did not
experience any problems when I plugged it back in.

Maybe together we can track down the batch of faulty VCRs, if indeed there
was a continuous batch of bad VCRs.

Has anybody experienced this problem with any other Sony VCR?

Later...

             - Bob A.

Newsgroups: rec.video.cable-tv
From: kettyle@cbnewsi.cb.att.com (john.jr.kettyle)
Subject: Re: FCC allows phone companies to transmit video signals
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 18:22:27 GMT

From article <1992Jul30.185336.28425@cos.com>, by bob1@cos.com (Bob Blackshaw):
> 
> Don't hold your breath waiting for video dialtone. We had enough
> fun working out how to get ISDN's 160 kbit/s over twisted pair
> copper. Either the telco's would need to run co-ax alongside
> their present cables, or switch over to optical fiber to get
> enough bandwidth for TV.
> 
> REB
> 
There have been articles here in the papers that New Jersey Bell has petitioned
the proper boards requesting that they wish to rewire the whole state with 
Fiber-to-the-home. This will allow them to pump in as much information as 
you want.


John
Newsgroups: rec.video.cable-tv
From: bob1@cos.com (Bob Blackshaw)
Subject: Re: FCC allows phone companies to transmit video signals
Keywords: fcc, telephone, video
Organization: Corporation for Open Systems
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 18:53:36 GMT


Don't hold your breath waiting for video dialtone. We had enough
fun working out how to get ISDN's 160 kbit/s over twisted pair
copper. Either the telco's would need to run co-ax alongside
their present cables, or switch over to optical fiber to get
enough bandwidth for TV.

REB

Newsgroups: rec.video.cable-tv
From: mperlman@nyx.cs.du.edu (Marshal "Airborne" Perlman)
Subject: PARAGON CABLE TV = BASTARDS
Organization: University of Denver, Dept. of Math & Comp. Sci.
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 92 00:57:31 GMT

K..I'll....TRY to explain this:

A bitch from Paragon cable calls me, and tells me that soon
they are going to scramble all the stuff. They are doing this so they
can start sending out HBO 1 2 3 and SHOW 1 2. BUT they are going 
to require everyone who gets pay channels now (we get HBO and SHOW)
to Buy/rent a box.....it isn't so much the box..but is the fact
that it will be a pain in the ass to watch tv.

anything we want to do will have to be done VIA the box! do you know what I 
mean? for example..if I want to record HBO from 8 to 9 tonite..and SHOW
from 9 to 10.. i just tell my VCR to do that.BUT after they start scramble
(ing) stuff...I'll have to set the VCR to CH 3, manually enter
the tuner on HBO..and record ch 3' w/ the vcr for that time..and to 
record HBO..i'll have to manually switch the tuner over to SHOW!

HOW can they do this? it makes cable ready TV w/ PIP , channel labeling
etc etc USELESS! How the hell can they do this? Please help me..

--
==============================  *  Marshal Perlman               * DO
=-> mperlman@nyx.cs.du.edu <-=  *  Huntington Beach, California  * NOT
==============================  *  (Surf City, U.S.A)            * EAT
___ANYONE UNDER 18 IS A MINER___
Newsgroups: rec.video.cable-tv
From: gould@waterloo.hp.com (Dan Gould)
Subject: Re: VCR PLUS ?  ** Does anyone think it's REALLY usefull **
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 16:49:08 GMT
Organization: HP Panacom Div Waterloo ON Canada
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1scd1 PL4

mpalmer@encore.com (Mike Palmer) writes:

: I tried the VCR+ and found it to be of little use...
: 
: What are other peoples thoughts on this.

I have one, and think it great!! I see three major advantages ...

1) You *never* make a mistake. You don't even have to know what day
the show is on, the code always gets it right.

2) On my cable system, the only way to select a pay TV channel is through
the external converter. The tuner in my VCR can't change this (of course!)
so that before the VCR plus came out recording from a pay channel was very
tricky.

Now, recording from regular and pay channels is no different. The VCR Plus
changes the channel on the external converter, then starts the VCR. Simple
and effective.

3) I also enjoy being able to sit down in my favourite chair, TV listing and
VCR Plus in hand, and select my viewing for the next week. That sure beats
sitting on the floor, pushing those little buttons on the VCR!!

--
Dan Gould
From: john@newave.mn.org (John A. Weeks III)
Newsgroups: rec.video.cable-tv
Subject: Re: PARAGON CABLE TV = BASTARDS
Date: 23 Jul 92 02:55:46 GMT
Organization: Newave Communications, Ltd, Lake Wobegon, MN

In article <1992Jul22.005731.4517@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu> mperlman@nyx.cs.du.edu (Marshal "Airborne" Perlman) writes:
> A bitch from Paragon cable calls me,

That's not a very nice thing to say about someone that had nothing to do
with the decision that caused you problem.  In my experience, Paragon has
been the most responsive cable system I have yet subscribed from, and they
had the best programming to date.

