video-magazine-1995-06

["While working through the 701 pack- neer\u2019s CLD-97 laserdisc player, and iii Gene ST ee Bea) age, I discovered that the Barco only JBL\u2019s Synthesis 3 surround-sound BY THE NUMBERS seems to be more expensive than the processor. Because the Barco is com- AmPro and Mitsubishi projectors. Both patible with both NTSC and line-dou- Measurements by Berger\u2014Braithwaite Labs of these models need a controller, a de- bled images (with scan rates of 15 to vice that supplies the necessary picture 16 kHz and 30 to 36 kHz, respectively) Horizontal resolution: 410 lines and has RGB+S inputs, I was able to Picture S\/N ratio: video, 58.7 dB; controls (CONTRAST, BRIGHTNESS, and compare plain-vanilla composite video so on), handles the video-processing to line-doubled images. chroma AM, 68.2 dB; chroma PM, 67.2 dB chore of separating the source\u2019s com- Screen brightness: before calibration, posite signal into its individual red, A tabletop mount let me square the green, and blue components, and gen- 701 with the Da-Lite screen. When all 23.25 footlamberts; after calibration, erates the sync signal (called RGB+S) was said and done, the 701 sat 25 inch- 17.5 footlamberts that time-aligns the red, green, and es off the floor and 124 inches from the Color temperature: before calibration, blue signals after processing. The cur- screen, which was also 25 inches off 6,700 degrees K; after calibration, rent trend, however, is to use a line- the ground. Then I sat back and pow- 6,490 degrees K doubler instead of a controller. In addi- ered up the system. tion to performing all of a controller\u2019s multiple aspect ratios, letting you primary functions, a good line-doubler The hybrid watch letterboxed movies or other will greatly improve your system\u2019s im- glass-and-plastic widescreen material in its original age quality [see \u201cCitizen Kane,\u201d page lenses, from form. 25, for more on doublers]. Dwin\u2019s LD- U.S. Precision, The 701 offers three color-tempera- deliver clear, ture settings: 3,200, 6,500, and 9,500 2 [\u201cVideotests,\u201d April 1995] is the only sharp images. degrees Kelvin. The 3,200-degree tem- inexpensive doubler I\u2019ve seen that perature is meant for use in board- doesn\u2019t introduce disturbing picture ar- Initially, the picture was as uncon- rooms when the proceedings are being tifacts, so, at minimum, you have to verged as a picture can get\u2014it actually captured on videotape. The 9,500-de- add its $3,500 pricetag to the cost of ei- looked like a bad 3-D movie. Then the gree setting should be selected if your ther of these projectors. fun began. First, Barco\u2019s technician and room can\u2019t be sufficiently darkened. I I manually set the focus of the projec- selected the 6,500-degree setting, The 701, on the other hand, doesn\u2019t tor\u2019s red, green, and blue guns. Next, which is the NTSC broadcast standard. require an outboard controller. It sim- we ran through the setup menus. Each ply accepts a composite or S-Video in- stage of the setup procedure went The next step was to analyze the pro- put from your video source component smoothly and quickly. Again, \u201cquickly\u201d jector\u2019s performance with Reference and does the processing internally; op- is a relative term: It took a little less Recordings\u2019 A Video Standard test tions listed in the projector\u2019s menus let than 2 hours to set horizontal as well as disc. First up was contrast linearity, you adjust all video parameters. And vertical geometry and convergence. which was excellent; the 701\u2019s power though the 701 can benefit from the use Note that the 701 can also be set for supply is extremely well controlled. of a doubler, its picture is very fine Gray-scale patterns revealed that the without one. stages from black through gray to white were well delineated. The con- I connected the 701 to a reference vergence pattern confirmed that the ini- system that included Da-Lite\u2019s Model tial setup had been well done. C 100-inch screen (as always, mea- sured diagonally), the Dwin LD-2, Pio- Next came the multiburst pattern, which shows the level of detail in dif- nts set via remote-controlled ferent video-frequency bandwidths. This pattern was displayed with superb hree color-temperature detail and was very linear. It also re- degrees Kelvin) m Backlit vealed that the 701 employs a notch fil- ter; a comb filter is preferable because it passes a finer level of detail, but it would be more expensive to include. Nevertheless, this notch filter per- formed cleanly, with no moire patterns. I did note some oversaturation of col- ors, which indicated that further adjust- ment was necessary. So we checked the color temperature with a Philips color analyzer. According to the 701\u2019s menu, this should have elicited a reading of 6,500 degrees K. Instead, the analyzer read 6,700 degrees on its high-output window, 6,200 degrees in the middle window, and 7,900 degrees in the bot- tom window; it was slightly plus green and plus blue in the top window and plus blue in the middle and bottom windows. These measurements indi- cate that the preset for 6,500 degrees VIDEO JUNE 1995 49","ee Audio Catalog was fairly accurate and that the projec- ately lost. The same thing will happen tor was performing well across the if you flip on a room light with a 40- At Cambridge SoundWorks we make speakers range, with good linearity and stability. watt bulb. Bottom line: Darkness is a and music systems designed by Henry Kloss must when a projection system is part (founder of AR, KLH & Advent). We sell My reading of footlamberts showed of your plans. them\u2014and components from companies like an output of 23.25\u2014a very high figure Sony, Pioneer, Philips, Carver and others\u2014 (15 is the ideal for a front projector). I was less than impressed with the factory -direct, with no expensive middlemen. Additional tweaking of the set\u2019s CON- Barco\u2019s color purity. Though the red For example, a Dolby Pro Logic Surround TRAST and DRIVE controls left us with a and green lenses are treated with a col- Sound system with Model Six speakers, rear color temperature of 6,490 degrees and ored liquid dye to keep individual col- speakers, a Sony Pro Logic receiver and remote a footlambert measurement of 17.5, ors pure, I discovered that the 701 uti- is only $747. Call today and find out wh which is as high as I\u2019ve measured on a lizes a green phosphor that\u2019s not the Audio magazine said we may have \u201cthe best front projector after calibration. The standard NTSC color. It\u2019s actually a yel- value in the world.\u201d 701\u2019s high light output may shorten the low-green that\u2019s designed to produce lifespan of its CRT\u2014particularly if con- greater light output at the expense of * Call toll-free for factory-direct savings. trast isn\u2019t brought down. absolutely precise color fidelity. Barco \u00a2 Save hundreds on components and systems took this route so that computer graph- Resolution read out at 410 lines hori- ics would look good when shown in from Cambridge SoundWorks, Sony, Pioneer, zontally and almost 500 lines vertically; bright boardrooms. Obviously, comput- Philips, Carver and more. both are good numbers. Fan noise was er graphics aren\u2019t typical home-theater \u00a2 Audio experts will answer your questions quite low, something that couldn\u2019t be fare. And, as mentioned, the high light before and after you buy, 8AM-Midnight said about earlier Barco projectors. output could shorten the 701\u2019s lifespan. (ET), 365 days a year-even holidays. In practice, yellows appeared slightly * 30-Day Total Satisfaction Guarantee on all Then it was time to see what the 701 more tan than normal and reds were products. would do with real-world programs. slightly orange. There was also some \u00a2 7-Year Parts & Labor Speaker Warranty. There\u2019s always a tendency to mistrust color leakage of red into blue and blue one\u2019s initial reactions to home-theater into red. SoundWorks amplified gear; the very act of disconnecting ref- subwoofer\/satellite erence equipment and replacing it with After living with the 701 for a while, new gear has a way of momentarily I found that our convergence and geom- $199speakers, erasing perceptual memories. I was, in etry settings had drifted considerably. fact, somewhat hesitant to praise what I This isn\u2019t uncommon with a new pro- \u201cThis is the best $199 was seeing with the first few laserdiscs. jector, and the built-in software makes But it soon became obvious that the im- it possible to return to the ideal settings. ages I was viewing were dramatically But this isn\u2019t something the average sharper and brighter, and video noise projector owner wants to mess with. was extremely low. Generally, a new projector does its most serious drifting in its first 3 months of With the Dwin line-doubler online, operation and recalibration will be nec- the system delivered a very crisp 100- essary. Like any high-performance ma- inch image, and I could still see visible chine, a projector may also require a scan lines\u2014a testament to the small tuneup every 6 months thereafter (or as beam-spot size of the 701\u2019s lenses. needed). When you live with an image this large, you'll find that you become The picture was also very sharp when increasingly sensitive to even subtle the Dwin was out of the loop. I found differences in its convergence and fo- myself drawn again and again to Chap- cus. Add it all up and it\u2019s clear that the ter 38 and Chapter 44 in the THX ver- services of an experienced installer will sion of The Abyss. In Chapter 38, the at- be key to your long-term satisfaction tack of the \u201cBig Geek\u201d minisub with the with this projector. painted monster jaws was crystal-clear; you can ee in Chapter 44, the image of Ed Harris THE BARCOVISION 701 ALWAYS DELIV- on yourself and holding a yellow glowlight in his deep- water suit with its glass facemask filled your computer.\u201d with red liquid was spectacular! The ered sharp, exciting images. Its chief excellent sharpness is a function of the ee Bill Machrone Barco\u2019s lenses, which are U.S. Preci- weakness is that its colors aren\u2019t entire- PC Magazine sion-made glass-and-plastic hybrids Sal married to Sony tubes. ly faithful to the NTSC standard. Still, 1-800-FOR-HIFI E I should add that it\u2019s critical to watch any front-projection system in a com- the 701 provides a high-quality movie pletely darkened room. Even as bright and sharp as the 701 is, for example, it experience, and it does so at a very rea- can\u2019t withstand much if anything in the We Know How To Make Loudspeakers. way of ambient light. Whenever ambi- sonable price. In this price range, you ent light managed to sneak into VIDEO\u2019s CSOAUMNBDRWIODRGKES reference room, all of the contrast and have to sacrifice something\u2014though detail in the 701\u2019s images were immedi- Mitsubishi\u2019s Model 1250 is capable of truer color fidelity, for example, it won\u2019t deliver images with the 701\u2019s sharpness 311 Needham Street, Suite 102 JUN, Newton MA 02164 and brightness. As always, only you can Tel: 1-800-367-4434 Fax: 617-332-9229 decide which aspect is more important Canada: 1-800-525-4434 Outside U.S. or Canada: 617-332-5936 to you. a \u00a91995 Cambridge SoundWorks, CIRCLE NO. 29 ON READER SERVICE CARD","InThe Mid \u201870s We Created Home Theater. Now We've Created ANewWay lo Buy lt. came, Tepeo wiworkat Carini Surround Speakers or As ae ; ae SoundWorks -including our cofounder Henry 7 \u201cdi subwooters made by A 2 Kloss (who also founded AR, KLH and Advent) raieior spon arn ee ay oe other companies. Its oR Ly - have been involved with the concept of home \u2014_oratories recommends dipole radiator speakers high pass filters keep &LB theater from the beginning. In 1969 (years strong, low bass signals out as pps Sa of the main stereo speakers, and directs them to before VCRs and cable TV), Henry Kloss very high power the powered subwoofer. $299. f:ounded Advenut,e tihnetocdoumcpeadnythe thai seg; \u2018 Speeaeker pSeysstteems first home theater for \u201chigh end\u201d audio\/video surround sound We have assembled a number of home systems- systems. Audio theater speaker systems that consist of center complete with big- Seecrbin mnt screen TVs and system that channel, digital surround sound. We included The surround and have had an ongoing relationship with the Surround said, \u201cIn many ways the surround main stereo people at Dolby Laboratories, creators of Dolby Sensation was every bit as good as far more speakers. The Surround Sound, since Henry Kloss introduced expensive installations.\u201d $399 pr. The thefirst consumer products with Dolby noise smaller The Surround Ilis arguably the CreadmubcrtiidogneovSeorun2d0Woyerakrss awgeo.beAlniedvenowwe ahtave set cspoeuankterry.\u2019s $b2e4s9t vparl.ue in a dipole radiator eS a new price-to-performance standard for home ;: combination we show here is our best seller. It theater components. Powered Subwoofers includes our critically acclaimed Ensemble Because we sell carefully matched and tested subwoofer satellite speaker system (with dual Ay home theater speaker systems factory-direct, subwoofers), our Center Channel Plus and The original Powered Subwoofer by a pair of our best surround speakers, 7he with no expensive middlemen, you can save Cambridge SoundWorks consists of a heavy- Surround. You could spend hundreds of dollars. We believe the hundreds more than products on these pages represent the its $1,167 price without improving country\u2019s best values in high performance performance. home theater components. Audio critics, and thousands of satisfied customers, For information on agree. Stereo Review said \u201cCambridge other home theater SoundWorks manufactures loudspeakers speaker systems - or that provide exceptional sound quality at on any of the products affordable prices.\u201d Audio suggested that we we make and sell - call \u201cmay have the best value in the world.\u201d 1-800-FOR-HIFI for Center Channel Speakers \u2018 your free color catalog. Cambridge SoundWorks manufactures duty 12\\\" woofer housed in an acoustic suspen- Thanks. three speakers for use as center channel fe pie with a 140-watt amplifier and a ? speakers in Dolby Pro Logic home theater uilt-in electronic crossover. Stereo Review sai For A Free Catalog, Call systems. All three are magnetically shielded itprovides \u201cdeep powerful bass...31.5 Hz bass {2800-FOR- HIFI so they can bero near a TV or computer monitor. Model Ten-A is a small, ea output was obtainable at a room- shaking level... they open the way speaker. $80. Center Channel is way to having a\u2018killer\u2019 identical to a vee for arrafiordable price.\u201d $699. Our Slave Subwoofer uses the same We Know How woofer driver and To Make Loudspeakers cabinet, but does not mcrae \u2014 include the amplifier or \u00a2 AMBRIDGE LO) G8 DD. 0) 79(4 Cambridge SoundWorks crossover. It can only be 154 California Street, Suite 130 JUN, Newton, MA 02158 Ensemble satellite (but with magnetic shield- used in conjunction with 1-800-367-4434 Fax: 617-332-9229 the Powered Subwoofer. $299. The new 5 Oe ee Se Uaicinds CNciod aaa Cane eeainierae\u00a9 1994 Cambridge SoundWorks, REnsemble is a registered trademark of linogw),. u$l1t4ra9-.wiCdeentdeersiCghnantnhaetl iPsliudseaulsefsor apnlaucletmrea-nt _with an 8\\\" woofer. $399.Powered Subwog er i uses a 120-watt amplifier above (or, with optional support stand, below) Our EXO-\/ electronic crossover can be used thats WES Ny AS a TV monitor. $219. with either of our powered subwoofer systems, Eade CIRCLE NO. 29 ON READER SERVICE CARD","The world\u2019 first 20x rock-steady optical zoom. Nothing comes closer to perfection. ith Canon\u2019s exclusive 20x optical zoom, the ES 2000 not only brings you closer to the action, it brings you closer to perfection than any ordinary camcorder can. That\u2019s because our 20x zoom uses Canon\u2019s Optical Image Stabilization system to steady the image. More effective than electronic stabilizing methods, Canon\u2019s Opti- | cal Image Stabilization counteracts shaking before the image passes through the lens. So there\u2019s never the loss of picture quality that you experience with some elec- re tronic systems. And Optical Image Stabilization main- tains image clarity through- out the entire zoom range. Of course, the ES 2000%::' Sencieiamemasaraan eo is a rock-steady choice for other reasons too. It\u2019s the first camcorder ever to feature Canon\u2019s exclusive new FlexiZone AF and FlexiZone AE systems\u2014advanced new auto focus and auto exposure features that, with just a touch of a button, allow you to shift focus and exposure to any bie, ence) in the frame. Wi Canon Simulated demonstration \u00a9 1995 Canon U.S.A., Inc. ES2000 \/ The new ES 2000 with 20x Optical zoom, Optical Image Stabilization and color viewfinder Hi VIDEO CAMCORDER When you add to that the fact that the ES 2000 comes with a color viewfinder and records in the superior Hi8 format, you begin to realize that perfection is a whole lot closer than you think. For more informa- tion on any of our Hi8 camcorders, call 1-800-828-4040. CIRCLE NO. 41 ON READER SERVICE CARD","Amphibico\u2019s Dive Buddy Ill sets the standard by which other housings will be judged. Parts and Procedures for ly new ballgame: Serene from above, fishing is high drama Shooting Great Underwater Videos when shot from below. You can\u2019t just grab your cam and dive in, of course. T WAS AN ADVENTUROUS VIDEOGRAPHER\u2019S DREAM: Splash-proof sports packs won\u2019t cut it, so specialized gear Huge, radiant labyrinths of lavender and yellow crys- is required. A few electronics companies offer underwater tals, a 1942 fighter plane, a tank, and a skeleton ap- accessories, and numerous other firms manufacture marine peared as though out of nowhere. Neon-colored creatures equipment that\u2019s tailored to fit most camcorders. approached, then faded into a turquoise haze. To my cha- Sony\u2019s MPK-TRA2 ($1,300), which is designed express- grin, however, I couldn\u2019t capture a single second of this ly for Handycams, has all of the features you need to con- magical scene for posterity, even though my camcorder duct a successful marine operation. Addressing the fore- was only 30 feet away. I was, you see, 30 feet straight most concern\u2014waterproofing\u2014the TRA2\u2019s bright yellow, down in the salty waters of a West Pacific lagoon. 13 x 8-inch tubular housing is constructed from aluminum; At that moment I realized that with two-thirds of the it\u2019s rated for use to a depth of 246 feet (75 meters). At 17.5 earth covered by water, from Micronesia to the pool in my pounds, the TRA2 is hefty to transport on land. But once backyard, I was missing videographic access to boundless you\u2019re in the water, the weight compensates for the hous- sights\u2014sights that have the power to fascinate the mind ing\u2019s interior air volume, making it \u201cbuoyancy neutral.\u201d and stimulate the senses. But I wasn\u2019t helpless. Spurred by Pistol-grip handles positioned port and starboard enable this new understanding, I discovered that underwater you to deftly steer the unit, and I found that it\u2019s nearly per- videography was not only possible, it was practical. fectly balanced fore and aft. Underwater videography opens up ON THE INSIDE Soft-push controls are mounted on the vast frontiers of potential footage. Go- housing\u2019s right handle and are electroni- ing beyond traditional shots of sea life cally connected to the camcorder; mak- (amply diverse and thrilling, to be ing the connections is a fairly simple af- sure), the imagination extends the pos- NEW TECH \u00a256 fair. These controls command essential sibilities to a wealth of other subjects. functions: power on\/off, record on\/off, Underwater, a camcorder adds perspec- autofocus on\/off, and a slide-zoom tives to shots that are traditionally lim- wide\/telephoto (W\/T) lever. All of the controls are easy to use without shaking ited to the surface. You can capture VIDEOTEST +58 your kids diving and take the shot the housing or otherwise disrupting through to its wriggling, giggling con- shooting. The right handle also sports clusion. And fishing becomes an entire- two highly visible LEDs. One helpfully VIDEO JUNE 1995 53","glows red during recording, and the oth- This problem is compounded by the lack UNDERWATER er flashes a warning if a companion sen- of an LED or other indicator to denote VIDEO SOURCES sor notices that moisture has worked its that you\u2019re in the recording mode. way. inside the housing. 