video-magazine-1995-09

———_— INCORPORASOTUNID N&IGMAGE Sony’s High-Flying DSS Package Tes’ Pioneer | ProScan DIGITAN SEPTEMBER 1995 USA $2.95 CANADA $3.95 penance ~ ie hee

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ViDCUSEPTEMBER 1995 ey ee 24 HEAVEN SENT ViDEOTest exclusive: Sony’s first DSS package tested 28 BATTLE STARS Next-generation videogame systems artive Compared: Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation 35 SURROUNDED Dolby Surround AC-3 digital surround sound lives up to all of the hype 41 PIONEER SD-P6081 60-inch rear-projection TV 44 PROSCAN MODEL 35190 35-inch TV set 47 MARANTZ av600 Preamp/tuner/surround processor 61 IMAGE CONSCIENCE Tony Oursler’s psychological projection 64 NEW TECH Videonics edit controller camcorder 67 VIDEOTEST JVC GR-SZ9 S-VHS-C 71 SHORTWARE Sanyo 8mm camcorder, Sima edit controller 83 SMOOTH OPERATOR Microsoft’s Windows 95 87 NEW TECH NEC 6x CD-ROM player 88 VIDEOTEST Toshiba MM20E45 TIMM multimedia TV 90 SOFTWIRE 7he Ultimate Frank Lloyd Wright 6 CHANNEL ONE Down to Earth 9 FEEDBACK TV calibration, DSS artifacts 13 FAST FORWARD Yen- dollar anxieties, HDTV in 97? 18 BIT STREAMS wPcc compression and DSS 51 NEW TECH Sharp 35-inch TV/VCR 57 SHORTWARE Samsung TV set, Mirage bipoles, Panasonic VCR 75 SOFTWIRE Interview With the Vampire, Disclosure, 500 Nations 128 OFF THE AIR Interactive TV trials and tribulations ON THE COVER Sony's SAS-AD1 (page 24) COVER PHOTO Tony Cordoza

VIDEO ® TV FROM OUTER SPACE. I’VE ALWAYS LIKED THE BILL WOLFE ring of that—has an X Files kind of vibe to it. Editor-in-Chief Apparently, I’m not alone. Though it didn’t make Executive Editor MARC HOROWITZ Nightline, history of the consumer-electronics kind Technical Editor LANCELOT BRAITHWAITE Senior Editors PETER BARRY has been made: Sometime this fall, the one millionth Digital Satellite System (DSS) dish will be planted on someone’s roof or lawn. Need a point of ROB SABIN reference? About 30,000 compact disc players were sold in the year following Art Director LAURA SUTCLIFFE that format’s debut. & DSS-—recently bolstered by new packages from Sony Managing Editor MIKE METTLER (see our exclusive test of their top gun, beginning on page 24)—certainly has a lot going for it. The handy dish wouldn't look out of place holding a Associate Editors JOSEF KREBS family-style portion of pasta on your dining room table. You only need to CHUCK TANNERT reach out and make a call to hook up with the programmers. Dozens of pay-per-view options put an end to video-shop late fees. Incredible sports Associate Art Director Ml KHOO packages let you pick the game you want to see, whether you’re following Assistant Art Director GARY FRENCH da Bulls, da Bears, or da Bruins. And on-screen menus make surfing the wide DSS sea a breeze. ®@ The fine print: By law, DSS can’t broadcast Project Coordinator BARBARA AIKEN Database Manager JOSE L. GARCIA local channels in most areas, so cable or a standard TV antenna usually is a necessity. Programming may drop out when a nasty storm assaults Contributors Stewart Applegath, Michael Desmond, M. Faust, Paul Gluckman, Pete Hisey, Ken Korman, your home. And, as Ken Pohimann explains in his first “Digital Reality” Daniel Kumin, Timothy Liebe, Tom Miiller, Kevin Miller, column (page 18), the MPEG coding that’s used to squeeze all of DSS’s Mel Neuhaus, Tom Nousaine, Ken C. Pohlmann, digital channels into the available bandwidth can introduce picture artifacts. Cliff Roth, Andy Wickstrom, James K. Willcox @ DSS programmers are actively seeking solutions to these problems; advances in MPEG coding have already netted marked improvements in TONY CATALANO Vice President and Group Publisher picture quality. In fact, current “MPEG-11/2” pictures are generally on par with the sound we were getting from compact discs back in 1983, CONSUMER