> and tells me that soon
> they are going to scramble all the stuff. They are doing this so they
> can start sending out HBO 1 2 3 and SHOW 1 2. BUT they are going 
> to require everyone who gets pay channels now (we get HBO and SHOW)
> to Buy/rent a box.....it isn't so much the box..but is the fact
> that it will be a pain in the ass to watch tv.

This is a fact of life for many cable viewers for many years.  At one time,
congress was considering a bill that would have required all cable systems
to have basic cable that would work with so called "cable-ready" TV sets.

> anything we want to do will have to be done VIA the box! do you know what I 
> mean? for example..if I want to record HBO from 8 to 9 tonite..and SHOW
> from 9 to 10.. i just tell my VCR to do that.BUT after they start scramble
> (ing) stuff...I'll have to set the VCR to CH 3, manually enter
> the tuner on HBO..and record ch 3' w/ the vcr for that time..and to 
> record HBO..i'll have to manually switch the tuner over to SHOW!

See if your operator is going to have remote controlled converter boxes
available.  If so, check out a thingy called VCR+.  This handheld remote
controller will automatically program your VCR and cable box at the right
time to allow you to record two scrambled signals from different channels
using one VCR.

> HOW can they do this? it makes cable ready TV w/ PIP , channel labeling
> etc etc USELESS! How the hell can they do this? Please help me..

This only affects PIP and channel labeling for scrambled channels.  It will
not prevent its usage with the regular unscrambled channels.

Cable TV is a monopoly.  I will be happy when there is someday competition
in the TV market and choices in cable vendors.

-john-

-- 
==============================================================================
John A. Weeks III		(612) 942-6969		    john@newave.mn.org
Newave Communications, Ltd.			    ..!uunet!tcnet!newave!john
From: gb7@prism.gatech.EDU (Joe Bradley)
Newsgroups: rec.video.cable-tv
Subject: Pitiful cable picture
Date: 25 Jul 92 01:46:33 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Georgia Tech Research Institute

I'm trying to understand why the picture I receive from my cable is
so pitiful. I have 7 outlets in my home, which of course are connected
to several 2 or 3-way splitters heading back to where the cable comes into
the house. I have disconnected the cable coming into the house from
the distribution system and connected it directly to a TV. This produces
a very good picture except for a few of the upper channels (35-40 on cable)
which are slightly fuzzy. When the cable is connected normally, most of
the channels above 30 are unwatchable on every set in the house.

A serviceman from the cable company has come out and said the power is turned
up to the max at the curb and there is nothing he can do. I have tried
inserting an amplifier just after the cable comes into the house but before
the first splitter. This makes the picture worse! The amp has a gain of
16-24 dB over 5-600 MHz. I have even tried another amp of a different type
but with the same result.

Does this sound like something is wrong with the signal distribution system
in my house or is the cable company supplying me with too weak of a signal?
How could the amps make the picture worse (snowier)?

Any comments would be appreciated.


-- 
G. Joe Bradley                      |  INTERNET:    gb7@prism.gatech.edu
Georgia Tech Research Institute     |  COMPUSERVE:  76064,1673
Modeling and Analysis Laboratory    |  PHONE:       404-894-3548
Atlanta, Georgia, 30332             |  FAX:         404-894-7227
Newsgroups: rec.video.cable-tv
From: chrisp@theory.TC.Cornell.EDU (Chris Pelkie)
Subject: Re: Cable programming
Keywords: cable box programming
Organization: Cornell Theory Center
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 11:49:51 GMT

In article <d6fm8--.anson@netcom.com>, anson@netcom.com (Anson Kennedy) writes:
|> chrisp@theory.TC.Cornell.EDU (Chris Pelkie) writes:
|> 
|> [stuff deleted]
|> 
|> >I hadn't figured out already. If it matters, these are black
|> >Scientific-Atlanta boxes, but since these are custom manufactured
|>                                      ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
|> >for different cable systems, that info is probably meaningless to you.
|>  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
|> On what do you base this piece of information?
|> -- 
|> 
|> Anson Kennedy                                                   anson@netcom.com
|> Secretary of the Georgia Skeptics (but don't even THINK I speak for them!)
|> 
|> "If you don't watch the violence,    \           "If I had been the Virgin Mary,
|> you'll never get desensitized to it."  \                I would have said 'No.'"
|> -Bart Simpson                            \  -Margaret "Stevie" Smith (1902-1971)

You're right, the level of unsubstantiated opinion-generation on the net
can get tiresome.

Oh, well, I knew I should have just quoted out of the latest brochure
of cable-user policies I got from my cable company. They indicated in there 
that the decoders made for our cable system (Ithaca, NY, purportedly one of
the oldest cable systems in the country, read, cruftiest), is a box which
is compatible with "less than 3% of the other cable systems in this country".