222i.d7g6e6,9Nu 07656 In addition, you won\u2019t find a control Both handles have fittings that can ac- for autofocus on\/off, an important feature bly increases brightness, and a variety of cept underwater-compatible lights, the due to the fickleness of focusing under- underwater lights. viewfinder port is shaded, and bubble- water. Nor will you find an external mic. holes are built into the hood. In addition, The housing does have handle-mounts Getting your hands on the right equip- an aquatic stereo microphone projects for an external light, however. Supplied ment is only half the battle, though. Risk from the housing\u2019s front. Your cam- accessories include a wide-angle con- is always present in underwater opera- corder\u2019s built-in mic will pick up under- version lens, orange, magenta, and clear tions, and mistakes can be extremely water sounds if you don\u2019t use the exter- filters, screws for securing additional costly. To minimize risk and the potential nal mic, but the integral mic will also weights, and a basic maintenance kit for for mistakes, you need a plan. The first pick up the whir of the cam\u2019s tape drive waterproofing and cleanup. thing you must do is be sure that your and zoom motor as well as the sounds breathing apparatus is in order\u2014before made by bubbles emitting from your reg- In its favor, the 400MP\/Viewcam sys- any distractions are introduced. Next, ulator, so the smart money goes with an tem does an excellent job as depth in- external mic. Sony also offers a number creases and light diminishes as well as at of helpful accessories. night. If it only had that autofocus con- trol, it\u2019d be the system of choice for un- Sharp\u2019s VR-400MP Waterproof Hous- derwater night videography. ing ($2,500) is designed for the compa- ny\u2019s Viewcam camcorders. The rectangu- Amphibico\u2019s Dive Buddy II housing lar, bright-orange polycarbonate shell ($1,500) is designed for Sony TR series measures 20.5 x 12 x 7.5 inches and is camcorders (like the CCD-TRV30; see relatively cumbersome. It also traps so page 58). Like many accessory housing much air that, with the weight that\u2019s re- companies, Amphibico is a small, acces- quired to make it buoyancy neutral, it sible outfit whose executives\u2014from weighs 19.4 pounds. chief designer to president\u2014are divers, and it shows in their products. The Dive The all-important waterproofing is ac- Buddy III, in fact, sets the standard by complished via an O-ring seal and a rear which other housings will be measured. cover, which is held tightly in place by four buckles; the 400MP is rated for use Like Sony\u2019s housing, the DBIII is to a depth of 164 feet (50 meters). The made of aluminum. But it\u2019s far more buckles can\u2019t be locked to prevent acci- compact and much lighter, measuring on- dental opening, however; both of the oth- ly 9.5 x 5.5 inches square and weighing er housings I reviewed offer this extra less than 10 pounds. It fits TR cam- safety feature. corders snugly with little air-space, which is what helps keep its weight Underwater, the VR-400MP steers down to manageable levels. smoothly thanks to side-grips. Its balance is augmented by a wing stabilizer that at- Waterproofing employs a rear-cover O- taches to the housing\u2019s top. But the hous- ring that nestles into the body; it\u2019s se- ing\/s wide profile increases drag when cured by two lockable clamps. A second you\u2019re dealing with water currents. O-ring seals the screw-in, changeable front lens. Amphibico gives the DBIII a The 400MP\u2019s controls are manual rather than electronic. They\u2019re sure-foot- depth rating of 300 feet (100 meters). Its ed when properly aligned, but their man- slim design, which includes dual pistol- ual nature places greater emphasis on grips, minimizes drag and enables the user setup, making them a bit unwieldy user to steer effortlessly. when the housing is opened in a boat or on land for a battery or tape change. Electronic soft-push buttons located on Controls include power on\/off, zoom the right handle control zoom, power w\/T, and record start\/stop. None of the on\/off, autofocus on\/off, and record\/ controls are grip-mounted, nor are they standby; LEDs indicate that you\u2019re soft-touch, so you have to take a hand off recording or that moisture has seeped in- a handle to use them. This decreases the side the housing. An external stereo mic stability of your footage, especially dur- extends from the front. ing zooms. Supplied accessories include a Vivitar The biggest drawback to Sharp\u2019s sys- wide-conversion lens, an external red fil- tem is that it\u2019s very difficult to actually see the Viewcam\u2019s LCD screen when ter, and a filter holder that doubles as a you\u2019re underwater on a sunny day. I point-and-shoot finder. (I'll get to the ad- taped a 4-inch hood to the rear cover, but vantage of an external filter system in a I still wasn\u2019t able to see much on the bit.) Optional accessories include a sport screen\u2014even when I was 50 feet down. finder, which precisely fits the housing\u2019s rear finder port and significantly im- proves finder visibility, an interchange- able \u201cdome\u201d front port, which apprecia- 54 JUNE 1995 VIDEO","most underwater videographers prepare colors is to use under- Sony\u2019s MPK-TRB for a dive by working off of a checklist, water lights with the Marine Pack Handycam just as airplane pilots do. camcorder set on in- door white balance. corders consistently \u201csee\u201d better than hu- Before each dive, seals must be Sunlight penetrates cleaned, carefully inspected, and lightly from 100 to 200 feet, man eyes. You can maximize the clarity coated with silicone; even slight bits of depending on how debris or imperfections on O-rings can clean the water is, so of your shots by using a wide-angle lens, cause leakage. Port surfaces should be for most dives lights coated with commercially available anti- are primarily used as since it will address the optical variances fogging liquid or silica gel. One advan- filler illumination, tage of aluminum housings shows up providing enhanced of shooting in water, including distortion here: Their \u201cheat-sink\u201d quality retains color balance without condensation, assisting in keeping lenses the need for filters. and reduced light and depth of field. fog-free. Actually, lights are of limited use. Aim them Note that underwater objects appear 25 As with any videography outing, you too far ahead and they should know battery life, check charges, merely accentuate debris in percent closer than they really are\u2014both load up a fresh tape, and make a test the water; aim them too close and recording, trying all camcorder functions they simply glare back into the lens. to the eye and to a video lens. A wide-an- in the process. Next, you should preset And be prepared for the surprise rush of the modes that are required for the hous- aquatic life that\u2019s sure to be drawn to gle also reduces the effects of motion, ing you'll be using. Once the appropriate your bulbs! cables or levers are connected, you and it increases the drama of your shots. should confirm operation of all external The most difficult\u2014and most crucial\u2014 controls\u2014before and after the water- learning curve is adjusting to the briny One popular technique is to remain sta- tight cover is secured. deep\u2019s effect on viewfinders. Even nor- mally user-friendly finders can turn tionary and let subjects swim through the The last pre-flight check is to submerge treacherous underwater. At best, frame- the camcorder-loaded housing for 60 edge and focus-grain can only be approx- frame, both horizontally and directly into seconds. Yank it out immediately if any- imated. To compensate, many successful thing goes awry, but if all is well, lower underwater shooters rig gun-like sights the lens. Just don\u2019t shoot wide angles it (by a line, if you wish) to a depth of 10 to their housings and learn lens angles so feet and let it sit for another minute. If that they can rely on point-and-shoot when you\u2019re too far from your subject(s); you see bubbles coming from the vicinity aiming. In this scenario, they use finders of the housing, you\u2019ve got trouble. You primarily to check focus, freezing the avoid the classic mistake of shooting im- should also keep a constant check on the autofocus mechanism whenever they can unit\u2019s moisture sensors. until subject distance changes and a new ages that are too small. decision needs to be made. You still won\u2019t be ready to take quality In those instances when a shot appears underwater videos even when these fun- As a rule, the sharpest underwater im- damentals are rote, however. Before you ages are obtainable midday, from about from some point in the distance, it\u2019s a even scope out the integrity of your 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. At this time of day, the housing, you need to learn about the ef- sun is overhead, reducing refraction. As good idea to zoom in on it. As on land, fects water has on light or your underwa- when shooting on land, knowing the ter footage will probably lack the vibrant sun\u2019s whereabouts is always critical, long telephotos are difficult to keep color that experienced divers routinely since shooting into it will result in capture. washed-out images. steady underwater, though the water- The main lesson here is that water Don\u2019t be turned off if the water appears magnified compression of a long lens can blocks the red portion of sunlight. To a bit murky. Experts point out that cam- be an impressive effect. One neat trick is take colorful videos at depths lower than 10 or 20 feet (depending upon condi- to move closer to the subject(s), swim- tions), you\u2019ll need a red lens filter. Some ming smoothly. This can produce an of the best filters are made by Underwa- ter Research. ethereal effect that will really spark your Filter use isn\u2019t static, though. For the TECH TIP audience. Always remember that you\u2019re best results, you need to make fairly con- stant adjustments as depth and lighting PBS stations always run great programs in water\u2014go with it, don\u2019t fight against conditions vary. That\u2019s why internal filter during their membership drives, but | don\u2019t systems, which can only be changed by it. Be patient, set an angle, let the subject opening a housing, aren\u2019t very effective. need to tape the fundraising breaks. Here\u2019s The best way to gauge exactly how depth what | do: Since most of the programs run move, and drift with currents; let a single and lighting conditions affect underwater between 1 and 2 hours in length, | set a tape kick gently pan your shot. videography is to experiment; watching how colors change in practice will help for 2-hour recording in the SP mode and edit Approach the challenge wisely and you develop an intuitive sense of when to use filters and when to stow them. the program(s) sans fundraising to another logically and, with a little experience un- tape later. | usually edit at EP speed, so | can Another way to get accurate, vibrant get three or four specials on one tape. der your weight belt, you\u2019ll come away Edwin Zoch with some hugely exciting videos. Take Bryant, AS it from me: Your audience will find themselves glued to the screen, trans- Mr. Zoch\u2019s tip is a worthy one... but PBS ported by the magical, flowing scenes in- still needs your support. \u2014Ed. to a separate reality. There\u2019s no danger here, of course\u2014just remind them to breathe normally. \u2014Ty Harrington VIDEO JUNE 1995 55","V ideo targets will look down the barrel of | the world\u2019s longest optical zoom lens when you shoot with Canon\u2019s ES2000 Hi8 camcorder ($1,600). The cam features a crisp 20x lens; Vari-Angle Prism circuitry provides for stable pictures. And a new control system lets users pinpoint the area of focus or exposure anywhere within a scene. Circle 104 on reader service card VC's GR-AX900U VHS-C camcorder ($1,100) 6 \/ @= \u2014_ is a special-effects monster. \u201cHyper zoom\u201d jumps from wide angle to 120x digital mag- nification in just 3 seconds. Seven exposure modes include \u201cstrobe,\u201d which records digital stills in rapid succession, and \u201cclassic film,\u201d which records images in black-and-white with a \u201cflicker\u201d effect. Circle 105 on reader service card nce you've connected it between a O camcorder or VCR and an editing VCR, Ambico\u2019s V-6331 automatic video editor ($300) can mark up to 192 scenes and arrange them for recording in any order, regardless of when they were shot chronologically. Three types of transi- tions\u2014cut, fade-to-black, and fade-to-white\u2014 can be combined in nine ways. Audio fading and video-enhancement circuitry are provided. Circle 106 on reader service card t a glance, Casio\u2019s Megavision FV-600 ($1,950) may look like a handheld TV on steroids, but it\u2019s really an LCD projector. The 600, which measures 16 x 11 x 6 inches (h\/w\/d), can be configured for front or rear projection; it includes a built-in 10-inch screen and is supplied with a portable screen that can display images measuring up to 60 inches (diagonally). The source of the auto-focusing image is a 2.4-inch TFT panel with 250,000 pixels. Circle 107 on reader service card 56 JUNE 1995 VIDEO","complete powered $: at a8 he a Msi hidenty spe NE ek EEG CL home audio. Hookers BAG a pe solutions. us a\/d\/s\/ offers home audio solutions for every application C300i\/s 750iL 500i\/r C60i\/s R5Oi\/c L400e a\/dis\/ has become a leader in custom home installations by consistently offering high AVS140 AVF144 $700 quality loudspeakers and electronits, and by developing innovative designs for every home CIRCLE NO. 18 ON READER SERVICE CARD audio application. \u00a91995 Analog and Digital Systems, Inc., One Progress Way, Wilmington, Massachusetts 01887 617.729.1140 Looking for great sounding home audio One of the ADST family of companies. speakers? Take a closer look at a\/d\/s\/, Mitsubishi 35\\\" color television provided by Jerry's Audio Video of Phoenix, AZ a\/d\/s\/ YolU)a\\\\ef \/-\\\\y hacjalelujief eli","| Swing a VideoS Shift Sony\u2019s CCD-TRV3O is a brilliant fusion of old and new 756 PICTURE THIS: THE COLOR LCD SCREEN HAS ADDED A the LCD screen into the TRV30\u2019s body increases its flexibility and use- new dimension to consumer camcording. The presence fulness. Sony has even added flip-out of an onboard LCD, which you can simply think of as a tabs on the bottom of the camcorder, which tilt the TRV30 up for better small TV screen, means that you don\u2019t need to keep your tabletop viewing when you use it for playback. Yes, accessory monitors camcorder pressed up against your face, freeing you to take bet- have offered the same capability for several years, but having it built into ter, more creative shots and to enjoy the proceedings as a your camcorder is sweet. participant. And nothing beats the flexibility of a relatively large A button to the side of the LCD panel releases it from the cam\u2019s body, LCD viewscreen when you want to preview shots or watch videos letting you swing the panel into posi- tion; the screen powers up as you do on the go. With the introduction of out LCD screen, a black-and-white so. The sturdy swivel-coupling al- the CCD-TRV30 Handycam 8mm lows you to turn the LCD a full 270 camcorder, Sony has upped the ante electronic viewfinder (EVF), and a degrees, giving you the option of in the expanding LCD sweepstakes. shooting from almost any angle. You built-in speaker, the TRV30 is fully can also fold the screen against the Last year, Sony jumped headlong automatic. It has an F1.8 lens with a cam\u2019s body with the LCD facing out; into the LCD arena with the CCD- this allows you to use the TRV30 as a FX730V, a hybrid unit that included 12X (5.4 to 64.8-mm) power zoom, a playback unit or to watch who or both a black-and-white electronic built-in lens cover, headphone and what you\u2019re shooting\u2014including viewfinder and a color LCD view- external-mic jacks, a wireless remote yourself\u2014without the screen getting screen. Though the FX730V ($1,099) control, and a genuinely usable bag in the way. was a solid attempt to integrate the of special effects. The 3-inch active-matrix LCD, two technologies, the TRV30 (also Best of all, the LCD has been inte- which has 75,816 pixels, is ad- grated into the TRV30\u2019s overall de- justable for hue and color through a $1,099) handily surpasses it. sign with such grace that it no longer simple menu system. Screen bright- The new camcorder is a brilliant seems like a hybrid. The camcorder\u2019s body, which measures 4.33 x 4.8 x fusion of old and new, with a feature package usually found only on more 8.33 inches (h\/w\/d) and weighs 2.3 sophisticated, more expensive mod- pounds, is stocky yet svelte; every- els. In addition to the 3-inch, swing- thing seems to be in its logical and proper place. And the integration of BY STEWART APPLEGATH","ness is adjusted via a thumbwheel sepia (for a late 19th-century \u201ctint\u201d ef- _BY THE NUMBERS that\u2019s located at one edge of the screen, fect), \u201csolarize\u201d (which provides a \u201960s providing flexibility as well as the abil- psychedelic look), and negative (which Measurements by Berger\u2014Braithwaite Labs ity to truly see what\u2019s on the screen in a reverses light and color). I especially variety of ambient lighting conditions. like the black-and-white option\u2014not Horizontal resolution: camera, 330 I found the LCD\u2019s image to be clear and so long ago, you just couldn\u2019t do it. lines; LCD, 200 lines; recorder, 230 lines sharp, though it does help to look at it directly. In addition to date\/time recording, Picture S\/N: unweighted video, 42.8 dB; there\u2019s a function that records the date weighted video, 50.2 dB; chroma AM, The onboard EVF, which can be ad- automatically at the start of each day\u2019s 44.4 dB; chroma PM, 44.4 dB justed for positioning and has a diopter recording. Other functions, such as the that\u2019s equipped with a focus control, beeper that indicates record start\/stop, 8mm videocassettes, but it won\u2019t work works in conjunction with the LCD to are accessed through the menu. The when you switch between partially preserve battery power: It shuts off counter-reset and display functions are recorded tapes\u2014once you remove a when the LCD is in use and switches on located behind the LCD panel. cassette from the cam, in other words, when you close the LCD door. On actu- end-search for that cassette is disabled. al production models (the sample I test- As mentioned, the TRV30 is equip- Frame advance and slow-motion play- ed was a prototype), the EVF will also ped with a 12X power zoom, a two- back round out the playback package. operate when you rotate the LCD screen speed mechanism that has become to face your subject. standard on Sony camcorders. A nice The TRV30\u2019s 0.33-inch CCD (with addition here is the front-panel sec- 270,000 gross pixels) takes a good pic- The TRV30\u2019s relatively few controls ondary zoom toggle. Though it\u2019s a one- ture at SP, its only speed; I\u2019d rate it just are easy to navigate while shooting. speed mechanism, it\u2019ll be easy to reach below the best I\u2019ve seen in the 8mm White-balance, shutter, iris, and focus when you\u2019re shooting at an awkward category. It showed good color accura- adjustments are all automatic, while angle. cy and saturation (especially for a unit Sony\u2019s now-standard four-mode auto- exposure system offers a measure of Sony\u2019s new VTR playback controls with automatic white balance) and very manual control. In addition to a high- are distinctive and functional. Instead little bleeding. There was some lumi- speed shutter mode, there are settings of individual buttons, the TRV30 has a for portrait, sports, and natural lighting. touchpad with an internal light that il- nance noise present, but, overall, the The full-range, TTL contrast auto-focus luminates the controls when you switch TRV30 offered a pleasing image. Mini- system, which can\u2019t be defeated, is ac- to VTR mode. This feature elicited a mum focusing distance is rated at 0.5 tive up to a half-inch from the subject. \u201cWow!\u201d from everyone who tried the and 30 inches for wide angle and tele, To make shooting easier, backlight unit\u2014it\u2019s a marked improvement that respectively, minimum illumination is compensation remains engaged until makes the control legends readable in given as 3.9 lux for 50 IRE, and shutter you manually defeat it (a one-button virtually any environment. Cue and re- speed, which is normally one-sixtieth process). A quick-record function is on view search speeed is spec\u2019d as 7X (for- of a second, is variable from that figure tap for speedy starts, while an audio\/ ward) and 4x (reverse). to one-four-thousandth of a second in video digital fader (to black or a mosa- the AE modes. ic pattern) adds variety to scene transi- In addition to its 1X edit-search fea- tions. ture, the TRV30 offers \u201cend-search,\u201d The TRV30 is equipped with hi-fi which forwards the tape to the end of Sony has also added some cool spe- the last segment you recorded. This AFM mono sound. (Stereo audio is re- cial effects, including mosaic (a \u201990s feature will be handy if you check your served for the forthcoming, top-of-the- kind of digital look), black-and-white, videos in progress. It\u2019s particularly use- LCD-line TRV70.) Nonetheless, audio ful now that Sony offers 150-minute performance was good; very little transport noise\u2014and no zoom or focus KEY FEATURES noise\u2014leaked through. Since the built- inch LCD screen m Digital picture effect in speaker is located behind the LCD, you can watch and listen to the footage 12X power zoom m Frame ai you\u2019ve shot (or a prerecorded video) a End-search m Wireless rem and adjust volume with the thumb- wheel at the back of the camera. Of course, you can also use the headphone jack and, in place of the built-in mono- electret-condenser mic, the external- mic jacks; these are nice amenities and are fairly rare in this price category. SONY\u2019S CCD-TRV30 MAKES AN IM- pressive debut. Its feature and er- gonomic innovations reflect a genuine concern for practicality and ease of use. And it shows us in truly elegant terms that color LCDs are here to stay. It\u2019s hard to imagine a better entry-level LCD camcorder. a VIDEO JUNE 1995 59","VANDEI<STEEN AUDIO With their drivers _ Vandersteen Our innovative box- connected in positive _ full-range less design reduces phase through first- cabinet reflections order crossovers, our speakers dispel tshpeeaiikmeprosrtaapnyrteseprhvaese the myth that daltfractionsthe ccahiasrtaacatkeeraiisitiitcss. of the i espMlaoiatdameeinlnteaetd3e'ssmpiri\u2018:donrptarenirnegatelary, requires unique driver reflections \u201cWhatahigh- main speakers. \\\"Setsets ththe RUC 7 sea ssitp andardse should be distortions. (ee vs ae ype \u201cAwesome on both film and music\u201d Ultra high-resolution, four In its pursuit of per- | \u201cRocksthe { : One louispeaker fection, specialty foundation!