ELECTRONICS GROUP ADVERTISING Bill Dopeone year after that format’s debut. And look where the CD is today. Publisher, VIDEO: Jay Rosenfield 212.767.6062 VP and Associate Publisher: Scott Constantine 212.767.6346 Regional VP/Ad Director, East Coast: Charles L.P. Watson 212.767.6038 Regional Account Manager, East Coast: 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 Operations Manager: Sylvia Correa Advertising Coordinator: Adele Ferraioli 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 HIF MA viveo magazine (tm) Haat > 1S PUBLISHED BY flachette HACHETTE FILIPACCHI oyGircuistons Magazines MAGAZINES, INC. Member Chairman: Daniel Filipacchi President, CEO, & COO: David J. Pecker Executive VP, Editorial Director: Jean-Louis Ginibre Senior VP, Global Advertising: Paul DuCharme Senior VP, Director of Corporate Sales: Nicholas Matarazzo President, Hachette Filipachhi New Media: Paul De Benedictis VP, Marketing Director, Corporate Creative Service Director: Lynn Chaiken VP, General Counsel: Catherine Flickinger VP, Manufacturing & Distribution: Anthony Romano VP, Circulation: David W. Leckey VP, Research & Marketing Services: Susan Smollens VP, Communications & Special Projects: Keith Estabrook VP, Magazine Development: Marcia Sachar Creative Production Director, Global Marketing: Jean Pierre Labatut

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Adcom would eeke_e R excess of how sophisticated your stereo A and video system is, it may never achieve wy its full performance if plugged directly into an Again, The Critics Agree AC outlet. Raw and unprocessed AC power can severely diminish the clarity of audio signals and “Electronic equipment (especially digital audio gear) is reduce the resolution of your video picture. vulnerable to both annoying and catastrophic power-line problems. Your stereo gear should have line spike and ADCOM’s ACE-515 AC Enhancer significantly surge protection, with hash filters thrown in too. Line improves the performance capabilities of your protection—you can pay a little for it now, or you can system by filtering and processing raw AC power, pay a lot for it later.” unveiling a pure, noise-free power source. —Ken Pohlman, AUDIO, November 1987. Listen To The Critics For a modest investment, the ADCOM ACE-515 “|. the effective suppression of AC ‘RF hash’ by the enhances both audio and video clarity while ACE-5I5 improved clarity and lowered noise in all three CD protecting your equipment from damaging line players. . . .the significant improvements in instrumental and voltage disturbances. Once again, ADCOM vocal harmonic retrieval and hall ambience are superb... . lives up to its reputation of offering superior it simply appears to allow musical information to be passed performance at a reasonable cost. For complete through to the listener with less veil and electronic ‘haze. ” technical data, please visit your Adcom dealer. You'll discover the ACE-515 is more than an —Lewis Lipnick, Sterecphile, Vol. 11 No. 4, April 1988. accessory. It’s a necessity. Recommended accessory in Stereophile, Vol. 12 No. 4, ADCOM April 1989. details you can hear Line Protection: It Pays For Itself The ACE-515 also protects your valuable equipment from harmful high-voltage spikes and surges. And, its sequential turn-on/turn-off control circuit guards your speakers from disturbing, damaging thumps. Il Elkins Road, East Brunswick, NJ 08816 U.S.A. (201) 390-1130 Distributed in Canada by PRO ACOUSTICS INC. Pointe Claire, Quebec H9R 4X5 ©1989 ADCOM CIRCLE NO. 10 ON READER SERVICE CARD

