video-magazine-1995-12

Pe PANASONIC:S DIGITAL CAMCORDER csoome! f Slee Un LexoWrerrae] SU Melofs=) a Tested & pempared YAMAHA ssruza soune sx | = wi) SHGIASIICLMU Cc \\V/ie Kexel ett te f= 4|| Program Giuides Compared ce —vwO—— Te ena PSU ol aKelaSKol tare, I O)roXe tele KeXs tip Bedroom Systems YamahajAC-3 Package Sony 32-inch TV ProScan AG@-3 LD Player DECEMBER 1995 USA $2.95 CANADA $3.95

ran eronena ay Man anasRaNip aN The New Choice for High-Quality Video Recording That will Last for Generations y Introducing a whole new and superior way£0 record, Digital Audio (PEM) Recording with up to S6dBs of dynamic range. play back, edit and print your video images. It’s called Digital Video. The new standardized format in the Time Code (Hr:Min:Sec:Fr) for accurate editing. industry. And it delivers some powerful features: Digital Video Interface that allows editing with 500 Lines of Horizontal Resolution—dcouble that of VHS. virtually no deterioration of picture or sound quality. Conforms to IEEE 1394 protocol to allow direct ¢ Digital Component Recording using a bandwidth three times VHS, linking with computers in the future. And it’s only resulting in virtual elimination of color blurring. available on a Sony Digital Handycam camcorder. Time Base Correction for stable picture and minimal jitter. Cassette Memory that uses an IC chip to build a “table of contents” for easy searching—also only available from Sony. Error Correction system that compensates for tape dropout errors.

cuannruouraemnasomansumainy PRECISION FVIINEDWER aeMini igital NTSC Cassette “ajABs‘4Os0J41‘pOABP9“JupenNdUSsg}/a0nsJuS6UNiOuo2}6uOO\"joLeI/A‘9Rds[NoAOWO'A‘jaii1g“SGap‘|©AsaUOjA9ediUBs6JAwp9jdu¢pSooEpUyniNQyelui0$uOoAaxeeuO16o-eS|k6Byr)eoiyjS,snoeU1sU8isgdeds9yOfOAgyPu9awAsDpi8}spe9uo9a-epsea0/eyHj90ds8-| Sony Unleashes the Full Potential of the New Digital Video Format Sony's new DCR-VX1000 camcorder features: e Precision Color Viewfinder that uses over 180,000 pixels with a © 3 CCD Camera System that uses a Dichronic separate Information Sub-Panel (time code, battery, tape remaining). Prism and three 410,000 pixel CCDs ¢ Super Steadyshot™ Picture Minimizes even severe camera shake. Stabilization with Motion 100i9)= (red, green, blue) for excellent color fidelity. . * Adaptive Frame Interpolation (AFI) technology to minimize jagged- | Sensors .and an Active edges in still images when in Photo Mode or printing still videos. Prism that steadies even © Audio Digital Signal Processing and 4-Capsule Microphone for clear’ high-frequency shaking Stabilization with no loss in details or stereo separation and superior wind noise reduction. ' reduction in size. -@ Magnesium Alloy Body for a durable yet lightweight chassis. CIRCLE NO. 92, ON READER SERVICE CARD

The Adcom the ulttmmate hom phones sensor shift (8-14) FM/AM seek/manual < tuning > audio mute high blend —. SEL Before you call a contractor path for maximum video or run to the home impro- quality. And with features vement store, let an Adcom like Adcom’s exclusive home theater GTP-600 Cinema Surround UCONNNSIUMEOVR AELTECITROONNICSS SHSOsW tuner/preamplifier dupli- circuitry and Dolby Pro cate the dramatic depths of Adcom components are critically Logic® decoding, the acclaimed year after year a large listening area. The GTP-600 and an GTP-600 brings cutting award-winning Adcom power amplifier edge home theater tech- can instantly create a custom soundstage nology to your fingertips. for your favorite movies or musical events, Logical control without physically adding a square foot of groupings and pre- space. Providing switching for up to programmed DSP (Digital four video sources and four audio sources, Signal Processing) modes Me G7P-k6eep0sy0ouinconn the GTP-600 gives you the flexibility to allow easy, precise adjust- ofthe action with an easy-to-usi learning remote. customize your audio/video system for ments for a variety of custom-tailored, years to come. Composite or S-video con- psycho-acoustically correct listening envi- nections provide a high definition signal ronments. The user friendly “‘smart” on-

e Improvement. 100 ms pie tape 1 tape 2 75 ms Fa LES 50 ms 30 ms 20 ms 15 ms d bal. check delay video! video2 video3 video 4 = _— — a -— DEES treble balance *G bass EQ tone in screen display keeps you fully informed your home that and makes system balancing easy and you can feel as accurate. These features couple well as see and ideally with the GTP-600’s advanced, hear. Pick up programmable remote which lets you the right tools command up to eight additional system for the job at components. This sophisticated combina- your local tion consistently delivers sound exactly Adcom dealer sevatenetataaatyptemducihekrrpegracrca the way you want to hear it. And the today. You’ll realize that our state-of-the-art details? Typically Adcom. Gold plated components hit the nail on the head every RCA connectors, precision 1% tolerance time. Roederstein metal-film resistors and high ® speed linear gain amplifiers are just a few ADCOM of the many outstanding design elements 8 that give the GTP-600 its exceptional audio .3 eleKmeenecaneaem = viQ deo : ; e and quality. Distribute1d1 iEnlkCiansnadRaoadb,y East BArCunOsUwSicTkI,CSNJ I0N8C8.16MoUn.tSr.éAa.l, (908) 390-1130. buNio;ldw,anwiatdhdiAtgeidocnomto _ PRO Québec (514) 344-1226 home theater you can 4 CIRCLE NO. 1 ON READER SERVICE CARD

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\\ Jclodyne is the king of subwoofers. In fact, we're hear clearer sound — you'll feel it — all the way down to 18Hz. : '> the only one that can honestly claim distortion of You'll get more convenience, too, thanks to the ‘ less than one percent. handy remote provided with the F-1500R. It puts all the . Every Velodyne product is testament to the genius power of a Velodyne right at your fingertips. of president and founder David Hall, who virtually re- Make the Velodyne F-1500R Powered Subwoofer invented the modern loudspeaker. His patented servo- part of your home entertainment system, and feel the controlled woofers and innovative designs mean you'll bass. It'll make you proud you've chosen the very best. Beyond Servo: Velodyne’s patented anti-distortion circuit samples the woofer’s response 3,500 times each second, ensuring that only the audio signal is reproduced. With Velodyne the music comes through, error-free. ® CIRCLE NO. 45 ON READER SERVICE CARD Vel odyne The Bottom Line In Bass™ Velodyne Acoustics, Ine,* 1070 Commercial St., Suite 101 * San Jose, CA 95112 © (408) 436-7270. or (800) 835-6396 © 1995 Velodyne Acoustics, Inc. All rights reserved Velodyne is a registered trademark. ro : SEN Neer BAN kN |

HOME VIDEODECEMBER 1995 VIDI MAGAZINE VID TOUR GUIDES StarSight and VideoGuide program guides compared 38 BEDTIME STORY Three $1,000 “bedroom theater’ upgrades 42 BASSIC INSTINCT VIDEO Test Special: 11 powered subwoofers compared 51 SONY KV-32XBRI100 32-inch TV set 56 YAMAHA RX-V2090 & DDP-1 A/V receiver & AC-3 decoder 62 TOSHIBA M-761 Six-head VHS Hi-Fi VCR 77 THE CLEANER Simple remedies for noisy video 80 NEW TECH Sony step-down digital camcorder 83 VIDEOTEST Panasonic PV-DV1000 digital camcorder FAST FORWARD 32-bit-game news, a digital agenda 96 NEW TECH STD arcade-style PlayStation joystick 96 SOFTWIRE Re-elect JFK, Discovering Shakespeare SHORTWARE Atlantic Technology sub/sat system CHANNEL ONE The trip to bountiful FEEDBACK DSS variety, wide pipers FAST FORWARD FCC cuts, new DBS systems DIGITAL REALITY DirecTV’s digital earthstation NEW TECH GE DSS system, Pioneer rear-projector SHORTWARE Zenith 60-inch rear-projector, ProScan AC-3-ready LD player, Parasound six-channel power amp SOFTWIRE Crimson Tide, The Santa Clause, French Kiss OFF THE AIR Kids’ hyper-realistic style hides a monster movie ON THE COVER ProScan PSLD46 (page 72), Yamaha DDP-1 and RX-V2090 (page 56), Hsu HRSW12V (page 42) COVER PHOTO Tony Cordoza

The Trip EBIdLiLtoWrO-LinF-EChief ; to Bountiful Executive Editor MARC HOROWITZ B AT THE START OF “TOUR GUIDES,” Technical Editor LANCELOT BRAITHWAITE Rob Sabin’s exhaustive look at Senior Editors PETER BARRY 2 the on-screen program guides offered by StarSight and VideoGuide ROB SABIN (page 26), we ask, at our rhetorical best, what’s on TV? If, through a Art Director LAURA SUTCLIFFE oes clearly heroic effort, you’ve managed to keep up with advances in technology, the answer is that your options are almost dizzying Managing Editor MIKE METTLER eee in breadth. ™ Team a basic cable package of local channels and the Associate Editors JOSEF KREBS medium’s stalwarts with DSS’s best—a USSB movie pack and a full slate of CHUCK TANNERT DirecTV channels—and the “500-channel universe” of the vague and hazy future loses much of its sex appeal. Yes, Virginia, you can have a Associate Art Director Ml KHOO Blockbuster or Tower video shop inside your very own TV. ™ Add a couple Assistant Art Director GARY FRENCH of DirecTV’s sports packs to the mix and you'll feel like you could put Project Coordinator BARBARA AIKEN ESPN out of business. The sports packs are liberating to the point of Database Manager JOSE |. GARCIA intoxication: A football fan who’s, say, doomed to live in New York and, Contributors Stewart Applegath, Michael Desmond, i through the iron-handed decrees of sadistic network programmers, M. Faust, Pete Hisey, Ken Korman, Daniel Kumin, suffer through interminably ugly Jets and Giants games can actually— Timothy Liebe, Kevin Miller, Mel Neuhaus, wonder of wonders—dial in an exciting game for a change. Don’t get me started on basketball, the Knicks, and the Nets. &@ Tie these sources to Tom Nousaine, Ken C. Pohlmann, Cliff Roth, Andy Wickstrom, James K. Willcox one of the new VCRs that can control a DSS receiver and cable box, like RCA’s VR725HF (page 66), and you can archive enough programming to TONY CATALANO ; Vice President and Group Publisher keep you entertained through a full winter’s hibernation and, possibly, an entire presidential campaign. Though you may want to wait for a CONSUMER ELECTRONICS GROUP model that includes these features and Index Plus+ (page 16), which can ADVERTISING help you keep track of your tapes’ contents via friendly on-screen directories. Publisher, VIDEO: Jay Rosenfield @ Some of us, of course, are a wee bit fed up with the same old same old. “Feedback”-contributor Steve Brightman (page 10) surely isn’t alone in 212.767.6062 being underwhelmed by a mere geometrical increase in pay-per-view choices VP and Associate Publisher: or “events” such as Lea Thompson's debut in a network sitcom. Since demand Scott Constantine 212.767.6346 is the one thing that can budge program suppliers of any stripe, it's clear that only by spending our movie-going dollars and Nielsen-rated Regional VP/Ad Director, East Coast: home-viewing hours on quality rather than quantity will we continue to Charles L.P. Watson 212.767.6038 enjoy entertainment fare like Pulp Fiction, Howards End, Law and Order, and Regional Account Manager, East Coast: Bil Ob.the late, lamented My So-Called Life. What you see is what you get. Christine B. Forhez 212.767.6025 Account Executive: Penry Price 212.767.6077 Midwest Advertising Manager: Jerry Stoeckigt 312.923.4804 Regional VP/Ad Director, West Coast: Bob Meth 213.954.4831 West Coast Advertising Manager: Paula Mayeri 213.954.4830 West Coast Sales Assistant: Nikki Parker Assistant to the Publisher: Aline J. Pulley Promotion Coordinator: Dominique A. Leupi _ Operations Manager: Sylvia Correa Advertising Coordinator: Adele Fercaioli-Kalrar’ x Sales Assistant: Yvonne Telesford ‘ National Record-Label Sales Representatives: __ The Mitchell Advertising Group (MAG Inc.) Mitch Herskowitz 212.490.1715 Steve Gross 212.490.1895 Production Director: Patti Burns Production Manager: Gary M. Krystofiak General Manager: Greg Roperti Business Manager: Christine Z. Maillet Newsstand Sales Director: Margaret Hamilton HHacEheMtte V!SIDPEUOBLIMSagHaEzDinBeY (TM) Bt Ai jlipacchi HACHETTE FILIPACCHI /¢/.fure pees MAGAZINES, INC. Member Chairman: Daniel Filipacchi President, CEO, & COO: David J. Pecker me Executive VP, Editorial Director: Jean-Louis Ginibre me, Senior VP, Global Advertising: Paul DuCharme ree President, Hachette Filipacchi New Media: : Paul De Benedictis ae Senior VP, Director of Corporate Sales: : Nicholas Matarazzo eS a brea rok Senior VP, CFO, & Treasurer: John T. O'Connor é VP, Marketing Director, Corporate Creative Service Director: Lynn Chaiken VP, General Counsel: Catherine Flickinger _ VP, Manufacturing & Distribution: Anthony Roma: VP, Circulation: David W. Leckey ‘ VP, Research & Marketing Services: Susan Smollens VP, Communications & Special pee 2 Keith Estabrook i VP, Magazine Development: Marcia secon’ é Creative Production Director, Global Marketing: Jean Pierre Labatut 2 Senior VP, Corporate Sales, Detroit: H.E. (Bud) Allen

She got the: house, the: car, and the. furniture. (And youre still married.) With all due respect to your better half, perhaps its time you balanced things out alittle. Well, a Pioneer® Cinema Wide Television certainly would be a great way to start. It simply gives you more picture than conventional sets, while innovations like Vertical Contour Control and Multi-Point Digital Convergence add up to the sharpest picture available today. Plus the new Intelligent System Control in our 5 Series gives you one-touch control of your components, even those by other brands. And our TVs are just the cornerstone of our full range of home theater equipment. So call us at 1-800-PIONEER for a dealer near you. And take custody of one of our TVs. ADVANCED HOMME Esa bh A eeeR Owe) fecal pl The Art of Entertainment ©1995 Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc., Long Beach, CA. Custom audio/video design and installation by JG Communications, Inc., Northridge, CA.