\u201d audio has estab- \u201cThe ideal lished high-fidelity surround speaker\u201d standards that only the best speakers can reach. Three driver, \u2014 Now your home 300 watt amplified subwoofer theater system can meet these standards. A VANDERSTEEN phase-correct home theater system creates a coherent and expansive soundfield with exceptional detail and superior dia- & |MA = IN5 |CyINI PU [2] TY. log intelligibility. You will hear why \u201cboxless\u201d is definitely bet- ter as the system's incredible realism heightens your emotion- B vita A UD IT) fo r Yo ur Vide rh) al involvement in your films. For almost 20 years, VANDERSTEEN AUDIO has built affordable) A loudspeakers true to both science and music. Ifyou are looking for a system that convincingly reproduces every nuance of a 116 West Fourth St, Hanford, CA 93230 film as easily as it conveys the essence of music, we can direct (209) 582-0324 you to your nearest carefully selected VANDERSTEEN dealer. Please write or call for a brochure and the name of your nearest dealer. CIRCLE NO, 2 ON READER SERVICE CARD","TWAREA\/V components reviewed, in brief Middleman more tapes to a \u201cmaster\u201d tape, the ble edit protocol than the proprietary U770 will do the deed cleanly. Its jog- \u201cedit\u201d input\/output\u2014it\u2019s capable of Mitsubishi HS-U770 shuttle dial lets you cue up tapes in for- synchro-edit control only with other S-VHS VCR ward or reverse with the utmost preci- Mitsubishi VCRs, and most people are sion. The audio-dub feature lets you far more likely to edit from a cam- HE S-VHS FORMAT, EVEN 8 YEARS record new audio on a tape\u2019s linear corder than from a second VCR. tracks. Insert edit lets you record over after its introduction, remains a your picture and hi-fi audio tracks. And Other front-panel features include a mystery to most people. It isn\u2019t twin flying-erase heads are on hand to set of A\/V input jacks (though the only supported by thousands of prere- keep edits glitch- and \u201crainbow\u201d-free; S-Video input is out back), a dial for corded tapes, and folks find that in fact, the U770 performs the most baffling. And though S-VHS offers consistently \u201cclean\u201d cuts of any editing setting the audio record level, a one- vastly improved picture quality when VCR I\u2019ve reviewed in the last couple of key program button (for programming compared to standard VHS, that fact years\u2014even after a tape was left your VCR to record without using the has failed to get their juices flowing (a paused for a few minutes. remote), that jog-shuttle wheel, and a cause of concern, perhaps, for propo- button labeled PERFECTAPE (more on it nents of the upcoming digital videodisc One of the best things about the U770 is that its editing controls are lo- in a bit). formats). But S-VHS has found a home cated on the front panel, rather than on A second jog-shuttle wheel can be with many a videophile, who live for its remote control. This layout makes it picture quality and probably revel in easy to edit in conjunction with a sec- found on the remote. I wasn\u2019t crazy the advanced editing features that are ond VCR, since you can simply set the about the remote, by the way. In order germane to the format. S-VHS models units side by side and punch away at to access on-screen menus, for exam- their buttons. I do wish, though, that ple, you need to push the MENU button aren\u2019t one-hit wonders, though, as Mit- Mitsubishi had included a more flexi- and then navigate through them using subishi\u2019s HS-U770 makes clear. the remote\u2019s jog dial and shuttle wheel. Mitsubishi HS-U770 This takes a bit of getting used to\u2014it\u2019d In the S-VHS universe, the HS-U770 2345678910 be easier to use the remote\u2019s numeric ($949) is a solid middle-class citizen. keypad to put in, say, the date and It\u2019s a straightforward, easy-to-use VCR time. The remote is capable of control- that offers good picture quality (make ling most makes of TV sets and ad- that \u201cterrific\u201d if you\u2019re used to standard dressable cable boxes, however. And VHS), great audio quality, and basic, unlike most other VCRs with \u201cuniver- \u201ccuts-only\u201d editing. Not surprising sal\u201d remotes, the U770 controls your considering its price tag, the U770 cable box through the VCR\u2019s infrared doesn\u2019t offer the pro-like features transmitter, instead of through the re- found on some more expensive models, mote. This makes programming much such as time-base correction, a built-in easier if you have an addressable cable box, since the VCR will not only turn titler, or an \u201cassemble-edit\u201d function. on and off at the right time but will If you simply want to move a number of programs or segments from one or VIDEO JUNE 1995 61","switch cable channels for you, too. It Hear and Now fair with 38 buttons\u2014turns this display off, for an elegant, in-the-dark viewing also allows you to take full advantage Panasonic LX-H670 experience. (Quixotically, the words Laserdisc Player DISPLAY OFF light up in a bright red of the U770\u2019s VCR Plus+ feature. when this mode has been selected, S THE DISC TURNS: THOUGH ALL slightly ruining the effect.) Mitsubishi\u2019s PerfecTape feature is of the talk about 5-inch digital videodiscs is very exciting [see The H670 takes about 10 seconds to designed to optimize videotape record- \u201cFuture Intense,\u201d page 18], it \u201cjump\u201d from the end of one side of a doesn\u2019t change the fact that DVD disc to the beginning of its other side. ing. Every time you load a tape, it auto- won\u2019t arrive until next winter at the ear- That\u2019s about average. During this inter- liest. The 12-inch analog laserdisc is matically records on it for 1 second, here today, and it\u2019s a proven winner for val, the screen goes blue (or black, if people who take home theater serious- the display has been turned off) and the evaluates the recording, and adjusts it- ly. Yes, DVD represents an advance message A>B appears on-screen. over LD, but the former has a lot of self to accommodate it. An option in ground to cover before it becomes a re- Operating the H670 is simple and ality. Today, LD is unquestionably the straightforward: An intro-scan feature the setup menu lets you switch this medium of choice for watching movies automatically plays the first 10 seconds in your home theater. And Panasonic\u2019s of each chapter on a laserdisc. The function to manual\u2014handy if you rou- LX-H670 makes a grand argument for pause button is of the infinite variety, living in the present. which means that it won\u2019t release after tinely eject tapes in the middle of a pro- The LX-H670 ($549) is relatively in- several minutes like many other models expensive as laserdisc players go, but it do (they\u2019re annoying if your trip to the gram and watch the rest later. I found offers all of the format\u2019s most impor- kitchen lasts a little longer than you\u2019d tant features, including the player\u2019s planned). If you stop a disc and then hit that PerfecTape works very well most ability to \u201cread\u201d both sides of a disc. PLAY again, a memory circuit automati- Like all current laserdisc players, the cally takes you back to a spot a few of the time. H670 also plays music CDs as well as seconds before the one where you left the more obscure CD Video discs. off; this can take a while if you stop Picture quality was good, though it (Don\u2019t confuse the latter with MPEG-1- while on side B, since the laser always based digital Video CDs\u2014CD Videos returns to side A. wasn\u2019t quite as stellar as I\u2019d expected. only hold up to 5 minutes of analog video plus 20 minutes of digital audio.) An extensive set of controls are pro- Horizontal resolution in the S-VHS One very nice, upscale feature is the vided to select chapters, tracks, or ran- digital time-base corrector, which im- dom play (this last feature is for music mode was about 370 lines, and that fig- proves the stability of pictures. CDs only). The A\u2014B REPEAT function The H670\u2019s front panel looks impres- lets you automatically replay any seg- ure dropped to 240 lines when the sive, if slightly cluttered. Panasonic ment from a laserdisc or music CD didn\u2019t skimp on operating controls over and over with just a couple of sec- U770 was set to its VHS mode. (Simi- here\u2014they provided a full numeric key- pad as well as a shuttle dial. Hookup Panasonic LX-H670 larly priced models often go as high as is a breeze: Two sets of A\/V output 12345678910 400 lines in the S-VHS mode.) I also jacks are provided out back along with a single S-Video output. noted a slight across-the-board chromi- A cool-blue fluorescent display indi- nance bleed when IJ ran a test pattern of cates chapter number, elapsed time, re- color bars through the VCR, though the maining tracks, and other status infor- mation. A button on the supplied colors themselves were generally sharp wireless remote\u2014a light, compact af- and clear. [Lancelot Braithwaite, VIDEO\u2019s technical editor, noticed more bleeding than should be expected from an S-VHS VCR in this price range, though he says that he has seen far worse.] Audio performance was quite good across the board, and the audio record-level control makes it a snap to pack lots of very high-quality music on a videotape. In the rarefied realm of S-VHS VCRs, Mitsubishi\u2019s HS-U770 offers some clear choices. It\u2019s not the bare- bones deck you\u2019ll find at the bottom of the S-VHS price ladder, and it\u2019s not the killer semi-pro editing console you\u2019ll find at the top. Instead, it comfortably inhabits the middle region, combining solid performance across the board with handy editing features. Choose your weapons. \u2014Timothy Liebe 62 JUNE 1995 VIDEO","onds between each cycle. You can also missing from the H670, in fact\u2014pause oriented will want to know that, in my repeat a side or an entire disc (meaning a standard CLV disc and the screen will astonishingly typical living room, re- both sides of a laserdisc). turn blue (or black), and there\u2019s no sponse extended down to 60 Hz (very frame advance. These features are on nice for a speaker of this size). From Extras: Buttons on the remote let you tap with CAV discs, though there\u2019s no that point, it extended out to 20,000 Hz choose between a laserdisc\u2019s digital or slow motion whatsoever. If you\u2019re just with a tight +3.8-dB window; a bit of CX analog audio tracks as well as be- going to watch movies, and don\u2019t in- roughness appeared between 2,000 and tween stereo and mono. The front-pan- tend to study them, this shouldn\u2019t be 5,000 Hz. Sensitivity clocked in at an el headphone jack has its own level troubling. efficient 91 dB SPL, indicating that the control. The optical digital-output jack 402s will be a good match for any re- facilitates hookup to an outboard D\/A Panasonic\u2019s LX-H670 is an excellent, spectable amplifier. unit, a digital audio recorder, or any de- eminently affordable laserdisc player. vice that has a built-in D\/A converter. It offers the ultimate in laserdisc con- Measurements completed, it was venience\u2014automatic side switching\u2014 time for the good stuff: a full-scale lis- For this review, I visited the new-re- plus very solid performance and a user- tening evaluation with reference CDs lease section of my local laserdisc rent- friendly design. Carpe diem. and laserdiscs. Quart says that the 402s al emporium and selected the wide- work their best with their tweeters situ- screen edition of The Mask, a recently \u2014Cliff Roth ated slightly below ear level. No prob- restored version of Wild Rovers (a lem\u2014my speaker stands planted the wildly unsuccessful 1971 western from Quart Order tweeters 3 feet off the floor and about 3 Blake Edwards, director of Breakfast at inches below the plane of my ears. MB Quart QL 4025S Tiffany\u2019s and the Pink Panther series), Main\/Surround Speaker The good stuff was very good indeed: and\u2014for CAV viewing\u2014a Mitsubishi The 402s offered up bright, airy sound test\/demo disc. In all cases, images T\u2019S FUNNY HOW PERCEPTIONS CAN that was clean, extended, and never change. At first glance, MB Quart\u2019s shrill. They also got loud almost subtly, looked excellent, with fine details, min- and there were no undue signs of imal picture noise, and accurate color QL 402S is a refined, polite-looking breakup. In short, they performed ef- rendition\u2014though Rovers\u2019 2.5:1 little box, the very definition of sub- fortlessly. On the downside, I did feel Panavision aspect ratio made my 31- tle European speaker design (it\u2019s that female voices sounded a bit rough inch TV look absolutely tiny until I made in Germany). But after a thor- and hoarse at times, and the very bot- moved to a spot 4 feet from it. From ough evaluation, the tired old clich\u00e9s that distance, it was breathtaking. started flying: It\u2019s a wolf in sheep\u2019s QuaQrL t4025S clothing. Don\u2019t judge a book by its cov- When picture and sound quality are er.... I could keep going. ; 12345678910 this good (with a TV of this size, at any Measuring 13.75 x 9.75 x 11.75 inch- rate), there\u2019s little point in spending es (h\/w\/d) and weighing in at a hefty 16 tom octave or two of bass didn\u2019t make more for a laserdisc player unless you an appearance. really need special effects. (At times, pounds, the QL 402 ($679 a pair) can my home theater looked so good I felt serve as a front or rear speaker in a Still, there was more bass than my that there was little point in ever leav- home theater. Since it\u2019s magnetically measurements had suggested: Acoustic ing my apartment.) Digital special ef- shielded, you could even use it as a and electric bass were solid, clean, and fects are the only notable feature that\u2019s center speaker, as long as you stood it tight. And the 402s handled severe upright (and weren\u2019t bothered by its quantities of low bass with aplomb. vertical profile). This trait makes them excellent candi- dates for home-theater use, since main My review samples were wrapped on speakers aren\u2019t always electrically pro- all six sides in a high-quality black- tected from low frequencies (even if you\u2019re using a subwoofer)\u2014when your wood veneer; other finishes, including sub is blasting out cannon fire, you don\u2019t want your main speakers to blap oak, walnut, and beechwood, are avail- in protest or go up in smoke. The 402s able from the manufacturer. Each 402 never wavered here. employs a 0.75-inch titanium-dome tweeter and a 6.5-inch paper-cone The 402s also floated a nice, accurate woofer; the woofer is braced by a rub- \u201cimage.\u201d Instruments appeared to be ber surround. A tuning port, measuring stably anchored in their proper place 3.75 inches in length and 2 inches in di- across the illusory soundstage, though ameter, makes the 402 a bass-reflex de- it didn\u2019t extend beyond the outer edges sign. Flip \u2018em around and you\u2019ll find a of the speakers\u2019 cabinets. And front-to- pair of gold-plated binding posts that\u2019ll accept single banana plugs, stripped wire, or spade lugs. Quart says the 402s are compatible with amplifiers that produce between 70 and 120 watts of power into a 4-ohm impedance. Fre- quency response is spec\u2019d at 41 to 22,000 Hz. My usual battery of in-room response measurements revealed solid all- around performance. The technically VIDEO JUNE 1995 63","fic0 M8 HiFi STEREO PRG-FECT VIDEO SYSTEM back depth was only average. features\u2014an excellent-quality still cord, pause, input selection, channel In sum, MB Quart\u2019s QL 402S has an frame, single-frame advance, and slow selection, and tracking. motion\u2014are a truly nice touch. excellent dynamic feel, it\u2019s tr\u00e9s stylish, Speaking of speed, the VG4235 of- and it has a very nice sonic character. It Other plusses: The rapid-search but- fers a rarity these days: the ability to also delivers a good shot of bass for tons lock, a real convenience when record at the intermediate LP speed. such a small speaker. The 402 isn\u2019t in- you're searching through a tape. The This speed offers 4 hours of video with expensive, of course, and there are VHS Index search system is on tap. a 120-minute tape; note that special ef- plenty of very fine speakers competing And there\u2019s a convenient (though mis- fects aren\u2019t on tap here. Another unusu- with it for the money. You definitely labeled) search button that advances al\u2014and useful\u2014recording feature is should shop around and compare. Just the tape by 60 (press once) or 120 that you can change tape speeds while don\u2019t overlook the 402\u2014it doesn\u2019t walk (press twice) seconds. a recording is in progress. Most VCRs softly, and it carries a big kick. require that you first stop the tape be- The display panel is remarkably sim- fore changing speeds\u2014that\u2019s fine dur- \u2014Tom Nousaine ple. Seven indicators are onboard, ing a commercial but a gut-buster any- showing when the unit is powered, time else. The eight-event timer is The Price Is Right when a program is in stereo, when the programmed on-screen via the re- SAP or Hi-Fi mode is engaged, when mote\u2019s numeric keypad. An oddity: GE VG4235 VHS VCR the timer has been tapped for time- When selecting a program for daily shifting, and when the VCR is record- recording, you have to enter a starting ie on HAT PRICE FAME? WHO CARES? ing something. When the power is date. turned off (and the timer isn\u2019t set), the 7 The real question is, What VG4235 appears absolutely dark\u2014not The remote can also operate a TV, Wm price home theater? We\u2019re a single indicator is visible. Unusually, another VCR, and a TV\/VCR, but only time of day and a readout of the chan- if they\u2019re also made by Thomson (the 18 fond of saying that you really nel that the VCR is tuned to are view- French company that owns the GE, able only via on-screen displays. RCA, and ProScan brands). If you have ! @ shouldn\u2019t go near a VCR when two Thomson VCRs, the remote re- \u201cSpartan\u201d is also the word for the wards your brand loyalty with an edit you're building a home theater unless front panel. At a glance, it offers noth- button that works like the synchro-edit it\u2019s a Hi-Fi model. But, until recently, ing but buttons for power, stop\/eject, feature found on some same-brand the quest for Hi-Fi soundtracks eluded play, fast forward, and rewind. Pop a camcorder\/VCR combinations. To top home-theater hopefuls who had a strict fold-down panel, however, and you\u2019ll things off, the remote has a very logical budget line to toe. That isn\u2019t the case find controls for speed selection (many layout and is plush, comfortwise. today, since prices for Hi-Fi VCRs pricier sets make you fumble with the have plummeted. But this discussion remote to pick a speed), one-touch re- I evaluated the VG4235\u2019s picture by raises another question: In chopping taping some TV shows, watching rent- the price, have VCR manufacturers GE VG4235 ed films, and recording several stan- sacrificed anything important? To find dard test patterns (color bars, cross- the answer, I took a good, long look at 5678910 GE\u2019s VG4235. hatch, and multi-burst) from a laser- disc. At SP speed, images were very The VG4235 ($329) tackles the chal- good for VHS quality\u2014there was just a lenge in a logical fashion. Though it bit of noise visible in the red and ma- doesn\u2019t offer perks like a shuttle dial, genta color bars, but otherwise the pic- audio\/video dubbing, or front-panel in- puts, it does a fine job with the basics. ture was solid. At SLP (EP) speed, how- It even manages to squeeze in a few ex- ever, all of the color bars became quite tras\u2014most notably, four-head special- noisy and the timing stability seemed effects playback and a remote control to deteriorate. Fortunately, the movies that can perform an interesting trick or two when your system includes a com- patible TV or VCR. The special-effects 64 JUNE 1995 VIDEO","No matter where you are, you\u2019re there. Musical truth. Within seconds you\u2019ve stepped into a total sound picture. You leave your role as a spectator and without realizing it you become a participant. The speakers disappear as a seamless soundstage envelopes your every emotion. Now you're a featured performer. See your Energy dealer today. And audition our new lineup of Surround Sound Systems. Magnificent depth and impact. Welcome to the real world. eNerG>2208 iyNORE \\\\4 \u00ae LoOOU DSS eR E AAK ESA'S Energy Surround Sound System:s ~ Sound as a performance art. CIRCLE NO. 31 ON READER SERVICE GARD a","you get at your local rental shop are inet can be rotated a full 360 degrees recorded at SP speed. In all cases, the Hi-Fi sound was first-rate. despite its being attached to the bottom GE has done a fine job overall with sub-cabinet. the VG4235. It offers all of the basics plus a few interesting extras, and it per- Rest assured, there\u2019s a method to this forms nicely at the sp speed. If you routinely load up a tape with 8 hours of madness: In a good surround-sound time-shifted TV shows, this isn\u2019t the system, the speakers never call atten- VCR for you\u2014otherwise, it\u2019s a steal. tion to themselves; if they did, they\u2019d \u2014Cliff Roth destroy the delicate illusion that the Twist and Shout filmmaker worked so hard to create. Advent HT204 Surround Speakers It\u2019s especially critical with the rear OME THEATER HAS BEEN HITTING speakers, since you'll probably be sit- the country like those deluges in ting fairly close to them. Sophisticated California, sending wave after wave of people to their local au- home theaters often use special rear dio\/video shops with one thing on their minds: upgrading their TV-and- speakers known as \u201cdipoles\u201d to guar- VCR systems with Dolby Pro Logic surround sound. To turn the signals antee this sonic invisibility. Dipoles produced by a DPL processor into dia- logue, sound effects, and soundtrack achieve this effect by employing two music, you need a minimum of five speakers\u2014two in front, one on top of sets of speaker drivers in each cabinet, or directly below your TV, and two in the back. While any old speaker can do with the sets pointing in opposite direc- a decent job in any of these roles, savvy speaker manufacturers offer models tions. This configuration causes the that are designed specifically for them. Advent is one such company, and their speakers\u2019 sound waves to reflect off the HT204 is an interesting, affordable stab at a rear, or \u201csurround,\u201d speaker. room\u2019s rear wall and ceiling, creating a The \u201cHT\u201d in the model number stands, appropriately, for \u201cHome The- diffuse \u201csoundfield.\u201d The fact that you ater.\u201d I say \u201cappropriately\u201d because these speakers are true surround-sound can aim the speaker drivers in each 204 add-ons. The HT204 ($149 a pair) is, in fact, a one-trick pony. Though my stan- lets you pursue the same effect. dard evaluation procedure compelled me to audition them with reference- Does Advent have something here? caliber CDs, know that the 204\u2019s sole reason for being is to reproduce the Yes, and no. First, the \u201cno\u201d part: When surround channel in a DPL-equipped home-theater system. I used the 204s in a basic stereo setup, Physically, the 204s are extremely small and unassuming. Measuring only music from various CDs and laserdiscs 11.5 x 3.75 x 3.5 inches (h\/w\/d), each speaker in the pair consists of two mini sounded only okay; there was very lit- black-plastic cabinets that are stacked one on top of the other; simple plastic tle bass, and the upper-treble region molding holds them together (they can be easily pulled apart, in fact), and a was a tad rough. You can certainly find thin strand of speaker cable carries the signal from one sub-cabinet to the oth- speakers that are more musical\u2014even er. A 2.25-inch \u201cfull-range\u201d speaker driver in each sub-cabinet turns audio at the 204\u2019s very reasonable price. But, signals into sound. Advent says that the 204s are compatible with receivers or as noted, the 204\u2019s main calling card is amplifiers producing between 10 and its \u201caimability.