FEEDBAC K KANE GANG As a TV-calibration specialist trained | read “Citizen Kane” [June 1995] with by the ISF, I'd like to comment on the interest, having just spent a substan- statements made by several TV mak- tial amount of time assessing current ers in “Glass Act.” If whites look pink, large-screen sets, including the it's probably the result of a careless ProScan version of IDTV, which uses calibration; if anything, D6500 [a pic- a doubled scan rate. Scan lines and ture that’s calibrated to the NTSC other defects can be quite distracting standard of 6,500 degrees Kelvin and with large screens, as Joe Kane appropriate footlambert figures] will notes, and neither IDTV nor rear-pro- display a white field with a light but- jection displays seemed good enough tery quality. Claims that D6500 pro- to pursue several years ago. But duces pictures that are too warm and progress has been made. | find that | look good only in dark rooms are not like the current IDTV rear-projection true in my experience; though there picture—enough to finally vote for it may be a slight loss in absolute with my purchasing dollars. brightness as measured in footlam- berts, my customers feel that color in- Michael D. Zuteck formation previously buried in exces- Kemah, TX sive blues comes alive. As for claims that D6500 doesn’t appeal to most In your interview with Joe Kane, he consumers, my direct experience the layout and features are great!” said that the screen of a rear-projec- again indicates otherwise, provided And Bob Gould, at 70263.504 tion TV should always be replaced for that the video source material is of better performance. I’m entertaining high quality: D6500 is simply going to @compuserve.com, added, “I think the possibility of upgrading the screen be less tolerant of MPEG-1, mass-du- the magazine is much improved, of my RCA P52152ST 52-incher; to plicated VHS software, and carelessly with much better coverage of audio whom should | talk? Are there any constructed, maintained, and operat- subjects complementing the good certified techs in my area? Do | need ed cable systems. video equipment coverage.” to get the TV recalibrated if | replace its screen? Louis A. Carliner problem—a beautiful still picture with Perfect Vision Tuneup an occasional awful moving picture Paul Keisler isn’t an acceptable compromise in my Clemson, SC Rockville, MD book. What does this problem portend [email protected] for the future quality of video in gener- Most consumers use VHS and/or ca- al? Will digital VCRs suffer the same Call 407.997.9073 for the name of a ble as their primary source(s). —Ed. problems? Will digital videodiscs? Digital video from the phone compa- local Kane-trained tech. Da-Lite DISH-APPOINTED nies? I’m sincerely concerned that the | was one of the first in my area to buy industry is taking a step backward in (219.267.8101) manufactures re- a DSS package. The promise of digi- picture quality. tal audio was fulfilled: The stereo placement screens; depending on the sound is, for the most part, great. But Douglas Dobbins I've been disappointed by the frequent Mauldin, SC screen being replaced, the TV may and extremely annoying digital arti- facts in the picture. It seems that I’ve been a confirmed audio/video- require recalibration. — Ed. MPEG video compression/decompres- phile for years, so you can imagine sion can’t “keep up” when there’s a my delight when DSS came on the GLASS HOUSES rapid picture change. And | think scene. | initially was ecstatic with the | enjoyed your June issue, and I’m you’ve underplayed the extent of the video and audio quality—as good as pleased that you’ve kept the perspec- laserdisc to my eyes and ears. Rain tive of the Imaging Science Founda- VIDEO, “Feedback” and snow cause minor short-term sig- tion [ISF] in your TV reviews. This 633 Broadway, 45th flo nal loss (but not nearly as bad as ca- was apparent in “Glass Act” [July/ ble, which sometimes gets screwed August 1995], too. From the quotes of New York, NY 1001) some of the TV manufacturers’ execu- VIDEO SEPTEMBER 1995 9 tives, | can see that videophiles who desire a TV that correctly and accu- rately follows all of the NTSC stan- dards are going to have a very difficult time of it. Rob Egan Califon, NJ [email protected]