FEEDBAC K SHAKE IT UP I've had an RCA DSS system for al- which bits are assigned to channels It's understandable that some people most a year and am very pleased with based on the relative complexity of are complaining about DSS picture it. The only drawbacks to the system their signals. Does the use of this quality, but I’m surprised that no one are that you have to have a receiver process mean that the quality of a has commented about the nature of for every channel you want to receive movie | tape from my DSS system de- the programming itself. If | may ex- simultaneously and that you can’t pends on the complexity of the other trapolate the milkshake/drinking-straw time-shift a DSS program with your channels being broadcast at the same metaphor in Ken Pohlmann’s article VCR. Why haven’t RCA or Sony de- time? If | tape one movie at two differ- on MPEG and DSS [“Digital Reality,” veloped a VCR that can drive their ent times, will they have different lev- September 1995], DSS is just another DSS receivers, as they have with ca- els of quality? straw into the existing vanilla milk- ble boxes? shake, offering little that’s not already Chris Noell available to big-dish owners. What we Tom Watson Cincinnati need are straws into strawberry and Alpharetta, GA chocolate milkshakes; | can think of [email protected] Excellent questions. Though it all several European satellite/TV ser- starts with the quality inherent in the vices that'd be welcome additions. DSS was designed to be a better ca- source material, the picture quality of DSS could be an even bigger hit if it any DSS program ultimately depends brought something new to the party. ble TV; VCR manufacturers are re- on its needs relative to those of the For now, it’s really useful only to those programs on the other channels. The wishing to add some heft to cable leasing models that can control DSS only way that two airings of one movie TV’s watery vanilla milkshake. could be of identical quality would be receivers (see page 66). —Ed. if the entire block of channels under- Steve Brightman going statistical multiplexing were the AT THE MULTIPLEX same at both times—extremely un- [email protected] In his discussion of MPEG and DSS, Ken Pohlmann described a pro- cess called “statistical multiplexing,” in D0 [bore surrouno | THX ACS PRO LOGic

likely, if not impossible. Note, howev- Ben Hur, one of the most spectacular FORCE OF HABIT er, that these types of qualitative dif- and honored of all widescreen When all three “Star Wars” movies ferences are subtle in the extreme. movies? The chariot race alone justi- were remastered by THX and re- fies its inclusion. | agree, however, leased last year in that massive—and —Ed. that Spartacus is definitely a cut costly—laserdisc box set ($250), | above most others. was astounded . . . and dismayed. | COAX TO GRIND wanted the THX versions of these In your otherwise excellent review of Joe Durham movies, but | was put off by the price Sony’s DSS system [“Heaven Sent,” Kaplan, LA and the CAV format, since | find that September 1995], you state that RG-6 its additional side breaks disrupt the coaxial cable, which has an imped- “Wide Scene” was an excellent article. movie-watching experience. Hats off ance of 50 ohms, should be used in- I'd like to add, regarding Cinema- to George Lucas and FoxVideo for fi- stead of RG-59 because of the latter’s Scope, that the original release of nally releasing the movies as THX-ap- 75-ohm impedance. In fact, both ca- The Robe (and some later releases) proved CLV discs ($60 apiece). | feel bles have 75-ohm impedance. RG-6 was intended for projection on a sorry, though, for all of those poor is preferable because it exhibits less curved screen—not the deep curve of souls who splurged for the CAV box! loss, and it only costs 1 cent more per Cinerama, but curved nonetheless. May the Force be with you! foot than RG-59. Since many exhibitors chose to pur- chase a CinemaScope projector/lens Mike Kuhimann David E. Stoner system but forgo the curved screen, Pompano Beach, FL Spacelink Satellite Systems the result in these theaters was good focus center-screen but soft focus on INTERFACE THE MUSIC Johnstown, OH the edges. Regarding the digital camcorders you wrote about [“Cam Shift,” “Fast For- BEN HURTS Jack Ballard ward,” October 1995], will | be able to | enjoyed “Wide Scene” [October Lewisburg, WV 1995], but how could you leave out 7 HE MOMENT OF TRUTH You can feel it in your system the moment you turn your Denon Home Theater on. The experience of lifelike soundscapes reproduced by Denon’s Surround.Sound through discrete Dolby” AC-3 and Pro Logic; Lucasfilm’s THX” and Denon’s DDSC circuitry. Thisis what sets Denon’s Home Theater components apart from the rest. Denon Advanced Home Theater. The difference between watching and being there. Denofi Electronics’a division of Denon Corporation (USA); 222 New’Road; Parsippany, NJ 07054 (201)57: 5-7810 The First Name in Digital Home Theater Pr‘0Logie. and double-D dem aiks ot Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporatiotn. THX Ltd, - CIRCLE NO. 75 ON READER SERVICE CARD

download my creations directly onto OS/2 as a consumer product were the Internet? based on widely quoted statements Bryan Makishi [email protected] made by Louis V. Gerstner, the com- pany’s chairman. — Ed. Sony's digital camcorders have what SUBSERVIENT | enjoyed your shootout of stereo they call a “DV interface,” which is a amps [“Power Trip,” June 1995]. Please do a shootout of powered sub- Youre Invited! standard computer connection, so woofers; it’d be a great help to your Next spring, the best high end you can link one of their cams to a readers. audio and home theater show in the world is coming to New York! computer. The problem is that no one Jeff Dietrich Hifi ‘96: The Home Theater and Riverside, CA Specialty Audio Show will be held currently makes software that can de- from Wednesday, May 29th - Sunday, June 2nd at the famous code a DV cam’s signal, which is en- and elegant Waldorf Astoria Hotel. coded with a data-reduction method The show kicks off with the Academy Trade Days, two days called discrete cosine transform designed to attract dealers, distrib- utors and press from around the (DCT). —Ed. See “Bassic Instinct” (page 42) for a world. The Academy for the Advancement of High End Audio comparison test of 11 powered sub- is proud to sponsor the Academy Trade Days. sos/2 woofers. —Ed. It will be here at Hifi ‘96 where | think your memorial service for OS/2 you can see and hear all of the [“Warp Jive,” “Multimedia,” October | want to buy a subwoofer, and my re- most exotic, best sounding audio 1995] may be a bit premature, as ceiver has an RCA-jack subwoofer and home theater products, and IBM’s operating system remains more output. If | buy a subwoofer without an meet many of the people who stable and less constricted in terms of internal amplifier, will | have to buy an create them. memory than Windows 95. It’s impos- amplifier especially for it, or can | use We hope to see you there. sible for any system to compete with the receiver to drive the sub? Windows software in the marketplace, Chris Browder of course, but I'll continue to use Matt Greene President of the Academy for the OS/2 for another year or two until Phoenix Advancement of High End Audio Win95 is fully debugged and im- proved. In any case, Win95 remains You could use your receiver to drive a THE ACADEMY an inferior product that dominates the passive (nonpowered) sub that has FOR THE market only by way of an illegal an- input and output speaker terminals titrust violation. Thanks to a Justice (the receiver's “main” speaker termi- ADVANCEMENT Department slap on the wrist, Mi- nals would run to the sub’s speaker OF crosoft will get away with their ill-got- inputs, and its speaker outputs would run to your main speakers), but that This column is presented by The Academy for the Ad- ten gains, and the end users will lose. probably would put too much of a vancement of High End Audio, an organization dedi- drain on the receiver, and we don't cated to the recognition of excellence and the promo- Jim Gray recommend it. If cost is a factor, know tion of greater awareness of high end audio. [email protected] that there are several fine powered subs (with built-in amps) with street VIDEO, “Feedback” — prices of about $600, including M&Kk’s 3 Broadway, 45th f V-125, Cambridge SoundWorks’ Pow- ered Subwoofer, Boston Acoustics’ VR500, and Allison’s MS-P10. —Ed. OS/2 is not dead. It offers many ad- AC-3 AND OUT vantages to the user that Windows 95 I’ve been into home theater for a long doesn't, including better crash protec- time, and | admit my system is some- tion and better performance with lega- what primitive—Mitsubishi 31-incher, cy apps. And IBM hasn't given up on Bose Acoustimass speakers, no line- OS/2—Warp Fullpack and Warp Con- doubler or powered subwoofer. Do |, nect have been released, and Warp as you asked in “Split Decision” Server is in the beta stage. [“Channel One,” October 1995], yearn for something better? | may want a Shawn Fogg line-doubler, but | don’t see needing Team OS/2 AC-3—my front, center, and rear speakers fill the room pretty well, and [email protected] my Dolby Pro Logic decoder provides everything | need. Our conclusions about IBM's plans for James H. Harper Bremerton, WA 12 DECEMBER 1995 VIDEO

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Ever notice that the more a video VCR. Which is is played, the fuzzier the image especially impor- becomes? You've certainly noticed tant on big screen that old videos have more “snow” and projection than new videos. And until now, TVs. To sharpen the only thing you could do was sit quality further, the back and watch. M781 features 6 Toshiba introduces video Digital Noise Reduction heads (DNR), and 2 audio heads. “Snow” and interference seen on older, worn tapes. (Simulated picture) Toshiba's advanced DNR restores them to almost original condition. available LONE | At 19 microns only on the Toshiba wide, the V3 video heads are You could even say that the M781 M781 VCR. The DNR the world’s narrowest, is the difference between watching circuit examines ensuring a clear signal. an old movie and enjoying DNR circuit - a classic. Take a close look at Digital Noise TthoeshbirbaainsM78b1e.hind the peiaccthuref,ramfiendsof tthhee noise elements and removes them Reduction, the most advanced - restoring old and worn tapes to video technology available. You'll near their original clarity. It also see that it takes the worst video sharpens dull, faded video images. TOSHIBAIn Touch with Tomorrow on the shelf to demonstrate the With the DNR circuit engaged, best VCR on the market. the M781 offers the finest picture Until then, that warm, fuzzy feeling playback quality of any VHS should be telling you something.Toshiba America Consumer Products, Inc., 82 Totowa Road, Wayne, NJ 07470 http:/ /www. toshiba . com CIRCLE NO. 65 ON READER SERVICE CARD

FAS TF FOR WAR D FCC chairman Reed The Federal Hundt says he'll have to Communications eliminate 221 positions Commission will be forced through layoffs, early to do more with less in retirement buyouts, and 1996. Governmental field-office closings—a downsizing is all the rage work-force reduction of on Capitol Hill, and approximately 10 percent. But the ax threatened to cut deeper last ability to function as a “cop on the information September, when a highway,” also at risk, Virtually all problems with Hundt says, is the FCC’s Sony’s DSS receivers have Senate appropriations ability to administer been cleared up thanks to a software “patch” subcommittee headed by spectrum auctions— implemented by Sony and where broadcasters are DSS program providers presidential hopeful Phil expected to bid for DirecTV and USSB. channel space to be Gramm (R-Texas) voted to used for high-definition The problems arose in television (HDTV) and Sony’s SAS-B1 and slash an additional 20 other advanced digital TV SAS-BD1 DSS systems services. when DirecTV began te Sy upgrading their encoders At presstime, the FCC to MPEG-2 video in percent from the House was trying to win back mid-August [“Sky funding from Congress. Patch,” “Fast Forward,” congressional lawmakers version of the FCC budget. November 1995]. Sony — Marc Horowitz acknowledged that a are looking to “trim some Hundt predicts that the “small percentage” of their DSS owners were fat” from the FCC. FCC would be forced to experiencing numerous freeze frames and other Last summer, a House eliminate hundreds more picture distortion because the decoders in their DSS subcommittee approved jobs if the Senate validates receivers were unable to properly process the an FCC operating budget the subcommittee’s MPEG-2 signal. of $185 million, $40 million recommendation. In DirecTV began downlinking the Sony- less than the agency had addition to seriously designed software code once every 60 requested. In response, crimping the agency’s minutes on September 11 and will continue to ieee. §=igital surround format remains a sticking broadcast it “for an indefinite period,” though sound is still the point in regard to the code won't be permanently incorporated frontrunner for royalties. Philips and Sony into the DirecTV data stream. Sony DSS owners U.S.-bound continue to push MMCD don't have to take any action; the receiver simply discs, but its to establish ties to the needs to be plugged in and receiving a satellite inclusion won't patents they hold on the signal. be a certainty music CD, while Toshiba To determine whether a system has received the until the and their allies are code, go to the installation final format sticking by SD; a Toshiba specification is press release issued published (scheduled for roughly a week As reported [“Channel late-October). after the accord hailed the One,” November 1995], e |BM emerged as the new format as an the two digital-videodisc power broker in the “SD-based system.” It camps have agreed on a merger. The computer also claimed that the new single format, which had giant pressed Philips and format should make not been named at Sony to accept the widescreen TVs more presstime. bonded-disc approach popular and emphasized The format will combine because its thinner the benefits of AC-3. the bonded discs (made substrates are a better e@ Players and discs are from two 0.6-mm match for the blue lasers still expected to arrive in substrates) and RS-PC Big Blue is developing. Fall 1996, with hardware error-correction system IBM also pressed Toshiba prices of $500 to $600. designed by Toshiba with to accept EFM Plus, since Software distributors are the EFM Plus modulation it's said to make the maintaining their relative system designed by format “more robust.” silence regarding disc Philips and Sony. AC-3 e The naming of the new pricing. — Bill Wolfe PMSCJBR.TAULIOGARC:YKEKTE/OTTNHE VIDEO DECEMBER 1995 15

TV sets. DirecTV says the of 1996. Called the PDP (plasma display panel), broadcast was more of a the prototype was a mere 2.5 inches thick; technology statement than Mits says it has a resolution of 640 the start of a widescreen x 480 pixels, though the 40-inch version is trend. expected to improve on that figure e DSS owners with dramatically. During the laserdisc- audiophile leanings may driven demonstration, the set's picture appeared be intrigued to learn that somewhat dim and suffered from a low MSB Technology contrast ratio. But the picture held together well (415.747.0271) is now when viewed off-axis, and the set is said to consume retrofitting DSS receivers substantially less power than a conventional CRT to include a digital audio thin tv set. Mitsubishi's 40-inch PDP is expected to initially menu and select the box output. The upgrade, Fujitsu, Matsushita, NEC, sell in the $6,000 to in the top-left corner; if a Sony, and Thomson have $10,000 range. Sony logo appears in the which comes from the joined Mitsubishi in Some manufacturers discussing the plasma TV are taking different box, the upgrade has same company that technology they're approaches, and only developing. Plasma tech Mitsubishi has committed been made. retrofits laserdisc players endeavors to surpass LCD to selling plasma TVs here e Widescreen aficionados technology in achieving in 1996. The technology got their first taste of for AC-3 output [“Fit and the holy grail of TV has been under widescreen DSS manufacturing: a thin, development for years and programming over the Finished,” “Altered States,” wall-mountable set with a is Currently used in mono- Labor Day weekend as perfectly flat screen. DirecTV broadcast October 1995], comes in Apocalypse Now with a After revealing that they 16:9 aspect ratio as part of two flavors—the signal were finalizing a plasma their Direct Ticket pay-per- set [“Plasma Attack,” view movie program. can be routed toa “Fast Forward,” September Because the broadcast 1995], Mitsubishi recently ($3.99) was taken from the conventional RCA jack stayed ahead of the pack original theatrical release by showing a 20-inch and wasn’t cropped or ($385) or to RCA and prototype for the 40-inch letterboxed for set they intend to presentation on standard optical connectors debut in the first quarter 4:3 screens, it could only be viewed on widescreen ($485). In either case, the audio signal bypasses the receiver's less-than- scintillating digital-to- analog (D/A) converter, enabling audiophiles to send it directly to an outboard D/A converter or some type of digital audio recorder (Such as a CD-R deck). —MH indexterity | information every time a highlighting it in the menu. provide more substantial program is recorded, and The chip also works in Gemstar, the company uses this data to create a data, including sports that developed the VCR directory of up to 400 conjunction with VCR programs. As long as the Plus+ to set the VCR's scores and stats, recipes, user gives the tapes in his clock automatically as well Plus+ programming or her library the same as decode and display a addresses, and actor bios. system, is now licensing number used by the chip, free on-screen channel their Index Plus+ determining which tape in guide that broadcasters In addition, Index Plus+ the library holds a specific may include in their VBI. program is a simple matter The guide can provide 24 and VCR Plus+ offer a of searching the directory; hours of basic program tape-management and searches can be info for the selected point-and-click recording program-guide system to alphabetical, by title, or by channel, including tape number. Once the program name and feature. appropriate tape is channel number. It VCR manufacturers. JVC's inserted into the VCR, an also has the potential to Gemstar says that HR-|IP820U four-head VHS on-screen menu of its Hi-Fi VCR (shown; $600) is contents can be dis- prerecorded tapes such played, and playback of the desired program can as exercise and other be initiated simply by the first model to incorpo- “multi-segment’ videos rate the Index Plus+ chip, and Gemstar has licensed will be electronically marked for use with VCRs the technology to Hitachi, equipped with Index Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Plus+. —- BW Sharp, Sanyo, Thomson, and others. ' The chip employs the vertical blanking interval (VBI) to automatically store title, length, and ID 16 DECEMBER 1995 VIDEO