\u201d Advent suggests that, when used as surround speakers, the 204s should be configured so that the 100 watts of power into an 8-ohm load; top sub-cabinet is pointing at the clos- I don\u2019t think I\u2019d run more than 50 watts or so through them, though. est side wall, the bottom at the listen- The best part about the 204\u2019s design ing position. That turned out to be is its flexibility. The speakers can be wall-mounted with optional brackets, good advice. but they're so light that you could prob- ably do the trick with any number of The 204s proved to be acceptably quick, do-it-yourself solutions. Another transparent and detailed as surround option, of course, is to stick them on a bookshelf or some other piece of furni- speakers, as I discovered after settling ture that resides at the back of the in with some familiar scenes from Ter- room. The key to the whole shootin\u2019 match, however, is that the top sub-cab- minator 2: Judgment Day and Last of the Mohicans. With Mohicans, the 204s rendered all of the diverse sounds of nearby insects and distant cannon fire with good accuracy and a nice sense of space. And they never called attention to themselves until I really cranked up a battle scene. At that point, they began to distort quite audibly. When all is said and done, the HT204s do a workmanlike job of re- producing surround sound. In short, they deliver what they claim: an enjoy- able surround-sound experience. If you're looking for a quick, inexpensive add-on that won\u2019t intrude on your liv- ing space, the 204s are, ahem, worth a spin. \u2014Marc Horowitz 66 JUNE 1995 VIDEO","The people at Lucasfilm THX know Program establishes test procedures and solid, measurable performance about sound. They know that cables standards for cables. make an important difference. And they And that\u2019s why Lucasfilm THX certi- fies the performance of XLO\/VDO\\\" know that, especially cables, and not all the others. XLO\/VDO is the complete line of eee for Home Theater, you cables for home entertainment\u201d can't expect to get the from XLO Electric Co., Inc., whose products are recognized every- CSOMePAeTIaBLmE eWsITH \u00a7 very best possib1 le where as \u201cThe Best in the World.\u201d sound from your sys- & ALL OTHER SYSTEMS tem unless the cables you use are just as good as your other components. That\u2019s why the Lucasfilm Home THX nLO\/VDO XLO Electric Company, Inc. \u00bb 9480 Utica Avenue, Suite 612, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 \u00ab Phone (909) 466-0382 + Fax (909) 466-3662 THX is a registered trademark of Lucasfilm LTD. Dolby and Pro Logic are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation. All rights reserved.","\\\\ mLuXs; \u00bb: \\\\Sos %aee \u201cI'm particular.\u201d While engineering recordings for many Clients, among them the Zz Chicago and St. Louis Symphonies, \u2018| heard of Martin-Logan\u2019s special | \u201celectrostatic precision and clarity rs. \u00abfrom several of my colleagues. So, |installed a pair in my studio. | NVarevaarele)elcialcremalcyami-toe- lairPaine p Every change in the recording process became apparent. Details of space in the hall, microphone placement and even converter qualities were instantly perceived. | Yet, the superior dispersion of their | curvilinear transducer allowed remarkably easy room placement, even in my studio. After using Martin-Logan products for years, |am excited to introduce the new advanced SL3, shattering industry standards yet again. What else can |say? | eTo OM Yolelm(oler=| Me(-r-1(1mr-T1Te| aaudition the new SL3. | Be prepared for the experience. $3,200.00 US\/pr Following is a sampling of Larry's works: WFMT Fine Arts Network weekly broadcast | of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Erato, | RCA\/BMG, CBS\/Sony, Koss Classics, Marco Polo, New World, Crystal, Peregrine, || Pro Arte, Summit, Centaur, Orfeo, Musical Heritage Society. 7, lawrence, ks 66044, tel (913) 749-0133, taex ste 749- 5320 CIRCLE sen 16 ON READER SERVICE CARD","NEW TEC H ac-3 ready power house | i ioneer\u2019s CLD-D704 laserdisc player ($1,235) is equipped with an RF out- ure, ProScan\u2019s 80-inch rear- | put, making it compatible with Dolby AC-3 discs and forthcoming compo- projection TV set takes the | nents that incorporate AC-3 demodulator\/decoders. (The AC-3 5.1-channel honors in the gargantuan-screen category. But ifyou\u2019re the type who | format delivers all-digital processing and improved spatial effects compared to Dolby Pro Logic.) Pioneer says that the D704 uses a digital video-process- looks under the hood, you'll find a i ing chip to improve color and reduce dropouts, while its variable digital more powerful engine in the i noise-reduction circuit allows the user to independently reduce color noise company\u2019s new \u201c90 Series\u201d rear- and image noise without loss of detail. Circle 114 on reader service card projection models. The 52-inch surround and around SscEcEeUeTyEeIeRnAeeETEsEtTTETTeEeTeN PS52690 ($4,299), for example, is half the price of the 80-incher, but it oston Acoustics\u2019 VRS dipole surround i boasts the same advanced 9-inch speaker ($350 a pair) uses a lone woofer optics system and an industry-first 70 and two identical tweeters\u2014one firing forward and one firing backward\u2014to produce a diffuse watts of picture power (rated). The soundfield. The result is lifelike surround effects that set also comes with the same loaded are difficult to localize. Suitable for wall or ceiling mounting, the wedged-shaped speaker is said to feature package found on its appear smaller than its 10.5 x 6 x 4.5-inch footprint (h\/w\/d). Circle 116 on reader service card behemoth brethren: Dolby Pro Logic processing as well as a subwoofer and main and center speakers are built-in; users add just two rear speakers for full surround sound. The inclusion of two digital TV tuners means that no VCR is required for special effects\u2014including split- screen, for viewing two programs simultaneously, and a picture- outside-picture mode that delivers three \u201cvirtual-motion\u201d channels to one side of the main program. Circle 115 on reader service card board certified ith the KR-X1000, Kenwood becomes the third audio\/video manufacturer to release a THX-certified AN receiver; the X1000 ($1,100) is the least expensive of this trio. It includes both Dolby Pro Logic and THX Cinema surround modes. Music playback can be enhanced using either the ARENA, JAZZ CLUB, or STADIUM digital signal- processing (DSP) modes. Power is rated at 100 watts for each of the three front channels plus 50 watts for each surround speaker. A universal remote is included, and the receiver's operation is facilitated through the use of on-screen displays. Circle 117 on reader service card VIDEO JUNE 1995 69","ve RX-V490 ($399) is a ground-level 7 AV receiver with a high-end attitude. The V490 echnics\u2019 SL-VM500 ($600) may look like a standard five- disc carousel CD changer, but it accommodates Video replaces the previous-generation RX-V480. It adds CDs in addition to music CDs (and ultra-rare 3-inch CD sin- more power for the same retail price, delivering gles). Video CDs, which are the same size as music CDs and 70 watts to each of three front speakers plus are based on MPEG-1 compression technology, each hold up to 15 watts to each surround speaker; the same high- 74 minutes of VHS-quality digital video as well as digital audio. dynamic-power\/low-impedance-capable amp design Since most movies are packaged in two-Video CD sets, the used in Yamaha\u2019s more expensive receivers is SL-VM500 automatically cues up the second disc in a set for employed in the V490. All surround-sound uninterrupted viewing. Title, artist, or chapter names appear in processing is handled in the digital domain. on-screen readouts. Circle 119 on reader service card Six digital surround modes are on tap: Dolby Pro Logic, CINEMA DSP (Yamaha\u2019s enhancement of Technics voto co ounces Pro Logic), CONCERT HALL, ROCK CONCERT, MONO MOVIE, and CONCERT VIDEO. Connections MASH include inputs and outputs for two audio\/video sources and one audio-only source plus inputs for SB say they pulled out the stops when they created two additional audio sources. A wireless remote the Stratus C6 ($750), their new flagship center control with an ultra-clean layout is supplied. speaker. The use of a largish cabinet\u2014measuring 8 x Circle 118 on reader service card 24 x 12 inches (h\/w\/d)\u2014and special speaker drivers provides a sensitivity of 93 dB, a generous figure that A enith\u2019s VR4295 four-head VHS Hi-Fi should result in solid output with even modest amplifica- VCR ($549) incorporates a StarSight tion. The drivers\u2014two 6.5-inch woofers plus a pair of vertically arrayed 1-inch tweeters\u2014are the same ones decoder. Owners who subscribe to used in Stratus full-range speakers; PSB says that StarSight\u2019s service (about $4 a month) the driver layout delivers wide dispersion, enabling can view a sophisticated on-screen every viewer in the room to enjoy clean, clear programming guide, which provides a dialogue. Circle 120 on reader service card variety of program menus plus one-touch time-shift recording and automatic clock- setting functions for the VCR. Zenith says that the VR4295 is simple to set up, since the decoder automatically \u201crecognizes\u201d the VCR. Circle 121 on reader service card 70 JUNE 1995 VIDEO","PASSIVE SUBS \\\" 2 ST! - tt Ls i 1e. C SR & The HT-10D 7 eC 5 Ol C4 ie 10\u201d DUAL VOICE COIL SUB, FOR SMALLER ROOMS. ACOUSTICALLY MATCHES OUR HT-S5 SATELLITES The HT-12D 12\u201d DUAL VOICE GOIL SUB, IDEAL MATCH FOR OUR HT-MDG OR HT-S6 SATELLITES. 150 WATTS\/VOICE COIL The HT-110 10\u201d SUBWOOFER, ACOUSTICALLY MATCHES OUR HT-S6 SATELLITES SPL? 121 DECIBELS. BUCKLE The HT-210C MAGNETICALLY SHIELDED, 125DB TV STAND. DUAL 10\u201d SUBS, 6.5\u201d CEN- TER CHANNEL, HANDLES 300 WATTS. ACTIVE SUBS - The HT-IOPWR 10\u201d SUBWOOFER, WITH 100 WATT INTERNAL POWER AMPLIFIER AND REMOTE VOLUME CONTROL oeThey make bi\u2018 g screen aTksV: huge. The HT-12PWR \u2018 +: p \u00bb\u00a2 \u00a2 12\u201d SUBWOOFER, WITH 150 WATT Part of the audi\u00bbence? \u2018 Wi7 th Ce- rwiny - INTERNAL POWER AMP AND REMOTE VOLUME CONTROL. KABOOM! \u00bb5ga SenSurround, youre part of the action. Six home theater subwoofers (two of which have in- ternal power amps and remote volume controls). Deep bass? Down to 30 Hz. Power handling? Up to 300 watts. Television, for your eat SENSURROUND \/ rr CERWIN-VEGA! Turn tt up: \u00a91995 Cerwin a, Inc. All rights reserved. For more info on Cerwin-Vega\u00ae please write to us at sy Street, Simi Valley, CA 93065. Or call 805-584-9: SenSurround\u00ae is a trademark of MCA Systems, Inc. Aware s 2? Cerwin-Vega SenSurround subwoofers and systems won Design and Engineering Awards in 1993, 1994, and 1995. (The audience...is cheering.) CIRCLE NO. 9 ON READER SERVICE CARD","anasonic\u2019s CT-35G30 SAMSUNG [3s35-inch direct-view TV set (price not available at presstime) L ike Zenith\u2019s VR4295 (page 70), Samsung's VR8905 four-head VHS Hi-Fi VCR has a built- boasts artificial intelligence. The in StarSight decoder. Other key features offered by the VR8905 ($499) include a jog\/shut- Al Sound feature recognizes volume differences between TV tle dial, for easy access to specific portions of a program, high-speed rewinding and fast-for- programs and commercials, or warding, a full set of front-panel A\/V inputs, and auto-fit recording, which automatically between any two sources, and downshifts the VCR from the SP recording mode to the SLP mode whenever itsenses that it\u2019s adjusts volume accordingly. It\u2019s beginning to run out of videotape. Circle 122 on reader service card also said to know the difference between dialogue and music nfinity makes a bold statement and automatically adjust its [i its Compositions home bass, midrange, and treble theater speaker package. The system tone controls to optimize includes the 54-inch-tall Prelude performance. The Al Picture main\/sub tower (shown; $3,000 a feature is said to continually pair), the Prelude center speaker adjust contrast\u2014but only for ($779), and the Prelude Quadrapole those portions of the image that surround ($669 a pair). Each tower truly need it. Circle 123 on includes a 12-inch subwoofer that\u2019s reader service card driven by a 100-watt power amp, four 5.25-inch midbasses, two 4-inch 72 JUNE 1995 VIDEO midranges, and one 1-inch tweeter; response is said to extend down to 25 Hz. The Prelude center includes two 5.25-inch woofers, two 4-inch midranges, and one 1-inch tweeter, while the Quadrapole uses one 5-inch driver as well as two 3.5-inch drivers oriented at opposing angles. Circle 124 on reader service card erwin-Vega says that small rooms can still be filled with big sound thanks to their SenSurround Powered System 6 home theater speaker package ($1,695). The set includes a powered subwoofer that measures 18.5 x 13 x 16.75 inches (h\/w\/d) and has a 10-inch driver, a 100-watt amp, and a dedicated remote control; a low-profile center speaker that measures 6.75 x 14.5 x 6.5 inches and has two 5-inch woofers plus one I-inch tweeter; and four compact satellites, each of which measures 9.25 x 6.5 x 6.75 inches and has one 5-inch woofer and one 1-inch tweeter. Each piece in the package is finished in black woodgrain veneer. Circle 125 on reader service card a","Movie Theatre Performance with Flexibility The Bryston 8B THX\u00ae Amplifier 8B THX Generation Bryston is pleased to announce our new 8B THX four channel audio power amplifier. With today\u2019s interest in quality home theatre the 8B THX amplifier provides state-of-the-art performance with the unquestioned quality, value and Reliability for which Bryston has gained an international reputation. All Lucasfilm Home THX certification parameters are easily met for its\u2019 intended use within a multi-channel audio\/video installation. The 8B THX is an extreme- ly versatile and flexible amplifier designed for all Your THX theatre installations. The amplifier can be instantly connected to provide 2 channel, (400 watt output), 3 channel, (two @ 120W plus 1 @ 400W), or 4 channels at 120 watts output. This provides extreme ease in integrating the power requirements for any THX Home Theatre system. The THX stipulation for separate center channel, left and right main speakers, decorrolated dipole surround channels and one or two subwoofers, is provided in a Simple elegant package. Among the 8B\u2019s notable features is the use of four independent power supplies, one for each channel, to prevent any signal interaction among the individual channels. This pro- vides a sonic soundstage with images locked in position with an almost holographic effect. Other features include both balanced XLR, 1\/4\u201d and unbalanced RCA input connectors to allow for flexibility in a wide variety of installations. All connectors throughout the ampli- fier are gold plated to provide freedom from corrosion, assuring perfect signal integrity for many years to come. Thi-colored LEDs glow green for power-on, yellow for short-term transient clipping and red to indicate continuous overload or any departure from linearity, including shortened-output or strong out-of-band information like RF or DC. Obviously, the goal of all this technology is to transport you to the scene of the movie. Experiencing all the drama, excitement and emotions as if you were right there in the show. We feel we have accomplished this with all the New Bryston THX amplifiers. Experience the movie as intended and audition the Bryston 8B THX today. For more information contact: 57 Westmore Dr., Rexdale, Ontario, Canada M9V 3Y6 Tel: (416) 746-1800 Fax: (416) 746-0308 CIRCLE NO. 48 ON READER SERVICE CARD","Peet Ant MASTER REORCDIN G OAIGINAL MASTER RECORDING \u201cTea forthe Tillerrman Lete TOLe |ie \u2014WA\u2014 The GAIN System \u2014\u2014 Dark Side of the Moon UDCD 517 ORIGINAL MASTER RECORDING my ORIGINAL MASTER RECORDING (byge egUCL aZ VA light\u2019 Md The C fiad VZea JO)Y \\\\) 2LPs on 1CD ORIGINAL MASTER RECORDING CARRERAS DOMINGO PAVAROTTL wt concert MEHTA UDCD 585 UDCD 587 UDCD 590) 999i Better Sounding Music. Upgrade to Ultradisc II\\\" Your favorite artists sound surprisingly better on Ultradisc II\u2122. Why? Because Mobile Fidelity\u2019s mastering Find these great technology is a cut above\u2014and you can hear the difference. As thecreators of the 24k gold audiophile CD, hiid(stowrclalemaitelas, we have developed major advances such as The GAIN System\u2122 a proprietary mastering system in the Mobile Fidelity Starting with the original master tapes, we are that uses the highest grade of digital technology available. Sound Lab What does this mean? You'll hear music like able to capture every last nuance of the original recording. PNmUeroil ele)nits you've never heard it before! 24K Gold Audioapehile Compact DiAsc. R}[oSesction at Ultradis; e I The Oringeinal To receive a color catalog or The GAIN. System\u201d technical paper, call 800\u00b0423\u00b05759. _mobile fidelity 105 Morris Street * Sebastopol, CA 95472 caiSoiauna d kclab Internet resource center on WWW\/Mosaic In Canada call 800-267-1216 CIRCLE NO. 19 ON READER SERVICE CARD","OFT VV IKE The latest and greatest on tape and disc nightspot with a beautiful chanteuse ous cop, this really is the only way to (Amy Yasbeck)\u2014at least until the local make your day. \u2014Mel Neuhaus gangsters demonstrate their disap- proval, that is. Hilarity ensues, of WOLF HIS INTERNATIONAL HIT BEGINS course, and nobody seems to mind that gems ee with Jack Nicholson\u2019s Carrey\u2019s head is an unsightly green! mild-mannered New York City literary editor getting bitten by a stray lycan- Ultimately, The Mask puts the right thrope and subsequently rising in the publishing world after he assumes his face on \u201990s-style computer-enhanced attacker\u2019s animalistic tendencies. Un- fortunately, the script\u2019s, er, \u201clupe\u201d physical comedy. \u2014Ken Korman holes eventually trip the film up. Still, director Mike Nichols\u2019 legendary rap- CLINT EASTWOOD port with his actors shines through, and The Dirty Harry Collection Wolf (Columbia TriStar; VHS, priced A\u2018 ORIGINAL AND FRIGHTENING DE- for rental, CLV\/CAV discs, $40) boasts piction of two aberrant adversar- a first-rate ensemble, including Mi- ies\u2014a fascist cop and a homicidal ma- chelle Pfeiffer, Kate Nelligan, Christo- pher Plummer, James Spader, David niac\u2014Dirty Harry (1971) was loaded Hyde Pierce, and Prunella Scales. And with intriguing thematic parallels that the film bares its teeth better at home correlated to contemporary society. than it did in theaters, thanks to an ex- Harry was also loaded with gobs of vi- traordinary Sony pressing and a trans- olence, all of it brilliantly helmed by fer that\u2019s presented in its original master director Don Siegel (the original 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The surround Invasion of the Body Snatchers). After Happy feats: The Mask\u2019s Carrey and becoming a modern classic virtually Yasbeck dance the night away overnight, it was inevitable that Clint Eastwood\u2019s Detective Harry Callahan THE MASK and his unlucky-partner du jour would return for another go-\u2019round, but who T\u2019S HARD TO IMAGINE A VEHICLE could have foreseen that Harry\u2019s ap- peal would sire four sequels over the better suited for Jim Carrey\u2019s pecu- course of the ensuing two decades? liar comic gifts than The Mask (New Laserdisc fans now have a good reason Line; VHS, $20, CLV disc, $40). But to feel lucky, as Warner Home Video credit must be heaped upon Industrial Light and Magic, which simply outdid has just issued a mammoth 10-hour set, itself with scores of outrageous special The Dirty Harry Collection (CLV\/CAV effects that manage to transform Carrey into a full-fledged and fully believable discs, $200). This collection carries a cartoon character in an otherwise live- number of firsts, including full 2.35:1 action setting. Well-preserved with an widescreen transfers of the second and immaculate, THX-approved transfer third installments, Magnum Force and framed in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio, The Mask unashamedly caters to (1973) and The Enforcer (1976), and a Carrey\u2019s over-the-top physical humor. digital stereo\/surround \u201cChase Mix\u201d The plot goes like this: Carrey\u2019s Stan- ley Ipkiss, a timid bank clerk, discov- for the fourth, Sudden Impact (1983). ers said mask, an artifact that brings While the entire set is in stereo, only out the wearer\u2019s innermost desires and the final entry, The Dead Pool (1988), bestows upon him all kinds of mystical has Dolby encoding. All of the theatri- powers. Suddenly, Ipkiss is trans- cal trailers are included, as is a fairly formed into a romantic heartthrob who interesting hour-long Cinemax docu- APSCLHELONTEOSkF:EiScTks up his heels \u2019til dawn at the local mentary on Eastwood done in 1993. Best of all, though, this glistening LDC pressing has been transferred from pristine 35MM elements, so if your laser library is hurting for the adven- tures of San Francisco\u2019s most notori- Naked gunman: Eastwood in Harry","soundtrack delivers all of the depth of presents himself as a complex artist Ennio Morricone\u2019s haunting score, with two distinctive personas\u2014the se- which affectionately pays homage to rious brooder (exemplified by 1988\u2019s Hans Salter\u2019s classic scores for Univer- rather intense \u201cBe Still My Beating sal Pictures films like Frankenstein Heart\u201d) and the smirky goof (the wink- Meets the Wolfman (1942). An added wink, nudge-nudge farce of 1994\u2019s bonus is a demo film that showcases \u201cThis Cowboy Song\u201d). And, of course, TriStar\u2019s new digital mastering process, Sting just wouldn\u2019t be Sting without a which was developed to enhance color touch of vanity\u2014while the clips aren\u2019t rendition and clarity. Wo\/f is the first presented chronologically, you can film to benefit from the process, and, readily tell the \\\"90s Sting from his \u201980s from the looks of things, the marriage counterpart by spotting the there-it-is, is off to a good start. there-it-isn\u2019t mole on his chin. \u2014Mike Mettler THE LAST PICTURE SHOW HE LAST PICTURE SHOW, DIRECTOR Bearded lady: Tootsie\u2019s Hoffman Peter Bogdanovich\u2019s landmark 1971 adaptation of Larry McMurtry\u2019s ac- power of Dustin Hoffman\u2019s gung-ho claimed novel, has long topped many a performance. The supporting cast, in- videophile\u2019s laserdisc wishlist. When cluding Teri Garr, Bill Murray, Dabney Last Picture finally made its laserdisc Coleman, George Gaynes, and Charles debut in the early \u00b090s, Pioneer ac- Durning, is equally wonderful\u2014though cessed a crystal-clear black-and-white Jessica Lange, who won a Best Sup- 35MM master in order to do full justice porting Actress honor for her role here, to Robert Surtee\u2019s breathtaking cine- actually, er, drags the film down a bit. matography. Columbia TriStar\u2019s new Note, too, that the sharp (but not totally take on Last Picture (CLV disc, $40), terrific) transfer by Sony\u2019s Austrian pressed through Sony\u2019s Austrian facili- plant has the colors running a bit too Bar dischord: Wolf\u2019s Nicholson ties, has been struck from the same warm. In addition, the 2.35:1 Panavi- THE BEST OF STING source, and, just like fine wine, this sion image falls just a tad short of its Fields of Gold 1984-1994 classic depiction of a small Texas original presentation (note the final se- TING, ONE-TIME FRONTMAN FOR $$. rockers The Police, has town\u2019s demise in the \u201950s keeps im- quence in Chapter 51, where the char- piloted a solid body of work during his decade-long solo career, and The Best proving with age. As always, it\u2019s a acters in the rolling end credits get of Sting: Fields of Gold 1984-1994 (A&M; VHS, $20, CLV disc, $30) pleasure to experience the