Definitive Technology* PNavUe) ahh4=ve mBY-v-1(=) 85) - Alaska Audio: Juneave Hoitt’s: Fairbanks» Pyramid: Anchorage. - Cohen’s Electronics: Montgomery Kincaid’s TV: uscaloosae Likis Audio: Birmingham. - Custom A/V: Little Rock. - Jerry's Audio Video: Phoenix, Tucson. - Access to Music: Larkspur Accurate A/V: S, Lake Tahoes Audio Concepts: Long Beach, San Gabriek Bay Area Audio: San Jose*Chrisopher Hanser West LA*Coast Satellite: Atascadero, up for days), and | used to get some ventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Santa Mariae Creative Stereo: Santa Barbara, Venturae David interference on some channels (which Desert. Now | have to go out and rent Rutledge Audio: Palm Desert Digital Ear. Tustine Larson's: Red- turned out to be caused by the prox- Little Buddha! ding» Monterey Stereo: Montereye Pacific Coast A/V: Newport imity of my microwave oven to my Beactr Paradyme: SacramentoPerformance Audio: San _ dish!). In the last few months, though, Thomas K. Biddle Francisco» Sound Co.: EscondidoS,an Diegor Systems Design I've noticed a substantial degradation Denver Redondo Beache Videotek: Wesminsters Westchester TV:j of the picture quality on DirecTV, par- Bakersfiekis Wilson A/V: Woodland Hills. ticularly during fast-action scenes and [email protected] £2- ALlisFtreannklriin'sD:envHearr,tloBrodueldCearr,stCoonl’osraAduodisopiVniedse.o: scene-to-scene shifts. If squeezing Danburye Robert's Audio Video: New London. more channels into the same spec- WIDESCREAM © Suburbs- Audio Buys. trum at some point results in a notice- | own a 40-inch Mitsubishi direct-view - Sound Studio: Newark, Wilmington. able loss in quality, I’d prefer fewer and refuse to buy any more so-called - Absolute Sound: Winter Parke Audio Advisors: West channels with high quality to more “widescreen-version” laserdiscs. What ‘alm Beache Audio Center: Deerfield Beach Hoyt Stereo: channels accompanied by noticeable is it with letterbox [LBx]? What’s the Jacksonvillee Palm Audio: Destine Sound Components: degradation. attraction? What’s the benefit? Annoy- Coral Gablese Sound Ideas: Gainesvilles Sound Insight: Ft. ances and displeasure—are they ad- Piercee Stereotypes: Daytona Beach Stereo World: Ft. Alan Kennedy mirable? | didn’t buy a big-screen TV Myers, Naplese Stuart A/V:Stuart. x Superior, WI so they could take it away from me— GhAudio Warehouse: Savannahe Ken’s Stereo Junction: with some LBX LDs | lose a foot of acone Merit TV: Columbuse Stereo Connections: screen, and, I’m sure, some picture Valdostas Stereo Festival: Atlantae Stereo Shop: Martinez. content. - Audio Center: Honolulu. Fyn - Audio King: Cedar Rapids, Des Moines» Audio Video G. Chlebda ogic: Des Moinese Archer Audio Video: Ft Dodge* Camera Fairfax, VA Corner: pesos z - Good Ear: Boise* Wise Buy: Idaho Falls. While the masking bars that appear - United Audio Centers: Chicago & Suburbs» Camera on your screen do cut into overall im- orner: Bloomingtone Cars & Stereos: Rockfords Jon's age size, you aren't losing content. In Home Center: Quincye Sound Forum: Crystal Lakes Select fact, you're gaining it, since you get to Sound: Napervilles Sundown A/V:Springfield. see the sides of the image, which are - Ovation Audio: Clarksville, Indianapolis. : cut off in versions that fit a conven- - Accent Sound: Overland Parke Advance Audio: tional 4:3 screen. Widescreen discs ichitae Audio Junction: Junction City. present complete images, and the ex- Y- Ovation Audio: Lexington, Louisville. See Ken C. Pohlmann’s straight-talk- tra (original) width enables you to be - Alterman Audio: New Orleans, Metairie, Covingtone Sound enveloped by them—if you move ing report on MPEG and DSS [“Bit close enough to your TV, and if doing vice: Baton Rouges Wright's Sound Gallery: Shreveport. so doesn’t make your set's “line struc- NA- Cookin’: Saugus* Goodwins Audio: Boston, ture” an annoying displeasure. —Ed. rewsburye Nantucket Sound: Hyannis. Streams,” which begins on page 18] - Audio Buys: Annapolis, Gaithersburg, Laurel, Rockville, Wal CORRECTIONS and his review of Sony’s SAS-AD1 In “Divide & Conquer” (July/August » Gramophone: Balt., Ellicott Citys Soundscape: Baltimore. 