chrome computer screens. plasma technology faces ‘dave yooverwonderedWfOerewat# Vtootine many of the design Plasma is a hot gas, and hurdles of the LCD, \" ins IeThe,thsfe ROWHe788 plasma displays trap the the technology is said to gas between two layers of maintain image quality and More Than 10,000 Videos glass. By electrically become more cost- You've Never Seen! modulating the gas and effective than LCD as stimulating some type of screen size increases. 41 Subject phosphor, the electrical Categories energy is transformed into —Peter Barry and Including... light energy. Though Lance Braithwaite grand rapids portions of some NTSC meditation. Each. While the Senate and signals as well as slow includesa title, a made Magnavox receiver FCC wrangle with will handle the receiving. cable giant TCl, channel-change times. transmitted via communications giant transponder space leased At presstime, neither MCI, and DSS @ Hitachi recently on an AT&T-owned DBS AlphaStar nor EchoStar programmer DirecTV over bird; it was launched last were able to quote prices the complex, interrelated demonstrated the “all- September and parked in for their services or the issues of broadcast the 89-degree orbital slot. hardware. spectrum auctions, DBS format decoder,” a device A 30-inch-diameter e At presstime, the FCC service, advanced TV, and Winegard dish and a still hadn’t reached a their effect on the federal that turns high- and Samsung receiver will do decision regarding two deficit, the so-called the receiving. The orbital slots that PrimeStar Grand Alliance of TV standard-definition digital programmer plans to wants to lease for manufacturers continues increase their channel high-power DBS service to improve the digital TV signals into standard offerings to 175 in the first [“Star Wars,” “Fast high-definition television quarter of 1997. Forward,” October 1995]. (HDTV) format they've NTSC signals suitable for been working on since EchoStar had hoped to The delay springs from 1987. display on a conventional, be offering programming the intercession of the by now, but China’s Long Senate, which recently Tests of the current analog TV set. A company March rocket—which will voted (99 to 1) to force the HDTV prototype were said tow the company’s FCC to auction off the to show dramatic official stated that the Lockheed—Martin satellite slots, unless it could improvements in the to the 119-degree orbital generate more revenue overall quality of both decoder could reside in a slot—developed problems. from PrimeStar, in an effort progressive and interlaced The launch date is to help reduce the federal pictures and in the $300 set-top box or be currently set for the end of budget deficit. When system's handling of rapid December; if all goes well, asked what they'd do if the scene changes. built into TV sets for a $50 EchoStar expects to offer FCC was forced to roughly 75 channels by auction off the slots, Mark Problem areas are said premium. —BW February 1, 1996. The plan to include interference that calls for a second satellite Dunn, PrimeStar’s director the current incarnation of star star to be launched next July, of advertising and HDTV generates in both increasing channel promotions, said, the video and audio The southern sky is getting capacity to 175. An 18- “Whatever it takes.” crowded, as the success inch ITI dish and a Philips- of DSS and PrimeStar is — Chuck Tannert inspiring other outfits to launch DBS satellites and ink deals with dish and receiver suppliers as well as programming sources. AlphaStar, a subsidiary of Tee-Comm Electronics, plans to offer 100 channels of programming by December 1. Programming will be VIDEO DECEMBER 1995 17

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DIGITAL REALIT VW DirecTV’s Castle Rock facility races along digital’s cutting edge KE A ROCK T’S AN IMAGE OUT OF AN X-FILES In the year following the introduction of all programming would funnel into and episode or a Tom Clancy novel: DSS, families across the country have be uplinked by the dual-purpose broad- Imagine a barren landscape, a high learned about things like geosynchro- cast center/earthstation. desert plain of rocky crags. Hidden in nous orbit and MPEG data reduction. Castle Rock was the ideal location. An a natural basin in the rock is a lonely, Subscribers already take for granted the uplink facility already existed there, and high-tech installation, its exact purpose 99.7-percent reliability of DSS transmis- Hughes owned it, having acquired it unknown to the ranchers who occasion- sion as well as its high-quality digital from MCI in 1989. The location’s ally drive along the dirt access road. The pictures and sound. Sales figures clearly 6,000-foot elevation and basic geo- installation is a collection graphical location ensured point into which signals that there would be little continually flow from all electrical interference from parts of the continent. terrestrial-based sources These signals are trans- and minimal rainfall—a formed into digital data and concern when transmitting are fed to powerful trans- signals in the Ku band, mitters, which convey them which the FCC had allotted to a trio of deep-space ve- for DSS service. hicles orbiting far above The existing facility the earth in the bitter cold wasn’t even close to ade- of space. After receiving quate, however. So con- the narrow beams of data, struction began on a new the satellites hurl them $100 million complex. earthward over huge foot- When it was completed in prints that blanket North the spring of 1994, Castle America. Back on Earth, Rock became the first all- incredibly small satellite digital transmission facility dishes and microprocessor- in North America. It’s ca- equipped receivers decode A technician monitors the Broadcast Operations Control center. pable of broadcasting more the signals and transform them into pic- show that people are impressed. But few than 200 digital channels with multi- tures and sound with quality that’s understand the complex network behind channel, multirate data reduction, a largely unaffected by the 44,000-mile the system and the big-dollar investment Hughes goal from the start. journey back and forth through outer that’s needed to keep the streams of data Castle Rock is a few exits south of space. flowing. To find out more about the DSS Denver on I-25, on the way to Colorado There’s nothing sinister going on network, I packed my bags and headed Springs. To the east are rolling plains, here—no government surveillance or for Castle Rock, DirecTV’s broadcast and to the immediate west are Pike’s misguided experiments. The network facility in Colorado’s high mountain Peak and the magnificent Rocky Moun- I’ve just described is the foundation of desert. tains. It is, to put it simply, a breathtak- the Digital Satellite System, and today ingly beautiful place. And DirecTV’s roughly 1 million Americans have WHEN HUGHES ELECTRONICS, THE FATHER two-story, 55,000-square-foot steel-and- locked into these steady streams of data, of DSS, first created their DirecTV sub- glass facility is equally impressive, a whose hundreds of millions of bits per sidiary with a $750 million investment, testament to human ingenuity that pro- second convey everything from Holly- two priorities immediately presented vides a nice counterpoint to the natural wood movies to live sports events. themselves: the construction of direct- splendor surrounding it. The price to step into the future? At broadcast satellites and a combination After passing through a security least $579 to purchase a DSS dish and broadcast center/earthstation. Though checkpoint, I entered the Castle Rock receiver, perhaps a setup fee, a clear most of the tracking telemetry control Broadcast Center (CRBC). The facility, view of the southern sky, and a monthly (TTC) of the satellites would be handled which employs 150 on-site engineers programming bill that’ll reflect your ap- at a site in (of all places) the Spring and technicians, is packed with cutting- petite for electronic home entertainment. Creek section of Brooklyn, New York, edge broadcast equipment and automat- 20 BY KEN C. POHLMANN VIDEO

ISLAND IN THE STREAM: The CRBC even simple level adjustments are per- All of these stations are overshadowed mitted. by a vast monitoring wall that displays ed video systems. The center is highly channels currently being broadcast by automated; without automation, I’m Tapes are bar-coded for identification told, perhaps 500 employees would be by an automated inventory system and the DBS satellites, backup channels, and needed to run the operation. stored in the Media Library, a secure programs that are next to air. area built to accommodate over 10,000 Dave Baylor, senior vice president of tapes or other media. In many cases, The fully automated Sony broadcast operation, and Tom Bracken, vice pres- pay-per-view movies are delivered to system can process and send up to 216 ident of communications, give me the the broadcast center weeks before their video and audio channels simultaneous- vip tour and describe the practices of release date to video stores, so it’s im- ly. A Sony digital router, which fea- the facility. DirecTV’s philosophy is perative that tapes are secure and safe tures 1,050 inputs and 1,050 outputs, simple: The center strives to collect from unauthorized dubbing. Two can carry four audio signals for each programming signals, digitize them, 1,000-cassette Sony Library Manage- video signal. An automated system and transfer them to the uplinking data ment Systems are used to compile com- oversees all functions in the facility, stream with a minimum of processing mercial and other promotional mes- monitors every input and output or manipulation. Signal integrity is the sages for on-air playback. These throughout the entire signal path, and is foremost concern. systems use robotic arms to automati- capable of instantaneously locating any cally retrieve the appropriate tapes; us- tape in the facility. PROGRAMMING IS DELIVERED TO THE ing time-code protocols, they drop pro- Programming Receiving area via satel- mo spots into the programming as With these systems at their disposal, lites, fiber-optic lines, and videotape. requested. In total, 20,000 segments, supervisors can take immediate action Live feeds from network providers and each of which can have a duration of up to correct a problem. In addition to the ongoing events are immediately digi- to 5 minutes, can be accessed. BOC center, a special Sports Central tized and uplinked. Videotapes are control room is devoted to sports pro- passed along to six Quality Assurance Tapes that are ready for uplinking are gramming; all live sporting events are and Formatting suites, where they’re routed to the Playback and Record Sys- constantly monitored by technicians. analyzed for flaws. tems area, where they’re loaded onto robotic Flexcart systems; tapes are re- All programming signals embarking The bit error rates of digital tapes, for trieved and played back upon computer on their trip through outer space must example, are rigorously monitored by command. In total, there are 56 Flex- first undergo data reduction, in which automated systems and logged into cart systems housing 320 of Sony’s the digital signal is analyzed according computers. In addition, CRBC person- Digital Betacam VTRs. All playback to the MPEG algorithm and its bit rate is nel critically audition all materials and systems are 100-percent redundant, so a substantially decreased according to vi- log any anomalies they find. If a fault is rolling backup tape can be accessed sual and aural perceptual models [see observed in a movie, the film’s produc- without interrupting transmission in the “Digital Reality,” September 1995, for er is contacted to determine whether the event of failure. The main and backup artifact is inherent in the original film tape systems are powered from two in- details on MPEG data reduction]. or has been introduced in an interim dependent power busses; in an emer- The facility employs 56 MPEG-2 en- processing step. gency, an uninterruptable power supply can drive the system for 20 minutes. coders; they’ve been tweaked by a All delayed broadcast programs are Hughes research staff in El] Segundo, digitally dubbed to Digital Betacam ALL ON-AIR PROGRAMMING IS CONTINU- California to deliver excellent signal videotape to create a house master tape ously monitored in the Broadcast Oper- quality within the constraints of the as well as a safety copy. In the case of ation Control (BOC) center. This area overall bit rate. In addition, signals are pay-per-view movies, which have fre- houses four operator stations, each of multiplexed, encrypted, coded with er- quent repeat times, as many as eight which commands 48 channels. Person- copies are made. Because most of the nel in two supervisor stations verify ror correction, channel-coded and mod- incoming material is in digital form, that everything is working smoothly. ulated, and, possibly, tagged for condi- programs can be digitally transferred to tional accessing (pay-per-view pro- house masters without affecting signal grams are tagged in this manner). Fi- quality. To ensure that the facility’s nally, DirecTV’s on-screen program strict in/out philosophy is observed, not guide is inserted in the uplinked signal. Signals are uplinked through 54 VIDEO DECEMBER 1995 21

ENGINEERING THE WO Se eer OROo CeeNe TV AMPA cide, cheteteeeget, Lie,

catapults the built-in Dolby' Pro Logic Surround System to new DU [patsy surroun | Peo Logic heights (as well as depths). But don’t let all this power fool you. ProScan also boasts Presenting the 6-8\" worlds largest (80\") rear projection television: the incredible new ProScan 80\" diagonal. New advanced 9\" tube/optics system (compared to 7\" tubes in ProScan 80\" diagonal PS80690 There’s never been a bigger—or better—ProScan. Advanced 9\" conventional projection sets) propel a picture a friendly new bit-mapped graphical user inter- optics drive the that’s over 50% brighter brightest picture face with point-and-select simplicity that rivals that ProScan TV has ever produced. the helpful graphical icons of todays personal than previous 7\" designs. computers. And new digital The new ProScan technology in the ProScan tuner That’ an industry first. And a ProScan allows PIX+ Twin Tuner™ Picture-in- Simple Remote makes today’s exclusive. But that’s just for starters. Because most advanced technology easy to grasp. a new improved wideband Picture effects, including Picture-Outside- amplifier combines with Picture and Split-Screen. 61 watts to deliver unpar- If you're tired of TV performance claims alleled picture power. And that generate more heat than light, you owe with improved ProScan yourself a look at the bright new ProScan audio, there’ sound to go with the fury: a room- i} ft) Projection TV. The reviews—like the picture — shaking system that ‘Prmtoye Proniom are glowing. PROS C AN So advanced. Yet so simple. The friendly new graphical user interface makes ProScan easier than ever to navigate. AN RCA ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCT ‘Dolby is a registered trademark of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corp. (Requires optional surround sound speakers.) ©1995 Thomson Consumer Electronics, Inc. Trademark(s)® Registered Marca(s) Registrada(s). TV Picture Simulated CIRCLE NO. 90 ON READER SERVICE CARD