This was cited as an added benefit for those of us who wish to plunk down
$200 to buy the box from our cable company, in order to save no money
on the monthly bill, in order to pay them a minimum of $20 inspection fee
if "our" box flakes out, and in case we decide to move somewhere else
and take "our" box with us. Fortunately, purchasing the box is an option,
although "renting" it as part of the monthly fee is not.

So while I wasn't making it up, I admit, I was believing the cable company's
brochure. But I have heard this from a local TV repair shop also (that we
have a uniquely squashed signal to fit more channels into a less than normal
bandwidth.)

I don't know how different the boxes are around the country outside our
little valley.
-- 
Chris Pelkie
Scientific Visualization Producer
Cornell Theory Center
Ithaca, NY 14853-3801
chrisp@tc.cornell.edu
Newsgroups: rec.video.cable-tv
From: davelett@athena.mit.edu (Richard Sun)
Subject: Re: Remoteley Addressable converters
Keywords: big brother, privacy
Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 09:15:16 GMT

In article <1992Jul21.131959.16714@brtph560.bnr.ca> mcohen@bnr.ca writes:
>
>	I heard somewhere that the remotely addressable converters
>could be queried as to what the permitted service state was, what 
>channel they were tuned to, etc. Can anyone provide some factual
>information on this? OF course you can think of the implications,
>and it would be a bonus for the cable companies - easy to spot
>pirates, survey channel popularity, record viewing habits, etc.
>My box is a Zenith and it is addressable. Is it two-way???
>
>Matt

Well, I am familiar with ACQ in Queens, New York, and their
equipment can tell them almost anything.  By law, though, they can only do
systemwide sweeps to see what people are watching.

This is also the same company that used a signal of some sort to "blow up"
illegal boxes.  After people came into ACQ to complain about their illegal
blown-up boxes, they were arrested for theft of services.

Great PR, huh?
From: dattier@ddsw1.mcs.com (David W. Tamkin)
Newsgroups: rec.video.cable-tv
Subject: Re: VCR+ peeve
Date: 29 Jul 92 02:51:35 GMT
Organization: Contributor Account at ddsw1, Chicago, Illinois  60657
X-Disclaimer:  Material posted in this article is the sole responsibility of
                the poster and does not represent MCSNet or the system owners.

jerry@ginger.hnrc.tufts.edu (Jerry Dallal) wrote in
<1992Jul27.160322.222@ginger.hnrc.tufts.edu>:

| VRR+ peeve:
| 
|    Apparently, the manufacturer does not understand that the broadcast day
| starts at 6am rather than midnight.  If you want to tape a program that
| airs daily after midnight (say, Dobie Gillis on Nick at Night which starts
| at 12:30 am) and you ask for M-F, you get whatever is playing early Monday
| morning and miss the program that airs early Saturday morning.  Or am I
| missing something?

You're missing nothing.  You have to store five weekly events, one each on
Tuesday through Saturday.

I wouldn't have to, but Nickelodeon's current scheduling of "Dobie Gillis"
is not enough reason to move to another time zone.

Another shortcoming in the VCR+ is that you cannot postpone the start date
of a daily or weekly event; if a new program begins next Monday and you
code it in as a daily event, it will start recording that time slot today
(or tomorrow); you have to wait until Saturday (or Friday after its future
time slot is up) to key it into your VCR+.  Likewise, if a weekly program
starts more than 168 hours away, you have to wait until you're within a week
to key it in as a weekly event.  It doesn't matter that you use next week's
(or next Monday's) code.

David W. Tamkin   Box 59297   Northtown Station, Illinois  60659-0297
dattier@ddsw1.mcs.com    CompuServe: 73720,1570    MCI Mail: 426-1818
From: jerry@ginger.hnrc.tufts.edu (Jerry Dallal)
Newsgroups: rec.video.cable-tv
Subject: VCR+ peeve
Date: 27 Jul 92 21:03:22 GMT
Organization: USDA HNRC at Tufts University

VRR+ peeve:

   Apparently, the manufacturer does not understand that the broadcast day
starts at 6am rather than midnight.  If you want to tape a program that airs
daily after midnight (say, Dobie Gillis on Nick at Night which starts at 12:30
am) and you ask for M-F, you get whatever is playing early Monday morning and
miss the program that airs early Saturday morning.  Or am I missing something?
Newsgroups: rec.video.cable-tv
From: mlevine@perfect.fia.dmg.ml.com (Mark Levine)
Subject: Re: Watching cable with TV remote
Organization: Merrill Lynch Debt Markets
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 15:17:43 GMT