1995), we incorrectly stated that ME- Cookin’: Portland» Sound Source: Bangor. laserdiscs store chroma and lumi- - Pecar's: Detroit Troy Classical Jazz HollandeClassic Stereo: [page 24]. As for future formats, nance information separately; in fact, lamazoo, Grand Rapdse Front Row A/V: Flint Future Sound they store it as a single, composite MPEG-2 appears to be the compres- signal. Ypsilantie Court St. Listening Room: Midland, Saginaw. _ uN.Audio Designs: Winonae Audio King: Minneapolis & sion scheme of choice, and picture In “Eyes on the Prize” (July/August urbs, Rochester, St. Clouds Audio Pertection: Minneapolis. 1995), we mistated the price of Fox- MO- Independence A/V: Indep. Sound Central: St Louis. quality will depend on the sophistica- Video’s True Lies; it’s $50. - McLelland TV: Hattiesburge ee A/V: Ridgeland.. - Car & Home Stereo Center: Billingse Rocky Mountain tion of the encoding algorithms as In “SoftWire” (June 1995), we mis- i Fi; Great Falls. named Jim Carrey’s paramour in The NC- Audio Video Systems: Charlottes Audio Visions: Wilm- well as on choices made by the pro- Mask—his lovely co-star was Cam- ingtone Now Audio Video: Durham, Greensboro, Raleigh, Win- eron Diaz, not Amy Yasbeck. grammers. —Ed. ston Saleme Audio Lab: Wilmingtone Tri City Elect.: Conover. Charlie Sheen was dressed as a - Custom Electronics: Omaha, Lincoln. clown, not in drag, at the end of The - Cookin’: Nashua, Manchester, Newington, Salem, S. Nashua. Chase (“Off the Air,” June 1995). And - Hal's Stereo: Trentone Monmouth Stereo: Shrewsbury, FOCUS GROUP though he was reciting lines from ‘alle Sound Waves: Northfield» Woodbridge Stereo: West | recently purchased a Sony TR700 Apocalypse Now, they were Robert Caldwell, Woodbridge. camcorder. When | set it to AUTO and Duvall’s lines, not Martin Sheen’s. - Ultimate Elect.: Albuquerque Sound Ideas: Albuquerque. record large groups of people, the fo- - Ultimate Elect.: Las Vegase Upper Ear: Las Vegas. cus doesn’t lock on the people—it - Audio Breakthroughs: Manhasset» Audio Den: Lake simply sways back and forth. Will | al- rovee Audio Expressions: Newburghe Audio Junction: ways have to set it to manual in this Watertowne Clark Music: Albany, Syracuse* Stereo scenario? Exchange: Manhattan, Nanuet» Hart Elect.: Vestale Innova- tive Audio: Brooklyne Listening Room: Scarsdales Rowe Danny Mavromatis Camera: Rochestere Sound Mill: Mt. Kisco, Yorkto ° Kirkland, WA Speaker Shop: Amherst, Butfaloe Stellar Stereo:| i Ok-Contemporary Sds: OkCitys K Labs Premium Audio: Tulsa. [email protected] - Audio Craft: Akron, Cleveland, Mayfield Hts., Westlake Audio Etc.: Daytone Paragon Sound: Toledo. Technical editor Lance Braithwaite OR- Bradford's HiFi: Eugenes Chelsea A/V: Portland, replies: The TR700’s autofocus (AF) Beaverton Kelly's Home Ctr.: Saleme Larson’s: Medford, system is very speedy, reacting quick- Roseburge Stereo Plant: Bend. ly to what it perceives as a change in fA.Gary’s Elect.: State Colleges GNT Stereo: Lancastere subject distance. A good solution is to art Elect.: Blakely, Kingstone HiFi House: Abington, focus on the closest (usually the Broomalle Listening Post: Pittsburghe Palmer Audio: largest) subject in the AF sweet-spot Allentowne Stereoland: Natrona Heights. window. - Stereo Discount Center: Providence. _ z - A/V Design: Charlestone Upstairs Audio: Columbia. - Audio King: Sioux