1,200-watt HPA transmitters. Two other great flexibility in the number of chan- the hardware and software of the Castle transmitters are on hand as backup. A nels that can be transmitted and in the feedback loop from the satellites senses bit rates assigned to individual chan- Rock encoders to convey MPEG-2 sig- the strength of the relayed signal and, nels, but there’s no flexibility in the in the event of rain fade (which, I’m maximum data rate, since that’s limited nals. DSS owner/subscribers didn’t told, has yet to occur at Castle Rock), by the satellites’ power, the Ku band- the system will automatically increase have to buy a new receiver or an MPEG- transmitter power to compensate. width, the efficiency of the MPEG en- coders, and other factors. MPEG-2 is 2 “black box” to enjoy the improved Outside the center, Castle Rock’s clearly the best coding method—it al- satellite dishes loom like white canvas lows DirecTV to broadcast the greatest broadcast quality—over several days sails on a 21st Century schooner. There number of channels within the fixed are four 13-meter-diameter transmitting overall bit rate, and it improves the pic- last August, their DSS pictures simply antennas, which are fed uplinked sig- ture quality of these channels. nals from the HPA transmitters. In addi- got better. tion, there are six 6-meter-diameter C- MPEG-2’s benefits were known long band receive-only antennas and two before the DSS format was launched, In addition to upgrading the encoding 4.5-meter Ku-band receive-only anten- so even first-generation DSS receivers nas. A lone consumer-grade DSS dish were equipped with MPEG-2 decoders process, DirecTV continues to explore. allows technicians to monitor down- (which also decode MPEG-1 signals). linked signals just as a consumer would Engineers at DirecTV worked with Their engineers are designing applica- receive them. MPEG designers to adapt MPEG-2'to DSS and then, last summer, they modified tions such as videogame downloads, in- Rural power isn’t always reliable, however, and Castle Rock is decidedly teractive programming, and other com- rural. So the facility maintains its own power transformer and a spare trans- puter applications. They’re also gearing former to help ensure power consisten- cy. To make sure that a local power out- up to accommodate D-VHS recorders age doesn’t shut the center down, a complete emergency power system is and 5.1-channel digital surround sound. housed in a separate building. It con- tains three 1.5-megawatt diesel genera- Finally, tracking antennas and portable tors that are capable of powering the center indefinitely and without interrup- satellite receivers are being developed tion. The generators can come on-line in less than 25 seconds, and two of for use in planes, recreational vehicles, them can fully power the facility (the third one provides backup); 10 days and boats. Getting a nice, comfy couch worth of diesel fuel is always on hand. Finally, the facility contains a 100,000- in them will be up to you. a gallon fire-suppression system. WEB WATCH AS WITH ANY HIGH-TECH OPERATION, Castle Rock must stay on the cutting Sites for Unquenchable Movie Buffs edge to be competitive. Even though DSS was launched with MPEG-1 encod- YOU’ VE MEMORIZED EVERY LINE OF DIALOGUE FROM THE STAR WARS FILMS—IN ENGLISH, ing, for example, the initial business plan called for a swift upgrade to MPEG- Spanish, and Portuguese. And you moved next door to a McDonald’s so buying vast 2. The latter standard provides a more sophisticated coding method in which quantities of Pocahontas action figures wouldn’t require superhuman effort. Yes, statistical multiplexing is used: The en- coder analyzes groups of channels and you're a film freak. Fortunately, the World Wide Web has more film-related home automatically shifts bits to the channel requiring the highest data rate at that pages than there are dead bodies in the entire Nightmare on Elm Street series. moment. In this way, bits aren’t wasted on scenes that can be coded effectively Check out Hollyweb (http://www.ingress.com/users/spease/hw/hollyweb.html) with a lower rate. and you'll be buffeted by a bevy of news, shooting schedules, critiques, gossip, and DirecTV, as mentioned, is operating with a pipeline that runs about 44,000 film factoids. Current events are the specialty: Tired of reading reviews of films miles long—22,300 miles from Castle you’ve seen? At Hollyweb, you can read reviews of films before they’re even made. Rock to the DBS birds, and another 22,300 miles from the birds to back- Want to find out about Mad Max 4 (in 3-D!), Jurassic Park 2 (otherwise known as yard DSS dishes. The system offers The Lost World), Batman 4, or Star Trek 26? They’re all in Hollyweb. Hollyweb also has a link to MGM’s Hacker’s site (http://www.mgmua.com/). The only interesting thing about it is that it was purportedly hacked; check in and you'll see lots of graffiti and smart-ass comments. MGM decided to keep the hacked ver- sion on line . . . but were they a genuine hacking victim or the perpetrator of a shrewd pr ploy? You be the judge. To their credit, MGM kindly provides links to ac- tual hacker hangouts, includin ‘The Hacker’s Quarterly (http://www.2600.com/), Phrack Magazine (http://www.fe.net/phrack.html), and [Opht Heavy Industries (http://www.lOpht.com/). oo The real find, however, may be | the famous Script Emporium (http://www.cs.tufts.edu/ ~katwell/), a database of film scripts you can download at your leisure—for free. You can read scripts for films that were never made: Want to check out William Gibson’s original script for Alien 3? How about early versions of Blade Runner or Total Recall? Or maybe the finished versions of Reservoir Dogs or Pulp Fic- tion? My advice is to hit this gga site soon, though; it seems something less than autho- rized. —KCP 24 DECEMBER 1995 VIDEO

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KL2, P.O. Box 1112, Terre Haute, Indiana 47811-1112 of your favorite movies — on laserdisc! by the date specified. And you'll always Yes, please enroll me under the terms outlined in this advertisement. As a member, | need buy Just write in the numbers of the 3 have 14 days to decide; if not, you may | only 4 more selections, at regular Club prices, in the next 2 years. laserdiscs you want for $1.00 each, plus return the selection at our expense. shipping and handling. In exchange, you Send me these 3 laserdiscs for $1.00 each-plus $1.50 each shipping and handling (total $7.50). simply agree to buy four more laserdiscs If you in the next two years, at regular Club continue your membership after fulfilling oe EER Cea ee prices (currently as low as $29.95, plus your obligation, you'll be eligible for our shipping/handling) — and you may cancel generous bonus plan. 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(41) LASERDISC ata Time, ® Ol own a Personal Computer (1) [| own a PC with a CDROM (2) 01! plan to buy a PC with a CD-ROM (3) CLUB Note: This offer Jee to firsttime Laserdisc Club members only. Limit one per household. Columbia House reserves the right to request additiional information, reject any Sea) ‘or cancel any membership. Ofer limited to the continental U.S. (excluding Alaska). Applicable sales tax added to all orders, ©1995, The Columbia House Company 35-11/95

15@)S)x SC) Da What's on TV? StarSight and VideoGuide’s on-screen program guides compared BY ROB SABIN 26 DECEMBE1R995 VIDEO

IDEOPHILES, VIDEO ENTHUSIASTS, claim to make TV viewing and VCR tion in memory. The systems also offer Vm just about anyone who en- taping more-convenient. To see exactly customizing functions. And if a grid what they offer and how they differ, we lists a show you want to record, both joys watching TV like the fu- ran the two systems up against one an- systems let you do so simply by press- turistic idea of having the proverbial other head to head. ing a remote-control button or two. 500 channels of TV programming to choose from, but without a well de- MEET THE CONTENDERS To get constantly updated TV listings signed on-screen program guide all of Both StarSight and VideoGuide are to the decoder, both StarSight and those choices will simply numb the VideoGuide made deals with TV Data mind. Printed guides won’t cut it in the intended to simplify three common Technology (TVDT), a national organi- future, because they don’t cut it now: tasks: finding out what’s on now and in zation that collects program data from Listings are frequently inaccurate, in- the immediate future, moving quickly local and network broadcasters for use complete, and skin-deep. And the from one channel to another, and in newspaper and magazine listings. scrolling channel guides provided by recording a program without hassles. Beyond this, however, the two systems cable operators are an exercise in futili- To accommodate these tasks, each sys- differ dramatically in how they deliver ty, listing little information and tem includes a special decoder that gen- program listings to your TV. scrolling along happily whether or not erates a grid-based guide and displays it you’ve seen everything you need to on your TV screen. In StarSight’s case, the information is see. That’s why StarSight launched its first routed by a high-speed land-line on-screen guide service (in 1994), and Using a supplied remote control, you from TVDT to StarSight’s headquar- ‘ why VideoGuide—StarSight’s first se- can scroll through the grids to see ters. Once there, StarSight technicians rious competitor—hit stores and the what’s on and get content blurbs for format data for every locale in the na- airwaves last summer. Both systems each show. In normal use, both systems tion, encrypt it for security, and send it hold 7 days of programming informa- over another land-line to the Public PBMJEYHFEOFRTSO VIDEO DECEMBER 1995 27

Broadcasting Service’s main broadcast VCRs, and cable boxes, SEF. TUE WED THU FRI center. PBS technicians piggyback the Uniden’s SQ590 C-band ¢ 9: 00P information on their network TV sig- satellite receiver, and Mag- nal, placing it in the vertical blanking navox’s CB1500 black box. interval (VBI) that exists between video Fifteen consumer-electron- frames. ics and cable-box manufac- Once the StarSight data is embedded turers, including GoldStar, in the PBS broadcast signal, PBS fol- Mitsubishi, Samsung, Sharp, lows normal procedures and sends its Sony, Thomson, Toshiba, signal via satellite to 210 local PBS TV and Zenith, have licensed stations, which cover 97 percent of the the technology. country. A special StarSight-built de- Both approaches have vice at each station filters out all of the merit: The black box will re- information that isn’t pertinent to that main in your system if you particular locale, leaving only current, decide, for one reason or an- accurate listings for the area. Finally, other, to replace your TV or that information is passed along to your VCR. But going with a StarSight decoder via your local over- built-in decoder will mean StarSight’s main grid, with a program pop-up the-air PBS broadcast or through your one less box in your living local cable company, depending on room and one less remote control to falls when you hold the remote, is a how you get your television. MTV and deal with (the remote supplied with a large round key that’s designated with a Nickelodeon also carry StarSight data, StarSight-equipped TV or VCR allows star; it’s used to execute most of the ac- providing backup coverage and expo- full interaction with the guide). In addi- tion. The star key is surrounded by four sure in that 3 percent of the country not tion, manufacturers who build Star- cursor keys that allow basic up, down, served by a PBS station. Regardless of Sight into their components have the right, and left movement while you’re how you get the signal, there’s a one- option of customizing the technology. on a grid. time setup fee ($15) and a subscription For this comparison, we used the Above this central grouping are four fee—$26 for 6 months, $47 annually, Magnavox CB1500 ($100); note that keys marked TUNE, THEME, GUIDE, and or $85 for 2 years—that’s required to most of my comments about it also ap- EXIT. The TUNE button takes you direct- keep the listings flowing into your de- ply to the built-in variety. The decoder ly to programs you’ve highlighted on a coder. box comes with a standard RF cable that grid, THEME accesses listings by type of With VideoGuide, TVDT’s listings links the unit with your system, a pair program, GUIDE brings up the main data is forwarded to VideoGuide’s of infrared emitters that control your grid, and ExiT shuts StarSight down and headquarters. From there, it’s formatted VCR and cable box (if you’re using returns you to normal viewing. and sent to the BellSouth MobilComm one) for recording and changing chan- Below the central grouping are two paging network. The data is broadcast nels, and a full-size universal remote plus/minus rocker controls marked DAY constantly over the paging network, that has keys for controlling the de- and PAGE; they let you jump forward or and your decoder simply plucks the ap- coder, a TV, a cable box, and a VCR. back on a grid in day or channel, re- propriate information out of the air You also get a free 30-day subscription. spectively. based on your zipcode, which you need The box has a smooth, convex Plexi- Below these keys are three buttons to program into the decoder during a glas face with no front-panel controls marked TO DO, CANCEL, and LAST CHAN- simple setup procedure. Again, you’ll and only a single red LED indicator to NEL. Pushing TO DO accesses lists of have to pay an annual subscription fee prove that it’s alive. At 1.5 x 14 x 10.5 programs you’ve elected to record and (approximately $50) to keep your list- inches (h/w/d), it’s about the size of a brings you to a menu of StarSight setup ings current. typical VCR, though much shorter, of and housekeeping chores, CANCEL can StarSight decoders are currently course. Factor in its gun-metal gray be used like ExIT or to cancel a record- available in several makes of TVs, cabinet and it disappears easily above ing command, and LAST CHANNEL is VideoGuide’s basic “Program Guide” or below a VCR—precisely as its de- used to flip back and forth between the signers intended. two most recently selected channels. The supplied remote VideoGuide’s decoder is available is a spacious and only as a black box ($100). The unit is fairly straightforward built by Sanyo, which has also invested affair. Though the re- $6 million in the company, and is being mote has a 10-digit sold in Radio Shack outlets. Like the keypad at its bottom, Magnavox CB1500, the VideoGuide the most distinctive box comes with everything you need to features are its Star- get up and running: the compact receiv- Sight control keys, er/decoder, an AC power adaptor, a which are clustered small video switcher, two infrared in its middle. At the emitters, and a simple and highly er- center of the cluster, gonomic universal remote. Free 30-day in the spot where subscriptions to three different Video- Phd. Pait2 of2“Sharpe's Eagle your thumb naturally Guide services—the basic listings 28 DECEMBER 1995 VIDEO anBean) is determined to capture a French regimental battle flag 9 mY Ofa friendwhodied dutingafoolhardy skirmish. (83 (1:00)

guide as well SportsGuide and News- trouble, know that each company main- ing process takes an average of about 6 Guide—are part of the package. After the 30 days are up, a basic subscription tains an excellent customer-service op- hours and, ideally, you should set it up costs $50 annually; you can add one of the other guides for an extra $25 annu- eration via a toll-free phone number. to do this once a day (just after you go ally or both of them for an extra $50 annually. The first thing Magnavox’s CB1500 to sleep or go to work would be a good The two sub-guides are pretty neat. does when you plug it in is scan for idea). SportsGuide is a graphic box-score ser- vice that’s constantly updated by the available channels; during this drill, StarSight simplifies the updating same firm that TV and radio stations use for their minute-by-minute sports you'll see white noise on your screen. process by allowing you to select—via coverage. NewsGuide is an on-screen newspaper derived from ongoing AP When the scanning drill is complete the “To Do” menu—one of several 6- and UPI wire stories. (indicated by the steady picture on your hour intervals, during which the de- The VideoGuide receiver, which measures about 4 x 8 x 5.25 inches screen and the steady glow of the red coder will automatically tune to an ap- (h/w/d), is gorgeous. Form follows LED on the CB1500’s front panel), you propriate channel and collect the data. function, however—the Plexiglas “beak” up front is really the infrared re- need to manually set your TV or cable If you use a cable box, the need to con- ceiver/emitter that accepts commands from the remote and controls your TV; box to your local PBS channel, MTV, stantly update means that you’ll need to the box is designed so that the beak hangs over the lip of your set. or Nickelodeon. Then use the remote’s leave it powered during the selected in- VideoGuide’s remote is a looker, too. TO DO button to access the “To Do” terval. Its perfectly shaped handle flares as you move up, creating a fan-like effect, and menu and activate the registration While this may sound inconvenient, it its clever design uses only four buttons to control a wide number of Video- process. turned out to be pretty painless. At the Guide and TV functions. When you hold the remote, your thumb naturally From here, you’re taken through a se- interval I selected, the decoder auto- falls on a joystick that allows up/down or left/right movement. In Tv mode, the ries of screens that ask you about your matically commanded my cable box to left/right action lowers or raises vol- ume; up/down changes channels. In system (whether you’re using cable or switch to the local PBS station; when GUIDE mode, the joystick is used just like cursor keys to move around the an antenna, for example). Then you're the update was completed, it command- grids or listings. given an ID and “star number” that are ed the cable box to return to the station The joystick is actually nestled into a large, concave rocker marked Tv on top specific to your unit. The next step is to it received last. Since the TV remains and GUIDE on the bottom; the rocker is used to turn the TV on or off and toggle call StarSight at their toll-free number off, it’s a silent and virtually invisible back and forth between the two basic modes. Lastly, there are two “action” (manned 7 days a week from 6 a.m. to VideoGuide’s NewsGuide, SportsGuide buttons, marked LAST and MUTE, to the 8 p.m. Pacific time) and register the left and right of the rocker, respectively. In TV mode, LAST is used to flick back unit. After that, you input the appropri- and forth between your two most re- cently selected channels; MUTE does ate three-digit remote codes for your just what you’d expect it to. In GUIDE mode, however, the function of these specific VCR and buttons is determined by the selected guide screen. cable box. They can THE SETUP be found on a list in StarSight and VideoGuide may be de- the owner’s manual signed to drop right into your system, but there are some fairly involved—if or via StarSight’s one-time-only—setup procedures to deal with once you’ve got the devices phone rep; they al- wired. Fortunately, both systems help you with on-screen prompts and excel- low the StarSight lent owner’s manuals. If you run into decoder to change iS6 Grew Gets To Work | Space Center, Houston fy.f VIDEO channels and acti- vate the recording : Atlantis got to work in the functions on your laboratory Wednesday white cing VCR. You'll also Russian space station, : need to program the universal remote The shuttle, with five astronaut with the codes for Russian cosmonauts aboard, Is schedule 7 Lo dock withstation Mirof Thue 8: inkupbetween your VCR, TV, and, if you’re using one, cable box. Once you’re fully set up, it takes 4 to 12 hours for the sys- tem to accumulate all of the listings da- ta that’s required to create your local (EdSportsGuide grid. One catch: Be- cause StarSight list- ings are carried on the vBI of specific channels, you have to periodically tune to one of these sta- tions in order to re- ceive updated data. Luis Alicea’s two-out base hit to left field knocked in M The loading/updat- the winning run in the bottom of the ninth as the Boston Red 90x iea DECEMBER 1995 29 MWiree-run lead slip away before coming back to squeeze past the foronte Blue Jays, 4-4, The Sox won for the fourth time in six tries, while {ne vay? Jumble {o their seventh straight loss. }