In article <79@newave.mn.org>, john@newave.mn.org (John A. Weeks III) writes:
|> In article <1992Jul20.162724.26053@fia.dmg.ml.com> mlevine@perfect.fia.dmg.ml.com (Mark Levine) writes:
|> > This might be real simple, because I've seen other people do it on different
|> > cable systems. I live in Queens, NY and I have all the most modern video
|> > equipment, but I can't seem to rewire my system to let me use the remote
|> > from my TV. I have to use the remote from the cable company which renders my
|> > PIP, and all other features useless. Any help would be much appreciated.
|> 
|> Try this experiment:  disconnect your TV from whatever cable wire goes into
|> it, and disconnect the cable TV wire from the wall.  Now connect your TV
|> cable jack directly to the cable TV jack on your wall.  Try your TV and see
|> what happens.  There will be one of three things: you get channels 2-13
|> only, you get 2-13 plus a dozen or more channels above 13, or you get nothing.
|> If you get 2-13 only, your TV is not cable ready, and you need a block
|> converter.  If you get 2-13 plus 14 and above, you are OK.  If you get
|> nothing, your cable system is run by a bunch of NAZI's.
| 

Thanks for the advice. Unless I did something wrong, my cable system IS run by a
bunch of NAZI's. No channels 2-13, no nothing. How the hell can they get away with this. If there are any other suggestions, legal or not, please let me know.
This is getting me crazy.

mark
From: jerry@ginger.hnrc.tufts.edu (Jerry Dallal)
Newsgroups: rec.video.cable-tv
Subject: VCR video worse than TV's
Date: 27 Jul 92 21:15:57 GMT
Organization: USDA HNRC at Tufts University

My cable feeds into a 3 way splitter (well, 4 way, but I've capped-off the
unused terminal and what I'm about to describe doesn't depend on which terminal
is capped off).

One signal goes into the TV, and the 2 others go into VCR's.  The audio and
video from VCR-2 feed into VCR-1 and the audio and video from VCR-1 feed into
the TV.  I find that the picture is best when I watch the TV signal, gets a bit
snowy on many channels when I watch the VCR-1 picture, and gets more snowy when
I watch the VCR-2 picture.  (In practice, I don't watch the VCR-2 picture. 
That machine is there for dubbing.)

My naive question is, "How can I make the VCR-1 picture as good as the TV's?"  
(I'm using good cables and the loss seems out of proportion to what I'm doing 
to the signal.)  Perhaps I'm confused because before cable, when I had the
antenna feeding into the TV *through* the VCR, the VCR-1 picture was even
better than the TV's.

Thanks for indulging me.  If there is a FAQ I should be reading, would you
tell be where it's located?  I'm reading this through a news reader and have
not subscribed directly.
Newsgroups: rec.video.cable-tv
From: aaronb@suhana.analog.ingr.com (Aaron B.)
Subject: WANTED:  Dead VCR
Keywords: Broken VCR
Reply-To: aaronb@suhana.analog.ingr.com
Organization: Home Office Enterprise
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 01:27:34 GMT

Hi Netters:

I need a VHF tuner for my project.  Someone suggested me salvaging it
from a broken VCR.  Anybody that have such a thing or know of how to
get them please respond by e-mail.  Any other suggestions are welcome too.

Thanks in advanced.

Aaron B
aaronb@suhana.analog.ingr.com
Newsgroups: rec.video.cable-tv
From: davelett@athena.mit.edu (Richard Sun)
Subject: Regulation
Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 09:09:47 GMT

Thank goodness both houses have voted to reregulate the Cable TV industry!

I hope Time Warner, Cablevision, and all those other greedy corporations
learn their lesson in trying to charge the public ridiculous rates for
lousy service!  

I only hope the telephone industry brings those cable companies to their knees!

After all, what other businesses in the US treat its customers as badly
as the cable industry.  I have had extensive experience with both ACQ (Time-
Warner) in New York and with Boston Cablevision, and I can't name a business
with worse customer response.  One would think that these companies are
French or something!  (Sorry for the stereotype.)

Just looking at the way both of these companies design their systems is
enough proof that they are more profit oriented than service oriented.
They claim that the reason that they scramble their signals so that
they can maintain signal quality.  Bullshit!  They do it so people can't pirate
their signals.  They don't care if it makes it twice as difficult to
use VCR programming (You'd have to program the VCR and cable box).  They
only worry about their financial success.  

It's really interesting how these companies work.  Last year, I requested that
every room in my fraternity house be wired for cable, and they (Boston
Cablevision) balked and said that they wouldn't do it.  I called to complain
to the Boston Cable Commission and a few days later, an irritated Boston
Cablevision executive started to accuse me of misquoting him to the
Cable Commission!  

So I decided enough was enough, and after creating a plan to wire the house,
I backed out of the plan, just to spite him.  Now we are negotiating with our
neighboring fraternities to create our own private cable system to avoid their
ridiculous rates.     
Newsgroups: rec.video.cable-tv