fine acting squeezed). These quibbles aside, this takes care to mine his best videos. While early clips like \u201cIf You Love of Ben Johnson, Ellen Burstyn, Cloris Tootsie is definitely the version to own, Somebody Set Them Free\u201d (1985) and Leachman, and Clu Gulagher as well as as it also offers a brief supplementary \u201cWe\u2019ll Be Together\u201d (1987) cater to the quick-cut expectations of the MTV marvel at the work of a ridiculously section that features some fun press in- generation, more-recent clips like Howard Greenhalgh\u2019s medieval-fla- young Jeff Bridges, Timothy Bottoms, terviews with Hoffman and director vored \u201cIf I Ever Lose My Faith in You\u201d and the Kevin Godley-directed \u201cFields Randy Quaid, and Cybill Shepherd. Sydney Pollack. \u2014MN of Gold\u201d (both 1992) take on a cine- matic air that\u2019s better suited for Sting\u2019s While this Picture, fully framed from distinctive brand of melodic jazz\u2014pop. Musical highlights include the lushly the original nonanamorphic aspect ra- A GOOD MAN IN AFRICA offbeat \u201cWhen We Dance\u201d (1994), the ET ANOTHER CURIO IN DIRECTOR uplifting finale of \u201cThey Dance Alone\u201d tio, contains no frills, it should be noted Bruce Beresford\u2019s unusual canon (1988), and Branford Marsalis\u2019 beauti- ful sax counterpoint to Der Stingle\u2019s that The Criterion Collection continues (which includes Tender Mercies and vocal lines on \u201cEnglishman in New Driving Miss Daisy), A Good Man in to offer a deluxe CAV Videoscope edi- Africa (MCA\/Universal; VHS, priced York\u201d (1987). Over the course of Gold\u2019s 82 minutes, Sting deliberately tion ($125) that includes 7 extra (and for rental, CLV disc, $35) doesn\u2019t quite mesh as well as its outstanding ensem- infamous) minutes of La Shepherd\u2019s ble cast does. (Said cast includes Colin Friels, Joanna Whalley-Kilmer, Louis unorthodox visit to a pool hall, which Gossett Jr., Diana Rigg, the ubiquitous John Lithgow, and, in a recurring were snipped prior to the original the- cameo, Sean Connery.) Where this atrical release. \u2014MN marginally amusing oil-and-water alle- gory of contemporary African social TOOTSIE commentary and sexual politics does hit the bullseye, however, is in its O COMMEMORATE THIS SPRING\u2019S knockout MCA transfer and LDC Academy Awards, Columbia Tri- Star has reissued the Oscar-winning Tootsie on laserdisc (CLV discs, $40) in its original Panavision ratio of 2.35:1. A return viewing of this 1982 gender-bending hoot reinforces the 76 JUNE 1995 VIDEO","VIRESOFTVVIRESOFTVVIRESOFTVVIRE pressing, finely mastered in the original great conductors communicate their ideas and instructions to their respec- theatrical 1.85:1 aspect ratio. Luckily, tive orchestras by way of a mysterious mixture of body language, hypnosis, the enjoyment you\u2019ll get out of Africa\u2019s and even ESP, but it doesn\u2019t attempt to explain how any of these unique ap- stunning in-country visuals and its opti- proaches work (nor should it). Overall, mal digital stereo surround mix will Great Conductors of the Past is the best video on classical music I\u2019ve ever help make up for the story\u2019s inherent had the pleasure of viewing. flaws. \u2014MN \u2014wWilliam Livingstone THE ART OF CONDUCTING Call baiting: Repulsion\u2019s Deneuve Great Conductors of the Past REPULSION ET\u2019S FACE IT: MOST CLASSICAL- MONTY PYTHON HIRTY YEARS AFTER ITS INITIAL RE- music concert videos are pretty bor- AND THE HOLY GRAIL lease, Repulsion\u2014director Roman ing. After all, how many times can you Polanski\u2019s arty horror film\u2014now watch some self-satisfied conductor HE BEST OF THE PYTHON FEATURES, seems an odd mix of Citizen Kane and leap about, waving his baton and mug- Night of the Living Dead, especially as ging at his players? Thankfully, The Art Monty Python and the Holy Grail presented in The Criterion Collection\u2019s of Conducting: Great Conductors of the typically extravagant and pristine Past (Teldec; VHS, $30, CLV disc, (1975) was the famed British comics\u2019 laserdisc edition (CLV\/CAV discs, $35) avoids the obvious. Instead, it showcases the great works and person- first directorial effort (helmed by the al styles of 16 of the greatest conduc- tors of this century, and the sheer power two Terrys, messrs Gilliam and Jones) of these musical giants is enough to mesmerize even the most blas\u00e9 viewer. and a resounding success on both sides Great Conductors includes rare black- and-white footage of such noted mae- of the Atlantic. Utilizing inventive $100). The liner notes and supplemen- stros as Sir Thomas Beecham, Leonard tal materials place Polanski\u2019s movie on sight gags, inspired animation, and a a fine-art pedestal, but in newly shot in- Bernstein, Wilhelm Furtwiangler, Her- terview footage and running commen- bert von Karajan, Richard Strauss, and brilliant score (with songs by Neil tary, it\u2019s obvious that the director him- Arturo Toscanini, plus commentary self hasn\u2019t bought into the hoopla one from some of the musicians who\u2019ve Innes of The Rutles fame), this riotous bit. Polanski is all too happy to discuss worked with them. Divided into two the film\u2019s flaws and mistakes, and he\u2019s parts\u2014conductors who worked primar- bastardization of King Arthur\u2019s quest quick to point out that Repulsion exists mainly because the film\u2019s original dis- ily in Europe, and those who made for the grail has been given a high-class tributor needed a horror flick on its their careers in the United slate . . . and because the director need- treatment by Columbia TriStar via a ed a job. This doesn\u2019t diminish the States\u2014the program makes movie\u2019s impact so much as put it in a it quite clear that these fresh transfer (in its most necessary proper, down-to-earth perspective; frankly, Polanski\u2019s honest viewpoint is 1.75:1 theatrical dimensions) and crisp a gust of fresh air. At any rate, Repul- sion\u2019s tale of a beautiful young woman digital mono sound. Similar to 1993\u2019s Criterion Collection laserdisc evoca- tion ($50), this new Grail (CLV disc, $35) will please the picture\u2019s legions of aficionados who long to eternally enjoy the tale of the Trojan Rabbit, The Knights Who Say \u201cNi,\u201d and the Holy Hand-grenade of Antioch. \u2014MN Swine alert: Monty Python in Grail (the enchanting Catherine Deneuve) and her descent into madness and mur- der has aged quite well, and the film\u2019s spontaneous and inventive manner cap- tures the spirit of the very best low- budget films. \u2014KK FRESH LIVE CREAM UITARIST ERIC CLAPTON, BASSIST Jack Bruce, and drummer Ginger Baker were only together as Cream for a little less than 3 years at the end of the \u201960s, but their powerful jazz\u2014 blues\u2014rock hybrid remains the stuff of legend. The rare performance footage in Fresh Live Cream (Castle Music; VHS, $20, CLV\/CAV disc, $40) more than justifies the band\u2019s rep, and it keeps the program from becoming yet another clich\u00e9d rockumentary. Three tracks shot during a 1967 rehearsal at VIDEO JUNE 1995 77","SOFT V\\\\RESOFTVVIRESOFTVVIRE SOFTVWVIRESOFTVVIKE sol London\u2019s Revolution Club\u2014\u2018Tales of prisingly, the gamble pays off. Real-life Brave Ulysses,\u201d \u201cSunshine of Your brothers Jeff and Beau Bridges are per- Love,\u201d and a gripping 8-minute version fect as fictional siblings Jack and Frank of the blues classic \u201c\u201cSpoonful\u201d\u2014cap- Baker, the tired piano-playing lounge ture the band at the absolute peak of act of the movie\u2019s title. Singer Susie their powers. Cream\u2019s internal tensions Diamond (a stellar Michelle Pfeiffer) have been well documented, but these signs on with the boys, causing pre- tracks clearly show the band members dictable romantic entanglements and at ease while they intently play off of forcing the brothers to take a hard look one another. Best of all, these and sev- at themselves and the nature of their eral other songs are presented from act. Pfeiffer is a revelation as the tough start to finish without cutting away to Diamond, and her singing is astonish- narration or other scenes, as is so often ingly good\u2014she\u2019s soulful, sweet, and a Texas two: Hud\u2019s Newman and Douglas the case in these types of retrospec- pleasure to listen to, especially during enthusiasts have another reason to re- joice: Pioneer\/LDC\u2019s remastered Hud tives. The songs are linked by histori- the one Fabulous Baker Boys scene (Paramount; CLV disc, $40) finally pays long-overdue homage to James cal material and 93 interviews con- that everyone seems to instantly recall: Wong Howe\u2019s brilliantly stark Oscar- winning black-and-white cinematogra- ducted with each band member. And her steamy rendition of \u201cMakin\u2019 phy, which is presented here correct- ly\u2014in its original 2.35:1 Panavision though sound and picture quality vary Whoopee,\u201d which she seductively aspect ratio\u2014for the first time since the film\u2019s original theatrical run. The widely from clip to clip, music fans slides through from the top of a grand vast, bleak compositions are garnered from near-mint 35MM materials (though won\u2019t want to be without it. \u2014KK piano. \u2014KK some mild deterioration is evident dur- ing night scenes), providing the ideal backdrop for costars Melvyn Douglas (who nabbed a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role), Brandon de Wilde, and, in a truly great performance, Pa- tricia Neal (who won for Best Actress). Another plus is Hud\u2019s dynamic digital mono soundtrack, which amply show- cases Elmer Bernstein\u2019s lean but pow- erful score. This Hud is a must for followers of classic Westerns and the \u201960s as well as all Newman collectors. \u2014MN Piano envy: Beau and Jeff Bridges whoop it up with Pfeiffer in Baker Boys MEDIUM COOL RITTEN, DIRECTED, AND SHOT THE FABULOUS BAKER BOYS HUD by legendary cinematographer N 1963, HORSEMAN, PASS BY\u2014LARRY HE IMAGE ON LIVE\u2019S NEW LASER- McMurtry\u2019s blistering novel about Haskell Wexler (One Flew Over the disc version of The Fabulous Baker an opportunistic, shiftless, womanizing Cuckoo's Nest), Medium Cool (Para- Boys (1989) comes up a little soft and Texas heel\u2014was seamlessly translated mount; VHS, priced for rental, CLV grainy, but it\u2019s still better than its previ- to the big screen as Hud. Courtesy of ous incarnations. And just like a good director Martin Ritt\u2019s superb adapta- disc, $35) is regarded as a classic of old-time-Hollywood movie, The Fabu- tion and star Paul Newman\u2019s scalding political cinema. A staunchly anti-es- lous Baker Boys (CLV disc, $40)\u2014 portrayal, Hud quickly became a fa- which isn\u2019t letterboxed\u2014trelies on the vorite upon its initial home-video re- tablishment film, Medium Cool (1969) talent and charisma of its three stars to lease back in the early *80s. Now Hud tells the story of a detached TV cam- keep its audience engaged, and, sur- eraman (Robert Forster) who\u2019s charged with covering the \u201968 Democratic Con- vention in Chicago. The convention, of course, subsequently devolved into ri- ots and protests, all of which became symbolic of the social and political up- heaval of the era. Wexler used these CONTINUED ON PAGE 95 78 JUNE 1995 VIDEO","et The Pointe SS ae Pivot Pointe\u201d The new MTX Pointe Series in-wall & ceiling speakers are a revelation in design and performance. Unlike other in- wall and ceiling speakers, the \u201cPivot Pointe\u201d design allows the listener to pivot the titanium directional tweeter toward the primary lis- tening area. This creates a personalized listening experi- ence that can be customized at any time and offers unequalled aesthetic and placement possibilities, especially for your home theatre. The superior sonic performance you can expect is a result of advancement in speaker engineering and technology, only from the exclusive Pointe Series. This exciting new series of custom products includes: in-wall and ceiling speakers, amplifiers, controllers and accessories specifically designed to create the finest quality listening envi- ronment in your home. Pointe Series Custom Products, another example of how MTX is \u201cSerious About Sound\u201d ; ~ Binte SJustoEm R] EES Member ola talelecMlaliolganrclilolamerc||h 1UTSYVainI(310]0) eaedotrelatsie) Systems Canada B.C.: (604) 273-1095 Integration Canada Ontario: (905) 890-0298 Council MTX-The Pointe at South Mountain 4545 East Baseline Road Phoenix, Arizona 85044 CIRCLE NO. 40 ON READER SERVICE CARD","Its What Which scares you more, a horror film with the sound turned off, or a horror show on the radio? The answer is easy because it is the movie's sound- track which carries the pathos and emotion. You can enjoy sound without pictures, but who wants pictures without sound? You Don't See That Counts. . It doesn\u2019t cost Itjust so happens that cables are the part of your system which can help or hurt the more to do it right! performance the most... and for the least money. AudioQuest offers Whether you have two-channel stereo or multi- channel stereo, you have to have cables. You. a full range of can\u2019t completely fix a bad system with good cables, cables, but the but you can seriously degrade a good system with biggest improve- badly designed cables. ment you'll hear You won't see the cables and you won't see the sound \u2014 but you will experience the difference! is going from big fat stranded cable to the aqudioquest. least expensive cables from AudioQuest. For the complete story, please call or write for our Cable Design booklet \u2014 or better yet, visit an AudioQuest dealer and listen for yourself. P.O. Box 3060 San Clemente, CA 92674 USA TEL (714) 498-2770 FAX (714) 498-5112","MUUIMEDIVIDEO\u2019S GUIDE TO TECHNOLOGY VIRTUAL REALITIES their specs. Though I enjoyed the wide tracking- Head-Mounted Displays equipped Are Virtually Interesting field of view (64 degrees), images i-glasses! en- weren't very sharp; updated models hanced game BOUT A YEAR AGO, VIRTUAL REALI- will have 180,000 pixels of resolution play dramatically, particularly with 3-D ty (VR) could only be enjoyed at and 256 colors. This HMD was also the games. Neither is very affordable, of arcades equipped with expensive work- least comfortable to wear for any course\u2014especially considering the station computers. But today, all sorts length of time. rudimentary nature of the experience. of virtual experiences are on tap thanks That said, and with a bunch of 3-D soft- The VFX-1 ($999), from Forte (716. ware hitting the pipeline, I can\u2019t help to fast PCs, stereoscopic 3-D software, 427.8595), did a much better job. It but recommend the experience to the and an accessory called a \u201chead-mount- was very comfortable to wear and pro- well-heeled game fan. At the least, you ed display\u201d (HMD). vided nice, sharp pictures thanks to its should seek out an HMD for an audi- 180,000-pixel resolution; 256 colors tion. You can glimpse today what will If you happen to be fuzzy on the VR and a 53-degree field of view are on undoubtedly be the norm tomorrow. logic, the idea is to create a realistical- tap. The VFX-1 is a three-piece system ly rendered, computer-generated 3-D that includes a visor-type HMD, an in- \u2014James K. Willcox world in which you\u2019re able to interact with other people, creatures, and ob- terface card, and a handheld controller ON THE INSIDE jects. We need to be real, though: Even called the CyberPuck; stereo head- with the best gear, home VR is still a phones, a microphone, and individual rudimentary experience. focus controls are provided. Though its HMD was among the largest in this The HMD is a key component in cre- group, the cutaway shape and plush ating a compelling virtual experience, headphones made it very comfortable since it communicates two of the three vital aspects of VR\u2014sound and 3-D to wear. graphics\u2014to the user. To get a handle My favorite HMD was the i-glasses!, on the state of home-vR art, I tried out a number of HMDs. The least expensive from Virtual i\/O (206.382.7410). The model was the 7th Sense system ($399 lightest unit in the group at just 7 for an HMD, PC interface card, and bun- ounces, i-glasses! are designed to work dled software), from Virtual Entertain- with PC games, videogames, 2-D as ment Systems (914.631.9400). The well as 3-D movies, and TV shows. sleek, 24-ounce headset uses a 2.9-inch The HMD uses two 0.7-inch LCDs as 100,000-pixel monoscopic LCD capable well as reflective surfaces to project of displaying 256 colors and a 70-de- full-color images on semi-transparent gree field of view. Built-in head-track- lenses that hang in front of your eyes. ing provides 360-degree views with Because the LCDs aren\u2019t located direct- three degrees of freedom. Note that the ly in front of your eyes, eyeglass wear- use of a monoscopic LCD means that ers can use their specs. Resolution was 7th Sense can't display stereoscopic 3- quite good from this 180,000-pixel de- D images. In practice, 7th Sense had vice\u2014like VictorMaxx, Virtual i\/O us- the lowest picture resolution of the es depixelation filters to improve the HMDs I reviewed, and, frankly, I really picture. The HMD offers a 30-degree didn\u2019t enjoy the experience. field of view, and 256 colors are on tap. CyberMaxx ($799, including bundled Two models are available: a $599 pack- software), from VictorMaxx (708.267. age that doesn\u2019t have head-tracking ca- 0007), weighs about | pound and fea- tures a pair of 0.7-inch LCDs, adjustable pability and a $799 package designed stereo earphones, and head-tracking on for PCs, which adds a VGA converter three axes; the presence of focus con- and head-tracking. Both packages are trols for each LCD means that eyeglass- bundled with seven games. wearing users can don the HMD without While none of the devices I tried cre- ated a true virtual-reality experience, the VFX-I and, especially, the head-","1 GO-VIDEO makes the satellites, eliminating the task of editing camcorder tapes a mouse-clicking need for a separate out- cakewalk with the GV-8050 board adaptor. 3 SONY\u2019s 8mm\/VHS VCR ($1,099) GWM-3000 computer moni- and Dual-Deck Director software ($249). The 8050 tor ($21,900) costs more is a full-featured four-head VHS Hi-Fi VCR that also than some mid-size se- has a transport for 8mm or dans, but what did you ex- Hi8 tapes (Hi8s play with standard 8mm resolution). pect from the industry\u2019s first Dual-Deck Director in- monitor with a widescreen cludes a multimedia edit controller, which allows 16:9 aspect ratio? De- titles, wipes, graphics, sound, and even animation signed primarily for movie to be added before dub- bing to VHS; IBM-compati- post-production work, ble and Macintosh versions graphic arts, and other are available. Assemble business applications, the editing lets you mix clips 3000 employs a 30-inch from different tapes (soft- ware prompts nudge you to (diagonal) Trinitron tube load the next cassette), with a usable screen size of and the VIDEO LIBRARY auto- 23.6 x 13.3 inches. Resolu- matically tracks the loca- tion of each clip so you on- tion is rated at a super- ly have to search for it one high, noninterlaced 1,920 time. 2 ATLANTIC TECH- NOLOGY feeds hungry dots x 1,080 lines\u2014that\u2019s ears with its M110 powered satellites ($119 a pair) and more than 2 million pixels. M105 Bass Toaster ($229), Sony says the 3000's reso- a powered bass module that looks a lot like... well, lution is fine enough to dis- a kitchen toaster. The sats, which stand 7 inches tall, play a character as small share a 10-watt stereo amp and have volume and tre- as 0.1 inch high anywhere ble controls; dual inputs al- low two audio sources to on the screen. @ HOME be connected simultane- ously. The Bass Toaster, THEATER PRODUCTS\u2019 which measures 6.6 x 7.1 x 10.2 inches (h\/w\/d), boasts Paramount Pictures multi- a 45-watt amp and a 6.5- inch long-throw woofer. A media speaker line in- switchable 100-Hz\/130-Hz crossover lets you tweak cludes the MM3\/SRS sys- bass output. The Toaster\u2019s internal power supply may tem ($450), which offers also be used to power the SHS 3-D sound circuitry. SRS aims to deliver sur- round-style effects from on- ly two satellite speakers. The MM3\/SRS consists of two M1 powered satellites, which stand 8.5 inches tall, and the M3 powered bass module, which measures 16 * & x 10.5 inches (h\/ w\/d); the M3 houses a 50- watt power amplifier that drives the entire system. Each M1 sports a 4.5-inch woofer and 0.5-inch tweet- er, while the M3 has a 6.5- inch dual-voice-coil woofer. Controls for system volume, balance, power, input\/high- frequency level, and SRS on\/off are provided. a 82 JUNE 1995 VIDEO","The latest breakthrough in HDTV isn\u2019t visible to the naked eye. | Highest % of Distortion many equipment reviewers using them in their own reference systems. Our patented t's Distortion-Free sound, a SUBWOOFER High Gain Servo system, built around an 20-40 HZ accelerometer mounted on the voice coil, revolution in electro-acoustic tech- reduces distortion to some 25 times lower 1B vevopyne than conventional designs. No other product on the market today comes close to this level of performance. nology from Velodyne. The result is \u201cYou'll be keen on the sound of clean.\u201d astonishing sonic clarity \u2014 high ~Tom Nousaine, Sound & Image, Summer 1994, definition audio. review of Velodyne DF-661 full-range, Harmonic distortion blends Our new DF-661 completes the distortion-free revolution. From its inverted domes background sounds together, and crafted from spun aluminum to its radical \u201cmotor within a motor\u201d causes bass to sound muddy and counter-coil, it\u2019s a technological break- through. Its imaging, sound staging and slow. For video soundtracks, you reproduction of subtle details will astound you. Audition Velodyne\u2019s distortion-free want the vocals and sound effects to be as clear as possible. Velodyne i i has developed several breakthrough 58\u00b0 \u2014g\u00ae bar \u00e9 audio technologies to produce = speakers free of audible harmonic Velodyne distortion com- distortion. A Velodyne home theater pared to typical high-end system significantly reduces distortion speakers (measured at equal output levels). from the 10, 20, even 30% levels found in the best conventional high-end speakers, to that associated with electronic components - below 1%. Velodyne subwoofers remain the industry standard, with \u201cThe Velodyne subwoofer is one of those rare components I can VelodyneCIRCLE NO. 45 ON READER SERVICE CARD recommend to almost anyone... rank the quality, ifnot the Call 800-VELODYNE \u00a9 1994 Velodyne Acoustics, Inc. magnitude, of this small California company\u2019s achievement up there (800-835-6396) for the 1070 Commercial St., #101 with Dolby noise reduction and the Compact Disc.