STARSIGHT THEMES choose) mote’s joystick to select THE SYSTEMS IN ACTION Use ARROWS then ENTER to Channel-surfing with an on-screen FMovTeS) | teachinouymobnuerr.ezipcdAosde,mteenl-ls guide is, to put it simply, a new way of ~Specials/Mini Series VideoGuide which sub- watching television. What was once a set of its program data passive exercise becomes an interactive game—an entertainment within enter- you need. tainment. To maximize the experience, any on-screen guide needs to have sey- After that, you run eral attributes. through a series of First, it must provide a seamless gate- way in and out of the programs or in- screens that tell the de- formation services you choose to ac- cess; the ideal is instantaneous re- coder whether you have sponse. A good on-screen guide should also provide a degree of customization, a cable box and/or a enabling you to change the grids to suit your viewing preferences. Quality of VCR in your system and information is another factor, of course; ultimately, a guide that provides more allow it to identify the program information will be more valu- able, as will one that offers special infrared commands that grids for different types of programs or services. Finally, a guide should look are required to control good on-screen and be easy to read. your TV, VCR, and (if StarSight and VideoGuide scored very differently in each of these areas. you’re using one) cable Neither system was perfect. But de- pending on what you watch and what’s f box. Instead of using re- important to you, each has benefits and shortcomings. All Sports mote-control codes from Surfing on StarSight begins when you a directory for specific hit the remote’s GUIDE button, which makes of TVs, VCRs, automatically brings up the main Star- Sight grid. The grid essentially obliter- and boxes, VideoGuide ates all but a thin slice of the currently selected program, though the program’s identifies which units you sound is audible. But the program is there, and that’s key. With VideoGuide, peer tae pehave by asking you to the TV signal is switched off whenever you access the guide. Since StarSight is with your other video accompanied by some semblance of the currently tuned channel, you can moni- Basketball gear up to VideoGuide’s tor it and return to it immediately— when a commercial ends and the show a key or two on each;infrared beak and then hit returns, for example, or if wild ap- once you’ve done this, it plause and cheers alert you to the fact BBE it r¢ N ( searches its database to that a big play has just taken place in a StarSight’s “Theme Guide” (top), “Sports” sub-category see if it recognizes the football game. (Note, too, that this en- ables a new-and-improved version of codes and, therefore, StarSight, currently available only in operation. If you don’t use a cable box, your gear. If it can’t find your models, new Zenith TVs, to offer a pip-like win- dow that displays the image of the cur- the StarSight decoder will change its you'll have to train the decoder by rently tuned channel.) built-in tuner to PBS for data collec- holding each remote’s emitter-end di- The StarSight grid is organized with a grid date in the top-left corner, and, tion, so the operation will be complete- rectly against the decoder’s beak and alongside, a horizontal bar that contains a highlighted day-of-the-week indica- ly automatic and undetectable. following the on-screen commands. tor. Directly below this bar is a time bar that covers 90 minutes of program- Though VideoGuide’s information is Once you're set up, all you have to ming; it’s broken up into half-hour in- crements, similar to the heading of the automatically updated and doesn’t re- do is wait 24 hours while the decoder TV listings in your local newspaper. Channels run down the left side of the quire any work on your part, setting it collects the grid listings that are appro- up it may require some special proce- priate for your zipcode. After that, list- dures, since the system might need to ings are constantly updated as long as be trained with infrared commands the decoder remains powered up (as it from your TV and VCR remotes. The always should be)—there’s no need to actual hookup is easy, however, and, leave the cable box on or to tune to any unlike StarSight, there’s no need to call particular station to receive data. In this an 800 number to initially register your light, VideoGuide is more convenient unit. The entire process is simplified by than StarSight. a supplied (and well-produced) 12- When your decoder starts getting da- minute videotape that explains the pro- ta, it'll learn what day you turned it on cedure and familiarizes neophytes with and will automatically start counting system features and operation. down your 30-day free trial. When The first thing you’ll see when you there are 10 days left to the trial, you’ll access VideoGuide is a “Welcome to see a reminder when you turn your TV VideoGuide” screen. This is immedi- on and first access the guide to call ately followed by a series of tutorial VideoGuide and subscribe or face the screens intended to familiarize you dreaded service interruptus. When you with the system’s basic features and op- sign up, you'll supply your zipcode and eration (another nice touch). Once the decoder’s serial number, and you've stepped through the tutorial, the VideoGuide will use this data to send decoder begins the setup process by your decoder its own authorization asking for your zipcode; you use the re- code. Pretty smart. 30 DECEMBER 1995 VIDEO

grid and are indicated inside colored your screen; it tells you what network content of the pop-up as if you were ovals that contain either a channel num- ber or a network abbreviation, such as and channel number you’ve landed on, changing channels, but the channel CNN or ESPN. A status bar running along the bottom of the grid contains, the time, and the date. Directly above doesn’t actually change—in other from left to right, the abbreviation for the currently tuned network, the net- it, you’ll see another helpful pop-up, words, you can watch a show while us- work’s full name, the channel number, the exact time of day, and the current this one giving you the title of the pro- ing the pop-ups to see, in detail, what day and date. gram or movie you’ve just tuned to else is on. And hitting the star button in The program listings reside in the center of the grid. Moving the on- along with the time remaining. These this mode accesses the secondary, pro- screen cursor to highlight a program and pressing the remote’s star key caus- incredibly helpful displays disappear gram-description pop-up. Cool! es a “pop-up” to appear—essentially a yellow box with black type that gives about 3 seconds after you’ve tuned to If you find a show that interests you the full title of the highlighted program, its time and length, its type (education- the channel. Pressing the star button at in the pop-ups, you can tune to it by al, documentary, news, and so on), and a description—usually a single sen- any time—and on any program—brings hitting the remote’s TUNE key. The tence providing a plot synopsis or, for news or talk shows, a list of scheduled them up again. BROWSE mode is great for keeping an guests or subjects. If the program is a movie, you'll see a short list of leading It gets better: If you use the plus/mi- eye on the current program, since the actors, the genre (comedy, drama, and so on), a star rating, the year the film nus channel rocker on StarSight’s re- displays consume very little of the TV was made, the MPAA rating (if the film mote to scan channels (which StarSight picture (unlike the full-size grid, which has been rated), and any parental advi- sories (such as “violence” or “adult sit- calls “channel-grazing”’), the status bar blocks out most of the screen). uations’). You’ll also be told if the pro- and the pop-up with the show-title and Finally, you can change channels by gram is being broadcast with a stereo soundtrack or closed captioning. time-remaining information are dis- directly inputting the channel you want Moving around the main grid is made played for about 3 seconds whenever using the remote’s 10-digit keypad. The easier by the remote’s PAGE and DAY keys. Only 10 channels are displayed at you change channels. And if you press number you punch in appears in a any given time on the grid, so you might have up to five or six “pages” to the star button while the pop-up is dis- white box in the top-right corner of the cruise for any given time slot, depend- ing on the total number of channels you played, you'll get a third box that con- screen, and the channel changes auto- receive. The PAGE button lets you quickly get to the channels not current- tains the same program description matically without further keystrokes. ly displayed on the grid, while the DAY key lets you go forward or back in time you’d get if you were accessing infor- Along with its basic grid, StarSight without having to sequentially move mation from the grid. This is a great provides two additional guides for find- the cursor across several days of pro- gramming. mode to use when you’ve just turned ing shows. One is the “Channel Guide,” To speed things along, StarSight lets the TV on and want to find out what which can be accessed whenever you customize the grid by removing channels you don’t watch. You can also show is on the current channel, how you’re in the main grid. Say you like arrange the remaining channels in any order you choose. To do either task, much of it you’ve missed, and what it’s the Discovery channel and want to you access the appropriate screen via the “To Do” menu and then use the cur- about. Note that the sor keys to remove or move channel se- lections. The process is tedious, but you program-description Recording lists from StarSight (top) and VideoGuide only need to do it once. pop-up remains on- Tuning to a show that’s highlighted in the grid is as easy as hitting the re- screen and changes mote’s TUNE button. And here’s a big bonus: Once you’re tuned to any given content to match the channel (and the grid has disappeared), program as you the status bar from the bottom of Star- Sight’s grid remains at the bottom of change channels with the rocker key; Ca “MON \"9: 00P Larry King Live :30 to cancel it, you hit World News :30 the star key to back (Bay TUE 11:00P Showbiz your way out or 11:00P I Love Lucy simply hit EXIT to go (CS) weD I Love Lucy back to full-screen viewing. iC 5 I Love Lucy :30 “Browsing” is an- I Love Lucy :30 other excellent way to find out what’s on. Using the re- Gia (SNOUT cb. GD 742MON S]ep 7] mote’s up/down cur- sor keys while you are watching TV (as opposed to scanning the grid) puts you in the BROWSE mode. In it, the initial status ble 8:30PM bar and pop-up you get in GRAZING ©6128 7:00PM mode appear at the bottom of your screen for the se- Je lected channel. Hit- . Theamount of tape needed for next 24 hours. ting one of the cur- iSOldHOUSE)6:0P0IM)(0:30) sors changes the

know—quickly—what they’re showing TO DO menu for setup-type chores. quirements; I’m sure their simplicity in the hours and days ahead. You could The recording lists include (from left does minimize memory needs, but aes- press the GUIDE button and then use the thetically they’re a yawn. right cursor to scroll horizontally to right) the channel, day, time, title, through the grid, or you could use the and length of the selected program. My other complaint is that the pro- down cursor to move to The Discovery While in the list, you can use the cursor gram-information pop-up changes size keys to highlight any program and then and moves around as you highlight dif- Channel (DISC) and press GUIDE a sec- press the star key to get a program-in- ferent channels on the grid. Say you go ond time, which takes you into the formation pop-up. You can also cancel to the main grid to see what’s on: You “Channel Guide.” Do that and you’ll any highlighted program on a recording position the cursor at the top of the get a sequential listing of everything list by hitting the remote’s CANCEL key. screen, activate the info pop-up with that’s programmed for DISC for the Your VCR also has to be loaded with the star key, and begin working your next 7 days. Eleven shows appear on blank tape, of course, and it has to be way down the current time column. each page, and you can step through the turned off when it’s expected to record. The pop-up box for the first channel pages using the PAGE button. If the pro- obliterates the middle and lower part of gram that’s currently being broadcast StarSight’s the grid. As you move down the col- on DISC looks interesting, you can “Channel Guide” umn to different channels, the pop-up jump to it by highlighting it and hitting lets you scan box changes to reflect the highlighted TUNE; if it'll be broadcast in the future, 7 days of program—but it also repositions itself you can easily tag it for recording by programming for constantly to get out of the way of your hitting the remote’s RECORD button. any channel. walking cursor. This can be annoying and slows you down when you’re try- The last way to find programs with If you don’t use a cable box, Star- ing to move quickly through the grid to StarSight is through the “Theme Sight will record the shows you’ve se- select a program. Guide.” Pressing the remote’s THEME lected by tuning your VCR’s tuner to button brings up a menu of 11 themes, the appropriate channel before record- MONDO VIDEOGUIDE including MOVIES, SPORTS, and COMEDY. ing. Since the StarSight decoder still VideoGuide again has a better solu- Using the cursor to highlight a theme has its own built-in tuner, you can and then pressing the star key brings up watch other shows while you’re record- tion—it uses a fixed box at the bottom a list of sub-categories. Under MOVIES, ing. To effect this, you simply hit your of the screen, and your eye quickly for example, there are 11 separate genre VCR’s TV/VcR button after recording learns where to go to get program in- selections. A sub-category can be high- has begun to put it into TV mode. You formation. This method has two trade- lighted using the cursor keys, and hit- can then use the StarSight remote’s offs, though: slightly smaller type, and ting the star key will access a sequen- plus/minus channel rocker to select a fewer channels displayed on any given tial listing of its contents. Again, channel for viewing. page of the grid (seven or eight as op- pressing TUNE or RECORD will initiate posed to StarSight’s 10). I found these the appropriate action for a highlighted StarSight uses different colors to seg- trade-offs to be acceptable, as long as program. regate channels in the grid and set off you have an adequately sized screen. the various indicator rows and columns As mentioned, recording with Star- from the actual listings; color is also As I’ve said, graphics are one of Sight is a simple process. You can press used when a program is highlighted. VideoGuide’s best attributes. And that’s the remote’s RECORD button at any time The type is highly readable from nor- not all: Unlike StarSight, VideoGuide to initiate recording of a show you’re mal viewing distances—provided your offers a true one-touch recording op- watching or to record any current or TV’s screen is a 19-incher or larger. For tion. Its additional SportsGuide and upcoming show in a grid or sub-screen. the record, StarSight was superior to NewsGuide services are truly outstand- In each case, the decoder will ask if VideoGuide on the smaller sets I tried ing (though you do have to pay extra you want the selected show to be out, though neither was ideal. for them). And the system offers some recorded once, daily (Monday through unique and helpful listing formats that Friday), or weekly. If you’re recording I have two minor complaints about StarSight doesn’t provide. once (the default selection), you only StarSight’s graphics. First, they’re seri- need to press RECORD a second time to ously dated by today’s standards; com- But VideoGuide isn’t perfect. Where puter users familiar with a Macintosh it comes up short, in fact, is in basic lock in the command. Otherwise, just or Windows environment will find them everyday operation. I simply found its move to the appropriate selection with almost painfully simplistic. The plain interface more difficult to use, primari- the down cursor key and then press type face is reminiscent of what’s used RECORD. today for closed captioning, which— ly because of VideoGuide’s (over)sim- while highly readable—is just plain plified, four-button remote. At this point, the program is automat- old. The abbreviations for the different ically added to one of two running lists After turning your TV on (by press- that the StarSight decoder keeps in networks can also be arcane. (Video- ing the Tv button on the top of the memory—one for one-time recordings, Guide’s use of network symbols is a far VideoGuide remote’s giant rocker, the the other for serial recordings. These nicer way to go.) StarSight says its first step in getting to the system’s grids lists can be viewed at any time simply graphics were designed to maximize and services is to press the VIDEOGUIDE by pressing the remote’s TO DO button. readability and minimize memory re- button at the bottom of the rocker: This Pressing TO DO once gets you to your brings you into the system’s main one-time list, pressing it twice takes menu. Recall that accessing Video- you to your serial-recordings list, and Guide shuts down the TV signal, so pressing it a third time takes you to the you'll have no way to monitor the sta- tus of the currently tuned channel. 32 DECEMBER 1995 VIDEO

