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Date:         Thu, 17 Dec 1992 10:05:52 -0500
From:         FAC_JCLARK@JMUVAX.BITNET
Subject:      j-man & purchase recommendations

j-man,

One prefatory note about my comments on 70mm-to-35mm film printing, because
in reviewing them I don't think I made something clear I could have.  Re-
gardless of whether squeezing processes are used in the "print down" process,
the 70mm picture is (I believe) optically reduced in size so it fits pro-
portionally within the confines of the 35mm frame roughly half its size. This
would apply even to just a straight transfer, with no anamorphic manipulations.
As I said, though, the other intricacies of creating all these darned variations
   on widescreen--let alone transferring them to a different size film stock--ar
   e
sometimes baffling.  A while back, someone on this list explained how the "Super
   scope" format was created, and it involved 2 or 3 more steps than seemed "log
   i-
cal" to anyone of moderate intelligence.  Can't even remember what they were.

About monitor recommendations:  For around $1000, you are more or less geared
to the larger CRT models.  For about twice that, you *could* get into low-end
analog projection (using tubes) or the LCD projectors (but I wouldn't yet
recommend the latter for regular home viewing with a high-quality video source).
   You could also begin to get into the less expensive range of *rear* screen
projectors, whose screen size begins to pick up at around 40" and up, just
above the range where straight CRT sets still leave off. (Rear screen actually
uses a small CRT setup and then enlarges the image through mirrors.)  These
sets are getting very good now.

You've already gotten a couple of good recommendations in general from kjf
(Sony XBR) and Mike (JVC 31" model).  It may be that, at $1000 from a discount
source, you can go a little higher in screen size.  I would recommend that
if you can and if the model fits into the room space you have.  (I don't have
it with me, but I just received a new issue of a video magazine that has the
latest models with list prices.  I'll try to remember to check it tonight
and see if I can clarify how large a screen you can get, and what the models
are.)  In general, I'd also recommend considering CRT monitor/receivers from
Mitsubishi and Toshiba; they both have good picture quality reputations.  You
will probably find that in considering Sonys--XBRs or any other--you pay
slightly more for a comparable set; Sonys have always been that way and their
reputation allows them to be.  I have an old Sony XBR 20" model myself--now
about 12 years old, but still looking good.

This reminds me of one other matter, j-man.  If you are actually going to
examine models in stores when choosing, you might consider looking at them for
the amount of "overscan" they produce in the picture.  The less, the better.
But this can be done if you have a disc or tape--lbx'd or not--you are familiar
with from your current TV set, in terms of how it looks during certain scenes,
noting boundary details; and can then try it out on prospective sets to see if
they reveal more or less detail at the boundaries.  The close to ideal compari-
son would be if you have access to a professional monitor in a studio facility
through a colleague or acquaintance, and can check the disc or tape picture
on that first.  Those professional monitors will produce the least amount of
overscan, if any at all.  If you don't have that option but are willing to
begin an investment in an appropriate disc, you could obtain one of the
windowboxed titles, which will do even better in comparing monitors.  I've
mentioned that Chinatown (from Paramount) is one, although there the boxing
on the short vertical sides is generous enough to show up on most any monitor.
A better test would be any recent (past year or so) title letterboxed by
Warner Bros.  As I've noted, these are actually windowboxed--but with very
slim bands of black on the vertical sides.  Many monitors will not even show
them (my XBR doesn't); a really outstanding monitor will reveal a bit of one
or both of those side bands (my Pulsar projection set shows the right one).
(Not seeing both side bands isn't a thing to become too alarmed at; the over-
scan on most any consumer set is usually off-center; it's just that when
there's a lot of overscan, you never notice it on the set because the side
bands of a windowboxed title never show up at all.) --But perhaps I'm being
too obsessively finicky for you here; in that case, just consider it a lot
of techno-prattle....

JC
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