\u201d authorized Velodyne dealer San Jose, CA 95112 USA near you. (408) 436-7270 \u2014David Clark, Audio, November 1987","SHORTWARE The Dell Curve equipped PCs, ensuring a lively selec- of their competitors. The XPS-P75\u2019s tion of hot movies, games, and refer- minitower chassis, for example, is Dell Dimension XPS-P75 ences materials. No doubt about it, compact and sturdy. You can open it up Multimedia PC there\u2019s never been a better time to take using a single back-panel thumb- the multimedia plunge. And Dell\u2019s Di- screw\u2014there\u2019ll be no searching for HE WORD \u201cMULTIMEDIA\u201d STARTED mension XPS-P75 makes it all look as tools or chasing tiny little screws inviting as a gently steaming jacuzzi. around on the floor. In addition, the popping up in computer shops Dell runs quietly, so soundtracks from about 2 or 3 years ago, but it really Dell is a reliable brand name that your favorite titles won't have to com- couldn\u2019t be taken seriously. The rea- does most of its business via mail-or- pete with the buzz of the system\u2019s fan. son: Any PC that you or I could afford der, which means that your state\u2019s sales simply wasn't up to the task of juggling tax isn\u2019t part of the picture. (Most peo- The P75 processor is optimized for digital video, true-color graphics, and ple will want to avoid buying an MPC multimedia applications, and it'll do a realistic sounds, But the landscape from a no-name clone vendor, who much better job with them than an old- changed when fast systems based on might offer rock-bottom prices but may er, slower 486 would. The supplied Intel\u2019s 486 and Pentium processors hit not be around to honor a warranty 6 CD-ROM player spins twice as fast as the mainstream. The final piece in the months down the road.) And Dell has older, single-speed players; compare puzzle appeared when prices for good consistently offered cutting-edge per- the performance of the two and you'll CD-ROM players and sound cards formance at reasonable prices. The see that CD-ROM video plays more dropped to less than $200 apiece. XPS-P75 ($2,299) is based on a 75- smoothly and programs run more MHz Pentium processor, otherwise quickly with the double-speed. Pricier Put the pieces together and PCs shed known as a P75. It\u2019s a full MPC, in- triple- and quadruple-speed players are their image as glorified calculators and cluding a double-speed CD-ROM play- available, and they outperform a dou- typewriters. Today, the multimedia PC er, a 16-bit SoundBlaster 16 sound ble-speed, but double-speeds will be (MPC) is a home-entertainment center, card, a 15-inch Trinitron monitor, and a able to handle multimedia demands for assuming the duties of a TV, stereo, pair of Altec Lansing ACS31 speakers. years to come. VCR, and game machine\u2014and doing For multimedia on a budget, you can\u2019t so for less than $3,000. Better yet, soft- do much better. Audio features weren\u2019t overlooked, ware and content companies such as though audiophiles will undoubtedly Time Warner, Microsoft, and Lucas- Dell\u2019s computers generally look and crave an upgrade. The SoundBlaster 16 Arts are scrambling to move their vast behave better than products from many sound card can handle digital audio software libraries onto Windows- 84 JUNE 1995 VIDEO","files with all of the fidelity of music Technology, can display up to 16.8 mil- or five and one.) Free drive bays let CDs. Better yet, it\u2019s the industry stan- lion colors at resolutions as high as you add additional hard discs, tape- dard among DOS-based games and 800 x 600 pixels. And it can do so backup drives, and the like. other programs, which should help without producing unsightly screen minimize compatibility hassles. Altec When it comes to point-and-click, Lansing\u2019s ACS31 speakers, however, flicker, which causes eyestrain and the XPS-P75 earns points with its well- are merely typical desktop fare, with a headaches. While most experts recom- designed Microsoft mouse. Many 4-watt output and magnetic shielding mend that cards produce \u201crefresh\u201d MPCs come with ill-conceived point- to eliminate interference with the dis- rates of 70 or 75 Hz (where the screen ing devices that make mousing a pain play. The Dell\u2019s audio system won\u2019t is repainted 70 or 75 times, respective- in the wrist, but Microsoft\u2019s mouse is make you throw out your home audio ly, per second), the #9GXE64 Pro can among the best in the business. Though system, but it\u2019ll sure make Doom roar go as high as 100 Hz. I can\u2019t say that I\u2019m fond of its mushy convincingly. keys, the keyboard is compact and One thing that this MPC doesn\u2019t of- comes with a long cord that gives you The Dell is supplied with a 560MB fer is a modem. You'll probably want hard drive, which uses an enhanced in- to add one, since it\u2019ll grant access to plenty of room to maneuver. tegrated-drive electronics (IDE) connec- email, the Internet, and computer ser- Dell tops off its winning design with tion, and 8MB of random-access mem- vices like America Online, Compu- lavish yet clear and concise documen- ory (RAM). The hard drive is more than Serve, and Prodigy. You also don\u2019t get tation. Generously illustrated and well- sufficient to store all of your nifty ap- lots of bundled software, though you indexed, the two manuals\u2014one for set- plications, and there\u2019s enough RAM on do get the latest versions of DOS and up, the other for troubleshooting\u2014 hand to give them room to roam. The Windows pre-installed on the hard should help computer neophytes RAM is especially useful if you intend disc; unlike many MPCs, the XPS-P75 through those first, harrowing mo- to use Microsoft\u2019s Windows 3.1 oper- doesn\u2019t come with any CD-ROM ments. Unfortunately, Dell\u2019s Dimen- ating system (almost a given) or any games or applications. sion line doesn\u2019t enjoy the full 3-year demanding DOS-based games. The en- watranty coverage of the company\u2019s hanced IDE connection just makes As mentioned, the Dell is nicely laid other products; like other Dimensions, everything run faster. Finally, the P75 out. The CD-ROM player plus two the XPS-P75 only has a 1-year warran- processor is assisted by 256K of sec- floppy-disc drives\u2014one handles high- ty, but it includes 24-hour toll-free ondary \u201ccache,\u201d a type of memory that density 3.5-inch discs, the other older technical support as well as the back- ensures that the CPU doesn\u2019t have to 5.25-inch discs\u2014are situated conve- wait for the hard disc and system mem- niently near the top of the minitower\u2019s ing of one of the PC industry\u2019s service ory to catch up\u2014a critical concern face, making them easy to reach if you giants. In short, Dell takes care of you. with video-slinging MPCs. put it on the floor under a desk. And though the CD-ROM player isn\u2019t as Work (or play) with the XPS-P75 for The system has a pair of open sock- sturdy as the more expensive models a while and you'll discover that it\u2019s not ets for additional RAM, making it easy that employ protective disc caddies, the biggest, fastest, or most feature- to boost memory to 16MB or higher. the tray opens and closes cleanly; the packed MPC you can buy; it never Making this upgrade is definitely a tray method is also a bit more conve- fooled me into thinking that I was good idea: There were times during nient. One complaint: The graphics playing with a system based on a 90- my test drive that the XPS-P75 had to card is situated low in the chassis, and MHz Pentium processor. But it does do go to its hard disc to find information it the monitor cable has to stretch up to multimedia\u2014and it does it seriously. couldn\u2019t fit in its stock store of RAM, desk-level if the unit sits on the floor; Full-motion video and 3-D graphics and this slowed things down signifi- it\u2019s conceivable that this could limit may not zip along like the proverbial cantly. That 16MB of RAM is also a your placement options for the PC and hare, but you won't be thinking \u201ctor- must if you plan to engage in serious monitor. toise,\u2019 either. image editing or video capture. If you ever want to add hardware to The XPS-P75 also has the kind of de- I was very impressed by the XPS- your PC or otherwise plan to pop the sign and construction that ensures it'll P75\u2019s graphics capability, considering top and tinker around inside, the XPS- be around to serve you for years to this system\u2019s low price. The 15-inch P75 is a dream. Despite its compact, come. The system\u2019s PCI bus slots, for monitor uses the same Trinitron shad- space-saving design, the system\u2019s lay- example, use the latest expansion tech- ow-mask technology found in Sony\u2019s out is as clean as any I\u2019ve seen. The nology for the PC; even the new gener- TV sets, and images were much sharp- chassis is mercifully free of cables and ation of Macs will use PCI slots, so you er and clearer than those produced by wires\u2014a frequent nuisance with can rest assured that plenty of compat- most standard monitors. This is espe- MPCs\u2014and offers plenty of free slots ible boards will be available over the cially important for multimedia, since and drive bays for adding hardware long haul. Add Dell\u2019s excellent record computer video really needs a display down the road. There are five free ISA for service and support in a tumultuous that has good brightness and contrast slots in this system, so you'll have no market, and the Dimension XPS-P75 characteristics. problems adding a modem, scanner looks like a steal. \u2014-Michael Desmond card, or adaptor. In addition, two free A look inside the XPS-P75 reveals a Pci slots are on call for high-demand VIDEO JUNE 1995 85 hunky graphics-accelerator card that\u2019s components such as video-capture dedicated to making Windows applica- cards and high-speed drive adaptors. tions sprint. Armed with 2MB of fast (Note that one ISA and one PCI slot video RAM (VRAM), the #9GXE64 Pro share a space, so you can have either accelerator, from Number Nine Visual four of the former and two of the latter ReePhre. areEaeEt","SOFTWIRE ONE TRIBE five gadgets needed to complete exampleyand all of Hawking\u2019s refer- ITH SO MANY COUNTRIES IN OUR Horselover\u2019s spaceship. Gadget\u2019s high world today being ripped apart point is its amazing graphics, which ences to one of history\u2019s greatestscien- successfully create a stark, forbidding by internal strife, it\u2019s increasingly diffi- world that\u2019s inhabited by cold yet imag-= tists are gathered in one location, maxi- cult to remember that we\u2019re really all inative characters. Despite the\u2019 occa- supposed to be getting along as neigh- sional lack of truly active interaction mizing the ease with which that bors. Virgin Sound & Vision\u2019s One (you'll sometimes feel like you're Tribe, a glorious celebration of the di- merely observing the action rather than information can be accessed; it also verse mosaic that makes up humankind, participating in it), Gadget is highly en- serves as a nice reminder of that ideal. gaging\u2014as long as you have an open simplifies the process of comparing his Something of an atlas, encyclopedia, mind, a taste for state-of-the-art visual and world-music sampler all rolled into stimulation, and the sensibility of work. with that of our world\u2019s other one, One Tribe ($45) whisks you off to more than 200 countries, where you Dennis Hopper. (MPC, Mac discs) great thinkers. Alternatively, you can can browse through hundreds of maps, \u2014James K. Willcox photos, and cultural tidbits. (The in- page through Time the way Hawking digenous music that accompanies each trip is played by artists from Peter initially intended: Click on LINEAR AR- Gabriel\u2019s Real World label.) Your tour guide is MTV International\u2019s Pip Dann, GUMENT and you can scroll through whose hotspot-laden living room serves each chapter of the book in its original World beat: One Tribe\u2019s Dann in action form. Everything isn\u2019t rosy, though: as the global tour\u2019s launchpad. You may not become an ace anthropologist Sometimes things move a bit too fast after experiencing the world through the eyes of this disc, but youIl definite- for easy digestion of all of the informa- ly come away with a healthy sense of global fraternity. (MPC disc) tion, and screens occasionally dissolve \u2014 Ren Goldberg BOB DYLAN into subsequent ones before you can Highway 61 Interactive GADGET finish reading them. Even so, the pre- YNERGY\u2019S COOL INTERACTIVE MOVIE, T MUST HAVE BEEN QUITE A CHAL- Gadget ($65), is best described as a sentation of graphics, videoclips, still mystery adventure that\u2019s grounded in lenge to encapsulate Bob Dylan\u2019s photos, music, and Hawking\u2019s com- some seriously ominous undertones. Players are charged with discerning the monumental contribution to popular mentary is good enough to stand the true motives of a scientist named _ Horselover, who\u2019s trying to escape music over the course of his impressive test of Time. (Windows\/Mac compati- Earth before it\u2019s obliterated by a comet. Most of the action takes place aboard a 3-decades-long (and counting) career, ble disc) \u2014Pete Hisey futuristic train, as players search for the but Graphix Zone\u2019s Bob Dylan: High- MAGIC CARPET 86 JUNE 1995 VIDEO way 61 Interactive ($60) is, in short, a masterpiece. In one session, you can AGIC CARPET, A REALISTIC FLY- waltz into Columbia Records\u2019 record- M ing\/combat game from Electronic ing studio to check out scratch tracks Arts and Bullfrog Productions, is a (demos), unreleased songs, and inter- killer thanks to breathtaking 3-D land- view footage. Then duck into a Green- scapes and a realistic feeling of flight. wich Village coffeehouse to catch one Unfortunately (for some), you need of Dylan\u2019s live sets, browse through some heavy-duty processing muscle to some of his artwork, or read through get fully airborne: Though the game his complete (yes, I said \u201ccomplete\u2019) will run on a 486\/33MHz PC with 8MB lyrics. Later, you can watch Jimi Hen- of RAM, it really needs the power of a drix cover \u201cLike a Rolling Stone\u201d and Pentium processor to push the graphics then join Eric Clapton, Roger in all of their SUPER VGA glory. The McGuinn, and Lou Reed to partake in a tale: Magic Carpet ($60) is an exhila- 30th-anniversary tribute concert. rating ride through a world where wiz- Through it all, the gorgeous design and ards and monsters still exist. A power fun interface encourage you to explore struggle among various wizards for volumes of great material. Simply put, control of the land\u2019s Manna\u2014the es- Highway 61 brings it all back home. sential power of all living things\u2014has (Windows, Mac discs) \u2014RG split the world into 50 fragments, and players equipped with a flying carpet A BRIEF HISTORY OF TIME must gather supplies of Manna, steal HE CONCEPT HERE IS BRILLIANT: spells from other wizards, and battle a take A Brief History of Time, Stephen W. Hawking\u2019s classic, best- variety of evil creatures and monsters selling tome, and make it even more to help bring the world\u2019s fragments to- useful and fascinating. Hats off to Sci- entific American and Crunch Media, gether again. The only downside is whose CD-ROM version of Time ($60) attempts to navigate about 30 centuries learning how to control the action, worth of scientific thought in a fairly which requires simultaneous use of logical manner. Click on GALILEO, for both keyboard and mouse. Once you've mastered that, though, you won't at all mind being called out on the carpet. (MPC disc) \u2014JKW","aie papracenta a uniq approach to 3-way design. W NHT's proprietary Focused Imag Geometry technology and a built in subwoofer, the elegant 2.5 a Official Sweepstakes Rules delivers the clarity and precision \u2014 No purchase necessary. On an official entry form or a 3\u201d by 5\u201d piece of the finest 2-way designs along | of paper, print your name, address, zip code and daytime telephone with the dynamic range of much number. No mechanical reproduction of official entry form will be accepted. Enter as often as you wish, but mail each entry separately. larger loudspeaker systems. To enter, mail your entry to NHT Sweepstakes, 1633 Broadway, Circulation Dept., room 3102B, New York, NY 10019. Entries must be (VALUE $1,100) received by July 14, 1995. All entries become the property of Hachette Filipacchi Magazines, Inc., which reserves the right to toms ee reprint the name, address, and photo of the winner for publicity pur- poses. The winner will be selected in a random drawing to be held i OFFICIAL ENTRY FORM no later than August 15, 1995, from among all entries received, under the supervision of Hachette Filipacchi Magazines, Inc., whose deci- Please enter me in the sion will be final. The prize is an NHT Model 2.5 loudspeaker system. Estimated retail value: $1,100\/pair. The winner will be notified by | NHT Sweepstakes a mail and may be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility and release of liability. If under age 18, a parent or guardian must sign. Failure Mail to: NHT Sweepstakes | to return the affidavit within 10 days will result in an alternate winner i Hachette Filipacchi Magazines, Inc. being selected. Odds of winning will depend on the number of entries received. The prize is not transferable and there is no substi- Room 3102B | tute for the prize. The contest is open to legal residents of the conti- i 1633 Broadway nental United States and Canada, except the Province of Quebec. New York, NY 10019 Employees of Hachette Filipacchi Magazines, Inc., International Name Jensen Incorporated, their families, affiliates, or advertising and pro- motion agencies are not eligible. Void where prohibited or restricted | Address by law. For the winner's name, send a self-addressed stamped enve- lope to: NHT Sweepstakes Winner, Hachette Filipacchi Magazines, etoY(EL AMER Syey >pA A |en Inc., 43rd Floor, 1633 Broadway, New York, NY 10019. E Daytime Telephone #: ( ) i All entries must be received by July 14, 1995 DO","CITIZEN KANE better, it was worth something. Then $17,000 projector, a $15,000 line-dou- you have to determine how much better bler, and a $1,000 screen. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26 the picture got and how much money it cost to get it there. At the time I did my VIDEO: Can you get a good budget pro- I\u2019ve done line-doubler comparisons. initial survey, no line-doubler costing jection system of any kind for under If adding a line-doubler to my reference less than $5,000 improved the image $10,000? projector made the picture worse, the quality. line-doubler wasn\u2019t worth anything. KANE: My official answer is \u201cno.\u201d But When a line-doubler made the picture VIDEO: How much does a good budget you could take a $5,000 16 x 9 rear- front-projection system cost? projection set, spend $500 to upgrade its screen, and then spend another $250 KANE: By my terms, you\u2019d need a or $300 to get the whole thing calibrat- ed. At that point, you could end up with a pretty good set\u2014though it\u2019d scream for a line-doubler. VIDEO: How does room lighting factor into the projection equation? SUNIPAK AP200W KANE: If there\u2019s any ambient light hit- ting the surface of the picture, no mat- SUNPAK Remote Control ter how bright it is, that ambient light Auto Pan\/Tilt Head will lower its contrast ratio. So you MEMORY-FREE need to start with a system that has a good contrast ratio, and you have to | Mount your keep ambient light from hitting the screen. Ideally, there should be no am- Memory Free || camcorder on bient light at all hitting the surface of the picture. Nicad Battery with Sunpak's pan head, VIDEO: Does the same rule apply to di- Lifetime Warranty place on tripod & get in the action with everyone else! Infra- rect-view sets? RB7OUL High capacity red signal controls pan & tilt. (Plus lens zoom KANE: Any lighting should be behind (2000 mAh) gives up to the set. It\u2019s relatively easy to keep light 2 hours for 8mm & & record\/pause control of Sony, JVC, Hitachi 2449 from falling on the face of the picture if VHS-C camcorders from its source is behind the set. When Canon camcorders.) Powered by 6v battery (not included) you\u2019re watching a direct-view set that produces maybe 30 or 40 footlamberts RS200W-Optional 20\u2019 remote sensor cord $4.95 and isn\u2019t line-doubled, you actually need ambient light in the room or you RB7OUL won\u2019t be comfortable watching the set. Sony, Panasonic, JVC and Sharp. Plus, It turns out that the light output of direct-view sets varies so much with it's compatible with your camcorder's charger and VIDEO TRIPOD U6000 dark and light scenes that there\u2019s a hor- will provide up to 5 times the number of recharges rible strain on the eye. If you\u2019re sitting of other so called no memory batteries. $495 The new SLIK U6000 features a modern 12 feet or so from a set with a 30-inch- Features 3 stage LED indicators, design, titanium finish and ultra smooth high screen, the screen makes up only a fluid head. The 3 part telescopic legs small percentage of your field of view. Also Available: RB80UL- Same as above $ OB & gear drive, positive elevation center And because of the differences in with ultra high capacity (2700 mAh) 69 scene-to-scene light output, watching the picture will be about as enjoyable as ATTENTION CANON OWNERS column extend to a maximum height being outside at night and having some- of 55\u201d. Add to this the patented dual one shine a flashlight right in your eyes. RBE77MF purpose quick release that works with both camcorders and 35mm cameras, Basically, a small area of your field of High capacity (1700 mAh) Memory Free Nicad for and you have the best value ever for a tripod! $29\u00b05 view will be filled with bright light, and the constant changing of that light will Canon camcorders. Provides up to 1\u2019\/ hours. eventually become irritating if there\u2019s no other light in the room. By putting Slim design, Lifetime Warranty. $3995 some ambient light around the set, the variations in light output won\u2019t cause IF YOU CAN PRESS A BUTTON, JXED11 the irises in your eyes to fluctuate as YOU CAN EDIT VIDEO! much. Therefore, the fatigue factor The World's Easiest Editor! \u00a2 Universal- All Formats & Brands Including S-VHS & Hi8 * No Hook-Up Required Completely Wireless, IR Remote \u00a2 Edit & Rearrange Footage \u00a2 Find Scenes Quickly & Easily Exclusive JVC Jog Locator Dial * Use it Anytime, Anywhere IR Remote-Edit Anywhere in the Room Battery Operation Lets You Edit in the Field \u00a2 Review Your Edits With the Exclusive Edit Check Button Compact Video Titler Now everyone can add that extra sparkle to their home videos with JVC's JXT66 character generator - the lowest price titler ever offered! Features 4 type sizes, 8 page memory, scroll, and zoom in\/out. Plus, it works with all formats including S-VHS! And, it\u2019s AC\/DC, perfect for any situation, including outdoor use! CIRCLE NO. 28 ON READER SERVICE CARD","goes way down\u2014you can only watch a KANE: Absolutely! Totally, completely so that you can look at the blue-only direct-view set for about a half-hour in lost. signal. Those bars aren\u2019t the ideal pat- totally dark ambient conditions, but tern for setting up black-level or CON- you can last 8, 9, or even 10 hours if VIDEO: How about just using color TRAST, though, and they aren\u2019t going to you have a small amount of ambient bars\u2014like the ones you see on TV late tell you anything about setting the light behind the set. As I mentioned, at night? SHARPNESS control. with a large projection set\u2014especially a line-doubled set, where you can sit KANE: That\u2019s a starting point. You can VIDEO: Is that where the A Video Stan- much closer to the screen\u2014you don\u2019t use them to adjust the set\u2019s BRIGHT- dard laserdisc comes in? want any ambient light. NESS (black-level) as well as its COLOR and TINT controls\u2014but you\u2019ll need to KANE: Yes, that\u2019s why we brought it VIDEO: How do viewing angles fit into look at the screen through a blue filter, out. People didn\u2019t have access to a ref- the picture? KANE: That\u2019s partially screen-depen- wg vinEONICS ae dent. With a direct-view set, you can extend a straight line out from the mid- The Edit dle of the screen to the viewing area Suite A\/B roll and then afford to go about 15 degrees edit controller to either side of that line before you'll lets you perform be beyond the ideal viewing angle. A\/B\/C\/D rolls Most people aren\u2019t sensitive enough to from four video color changes and light-level changes sources! to be bothered by that 15 degrees, of course\u2014they\u2019ll sit further off to the Edit Suite defines editing versatility: OiItcon- Edit Decision List (EDL). QThe EDL stores up sides and think that the picture looks just fine. And, in reality, that\u2019s okay. trols both consumer and professional VCRs, to 250 scenes. O You can export EDL data to But as defined by the Society of Mo- tion Picture and Television Engineers supporting Control-L, Control-M, RS-232, and your computer for storage. 