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What you’ll see on the screen are full- the grid. You use the joystick to high- program while you watch another as screen VideoGuide graphics; whenever light programs on the grid; as you do, long as your system doesn’t require the you press one of the remote’s keys, the content of the information box services of a cable box; your VCR’s you'll hear a reassuring “bonk” (or oth- changes accordingly. and TV’s tuners, respectively, handle er sound) that indicates your command the duties. has been received. The information provided is similar to that found in StarSight’s pop-ups, VideoGuide also excels with the lay- Enter the main menu and you'll see though, again, VideoGuide’s graphics out of and information in its “Record the “banner,” a bar that runs across the are superior, with familiar newspaper- List.” Unlike StarSight, only one se- top of every VideoGuide screen. The type symbols to indicate closed cap- quential list of selected recordings is left of the banner displays a logo. In the tioning and MPAA ratings. VideoGuide main menu, it’s VideoGuide’s logo; as also provides more information than kept, with an indicator to the right of you access different services or grids, StarSight for some programs; along each selection to show whether it’s a the logo changes to indicate where you with the lead actors, for example, the one-time or serial recording. The ever- are. To the right of the banner is a high- present info box at the bottom of the resolution graphic rendering of the cen- VideoGuide screen reminds you of the content of ter portion of the VideoGuide remote, often provided a each program as you scroll down, and a showing the joystick and the two action bit more info terrific display that’s located above the buttons, which are represented by blue than StarSight, info box indicates the amount of blank and green bars that match the actual and its graphics tape your VCR will need over the next buttons. are superior. 24 hours to record the programs you’ve selected. This is extremely useful— Inside these bars are labels that indi- former listed the director for some StarSight asks you to read the duration cate the action taken when the keys are movies and some summaires were of each show directly off of your record hit; these change depending on the more detailed. (Though both companies list and then tally the figures up to com- screen or menu “tile” you’re on. If you get their listings data from TVDT, they pute how much tape you need. It’s a select the “Program Guide” in the main format the data according to their own chore you shouldn’t have to perform menu, the action keys are marked EAR- formulas.) The differences in wording yourself—and you don’t have to with LIER and LATER; they’re used to change and content were usually minor on the VideoGuide. the time and day where you’ll enter the programs I cross-checked, however. selected grids. At the far right of the Along with the standard VideoGuide banner is a time-of-day clock, which is To tune in a highlighted program on program grid, you’ll also find an ex- also constant. When the batteries in the VideoGuide grid, you hit the Tv panded grid and an alphabetical listing your remote run low, this graphic will button on the remote’s giant rocker under the main menu’s “Program alternately flash the clock and a battery switch—this will bring you back to the Guide” selection. The expanded grid is icon. Pretty neat. TV mode, and the channel will automat- similar to the “Standard” guide, but it ically change to the selected show. Graphic symbols that indicate each offers a wider 2-hour view (versus 90 available VideoGuide service or grid You can also record directly from this minutes) and eight channels per page run down the left side of the main or any other grid. In the “Standard” menu; each is labeled at right. As men- grid, the remote’s blue action key acti- (versus seven). To squeeze in the extra tioned, the fixed information box ap- vates recording, while the green key info, the expanded grid uses letters and pears at the bottom of the screen. This jumps you 24 hours ahead in the guide; abbreviations instead of station logos as box displays program info when you’re these options are indicated clearly by well as more abbreviated titles for the cruising the grid or game summaries the banner line’s RECORD and NEXT DAY programs. when you’re using SportsGuide. labels. The alphabetical format—unique to From the main menu, you can use the Pressing the RECORD key automatical- VideoGuide—is yet another nice touch. joystick to scroll down to select one of ly activates a one-time recording of the Using the cursor keys, you can move to several options, including the various highlighted program. If the program is a segment of the alphabet, then scroll services, a record list, and a couple of currently playing, your VCR will begin through an alphabetized listing to find diagnostic and setup modes. The first recording; if it’s a future recording, it'll out when a particular program is sched- grid listed is the “Program Guide,” be added to your “Record List.” If you uled. During the course of testing which will probably get the most use want to record regularly, you can press VideoGuide, I had occasion to tune into for scanning the guide, selecting chan- RECORD again; this takes you directly to the last few minutes of a PBS docu- nels, or setting up recordings. the “Record List,” where you can tog- mentary on the flight of Apollo 13. Be- gle to the selected program with the ing the resident space-weenie in my Three options within “Program joystick and select serial recording. By house, and knowing that PBS tends to Guide” can be selected with the joy- setting up one-time recording as a de- repeat programs, I was able to find the stick. The “Standard” grid features sev- fault (rather than asking you to select it show by title on the alphabetized list, en channels running down the left side, from a menu, as StarSight does), which also told me when it would be each identified by its network logo or VideoGuide delivers true one-touch repeated over the next 7 days. Once I call letters, or, if they aren’t used, by a recording for most occasions. As with located it, I hit the blue action key to channel number. Listings for 90 min- StarSight, you'll be able to record one add it to the “Record List,” slapped in a utes, broken into 30-minute segments, tape, and forgot about it. Three days are displayed. Above the channel and later, the program was recorded exactly grid listings is a bar that indicates the on schedule. If I’d been using Star- day and time segments represented on Sight, I would have had to call up the “Channel Guide” for my PBS station, 34 DECEMBER 1995 VIDEO

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then slowly scroll through a sequential able to instantly access a specific piece example, it'll eventually find its way to list of all upcoming shows to find my of news when you want it. the top of your grid. And if your view- program. ing habits change, the grid order will As noted, I found VideoGuide to be reflect them. Very clever. Moving down the VideoGuide main clumsier to use than StarSight. This be- menu past the “Program Guide” takes came apparent the first time I accessed Some people might prefer a stable you to “Program Views,” which calls the “Standard” grid. It requires two grid they can learn and count on; others up a sequential listing of movies. or strokes of the GUIDE rocker just to get may like to organize their grids a cer- sports. It’s convenient but far less com- in—one to access the main menu, the tain way—say, premium movie chan- prehensive and flexible than StarSight’s other to access the “Program Guide” nels grouped together at the top, and in 11 theme menus and their various sub- from its default location at the top of a particular order. VideoGuide doesn’t menus. This is a big plus for StarSight. the main menu. This is a time-chewing let you customize your grids, but Star- nuisance; a better solution would have Sight does. As mentioned, StarSight al- SportsGuide and NewsGuide are a been to have the GUIDE rocker take you so lets you remove channels you never kick, though. SportsGuide provides a immediately into the “Program Guide” watch from your grid; SmartSort mere- truly inspired selection of up-to-the ly moves these channels to the bottom. minute game scores, along with pre-, SportsGuide post-, and in-game summaries and provides a truly A more troublesome difference lies in league standings. Virtually no profes- inspired mix the remotes. Since VideoGuide’s re- sional or college sport is left out; cover- of scores, mote lacks the StarSight remote’s 10- age runs from the traditional to tennis, summaries, and digit keypad, there’s no way to go di- auto racing, and others. Each sport is standings. rectly from, say, Channel 5 to Channel grouped together in the listings and 32. You'll have to move through every- identified by its own graphic logo on (the most frequently used feature) and thing in between—either by walking the left side of the SportsGuide screen. then provide some kind of access from through the guide or sequentially Use the cursor to highlight a particular changing channels. Likewise, the only game, and you'll get the scoring (bro- that grid to the main menu, for those VCR function you can initiate from the ken out by quarter, inning, and so on) times when you want to dabble with the VideoGuide remote is recording; there in the highlighted box plus a current other services. A customized default are no other transport keys for play- game summary in the info box. If the option that’d let you program the GUIDE back. The result is that youll want to game’s on, you can hit the remote’s Tv rocker to access your most frequently keep both your TV and VCR remotes button to automatically tune to it; if you used service first would be even better. close at hand at all times with want to record a current or future game, VideoGuide. If you’re using StarSight’s highlight it and hit the blue RECORD Getting around the grid once you’re universal remote, you can pretty much key. Highlight the box for league stand- in can also get a little tiresome. The pri- stow the other remotes away. ings in a particular sport and they’ll ap- mary problem is that the remote lacks pear in the info box. You can also cus- StarSight’s PAGE key, which allows you CLEARLY, STARSIGHT AND VIDEOGUIDE tomize the main menu to always bring to quickly access channels at the bot- you directly to the SportsGuide grid for tom of the listing. Without it, you’re represent the first generation of a new the sport of your choice. If you like the forced to sequentially walk through idea of centralizing your access to daily every channel with the joystick. As you type of product that’s here to stay. Both sports data in one convenient place, go, the cursor kicks into high hear—but SportsGuide is a winner. as it does, the data in the grid disap- show at least some evidence of their pears. When you finally stop on or near Similarly, news hounds will love the channel you want, you have to wait fledgling status, and there’s no doubt NewsGuide. Enter this area and a a moment while the grid and the infor- newspaper-like banner at the top pro- mation box replenishes itself. All of that future generations will become claims this screen as “The VideoGuide this takes time, making surfing awk- News.” As with many newspapers, ward. We want to go, go, go, baby! even more user-friendly and more at- boxes to either side of the title carry the weather and the Dow Jones Industrial VideoGuide and StarSight also differ tractive. But there’s no compelling rea- Average—the cool part is that the infor- on grid customization. The former mation in these boxes is constantly up- takes a unique approach: A feature son to wait for second-generation ver- called SmartSort actually analyzes the dated. Below the banner, a series of way you use the system and customizes sions; both of these systems deliver headlines runs down the left side and a the grid accordingly. When you first set large window on the right displays the the system up, the grids list available many useful benefits right now. copy for the selected story. You can use channels in order of national popularity. the action buttons to walk through suc- Deciding which one is right for you is cessive pages of copy for a selected (I guess that puts CBS at the bottom.) story, and you can scroll through the As you use the system repeatedly, how- a matter of personal taste, of course. If stories or access a detailed local weath- ever, SmartSort shifts the channel or- er report or lottery results. News- der, moving the channels you select you like a simple, uncomplicated re- Guide’s information may be easier than most often to the top of the grid. If SportsGuide’s to get from other you’re always tuning in to ESPN, for mote that’s really fun to hold and oper- sources—from CNN’s Headline News, ate, if you’re a sports or news fanatic, for example—but it’s still nice to be and if you appreciate fine styling and state-of-the-art graphics, VideoGuide may be the best choice. If you prefer more flexibility and control while you're surfing, and you’re not afraid of learning a few extra keystrokes, Star- Sight may be your ticket. IfI had to choose one to suit my needs, I’d go with StarSight—it simply does more and asks you to do less. And you can be sure I’d delete the cable channel with that dumb scrolling program guide from the main grid. |] 36 DECEMBER 1995 VIDEO

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HOM E —IMPROVEMEN T Spice up your bedroom system for around $1,000 BEDIIME STORY IKE SO MANY COUPLES, SELA AND Positively smitten with (and some- Ken Paulson Aaron Ochiel don’t just think of what spoiled by) the impact pro- Paulson’s Audio and Video the bedroom as a place to duced by the home-theater system Farmington Hills, Ml sleep the night away. They al- that dominates their living room, KEEPING IN MIND THAT THE OCHIELS WANT so like to partake in other more Sela and Aaron are determined to to build a bedroom theater, | chose stimulating activities while in recreate the same aura in their bed- components that complement a the confines of their private boudoir room. To initiate the TV and VCR’s small room. Technics’ SA-GX690 ... like capping off a long day with metamorphosis into a sheer “bed- A/V receiver provides a solid foun- a good movie. Lately, however, the dation, pumping out 100 watts to couple hasn't been satisfied with the room theater,” the couple decided each of the three front channels, ambiance produced by their bed- to buy a modest A/V receiver with and in addition to Dolby Pro Logic it room's stripped-down system, which consists of a late-model 25-inch TV good Dolby Pro Logic decoding has several soundfield modes for set and Hi-Fi VCR. and a nice-sounding—but sma//— programs that aren’t encoded with five-piece speaker package. Their DPL. The multibrand remote that’s DCM CX-007 surrounds budget is a relatively generous supplied with the receiver should $1,000, and they’re adamant about come in handy in the bedroom; it’s avoiding the installation complexi- preprogrammed for most TVs and VCRs, so the Ochiels should be ties of in-wall speakers. able to use it to control the entire The problem is that they're new to system. their area, and the only electronics DCM’s CX Series speakers should satisfy the couple’s needs in terms shops they've been able to locate of both quality and price. The CXs are “superstores.” Not wanting to are generally considered to be su- deal with them (and missing the A/V perior performers and a great value; they're also small enough to fit on specialist who'd helped them be- practically any type of furniture or fore), Sela and Aaron turned to (1) Technics SA-GX690 $399 VIDEO for help. We told their story to A/V receiver three A/V specialists, who were hap- $349 (2) DCM CX-17 py to take on the challenge. Their $129 main speakers picks follow; prices quoted are real- $138 world figures before sales tax. (1) DCM CX-Center center speaker (2) DCM CX-007 rear speakers even on pedestal stands. For the mains, two CX-17s will do as great a job with music as with video, and they'll kick out a respectable amount of bass, so a subwoofer won't be needed. A CX-Center and RPJSIOITOMRLONATENGRYEA/SITO:NY 38 DECEMBER 1995 VIDEO

TWO’FER: Cerwin-Vega HT-S5s two CX-007s will match the CX-17s for the price. It’s rated to deliver 70 has STADIUM and HALL surround- acoustically. The Center can sit watts to each of the three front sound modes that'll enable the atop the Ochiel’s TV, and the 007s channels and 20 watts to each rear Ochiels to enjoy all types of pro- are really tiny. It’s easy to mount speaker, and it has a Dolby Pro grams in surround sound. The 565 them on the walls; alternatively, Logic decoder, a THEATER mode, is rated to deliver 60 watts to each they won't take up much space if and a flexible remote control. of the front left/right speakers, 50 they're placed on nightstands. watts to the center, and 20 watts to Paradigm speakers deliver in- the rear. That isn’t as much power TEM Il: $288 credible sound quality at a price as you get with some other A/V re- $198 that few speaker companies can ceivers, but it shouldn't make a dif- (1) Kenwood KRV-6070 $179 match. | recommend a pair of their ference in a bedroom, especially A/V receiver $158 Atoms for the mains, a CC-100 with the speaker system I’m recom- $399 center channel, a pair of Micros for mending. (2) Paradigm Atom the rear, and the PS-800 subwoofer. main speakers Though this package comes in a lit- The Cerwin-Vega package I've tle over budget, its performance picked out is designed for listening (1) Paradigm CC-100 definitely justifies the extra expen- to music as well as movies. It con- center speaker diture. The Ochiels could eliminate sists of an HT-10D 10-inch sub- the powered sub if the $1,000 ceil- woofer, four HT-S5s (two for the (2) Paradigm Micro ing can’t be broken, but if they front, and two for the rear), and an rear speakers keep it, they'll be amazed at how HT-MDC for the center channel. close this system comes to sound- The C-Vs are a bargain, and the (1) Paradigm PS-800 ing like their living-room system. powered subwoofer Ty Mackie Brad Bolotin Bernie’s SYSTIlEl: M$998 Wildwest Electronics Springfield, MA Reno, NV SONY’S STRD-565 A/V RECEIVER COMES (1) Sony STRD-565 $249 I'D RECOMMEND KENWOOD’S KRV-6070 with Dolby Pro Logic, so it'll do a A/V receiver A/V receiver and a full complement great job with movies. But it also of Paradigm speakers—including a (4) Cerwin-Vega HT-S5 $400 powered subwoofer. The 6070 is a satellites good-sounding, powerful receiver (1) Cerwin-Vega HT-MDC =: $129 Technics SA-GX690 A/V receiver center speaker (1) Cerwin-Vega HT-10D $220 subwoofer satellites and center are similar enough in size and driver layout to produce matched sound. They also sound full—and get loud!—with very little power, and the addition of the subwoofer will shake the Ochiels’ bed! — Chuck Tannert VIDEO DECEMBER 1995 39

Only Yamaha Cinema Ds. —CtCINEhMA e_DDSPP> voyh ror there aren't speakers. We al multi-source capabilities fi Phantom Speaker Effect ~ JY One minute, you're eating popcorn at home. The next, you’re being transported to the wilds of Africa. The swamps of Montana seventy million years ago. Or even the moon. With Yamaha Cinema DSP, anything’s possible. © That's because only Cinema DSP can create the ultimate cinematic experience, right in your living room. We accomplish this through a unique method of multiplying the effects of Digital Sound Field Processing and Dolby Pro Logic® © Digital Sound Field Processing is Yamaha’s exclusive technology that reproduces some of the finest performance spaces in the world. © Yamaha audio scientists measured the actual acoustic properties of these performance venues. Then trans- ferred that information to microchips that go into our A/V receivers. So you can access it in your home at the touch of a button. © And our digitally processed Dolby Pro Logic allows us to place dialogue and sound effects around the room, matching the action on the screen. © These two technologies enable us to accurately replicate the full ambiance of a multi-speaker movie theater, in an ordinary listening room. © All of which means we're able to offer a growing line of home theater components with Cinema DSP that outperform other comparatively priced products on the market, ©.1995 Yamaha Electronics Corporation, USA. Cinema DSP is a trademark of Yamaha Electronics Corporation, Dolby Pro Logic is a registered trademark of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation.

WAMAVIA (sins ccauss ‘erencenecene The RX-V2090. Easy-to-use features plus state-of-the-art technology. e learning remote control, on-screen display, 7-channel amplification, DSP, Cinema DSP and AC-3 compatibility. And that brings us to the RX-V2090 Home Theater A/V Receiver. One of this year’s most exciting new components. As you’d imagine, it comes with everything we've already men- tioned. © But, it also offers advanced features you might not expect in a single unit. Like multi-room, multi-source capabilities with two remotes for independent control of main system A/V sources from another listening room. @ The RX-V2090 has 7-channel amplification with 100w mains and center, and 35w front and rear effects. Pre-outs on all channels. 5 audio and 4 audio/video inputs with S-Video terminals. Yamaha linear damping circuitry. Plus discrete 5.1 channel line inputs for AC-3. And 10 DSP programs including 70mm movie theater. © Of course, not everyone has the need for a component this comprehensive. That’s why we offer a full line of six new A/V receivers. So you can choose the one that’s best for you. © Which means now all you have to worry about is cleaning up after those elephants before your next trip. YAM AH A © For the dealer nearest you, please call 1-800-4YAMAHA. Yamaha Electronics Corporation, USA. P.O. Box 6660, Buena Park, CA 90622

©VIDEOTEST SPECIAL BASSIC NSTINCT 11 powered subwoofers tested and compared OVER THE FIRST HALF OF and rear left and right speakers that talking explosions, train the °90s, home the- make up a basic surround-sound sys- ater—which can be de- tem. The “misunderstood” part is that wrecks, thunder cracks, fined as a big-screen TV many people—including salespeople in and big T-Rex foot- buoyed by a dedicated big electronics-chain outlets—simply stomps—you know, surround-sound audio system—has crank them up as loud as they can go, the fun stuff. Simply washed over our shores like a tidal without any thought for musical accu- put, a subwoofer adds wave, leaving a string of satisfied racy or a natural sonic presentation. the “oomph” to your couch jockeys in its wake. And though home-theater system. better speakers, bigger amplifiers, and, A typical mid-’90s-vintage sub, par- In addition, it adds a much-needed in some cases, surround-sound proces- ticularly one destined for a home-the- foundation to music scores that include sors are being built into TV sets, even ater system, should be used to repro- low frequencies—think Phantom of the the finest onboard TV-audio package duce frequencies down to about 25 Hz. Opera organ notes, bass drums, Charles doesn’t come close to equaling the per- Its upper limit—usually something be- Mingus’ bass, and a host of other musi- formance of a modest surround-sound tween the THX-certified “cutoff” of 80 cal bottom-dwellers. system. Surround-sound quality is key, Hz and about 125 Hz—should be de- of course, since trying to enjoy a movie fined by the capabilities of the speakers A subwoofer generally resembles a without a well reproduced soundtrack with which it’s matched. Use a sub- largish cube, though many models are is like sitting through a Broadway ex- woofer to produce frequencies above taller than they are wide. Construction - travaganza with earmuffs strapped to 125 Hz or so and it’ll start to function is generally of particleboard and wood your head: You’ll get an eyeful, but as a woofer, calling attention to itself veneer, though vinyl may be used on you'll be missing half of the action. acoustically and destroying the realism inexpensive models and true wood may Each piece in the surround-sound of the experience. Overall output be used on relatively expensive models. should be set so that this low bass adds chain is important, of course, but the authority to the rest of the audible spec- Contrary to popular opinion, howev- most popular—and, perhaps, most mis- trum—but doesn’t drown it out. er, adding a subwoofer to your system understood—component is the sub- can actually save space. Simple physics woofer. A subwoofer is dedicated to re- Though it spans only a few octaves, a tells us that the size of the front left and producing only the lowest part of the sub’s intended frequency range is huge- right speakers used in a home theater ly important for home theater, because (AKA the “main” speakers) is largely audible spectrum; as such, it’s a com- that’s where you find most of a film’s dictated by how much appreciable low PCTBYHOONRTYDOpSZAlement to the front left, center, right, gut-wrenching low-level effects. We’re bass their manufacturers want them to reproduce. Use a good subwoofer, and 42 BY TOM NOUSAINE VIDEO

Hsu HRSW12V (left), Triad InRoom Silver (top), Phase Technology Octave 1.0

Klipsch SW12 Series II (top), KEF subwoofers represents the ideal solu- ducing sound. If you set a sub’s Model 30B AV. Facing page tion in a full-blown home theater; oth- crossover to 80 Hz, for example, it will ers believe that an ideal system based reproduce only those frequencies that (from top): Velodyne VA-1215X, on cutting-edge Dolby Surround AC-3 fall below 81 Hz. Most subs provide a PSB Subsonic Ill, Allison NL-5400P knob for “continuous” adjustment of processing may employ four or more the low-pass filter point. you can get by with significantly small- subwoofers [“Surrounded,” October er main speakers—without sacrificing 1995]. On the other hand, my re- The low-pass “cutoff” point you se- sound quality. In fact, taking this route search shows that a single sub run in lect should be inextricably linked with should improve the overall frequency the low-bass capabilities of your sys- response of your system, since it’s mono is always preferable, since tem’s main speakers. Generally, you tough for mains to deliver appreciable multiple subs can introduce want the sub to begin producing low amounts of truly low bass no matter acoustic anomalies. bass at the point where your mains stop how big they are. Freeing them of this producing it. Every speaker has a natur- responsibility enables the speaker de- Because a lot of power is re- al low-bass “rolloff” point, but many signer to craft a speaker that can do an quired to reproduce low frequen- subs let you bypass the drill of discov- excellent job of reproducing frequen- cies, most subs are equipped with ering that point for your mains by of- cies that are well within its capabilities. their own built-in power ampli- fering a “high-pass” filter; you may get one or two high-pass cutoff choices, or Some audiophiles and videophiles fiers. Built-in amplification en- the sub may offer a fixed cutoff. believe that using two well designed ables you to add a powered sub to virtually any system without If the sub has an 80-Hz high-pass fil- 44 DECEMBER 1995 VIDEO overtaxing your A/V receiver ter (and you use it), for example, you or preamp/processor/amplifier should set the low-pass filter to 80 Hz; combo, which really has enough to do in this setup, the mains produce every- as it is. thing above that point and the sub pro- In most cases, the best way to wire a duces everything below it. Using iden- powered sub into a system is to use a tical cutoffs for both filters is generally standard RCA cable to link the line- advisable, since muddy or bloated level RCA output jack marked suB- sound can result when the mains and WOOFER, MONO, or PRE-OUT on the back sub “double up” on the task of repro- of an A/V receiver or preamp/processor ducing bass. And since, as mentioned, a with the sub’s back-panel RCA input. If lot of power (relatively) is required to the A/v component lacks these outputs reproduce low bass, using a high-pass but the sub offers speaker terminals, the filter introduces a bonus: Because sub can still be connected via the A/v you'll be asking the mains to produce component’s main left/right speaker less low bass, all of the power that your terminals: Common speaker wire runs system devotes to them will be used to from these terminals to the sub’s input help them do a better job of reproduc- ing higher-frequency sounds. speaker terminals, and additional wire runs from the sub’s output speaker ter- Most subs also offer a phase control minals to the system’s main left/right in the form of either a knob that offers speakers. continuous adjustment from 0 to 180 degrees or a two-position switch with Once a sub has been connected to a 0- and 180-degree settings. Explaining system, it needs to placed in the room the subject of phase would require an and adjusted so that its output blends in entire article, so suffice it to say that the naturally with the rest of the system. best course is to simply use the switch I’ve taken literally hundreds of in-room or knob setting that produces the most measurements and performed a series bass while a// of the speakers in the of controlled listening tests of a few system are playing (interactions be- dozen subwoofers, and my data reveals tween a sub and the other speakers are that the best way to use virtually any what cause phase problems). sub in virtually any room is to place it in a corner. The result usually is the The last key adjustment to make is smoothest possible response at lower the sub’s level. As mentioned, you frequencies. Since the low frequencies don’t want thessub to drown out all of that are a sub’s domain are basically the other sounds. Yeu_want it to growl omnidirectional, you can place a sub in and rumble and boom appropriately any corner—even in one that’s behind with scenes that include raucous special you—without upsetting the sonic im- effects, but it should contribute subtly age produced by your main and sur- to scenes that are calmer. Since most round speakers. people don’t have real-world points of reference for the explosions and car My research also shows that the sub’s wrecks that make up so many movie “low-pass filter” should be set at some special effects, it’s easiest to set a sub’s point below 100 Hz for best perfor- mance. The low-pass filter “tells” the sub at which frequency to begin repro-

level using a well-recorded music CD a dedicated amplifier, filtering, and with which you’re familiar. Just adjust equalization to deliver loud, high-quali- the knob until the bass sounds full, ty bass with plenty of setup flexibili- deep, and rich—again, without over- ty—all from a relatively compact pack- powering everything else. age. Most of the subs use one 10- or 12-inch driver mounted in a sealed or Comparing subwoofers prior to mak- ported cabinet that consumes approxi- ing a purchase can\\ be tricky, since the mately 2.5 square feet of floor space. tight frequency range in which they They play loudly enough—well over work means that the only differences 100 dB spt from 30 to 50 Hz—to real- that may be audible between compara- istically reproduce one of my bench- ble models are ultimate “low-end ex- mark laserdiscs (the “gate-crash” se- tension” (how low the sub plays, denot- quence from Terminator 2), and they’re ed in hertz, or Hz) and peak output musical enough to make audiophiles level (how loud the sub plays, denoted reach for the Kleenex. Their features in decibels, or dB, of sound-pressure and setup flexibility make it a snap to level, or SPL). The lower in frequency a mate them with virtually all existing subwoofer can go, and the louder it can home-theater gear. play at the lowest frequencies (without unacceptable distortion), the more po- Our contestants come in two basic tential the sub has to deliver every last varieties: First, we have the bigger, bit of bass in your favorite movies (and tougher, kick-out-the-jams variety music CDs). exemplified by models from Alli- son, Cerwin-Vega, Hsu, Klipsch, Note, however, that movie sound- M&K, Phase Tech, and Velodyne. tracks, like most CDs, have virtually no These models feature 100- to 250- sonic content below 25 Hz. This makes watt amplifiers and one or more a sub’s ability to play below that point 12- or 15-inch woofers. The oth- somewhat irrelevant in the real world— er category, which includes Al- unless you harbor fanatical audiophile tec Lansing, KEF, PSB, and Tri- intentions. This means that smooth re- ad, feature smaller cabinets sponse down to 25 Hz is all you really with more modest output. The unifying factor: All of these need. In terms of output, 105 dB SPL is subs boast high-tech engi- plenty in an average-size living room. neering features. TO GET A FEEL FOR THE CREAM OF THE TEST PROCEDURES current powered-subwoofer crop, we I measured all of the sub- put 11 models through their paces. Manufacturers who accepted our invi- woofers in the “best cor- tation to participate in this comparison ner” of my 22 x 12-foot were allowed to submit any model they listening room, with chose, with one stipulation: The sub’s “best” equating to optimal suggested retail price had to be be- subwoofer performance as de- tween $750 and $1,000. We picked this picted by a response map of the entire range because we know from experi- room. Measurements were taken with a ence that it provides an excellent bal- MLSSA analyzer, and included fre- ance of performance and value. quency response (with a sub’s variable crossover set for both maximum and Most of the subs in this price range minimum bandwidth) and maximum are capable of meeting the basic re- output at the primary listening position quirements of a home-theater system, (from 10 to 80 Hz with a limit of 10 which, as mentioned, is 25-Hz exten- sion and 105-dB output. The contes- percent THD). For the max-output mea- tants include (in alphabetical order): surements, I used Audio Control’s Allison’s NL-5400P ($880), Altec 3050a real-time analyzer and a B&K SPL meter, set the MLSSA to its SCOPE Lansing’s PSW10 ($850), Cerwin—Ve- mode, and played a CD-R containing a special tone-burst signal developed by ga’s HT-12PWR ($900), Hsu Re- audio mainstay Don Keele. search’s HRSW12V ($850), KEF’s The performance chart on page 47 lists two measurements each for fre- Model 30B AV ($750), Klipsch’s quency response and sPL: For frequen- SW12 Series II ($1,000), M&K’s MX- cy response, you’ll see “F3,” the fre- 125 ($995), Phase Technology’s Octave quency where each sub’s output falls 3 1.0 ($950), PSB’s Subsonic III ($899), dB below its average output level (AKA Triad’s InRoom Silver ($1,000), and Velodyne’s VA-1215X ($999). Each model is an extremely sophisti- cated piece of engineering, employing