2You can also (SMPTE), it\u2019s 15 degrees on either side. After that, there will be a slight export CMX-compat- color change and a light falloff that the SMPTE won\u2019t accept. ible EDL data so off- With a typical, off-the-shelf rear-pro- line work can be jection set, you probably can\u2019t afford to be off that center axis by more than 1 transferred to an on- degree before you see a different pic- ture. You could actually be sitting Dissolve from one scene to another; preview your edits; and automatically trigger over 200 line studio. Q Edit dead-center in front of such a set and digital transition effects when you use Edit Suite with the Videonics Digital Video Mixer. Suite supports ad- see the picture change just by moving vanced VCR features your head from side to side. RS-422 protocols. Itreads RC, VITC, and such as insert edits, split edits, and more. VIDEO: What can people with a stan- dard direct-view TV set do to get the LTC timcodes. QTwo GPI triggers contro! ex- Edit Suite is just $699\\\". best possible image? ternal mixers, titlers, and SEGs. OQWhen used KANE: The most important thing is to learn how to set the picture controls with Videonics\u2019 Digital Video Mixer, itrolls correctly. between any of four sources; when used with \u201cU.S. suggested retail price. Mixer sold separately. All Videonics products carry VIDEO: Like CONTRAST, BRIGHT- other GPl-compatible mixers, itworks as a two- a 2-year limited warranty. Ask about our national seminar program. NESS, COLOR, TINT, and SHARPNESS? source A\/B roll controller. QThe user-friendly What\u2019s the best way to adjust them? VIDEONICS KANE: There are test signals that de- control panel has a jog\/shuttle wheel for precise The Video Editing Company fine the way any set should perform. VCR control and a back-lit LCD that displays the 1370 Dell Avenue * Campbell, CA 95008 * 408-866-8300 You just put those test signals up on the screen and adjust the set\u2019s controls un- til the set displays the test signals cor- rectly. VIDEO: So you're basically lost with- out test signals? \u00a9 1995 Videonics, Inc. Subject to change without notice, Videonics logo and Video Edit Suite are registered trademarks of Videonics, Inc. TV screens are simulated. CIRCLE NO. 38 ON READER SERVICE CARD","erence before. So I put the test signals with a blue filter, and why is it so im- quality of a picture, so the color of gray on a disc. portant? must be absolutely dead center in the color scheme\u2014that is, equal amounts VIDEO: Some people turn their set\u2019s KANE: Basically, when you adjust of red, green, and blue. SHARPNESS control down to the ab- your set\u2019s TINT and COLOR controls, solute minimum. you\u2019re calibrating its color decoder. To VIDEO: What\u2019s the ideal color temper- do that correctly, you have to be able to ature? KANE: With most sets, that\u2019s the cor- look at one color at a time. You could rect position. look at red only, or green. But blue was KANE: The standard that\u2019s used in our chosen as the color to look at because NTSC system\u2014and with the PAL and VIDEO: The picture doesn\u2019t actually it\u2019s compressed the most in the process SECAM systems, for that matter\u2014is get sharper as you turn SHARPNESS up? of encoding red, green, and blue to 6,500 degrees Kelvin. What that means NTSC. This makes it more sensitive to is this: If Iheat an ideal object to 6,500 KANE: In all sets, turning up the adjustments than either red or green. SHARPNESS control adds noise to the liably\u2014a particular color of light. And picture. You could look at that and say, VIDEO: Explain the issue of color tem- that\u2019s the color of light that we define \u201cOh, gee\u2014look at all the detail that\u2019s perature and TV sets. as gray. We refer to it as 6,500 degrees, going on in the picture!\u201d Well, that isn\u2019t because every time we heat an ideal ob- picture detail\u2014it\u2019s noise! Turning up KANE: Color temperature is basically ject to that temperature, itll emit that SHARPNESS also adds \u201cringing,\u201d mak- the color of gray. When you watch a particular color of gray. ing it easier for the viewer to discern black-and-white movie, all you\u2019ll see the edges of objects in the picture. But on the screen is various levels of gray. VIDEO: Do most picture tubes convey that isn\u2019t in the incoming signal\u2014if the You start out with a luminance level that gray accurately? people who made the program wanted that\u2019s equal amounts of red, green, and those edges to be more clearly defined, blue. If you want the picture to go KANE: No. It\u2019s a constant game. It they would have made \u2019em that way. slightly red, you add a little bit more turns out that when we view a set with red. But if the color of gray isn\u2019t neu- a color temperature that\u2019s higher than VIDEO: You mentioned a \u201cblue filter\u201d a tral and in the exact center of all of the 6,500 degrees, we see it as being moment ago, and you include it in variations of gray, you\u2019ll be tinting the brighter. And people think that brighter A Video Standard. What do you do picture. Color fidelity is critical to the is always better. So TV manufacturers PANASONIC PB50 Orig. PAN.......... RAPID CHARGERS PANASONIC PB80\/88 Orig.PAN......... 39.00 CAMCORDER CHARGER\/DISCHARGER SONY NP77H 2400 mah..... : 6V, 7.2V, 9.6V runs from house or auto. SONY 8mm 1500 mah... 1 hr. time for Sony, Canon, | Panasonic, RCA\/Hitachi CANON 8mm 2000 mah. & most other brands PALMCORDER 2000 mah.. Charges 1 battery $44 Charges 2 batteries $69 SHARP BT 70\/80 2400 mah.. RCA\/HITACHI 8 mm 2400 mah. NEW External Power Ppac+ 5 to 7 hours of recording time. Powerpac+ includes: =6volt @ 10 amps \\\\e SONYSALE \u00a7 sealed lead acid battery. oh Original Sony Brand = =Heavy duty pouch and belt. NP-500H Lithium lon NP-80 =A charger for charging at home 1200mMAH 7.2V. 2700mAH 6V (optional charging cord for car). $54.00 $54.00 =An adaptor of your choice. =12 vo@l7tamps $95 $85 RAPID CHARGER\/DISCHARGER BATTERY TECH, INC. (SAKAR BRAND) For Sony Battery Can Use in House Or Car 800-442-4275 \u201c=28-25 215TH PLACE, BAYSIDE, N.Y. 11360== FAX-718-631-5117 Discharges And Charges In One Automatic Cycle CIRCLE NO. 6 ON READER SERVICE CARD","will do whatever is necessary to make a they can really see that level of quality, KANE: Digital TV has the potential of bright picture. The problem is that you there will be no need for high-defini- making it. Take a look at current DSS. can\u2019t have a picture that\u2019s both bright tion television for a good, long time to It\u2019s digital, and it\u2019Il have a lot of poten- and accurate\u2014CRTs just aren\u2019t capable come. tial as the digital system improves\u2014as of doing both. they move from MPEG-1 encoding to VIDEO: Does next-generation broad- MPEG-2. VIDEO: And as color temperature in- cast TV need to be high-definition? creases, the level of blues in the picture VIDEO: You\u2019re not impressed by becomes exaggerated? KANE: No. MPEG-1. KANE: That\u2019s correct. Increasing color VIDEO: Does TV\u2019s next generation KANE: No, it\u2019s a useless system. It\u2019s temperature absolutely destroys color need to be digital? only VHS-quality. fidelity. & F\u2018NROEIRWEINGYDIOLRNIKAE\u2019LSST VIDEO: Is it possible to adjust any giv- en set to 6,500 degrees? ELECTRONICS DISCOUNTER KANE: In theory, yes. In practical THE VIDEO & HOME THEATER SPECIALISTS! terms, no. The tubes themselves are ca- pable, but many manufacturers don\u2019t Dep| Huge, In-Stock Inventory |Largest eee Recording provide controls for making the adjust- ce a ment. But that may be changing. When <p) I recently pointed out this problem to one manufacturer, they immediately \u2018| said, \u201cOh, of course\u2014we can\u2019t have =\u2018 that. We\u2019ve got to at least include the range to get it back down there.\u201d & Much Much More!! VIDEO: Is there any quick, inexpensive | RCA 35271 35\\\" PIP Stereo TV... . $1299 ZENITH 2767 27'StereoTV..... way to get a rough idea of any given SONY MDP650 Laser Disc. .. set\u2019s color temperature? SONY KV32XBR37 Top of Line 32\\\" TV. $1299 MITSUBISHI 27503 27'PIP Stereo TV. .$759 | KANE: There\u2019s no inexpensive way. You have to have instrumentation\u2014 | PANASONIC CT31SF11 31\\\" MoniRetc..o$r899 MITSUBISHI =31203 37\\\" Stereo TV. . $879 | something that can measure it. You also have to know what you\u2019re doing when TOSHIBA 30D50 30\\\" Stereo TV... . $699 HK AUDIO & HOME THEATER, IN STOCK! | you adjust the controls, because you can mess it up just as easily as you can MITSUBISHI U550 4 Head HiFi VCR. . $409 CELESTION 5 Speaker System... $299 | make it better. That\u2019s the reason stu- dents go through training\u2014to learn SONY SLHF720 4 Head HiFi VCR... . $349 CAMBER 1.0TISM Book Shelf Spkr Sys . $369 \u00a9 how to really make it better. TOSHIBA M650 4 Head HIFIVCR.... SHARP XVH35 200\\\" Video Projector. . $3489 | VIDEO: Some sets have these controls HITACHI VTM382 VCR...... PIONEER VSXD504 Pro Logic Rec. . CALL! \u00bb on the outside? PANASONIC PV4551 4 Head HiFiVCR. $279 TECHNICS SATX1000 THX Rec... $829 | KANE: My ProScan has them on the RCA VR-674 4Head HIFIVCR...... back of the set. Mitsubishi and Toshiba | GO VIDEO 8020 HiFiAuioReverse VCR. $739 KEF SPEAKER SYSTEMS, ALL MODELS! | put the adjustments on the remote con- ADCOM GFA555 Power Amp... $677 | trol\u2014right where they belong, as far as I\u2019m concerned. ADCOM GFP600 S\/S Tuner Pre Amp... $739 \u00a9 PIONEER CLD504 Both Sides Play Laser Disc. $439 YAMAHA RX1070 Pro Logic Rec... CALL! | VIDEO: Looking ahead, what new de- velopments in TV technology do you NHTPIONEER CLD704 Both Sides Play Laser Disc. CALL! SW2P Powered Sub Woofer. $539. find most exciting? SONY KV32V15 32\\\" PIP TV.. $1025 KANE: All the talk about DVD\u2014the digital videodisc\u2014has me very excited. SONY KV32S-10 32\\\" Steeo TV . $899 JBL MUSIC 2 Powered Sub Set System . $639 DVD has the potential to present us HITACHI 27AX1B Stereo Monitor 449 RCA Digital Satellite System 2\/92\\\" $699 | with image quality that\u2019s very much higher than what we have with our cur- a Aa} -UNCLE\u2019S STEREO || rent 525-line system. If we can deliver that kind of quality to the home and get \u201cAFDLOOLRNGN\u2019EOTTW,!! (800) Y'R UNCLE \\\"\\\"*=: Everything In Electronics For Less? people to adjust their pictures so that OPE TDA Smile We Love Wat","1994 Best Picture & VIDEO: Will MPEG-2 be much better? ing to be big business. But after people Best Actor on LeaserDis< .... have to pay one or two of these huge KANE: It has a great deal more poten- bills, they\u2019re going to take a real close Tom tial. Once MPEG-2 is in place, DSS look at Terminator 63 and say, \u201cGee, should be spectacular\u2014better than do I really want to see that?\u201d gore Hanks... laserdisc. And the same goes for the oFF: Forrest digital-compression scheme that VIDEO: Laserdiscs still represent the they\u2019re talking about for digital TV gold standard of high-quality home Gump transmission, as opposed to analog video. How much longer will the for- transmission. mat last? Other Top VIDEO: Is the concept of HDTV KANE: DVD will spell the end of the worthwhile at all? 12-inch laserdisc. It\u2019ll overtake LD i acoriiian faster than CDs overtook LP records\u2014 KANE: First of all, there aren\u2019t enough a lot faster. projection sets out there. You have to Be UeH BSWaT THE have a projector to take advantage of HDTV; there isn\u2019t a direct-view set on titles... LION KING the market that can make the most of VIDEO: Beginning next year? HDTV\u2019s potential. Now, maybe 5,000 The Shawshank Redemption people a year buy a projector that can KANE: Beginning in 1996\u2014as long as handle an HDTV signal\u2014and that MARY SHELLEY\u2019S number might be high. That\u2019s simply the wrangling between Philips\/Sony not enough people to put a single FRANKENSTEIN INTERVIEW HDTV broadcaster on the air in a sin- and Time Warner\/Toshiba doesn\u2019t de- gle city. No broadcaster in their right PThRe OFESSIORAL =VAMPIREWITH THE mind would build a whole new HDTV- lay things. capable plant to serve 5,000 people. I haven\u2019t seen either format yet. So VIDEO: Can you envision the day when true HDTV makes sense? far, both camps have been looking at S Ae Gg ACT OE KANE: Yes, but it\u2019s a long way off. their DVD\u2019s picture on small monitors. We\u2019ll need a $1,000 TV set that can QuizShow DISCLOSURE handle the incoming signal, and I don\u2019t They should be working with a 10- see that happening for at least another 10 years. They say that $600 or $700 is foot-wide screen, like the one I have in the breaking point for a TV set. If you can\u2019t get its price tag below $600 or my research facility; a small monitor $700, it won\u2019t sell. Was AES CLEAR isn\u2019t going to tell them anything. I\u2019ve VIDEO: Is true video-on-demand going to be available to regular folks by the invited both of them to come to my end of the decade? place . . . then we\u2019ll take a look at just KANE: The technology is there to DRESENT make it happen. But is there consumer exactly what they\u2019ve got. | interest? Look at DSS\u2014I don\u2019t know THE DANGER whether it\u2019s every 15 minutes or every To find a technician who has been trained SPECIALIST half-hour, but there\u2019s a whole bunch of by Joe Kane's Imaging Science Founda- movies that start at that kind of inter- tion, call 407.997.9073. To order A Video Mention this Ad and get a 20% discount val. You put your money down\u2014your Standard, check with your local laserdisc off the Suggested Retail Price on the Titles $3.95, or whatever DirecTV or USSB retailer or call 800.336.8866. charges for pay-per-view\u2014and every listed above, (Offer expires 8\/31\/1995) 15 minutes or every half-hour a movie POWER TRIP starts. I\u2019ve talked to DSS owners about Call for our FREE Monthly Laserdisc it, and they said that they did a lot of CONTINUED FROM PAGE 35 Catalog! Hundreds of New and Recent pay-per-view when they initially got Releases. All, at least, 15% OFF S.R.P.! their dish\u2014but then they got their bill. THD... or at 1 percent distortion. Suddenly, they got a lot more selective. Most modern amps clip fairly hard\u2014 PLUS... The technology is there to create a that is, when they reach their limit, huge video-on-demand service. And whether at just a few or at many watts OVERNIGHT everybody is predicting that this is go- above their \u201crated\u201d power, distortion DELIVERY skyrockets. Overnight Delivery Only $2.99 per Order*! Most better-grade amps are also spec\u2019d for 4-ohm loads. In this case, 1 or 100 discs - you pay only $2.99! *Orders the power part of the equation will al- can include \u201cPre-orders\u201d and \u201cBack-orders!\u201d ways be higher; our hypothetical amp might read \u201c160 watts per channel, 20 (Continental U.S. shipments only - certain Hz-20 kHz at no more than 0.08% THD areas and shipments over 5-Ibs. may require with 4-ohm loads.\u201d In theory (follow- ing a hefty slice of physics known as an extra business day) Ohm\u2019s Law), an ideal amp would de- liver twice as much power into 4 ohms Every Laserdisc title available at up to 40% OFF! as 8 ohms at no sacrifice in THD. In real Laserdisc Fan Club, Inc. Bae 1058 E. 230th St. * Dept. V65 =~ cn Carson, CA 90745 we (800) 801-DISC(3472) 2730 EAN CLUB FAX (310) 952-3000 Open Monday - Saturday For your FREE Laserdisc Catalog, please complete and mail the coupon below: Name: Address: City, State, Zip Code:","life, this power increase is only 33 to convert between the two simply add (or producing the audio band, usually mea- 50 percent, because of internal current sured at 1 watt. A typical FR spec might limits. An amp that isn\u2019t spec\u2019d for 4- subtract) 3 dB of S\/N for each doubling be \u201c10 Hz\u201420 kHz +0.3 dB.\u201d Most ohm power may be suspect... or of power. (I told you it was confusing.) amps have no problem delivering es- merely incompletely spec\u2019d. Specs higher than about 80 dB refer- sentially perfect response from well e Distortion. Most amps list total har- enced to 1 watt are probably academic, below the low-frequency limit of hu- monic distortion simply by inverting but I confess to using S\/N as a sort of man hearing (around 20 Hz) to far the power spec. That is, the spec for shorthand guess at overall engineering our hypothetical amp would read, \u201cTHD quality: Excellent quietness takes top- above it (well beyond 20,000 Hz or so). equals no more than 0.05% at rated grade components, a thoughtful design, An amp that specifies extended high- power, 20 Hz\u201420 kHz.\u201d Obviously, this and a careful circuit layout. frequency response to, say, 50,000 or doesn\u2019t give us any new information. e Frequency Response: This spec 100,000 Hz is implying highly linear Some spec sheets might add a figure for states an amplifier\u2019s consistency in re- behavior, which in turn implies good THD at a lower power level, however, and many also list a spec for intermod- Do expressions like THX, Dolby Pro Logic, DSP, Laser Disc, ulation distortion (IM). This may be In-Wall, multi-zone, tweeter, and sub-woofer leave you confused? higher than the THD figure, but it shouldn\u2019t be by more than a multiple of we at Fiome Theatre two to three times. e Clipping Power. This spec, which Systems can help you! shows up only rarely, rates power out- put\u2014usually at a single frequency Froma single center channel to a multi-room multi-zone system, H.T.S. will provide the best advice and the best price to perfectly fityour needs. (most commonly, 1,000 Hz)\u2014when the amp \u201cclips\u201d the output waveform as _ Home theater systems are not just something we sell... viewed on an oscilloscope; this clip- _ It\u2019s who we are...and all we do! ping point is commonly thought of as equating to 1 percent THD. By compar- We do not sell microwave ovens, video games, boom boxes, ing clipping power to IHF power, you _toasters or $89.00 tape decks. can get some idea of how conservative- ly an amp is rated by its maker, and\u2014 Our professionals have installed home theater systems for some of the most recognized perhaps\u2014of how quickly it\u2019ll clip be- names in the music business. Our sales consultants will be more than happy to help you yond that level. through the maze of components so you can get the system that does what you want it to do at the price you want to pay. More importantly, our technicians are available to help How much distortion is too much? you with your installation needs after the sale! It\u2019s largely academic: Virtually every amp on the market is rated at no more We carry most major brands of audio and video speakers, receivers, video projectors, than 0.5 percent and most are rated far T.V.