Cerwin-Vega HT-12PWR (left), Altec Lansing PSW10 (center), M&K MX-125 seeeees only 95.5 dB from 25 to 50 Hz with a peak output of 95.8 dB. the “half-power” point) from its lower extreme to 80 Hz, and “F10- es a 12-inch driver. Along with the Hsu ALLISON NL-5400P percent,” which indicates the lowest HRSW12V and Velodyne VA-1215X, ae Finished in black lacquer, the lar- frequency at which each sub was it’s the only model with a shielded cab- able to produce audible output with inet. The click-stop volume and gish NL-5400P ($880) resembles a a limit of 10 percent total harmonic dis- crossover controls make the 30B AV safe without a door. The thick, tough tortion. For spL, ’ve noted maximum very easy to use; they have good sensi- rubber feet provide stability and simpli- and average SPL from each sub’s low- tivity in the right places and are easy to fy the process of moving the sub. The frequency extreme to 50 Hz, both with return precisely to a previous setting. NL-5400P’s single 12-inch woofer fires no more than 10 percent distortion. In down from the bottom of the sealed ranking the subs, I also factored in each The small cabinet limits bass perfor- cabinet; high-pass filtering is fixed. The model’s ability to play smoothly right mance, however. It extends down to bottom of the cabinet also includes a up to the point where distortion became 31.5 Hz with 10 percent distortion; the pair of dual banana jacks for daisy- unacceptable. half-power point was a good 29 Hz. chaining a second NL-5400P. Maximum output was only 95.8 dB After running the numbers, I listened SPL, and average output measured 93.5 Performance was excellent in the to each sub, mating it with a pair of dB sPL over its 31.5 to 50-Hz range. bass-extension department, showing a high-quality two-way monitors config- half-power point of 25 Hz with low dis- ured as a stereo pair; in all cases (ex- ALTEC LANSING PSW10 tortion. Maximum output was still on cept for the Hsu, which had a 91-Hz The 10-inch woofer in the PSW10 the low side at 99.4 dB, and average cutoff), the low-pass filter was dialed to output was only 96.4 dB over the criti- 80 Hz. While listening, I found that ($850) is housed in a sealed cabinet, cal 25 to 50-Hz band—not enough to there were no significant differences in which has a nice sense of style. There turn heads in this company. Frankly, I sound quality with ordinary rock or are some sophisticated electronics on- expected more output given the cabi- popular music—though there was with board, including an automatic loudness net’s size and the rating of the integral acoustic jazz and classical music. The circuit that maintains realistic bass lev- amplifier, which, at 300 watts, was the subs that “went lower” consistently de- els at low volume settings. All of its highest in this group. livered more satisfying deep bass, and controls are on the front panel, simpli- those that got the loudest belted out fying their adjustment. And though no TRIAD INRoom SILVER more involving and more breathtaking high-pass filtering is provided, the Triad’s handsome InRoom Silver special effects when I spun some PSW10, along with the Velodyne VA- movies in my laserdisc player. The 1215X, is the only sub that offers a ($1,000) uses a pair of 8-inch woofers ones that went lowest and got loudest choice of slopes for its low-pass and a sealed cabinet; two 8-inchers were my favorites overall. Commentary crossover. have roughly the same piston area as a on individual models, which are listed single 12-inch woofer. The Triad in ascending order of preference based This sub had a fine half-power point doesn’t offer a high-pass filter. on sheer performance, follows. of 25 Hz, but it only delivered bass down to 31.5 Hz before our 10-percent- The Silver delivered 25 Hz with less KEF MODEL 30B AV distortion ceiling was breached. Output The stylish 30B AV ($750) is the was limited for this group, averaging than 10 percent distortion; the mea- sured half-power point was 27 Hz. Out- slimmest and trimmest sub in the put was relatively low for this group, group. Its smallish sealed cabinet hous- averaging 100.2 dB over the 25 to 50- Hz range. Maximum SPL was a reason- ably robust 102.2 dB, however— 46 DECEMBER 1995 VIDEO

thanks, perhaps, to the inclusion of a 31.5 Hz with our 10-percent-distortion CERWIN-VEGA HT-12PWR 250-watt-rated amp. reference point. And though the passive The HT-12PWR ($900) is an unas- radiator produced some distortion at the Triad clearly intends to seduce sub- sub’s output peak, output was very suming package, loading a 12-inch woofer shoppers who want good all- good—104.6 dB from 32 to 50 Hz, woofer into a plain, ported black box. around performance, but also demand with a max of 106.5 dB. There’s no high-pass filtering, but the killer looks. The InRoom Silver really C—V does come with a handy remote is stylish, with a small footprint, a neat PSB SUBSONIC III control that lets you change the sub’s wraparound-type grille, and a sweet The Subsonic III ($899) has a smart level from the couch; this is especially marble top. convenient when you're watching TV, look, with a black-lacquer top. It also since low-bass content varies a great KLIPSCH SW12 SERIES Il has a smart design, basically matching deal from show to show and channel to The SW12 Series II ($1,000) pairs a the smallest subs in this group for size channel. The integral 150-watt amplifi- but giving the biggest ones a run for er features a protective filter, and the down-firing 12-inch passive radiator their money in terms of performance. It sub’s level control is situated in the top- and a front-firing 12-inch woofer in a uses a 12-inch woofer and a ported cab- left corner of its front panel. ported cabinet. Input and output con- inet. The lack of an auto-on function, nectors are located, as usual, on the and the presence of line-level outputs Like most C—V speakers, the HT- lower edge of the rear panel, but the only for the fixed high-pass filter, are 12PWR kicks out a big sound. The low volume, phase, and crossover controls feature-related concessions; you do get end extended down to 25 Hz with less are conveniently situated behind the full low-pass options, however. than 10 percent distortion, and output grille on the front panel. Along with peaked at a rib-rocking 108.4 dB. The PSB’s Subsonic III, the SW12 Series II The half-power point measured 27 average output—105.9 dB spL over the is the only sub in the group without an Hz, and the Subsonic UI produced 25 25 to 50-Hz range—was also very auto-on function. The slope of the low- Hz without breaking our 10-percent- good. Bottom line: Only two subs went pass filter starts at 12 dB per octave, distortion ceiling. Output was relatively lower, and only one got louder. but sharpens to 24 dB per octave above mild, however—100.1 dB average from 120 Hz; a nice touch is that two high- 25 to 50 Hz, and 104.3 dB max. Smart M&K MX-125 pass cutoffs are provided. looks and deep extension make this sub As is true with Velodyne, the folks at a natural for those who don’t need—or Measurements revealed a half-power can’t enjoy—big-bore output. M&K are old hands at subwoofer de- point of 24 Hz, but the sub only hit sign. And the MX-125’s performance POWERED SUBWOOFERS Measurements by Tom Nousaine Make, Model Price! Size?; Finish Driver? | Type (Shielded); Amp |Auto-On| Crossovers’ |Phase Connec- SPL® Exten- Phone Weight sion’ Power* Control | tions Hsu Research HRSW12V | $850 | 23x 228 Black knit or 12) Ported e 150 oe 9\\ 24 SW Sub: 0 1110 GB) 19 Hz; 800.554.0150 69 Ibs. oak wrap with 91 (24) Ae 106.5 06/25 ha $999 zolatone top + 4Ve0l8o.d4y3n6e.7V2A7-01215X $950 -— 4800,-112000 ((66)-24); + | 6179xIbs1.8x20; mBalarcbklevifneyelt with ee Ported? K SAuPb Sl,S || (00286:6 dabei)||)c25ozr,e Phase Technology $995 e 250 e 60, 80, 100 (24);| Octave 1.0 | $900 60, 80, 100 (24) Het 904.777.0700 saat ef $899 50-125 (36); SW Sub: 1S | 106 dB; 20 hay M&K MX-125 | 20.8x 18x 18; | Black laminate 15) Sealed ie) 240 e 100 (6) AL 103,008) |) 25) hz 310.204.2854 r 79 \\bs. with mahogany 45-150 (12); Cerwin-Vega HT-12PWR 805.584.9332 [ top = PSB Subsonic III | 25x 15.3 Black or oak + or o 125 eo 50-150 (24); ae inf 905.831.6333 e 80 (18) (2) 12\" | Sealed Oo 150 Oo SW Subil,S | 1063 aB))\\) 24 Hz, HPL Ss 101.8 Ge) 25) rz 17,6; 70 lbs. | veneer 4 (@) 180 a a ae | ot 12 | 23.5x 15 Black-ash Ported SW. Subl,.S | 106.4 dBi) 26 Hz: x 18.8; 72 lbs. | vinyl 4 _ 105.908) |)25 Hz if an WE tig 17.5 x 16 Black vinyl with 12\" Ported SW Sub: L, $ 104.3 dB; | 27 Hz; x 16; 56 Ibs. lacquer top HPS L 100.1 dB | 25 Hz Klipsch SW12 Series II $1,000 | 23.5 x 15.6 Oak, cherry, or 12\" Ported’® (@) 150 @) 40-120 (24); K Sub: L, S 106.5 dB; | 24 Hz; 800.554.7724 80, 120 (6) x 16.5; 60 lbs. | walnut veneer |Sealed| oO aloth 104.6dB | 31.5 Hz Triad InRoom Silver |Sealed| © 250 @. | 50-180 (6); $1,000 |15.3x 13.5 Black vinyl (2)8\" K | Sub:l,8 | 1022¢B;| 27Hz 503.256.2600 Sealed Oo — x 13; 65 Ibs. with marble top Sealed e — 100.2 dB | 25 Hz Allison NL-5400P 300 | @ | 40-180(12); $880 |21x19x19; | Blacklacquer | 12° sw | Sub:L,S |99.4d|2B5H,z 606.236.8298 60 (12) 70 Ibs. HPS 96.4 dB 25 Hz Altec Lansing PSW10 100 e 50, 80, 100,150} 717.296.4434 $850 | 17.4x 17.4 Walnut or black 10” (18, 24); — SW Sub: L,S | 95.8dB; | 25 Hz; x 17.4; 27 lbs. veneer KEF Model 30B AV 100 e 80-150 (12); _— 95.5 dB 31.5 Hz 508.429.3600 150 (12) $750 | 15.2x 14.6 Gray veneer 12” SW Sub: L,S | '95.8:dB; |.29 Hz; x 16,8; 30 Ibs. AP te S 93.5 dB 31.5 Hz KEY: @ Yes 0 No HP=High-pass K=Knob L =Line-level S = Speaker level SW = Switch NOTES: 1. Suggested retail. 2. Height x width x depth, in inches. 3. Cone diameter, in inches; (2) denotes presence of two drivers. 4. As rated by the manufacturer, 5, Manufactur- er’s rating of low-pass range or options, in Hz (slope, in dB per octave), manufacturer's rating of high-pass cutoff or options, in Hz (slope, in dB per octave). A dash indicates that high- pass filtering is not offered. 6. Measured maximum sound-pressure level before the onset of audible distortion; measured average sound-pressure level before the onset of audible distortion. 7, Measured maximum low-frequency extension at half power, measured maximum low-frequency extension with less than 10 percent distortion. 8. Diameter x height. 9 Port sealed by a 15-inch-diameter passive radiator. 10. Port sealed by a 12-inch-diameter passive radiator. 11. As long as its plugged in, the subwoofer is always powered. 12. Optional crossover modules are available, VIDEO DECEMBER 1995 47

proves that experience counts. This lar- ator, and a shielded ported cabinet. Two WHETHER YOUR PREFERENCE IS PERFOR- gish sub employs a pair of 12-inch high-pass filter choices are offered, woofers and a sealed enclosure; equal- there’s a full range of low-pass cutoffs mance, style, or some combination of ization is generously used to tailor the with an adjustable slope, and you get a output to suit M&K’s idea of accurate detachable power cord. The back panel the two, there’s a sub here to meet your subwoofer performance. One sub fires features a two-position switch marked forward, the other into the cabinet from VIDEO/MUSIC. needs. Note that the top five subs were its bottom-mount position. This orien- tation requires the use of supplied steel The VA-1215X was a flat-out excel- incredibly close in terms of overall per- spikes to keep some distance between lent performer. Bass extended down to the second sub and the floor; the spikes a solid 25 Hz with less than 10 percent formance, meeting our requirements for can be capped with the supplied rubber distortion, and its half-power point was cups in uncarpeted rooms. There’s no 26 Hz. Maximum output measured a a modern powered subwoofer that’s power switch, so once you’ve plugged truly bold 108.5 dB, and output aver- in the MX-125 ($995), it stays powered aged a very respectable 102.6 dB from destined to serve honorably in a high- continuously. 25 to 50 Hz. quality home-theater system: 25-Hz ex- Only Hsu’s HRSW12V got lower The sub’s response curve didn’t than the MX-125, and the M&K did change when I switched the VIDEO/MU- tension with about 105 dB of maximum very well in terms of max output. These sic control back and forth, though set- results reflect the company’s traditional ting it to VIDEO does increase output output. design goals—quality over quantity. level by about 3 dB. While this is a Bass extended down to 24 Hz. Average convenient way to add punch to If deep bass and plenty of output are output with 10 percent distortion was a movies, you can accomplish the same modest 101.8 dB, but output peaked at thing by turning up the gain control. In your only priorities, the Hsu HR- 105.3 dB; a response bump centered at any case, the VA-1215X is a monster 100 Hz largely disappeared when I performer. SW12V, Velodyne VA-1215X, Phase used M&K’s recommended low-pass cutoff of 75 Hz. Because the MX-125 HSU HRSW12V Technology Octave 1.0, and M&K has low-distortion output to 25 Hz and the shape of its response curve tilts to The HRSW12V ($850) is available MX-125 are the clear winners in this the lower end of the spectrum, it sounds only through mail-order, and comes even better than it measures. An all- with a 30-day money-back guarantee. It company. If the absence of a high-pass around stellar job. isn’t a looker, though, and it should stay in the locker room until the swim- filter doesn’t present system-integration PHASE TECHNOLOGY suit competition is over. The tubular, OCTAVE 1.0 shielded ported cabinet houses a 12- problems, the Cerwin-Vega HT- inch woofer; uniquely for this group The Octave 1.0 ($950) is beautiful; (though not for the product category), 12PWR fits nicely into the mix; it’s ac- the mahogany top adds a real touch of the amplifier is housed in a separate en- class. It’s the only sub in this group to closure, which measures 7.4 x 9.75 x tually the number-two performer when employ a 15-inch woofer, and the lar- 6.5 inches (h/w/d) and attaches to the gish cabinet is sealed. Like the Altec sub via a speaker cable (not supplied). measurements are the only factor. Lansing and Hsu, the Octave 1.0 pro- The amplifier offers level and phase vides limited low-pass filter choices; as controls as well as screw-type speaker If your sub has to look as good as it with the Klipsch and the Velodyne, terminals. The Hsu is also unique in however, you get multiple high-pass fil- that its filters are set by plug-in mod- sounds, know that the Triad InRoom ter choices. ules. Our test sample came with two 91-Hz modules with slopes of 24 dB Silver, PSB Subsonic II, and Phase The Octave 1.0 was an all-out excel- per octave; other modules are available lent performer. Its integral 240-watt from the manufacturer for $15 apiece. Tech are the supermodels in this group. amplifier helped the Octave 1.0 crunch out 25 Hz at our 10-percent-distortion The HRSW12V was unrivaled in this While each has similar (and very fine) limit. Maximum output was a big-time group in terms of performance. Bass 106 dB, and the sub averaged 103.3 sPL extended down to 19 Hz at its half- low-end extension, recall that the Phase from 25 to 50 Hz. Don’t think its excel- power point. At 10 percent distortion, it lent styling hides a mouse: This is a extended down to 25 Hz and crunched Tech kicks out about 2 dB more output very serious subwoofer. out a league-leading 110.1 dB sPL; av- erage SPL was 106.5 dB over the 25 to than the PSB and about 4 dB more than VELODYNE VA-1215X 50-Hz range. Plain and simple, the HR- As mentioned, Velodyne has been in SW12V has the look of a barrel and can the Triad. If you don’t have a lot of be tough to position in a real-world liv- the subwoofer business for a long time, ing room, and its wired amplifier can be space for a powered subwoofer, but still and this sub’s topnotch performance tough to live with, too. But it goes the proves that the company has this act lowest and plays the loudest here, and it demand good all-around performance, down. The VA-1215X ($999) features a earns top honors in terms of sheer per- 12-inch woofer, a 15-inch passive radi- formance. the relatively small PSB and Triad score again. As is true with any purchase, the best way to find the sub that’s right for you is to audition every model that catches your attention. The place to do this is at a specialty A/v dealership—specialty dealers are the only ones who’ll be able to give you demos that are fair and thorough. Keep in mind that it’s very tough to hear the difference between, say, 27 and 25 Hz, though 3-dB differ- ences in output are appreciable. And don’t forget to factor in the ease or dif- ficulty with which any particular model will integrate with your system—if you can’t use it properly, it really doesn’t matter how good it sounds. | For more information on any subwoofer re- viewed in this story, please circle the appro- priate number on this issue’s reader service card: Allison NL-5400P (100), Altec Lans- ing PSW10 (101), Cerwin-Vega HT-12PWR (102), Hsu Research HRSW12V (103), KEF Model 30B AV (104), Klipsch SW12 Series II (105), M&K MX-125 (106), Phase Tech- nology Octave 1.0 (107), PSB Subsonic III (108), Triad InRoom Silver (109), Velodyne VA-1215X (110). 48 DECEMBER 1995 VIDEO Pee A Te er DPE ee