\u2019s, VCR\u2019s, laser-discs, CD-players, pre-amps, power-amps, cassette decks, satellite lower. And plenty of tests have shown dishes and accessories. Even hard to find brands that most dealers don't carry! that the vast majority of listeners can\u2019t distinguish between 0.05 and 1 percent APOGEE SLANT 6 THD when simply listening to repro- Stereophile Class B duced music. In short, the entire sub- recommended component. ject is largely gamesmanship. Don\u2019t FREE 2nd Day Air pay too much attention to distortion Freight with purchase. specs. e Signal-to-Noise. This spec confuses AUDIO wAiLthCHDDEIMYv3.0 APOGEE LCR - 2X6.5 in. woofers a lot of folks. Signal-to-noise (S\/N) DTI PRO with 4 in. ribbon tweeter. Finally, notes the ratio of an amp\u2019s inherent Regularly $2100 NOW home theater noise to some implied or stated output 1550 (10 FREE pees ih level\u2014usually, rated power. This ap- HDCD\u2019S w\/purchase) pears as a number; \u201c102 dB\u201d might be 2U for ile typical. Where no power reference is +5jee included, take it to mean \u201cS\/N refer- ea enced to rated output\u201d; manufacturers of a few pro-style amps rate S\/N refer- MONEY BACK GUARANTEE : enced to an output of 1 watt\u2014a number ON EVERYTHING WE SELL! SURROUND that\u2019s more useful in the real world. An amp that\u2019s rated to deliver 100 watts Home Theatre Systems per channel might list \u201cs\/N: 105 dB\u201d; listed the pro way, the same amp would 44 ROUTE 23N., LITTLE FALLS, NJ 07424 spec out to \u201cS\/N: 82 dB re: lw,\u201d be- cause 100 watts is 20 dB more power 1-800-978-7768 than | watt. (You can see why manu- FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT CALL 201-890-5959 facturers prefer the first system.) To FOR FAX TRANSMISSIONS CALL 201-890-9142 ALL PRODUCTS SOLD WITH COMPLETE MANUFACTURERS WARRANTIES PICTURES ARE FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES ONLY","The Academy for the Advancement of handling of sharply transient signals. VIDEOTEST High End Audio wishes to congratu- e Channel Separation: Separation, al- late Hachette Filapacchi Magazines so known as \u201ccrosstalk,\u201d rates the amp\u2019s B&W MODEL SOOASW (HFM) on its recent acquisition of ability to keep signals from one channel VIDEO magazine. While we have out of its opposite number. Typical val- CONTINUED FROM PAGE 47 always enjoyed a most pleasant and ues are in the 70 to 90-dB range. Since productive relationship with everyone it\u2019s generally accepted that a separation have a sub professionally installed at VIDEO, we're confident that given of 50 dB is well beyond the range that (highly recommended, by the way). But HFM's considerable resources and could conceivably impact our apprecia- it shouldn\u2019t prove too difficult if all you fine people, there will evolve an even tion of the stereo effect or \u201csoundstag- have to use are your ears: Just start at better VIDEO magazine, which is ing,\u201d this one\u2019s pretty much moot. the lower-end limit of your main speak- great news for regular readers. e Damping Factor. Don\u2019t worry too ers and listen, making small adjust- much about exactly what this is (a way ments either way. When things sound In fact, this change at VIDEO is sym- of quantifying an amp\u2019s output imped- just right, you\u2019re done [see \u201cHome bolic of the marriage of audio and ance). Most amps are spec\u2019d with Theater,\u2019 May 1995]. video and the explosive growth of damping factors of 100 or more, which home theater during the nineties. As is more than plenty; a really low damp- Installation completed, it was time to publishers of Stereo Review and ing factor (say, 20 or lower) could in- put the 800ASW through its paces. And Audio magazines, HFM understands duce a slight high-frequency rolloff B&W\u2019s big sub was just out-and-out the importance of the audio to the with some speakers and\/or cables. excellent. It kicked out bass smoothly video experience, and vice-versa. e Dynamic Headroom: This is a tricky all the way down to 26 Hz\u2014that\u2019s low- spec, rating how much extra clean dy- er than the vast majority of movies and All of us at the Academy look forward namic range an amp offers on transient music go. Maximum output\u2014before to working with the new VIDEO to test signals, which better mimic the de- the sub\u2019s comfort level was exceeded\u2014 inform and entertain readers about \u201cthe mands of real soundtracks, versus its was 105 dB SPL. This is very loud in an best\u201d that our industry has to offer. steady-state [HF test-bench power rat- average-size living room and the equal ing. The actual spec is the ratio in deci- of a top-shelf movie theater. Chris Browder bels of this \u201ctone-burst clipping-point President of the Academy for the power\u201d (20 ms every half-second) to Testing also revealed that the Advancement of High End Audio conventional IHF rated power\u2014note 800ASW uses a high-pass filter to re- the emphasis. move ultra-low (and generally inaudi- THE ACADEMY ble) bass information. B&W says that FOR THE In many cases, an amp\u2019s steady-state the sub operates from 17 to 135 Hz, so clipping power will be a decibel or two it\u2019s a safe bet that the filter kicks in at ADVANCEMENT higher than its IHF power anyway, so if its dynamic headroom is also 1 to 2 dB, about 17 Hz. This is a nice feature, This column is presented by The Academy for the Ad- the design doesn\u2019t really have any \u201cex- since a decent number of programs vancement of High End Audio, an organization dedi- tra\u201d dynamic punch. But a few amps have \u201csubsonic\u201d information (below 20 cated to the recognition of excellence and the promo- do: To derive the truth about any given tion of greater awareness of high end audio. model, you\u2019ll have to know dynamic Hz). You may not be able to hear sub- headroom as well as clipping power sonics, but they do suck up power that and normal rated power. would be better used to amplify signals in the audible frequency range (above AS MENTIONED, NEVER BUY AN AMP ON 20 Hz); subsonics can also damage the sub driver if they hit when the volume specs alone. As the sage once said, is turned up very high. There are lies, damn lies, and statistics. The sub\u2019s basic sound quality was fantastic. I always evaluate speakers Do read the spec sheets, and begin get- with music first, and with acoustic bass music the sound was clean and detailed ting a feel for how amp ratings subtly and had a superb sense of spatiality. The \u201csoundstage\u201d was always appropri- reflect overall quality. But also do a lot ately deep with good recordings; up- right basses were clearly placed to the of looking, prodding, and listening. rear, behind the lead and solo perform- ers\u2014which is precisely where they Unfortunately, it\u2019s tough to do worth- should be. Orchestral music sounded equally fine: Tympani and bass drums while listening in a retail environ- were clean, taut, and had excellent im- pact, popping me with the force of a ment\u2014the variables of room acoustics, heavyweight body punch. Organ was full, deep, and rich. To quote that can- speakers, source components, and pro- non-toting weasel in the original Robo- cop, \\\\ like it! gram material are simply overwhelm- Movies sounded just plain dynamite. ing. So my advice is this: Get a home trial. Any self-respecting audio\/video specialty shop will be happy to arrange one. Put a candidate through its paces in your home-theater system, in your room, with your discs and tapes. At the end of the day, the power amplifier that sounds great under those conditions is a great amp\u2014period. |","The 800ASW extends down deep 0, Torn Curtain, Rope, S. ra i wiacGiit 3S enough to convey virtually all of the w of a Doubt, The Trouble Wit material you\u2019ll find on any videotape or BAC!EZ T=P, PE, Wi_s\u2014u laserdisc, and its clean 105-dB output y, Topaz, and The Fa will buffet you with earthquakes of ach). Warner gives Paul a, i A, ee, nsf? 5 high-fidelity sound. The steel gate- crash that punctuates the title sequence ity of action and slow-burn wuper \u2018oe tore of Terminator 2: Judgment Day literal- larper, The Mackintosh Ma ly jarred my molars! Everything was Ken Crane\u2019s Is The Largest delivered loudly and cleanly. 1g Pool ($20 each), Cool Laser Disc Mail Order The Left-Handed Gun, The Li Retailer In The U.S. THAT\u2019S WHAT A GREAT SUBWOOFER IS of Judge Roy Bean, When Out, and Fort Apache, The | We Stock all about, of course, and B&W has the Every Title! in ($20 each), Oceans act nailed. In one fell swoop, the com- Brave, Robin and the 7 F \u00bb Fastest Availability On New Titles! * Most Orders Shipped Same Day! pany has joined the upper echelons of our for Texas ($15 each). For * 20% Discount On All Titles! * Free 2nd Day Air UPS Shipping powered low-bass providers. If you n't like acting to get in the ction, thrills and blank expre: In The Continental U.S.A. want to see what a topnotch powered _ Warner's Out for Justice, a \u00a2 Visa, Mastercard, Discover, AMEX, Checks, And C.O.D. subwoofer can do for a home theater, \u00b0 $1.50 Handling Charge take the time to listen to the 800ASW. Per Order Shipped. You won\u2019t believe your ears. | O0FF%NOW SAVE SOFTWIRE Suggested Retail On CONTINUED FROM PAGE 78 \u00a2 Every Pre-Ordered New Release real-life events as a backdrop for his ac- \u00a2 Every Title In Stock tors, and the mostly handheld cam- \u00a2 Every Back-Order erawork\u2014amildly letterboxed and some- Includes FREE 2nd Day Air Shipping what shy of its original 1.85:1 glory\u2014 THE RED SHOES Titles must ship between these dates So Order Early reinforces the concept that hardly any FTER YEARS OF SETTLING FOR PHONE US AT... of the action shown was staged. The re- marginal transfers of this 1948 1-800-624-3078 1-800-626-1768 sult is a unique mix of fact and fiction, masterpiece, the Criterion Collection 1-714-892-8369 a provocative essay on the power and laserdisc edition has finally arrived to (Fax Number) meaning of film and other media in the save the day. This is the ultimate ballet ForA Free Catalog burgeoning electronic age. \u2014KkK picture, masterfully weaving fantasy Write Or Visit Our SuperStore with reality, detailing the uneasy line Ken Crane\u2019s LaserDisc THE GATE TO between love and obsession, and cele- 15251 Beach Blvd. THE MIND\u2019S EYE brating gorgeous color and designwork. Westminster, CA 92683 HE GATE TO THE MIND\u2019S EYE, THE In short, Red Shoes (CLV\/CAV discs, CIRCLE NO. 37 ON READER SERVICE CARD third and latest installment in the $100), from director Michael Powell wonderful Mind\u2019s Eye computer-anima- and partner Emeric Pressburger, is a vi- tion series (following The Mind\u2019s Eye sual coffeetable book for the *90s. The and Beyond the Mind\u2019s Eye), is the plethora of extras included in this lavish most ambitious\u2014and most success- production include second-audio-track ful\u2014one yet. A new electronic score commentaries by stars Moira Shearer from former New Wave hero Thomas and Marius Goring, cinematographer \u201cShe Blinded Me With Science\u201d Dolby Jack Cardiff, composer Brian Easdale, is the link to 40 minutes worth of some and Martin Scorsese, a Powell fanatic. of the most innovative animated clips In addition, this Japanese-pressed gem from across the globe. And while also features Jeremy Irons reciting ex- Gate\u2019s liner notes imply a linear story- cerpts from the novelization and the line, the disc\u2019s cascade of trippy images original story, a showing of Scorsese\u2019s are united only by Dolby\u2019s music and rare collection of Red Shoes memora- the generally futuristic worldview of bilia, scores of behind-the-scenes shots, the participating artists. Picture and theatrical trailers, and a Powell\/Press- sound are both immaculate, which burger filmography complete with clips makes Gate (Miramar; VHS, $20, CLV and stills. Best of all, though, is Shoes\u2019 pristinely restored 35MM Technicolor disc, $35) even more captivating than either of its admittedly impressive pre- print. This is easily one of the best LD decessors. \u2014KK releases of this or any year. \u2014MN","ELECTRONIC MAILBOX: oa VIDEO EDITING & PRODUCTION EXPERTS \u2014 800-323-2325 JXED-14 JXT88 4 $ The World's Easiest Editor! IXT66 S-VHS\/Hi8 Color Titler Compact Video Titler If you can press a button, you can The world's easiest to use color The only production center that combines: SALE $399 * SPECIAL EFFECTS GENERATOR edit a video! New JVC editor is The lowest priced titler ever offered! titler! Generates its own title screens Features 4 type sizes, 8 page completely wireless-IR remote memory, scroll and zoom in\/out. for quick & easy title creation. \u00a2 HI Fl STEREO AUDIO MIXER controlled! Exclusive Jog Locator * SVHS COLOR PROCESSOR all in one easy to use unit! Plus, it works with all formats * 8colors\/4 sizes \u00a2 10 pgs memory including S-VHS! AC\/DC AJlXsSo30A0vailaRbelmeo:te Control S-VHS A\/V Switcher (3in\/3out) $\u00b0249 00 Dial helps locate & rearrange \u00a2 Fade in\/out & Scroll title scenes. No hook-up. Edit anywhere, \u00a2 Standard size keypad anytime! Works with all 95 SALES 95 cifctiateseh |s99\u201d (reg $229\u201d) JXS700 Deluxe Remote Control S-VHS A\/V Switcher (7in\/4out) 99 (reg Se formats inc. S-VHS & His\u00b0 99 with 960 lines resolution & 2 signal paths. S499\u201d SED-IR SPX-L \u00a9 Picture-in-picture Combine 2 video sources Automatic Control L Editor & by adding full motion or still PIP Special Effects Generator Universal Editor Works The SFX-L automatically edits your home Full Color Electronic \u00b0 Freeze Frame videos with color fades & wipes plus audio Titler w\/ Special Title Effects With ALL VCRs!!! mixing. Preprogram an Edit Decision List Put your titles into motion & create \u00a9 Strobe High, medium & low speeds Automatic Infra-Red Editor lets you with up to 23 scenes.The on-screen unique Hollywood effects. Features e Multiscreen Display 4 or 9 still frames on one display lists the in & out points, transition perform glitch free straight cuts or deluxe full size keyboard, S-VHS & Hi8 fade to black between scenes. choices (cut, fade or wipe) & elapsed time screen. PLUS any 1 frame can be in full motion Dual IR control of both playback & compatibility, & 12 page SALE * Mosaic 2 sizes & POS\/NEG of your video. Requires Sony or equivalent record deck makes $ 00 Control L camcorder. memory. Letter choices $ 00 * Paint Dramatic color 249\u00b0 include 8 colors, 4 sizes, 199 editing a breeze. Complete with mic & SALES 19\u00b0 \u00a2 Audio Mixer SALE Built in audio mixer. (reg $149) outlining & boxing. (reg $229) cies $299\u201d) cables. S-VHS\/Hi8 compatible. (reg $299\u201d) Automatic Editor- Choose & Video Titlewriter-Deluxe Color Titler Includes luminance, enhancer & color gain Stores up to 8 special effects in memory for instant recall. Create over 50 wipe Rearrange up to 191 Scenes Superimpose titles over live video or on B&W controls for picture improvement. PLUS, background. Features 8 colors, 2 fonts, 4 DNR to reduce hiss, 3 channel audio patterns in 8 colors. Wipe options On screen Edit Decision List displays mixer with LED level indicators & individual include sharp or soft edges sequences, in & out points & sizes & 3 borders. Titles can wipe in\/out, & variable angle. scroll up\/down, audio & video fade controls. Auto or manual operation. $499\u201d transition choices (fade or cut). crawl & flash. Built-in enhancer. Requires Sony 10 page memory. SALES 9\u00b0... $179) Free headset\/boom mic. $449\u201d Control L or Pana. 5 pin s4 99\u201d for automatic editing. Glut), PowerMax Complete Lditing Systems PACKACE PRICE Let our Techs Customize an Editing Pulse- System for You! Charge =AMBICO..|iciee ss ee Technical Advice Hotline 516-759-1943 Reconditions & quick |eGiMn) x[svs5Aa opxeen charges two 6V batteries in one cycle. Fastest charge with built in overcharge > $49 AC\/DC SPM-10 SUNPAK Remote Memory @iaileliaais Control Features new modern design with titanium Free Auto finish. Includes Pan\/Tilt ultra-smooth Nicad Battery with fluid pan head, Head gear drive & Lifetime Warranty positive Mount your camcorder on Sunpak\u2019s pan head, elevation RB7OUL High capacity place on tripod & get in the action with everyone center (2000mAh) gives up to 2 hrs. else! Infra-red signal controls pan & tilt plus column. for 8mm & VHS-C camcorders lens zoom & record\/pause of Sony, JVC, Hitachi & Canon camcorders. all from Sony, Pana, JVC and Powered by 6v battery (not included) \u00a9 49\u201d RS200W Optional 20\u2019 remote sensor cord $4 9% Sharp. Features 3 9\u00bb stage LED indicators. Also Available: RB8OUL-Same RB-7OUL $69\\\"|CCo2r2d0l0eAss VideoLight with as above with ultra high Auto Sensor, Zoom\u00a7 capacity (2700 mAh) $69\\\" & Tilt Head. Includes battery & charger $99\\\" ATTENTION CANON OWNERS RBE77MF RL-20 compact light High capacity (1700mAh) Memory Free Nicad for s3g% Canon camcorders. Slim design,Lifetime Warranty.","Warpa a rj ADDA Technologies, Inc. The Art of Digital Video. AVer Video Suite \u00a5 . Movie Machine Pro-Digital Complete Windows based DTV editing system! Video Mixing, Our fully integrated bundle gives you video editing, 2D & 3D titling, plus special effects in one easy to use Chroma-Key, & package. Custom modified VideoDirector 2.0 lets you Much More for edit from any Control L camcorder and modified Curtain under $500! Call lets you add titles, fades, wipes, graphics and Turns your PC into animation with the click of the mouse. AVer Pro a state-of-the-art digital video mixer bSrVoHaSd\/cHaist8 qcuoamlpitaytidbilseplawyithcar1dMBis $599\\\" complete with 18 RAM and flicker fixer. Gr. adation ns AJB roll video effects; Use two wireless mics fades, zooms, flips, plus Sheens ODEs Chroma & Luma keying. at the same time! Choose from 2 different The Azden WR2PRO two channel receiver AVer Pro a0) Ee wtriurcdes sources plus the built in automatically mixes the sound from both TV tuner. The mics. Let us design the perfect two mic Desk Top Video titling system fehe)tem eeliiies framegrabber lets you system for your needs. Complete systems capture images from for Windows. either source or *399\u00b0\u00b0s upincluding WR2PRO & TV tuner! $499\u201d Top rated AVer Pro overlay card Curtain Call Titles two wireless mics. and modified Curtain Call let you superimpose spectacular titles, Movie Line :: WR2PRO receiver $4 89\u00b0 graphics and transitions over video. Magically transform any Non-Linear Digital Video Editing for under *1000! Mic Mixer Record and mix sound font with beautiful effects. Non-linear editing is every editor's dream...random access Includes over 30 different wipe from 3 sources, while to any frame you want at lightning speed. FAST\u2019s high- shooting! Connect 2 patterns. $499\u201d quality Motion JPEG compression combined with Adobe Premiere turns your computer into a state-of-the-art non- mics plus background $ag* CAM3 linear editing system with digital effects at your fingertips music to your camcorder's audio. and ultra-fast editing in a totally digital environment. Create AVerKey3 music videos, highlight films, commercials, animations .. Hi-Resolution anything you can imagine. Best of all, in the digital domain WLXPRO Scan Converter Professional VHF Display VGA output from your computer to any TV or VCR! generation loss becomes a thing of the past, giving you the Wireless Mic System Provides VGA, composite, SVHS & RGB output with highest possible broadcast quality video images. Complete 250\u2019 Range resolutions up to 800x600 & 2nd generation Flicker Free technology. True Plug & Play - no software driver required. system includes the FAST Movie Machine Pro with the $449 Remote control operation lets you zoom & pan to any area Motion JPEG Option, plus these award winning software WHXPRO-Wireless of the screen, plus freeze. titles: Adobe Premiere, Autodesk Animator $975\u00b0\u00b0 Handheld VHF Pro Mic System Pro CD & Xing CD MPEG encoder Also available: Video Machine Lite A\/B roll edit controller AVerKey PC 5299\u201d AVerKey Mac\/PC 5399\u201d with digital video effects Call for details Call for Free DTV Handbook 'f i hcGaOnoLDkeDI2rSKaa iY\/[\u00ae) {\u00a2)DiRECTOR! 179\u00b0 DTV Tech Support 516-759-1615 _ The #1 Home New VideoDirector 2.0 for J 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee on all our DTV products Video PC Editor Windows turns your PC, camcorder & VCR into a Edit your Gite). complete video editing Videos with your PC for system. Choose the under $50! shots you want, drag & Remove unwanted footage and drop into order you want rearrange up to 99 scenes. Easy to use on-screen menus. & press \u201cMake Tape\u201d for HS7V automatic assembly. ECZ990 Headset Requires Control L Boom Mic Requires Control L or Pana. 5 VcCaRm.corAdvaeirlabolre $995 zoom Add narration as pin camcorder or VCR. Micri n you're video taping! Monitor camcorder PC Edit sag\u201d for PC or Mac. Picks up esopuned ein audio. front without side sae? 19% noises. 2 vosition SALE 69\u00b0 COVER-PRICF \\\\GNAVOX Enter my subscription to stnate VIDEO now! 1 year (10 issues) for $17.94-$1.79 a copy! 2 years (20 issues) for $29.94-$1.50 a copy! 3 years (30 issues) for $39.94\u2014$1.33 a copy! ram guide lets you know in an on every channel for the next Name t top converter works with all Address (please print full name) rogram $469 lays a week! {ude monthly subscription fee City \\\\ State Zip CHECK ONE: [| Payment enclosed [|] Bill me SOLVE from hook-up ; to operation Canadian orders add $7.00 per year (includes 7% GST); foreign orders add $7.00 per year; payment in U.S. funds must accompany 516-759-1943 order. Please allow 30 to 60 days for delivery of first issue. call Phil or Gary Would you like to receive special offers from qualified users of our mailing list? QOYes QO) No","TRONIC MAILBOX: ) 3 800-323-2325THE VIDEO EDITING & PRODUCTION EXPERTS fa AMERIC JXED-14 JXT66 Video Titler S-VHS\/Hi8 Color Titler The only production center that combines: SALE $399\\\" The World's Easiest Editor! Compact The world's easiest to use color \u00bb SPECIAL EFFECTS GENERATOR If you can press a button, you can The lowest priced titler ever offered! _ titler! Generates its own title screens edit a video! New JVC editor is Features 4 type sizes, 8 page for quick & easy title creation. \u00a2 HI Fl STEREO AUDIO MIXER completely wireless-IR remote memory, scroll and zoom in\/out. * 8 colors\/4 sizes * 10 pgs memory \u00ab SVHS COLOR PROCESSOR all in one easy to use unit! controlled! Exclusive Jog Locator Plus, it works with all formats * Fade in\/out & Scroll title Also Available: j; s9AQ0 Dial helps locate & rearrange including S-VHS! AC\/DC \u00a2 Standard size keypad JXS300 Remote Control S-VHS A\/V Switcher (3in\/Sout) \u00b0249 elas od hook-up. Edit so anytime! Works with all 95 SALES 95 SALES G00 JXS700 Deluxe Remote Control S-VHS A\/V Switcher (7in\/4out) (reg $229\u00b0) with 960 lines resolution & 2 signal paths. sag9g\u201d formats inc. S-VHS & Hi8. 599 99 (reg $119%) SFX-L Automatic Control L Editor & : F seD:IR Fhe eSpuSFX-Laduauttoommataitcaillcyaleedyiatts syyooururhhome WUinti. hverAsLaLl Editor Works vmiixdahienogs. with color fades E&ditz wiDpeecsis\u00e9sipolnus LaiAustdio i \u00a9 Picture-in-picture Combine 2 video sources VCRs!!! Preprogram an TPEiuRttEleyroCuOrwH\/OtiFtlSespEeIicEniCtaoElmoCTtIiitColne &Efcfreecattes by adding full motion or still PIP Automatic Infra-Red Editor lets you with up to 23 scenes.The on-screen FAICUCALOIIDECISTIOISUESAtUITes oF teeze F Frame d i full bad Lacoara . S.VHS & Hi8 \u00ab Strobe High, medium & low speeds perform glitch free straight cuts or display lists the in & out points, transition * Multiscreen Display 4 or 9 still frames on one fDaudael tIoR bcloantcrkolbeotfwebeonth spcleanyebsa.ck & CoampatibiIlUity, &E@12epeage gauge ! record deck makes \u00a2 00 cofhoyiocuers vi(cdueto,. faRdeequoirrewsipeS)on&y eolrapesqeudivatliemnet memory. Letter choices $49 00 * sMcoreseani.c P2LUsSizeasny& 1POfrSa\/mNeEGcan be in full motion editing a breeze. a Control L camcorder. SALES 41.900 \u00b0 Paint Dramatic color posterization include 8 colors, 4 sizes, Complete with mic & \u00a2 Audio Mixer SALE 249\u201d Built in audio mixer. (reg $149) cables. S-VHS\/Hi8 compatible. (reg $299\u00b0) outlining & boxing. (reg $229\u201d) (reg $299) V6331 Pry lo990 das | Gm pablecbadd Editoreened NNOECPEOSSSTAARGYE IF MAILED (see}eqaurenrcaensg,eEdiitenua&ptDeroiuettsopoinLtioessti&C IN THE UNITED STATES transition choices (fade or cu ===DED BCuoinlttr-oinl eLnhoarncPearna.. R5eqpuiinres$4S RIE) for automatic editing. AREER) BUSINESS REPLY MAIL) PES EA Ine FIRST CLASS MAIL PERMIT NO. 295 MOUNT MORRIS, IL PRESSEET POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE Sa SRL TIE Memory @iaelanagi- \/ |D F ORE Free \u2122 aOR Nicad Battery with ae Lifetime Warranty (R2B070O0UmLAnH)ighgicvaepsacuiptyto 2 he PO BOX 745 or 8mm & VHS-C camcorder MOU NT MORRIS IL 6 ]054-8 ]84 from Sony, Pana, JVC and Sharp. Features 3 sag stage LED indicators. Also Available: RB8OUL-Sam: as above with ultra high \u00a2 \u2018 capacity (2700 mAh) 6! ATTENTION CANON C High capacity (1700mAh) Me Canon camcorders. Slim des"]