Falls. - College HiFi: Chattanoogae Hi Fi Buys: Nashvilles Now udio Video: Knoxvilles Modern Music: Memphise New Wave Elect.: Jackson: Sound Room: Johnson City. i Home Entertainment: Dallas, Houstone Audio Tech: emple, Wacor Audio Video: College Statione Brock A/V: Beaumonte Bunkley's Sd. Systems: Abilene Bjorn's: San_ Antonios High Fidelity: Austine Krystal Clear: Dallas Marvin Electronics: Ft. Worthe Sd. Box: San Angelo» Sd. Quest: El Paso» Sd. Systems: AmarilloSsd.Towne: Texarkana 4 Ipine Elect: Provos AudioWorks: Salt Lake Citye Crazy ob’s: St. acne: Stokes Bros.: Logane Ultimate Elect.: Layton, Murray, Orem, Salt Lake City. - Audio Buys: Arlington, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassase udio Connection: Virginia Beache Audiotronics: Roanokee Home Media Store: Richmonds Stereo Type: Charlottesville. - Audio Video Authority: S. Burlington. 4 - Definitive Audio: Bellevue, Seattle» Evergreen Audio: THE TITTER END ilverdale Pacific St. &Sd.: Wenatchee Tin Ear: Kennewick. Thanks for recognizing the fun that W.VA- Sound Post: Princeton. occurs after the credit sequences in dio Emporium: Milwaukeee Absolute Sound & some movies [“Off the Air,” June f soma! Co Sound World: Wausau. 1995]. | howled at the end of The Aad- - io Piedras. - sound: Calgary, Edmonton, Kelowna, Vancou- ver & Suburbs, Victorias Advance Electronics: winnipeg: Bay Bloor Radio: Toronto» Centre Audio Charest: Trois Hivieres* CORA: Quebec Citys Digital Dynamics: Clearbrook Great West Audio: Londons L.ipton’s: New Market Ontarios Peak Audio: Halifaxe Sd. Room: Vancouvere StereoLand: Windsore 10 SEPTEMBE1R995 VIDEO Treble Clef: Ottawa. - Contact Grupo Volumen: Mexico City.

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Alone2: Speechless *1352509 Close Encounters *1273002 _™{25T909°~TLioNesw tYork *1327709 Journey To The Far Side Of The Third Kind *1314905 The Prince Of Tides “0847103 Scent Of AWoman “1121300 Of The Sun *1352400 (Special Edition) *1174804 Conan The Barbarian *0220509 *1345503 Natural Born Killers Rising Sun *1033208 My Cousin Vinny 1033109 The Shawshank Sleepless In Seattle *1154905 Wolf Basic Instinct *0203505 *0844605 Redemption Jaws “1077908 Star Trek: *0201301 Under Siege *0202507 Godzilla vs. Monster 0417907 The Motion Picture Chinatown *0181008 Zero *0201608 Silverado Star Trek Il: The Making Of Jurassic Park The Wrath Of Khan (Special Edition) 1372606 Top Gun 0426908 Star Trek Ill: Priscilla Queen Of 11345206 The Search For Spock The Desert Blown Away “1291301 Star Trek IV: *0430603 2001: A Space Odyssey *0844308 Bram Stoker's Dracula “1102904 Dragon: The *1150705 The Voyage Home “1247709 Total Recall “1286103 Bruce Lee Story *1001007 In the Name Of The *1071406 Big “1336601 0001404 Star Trek VI: The *0364901 Father Maverick *1297209 The Wizard OfOz Undiscovered Country The Client “1300409 *1106301 The Last Of The A Few Good Men *0881102 Predator Mohicans (1992) CT8H1hoo9elum9usp5Tmea,hbneiya Abyss Predator 2 *0104307 E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial *0681106 to build a collection provided by the date specified. 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FAS TF FO R WAR D guided tour Guide Plus+ decoder. StarSight also requires a Guide Plus+, an on-screen decoder (available built program guide, is slated into TVs and VCRs or as to debut in TVs and VCRs a standalone box), but early next year. Along they charge setup and with VideoGuide [“Fast monthly subscription fees Forward,” January 1995], of $15 and under $4, Guide Plus+ is a serious respectively. Gemstar can challenger to StarSight (“The Year’s Best,” 2a a NE Married ... Children § | January 1995]. MARSED Al scoffs at sugges- § | Developed by Gemstar, | tion to hire profes- the company that invented | dvd watch the VCR Plus+ sional for leak. || The digital videodisc player's laser are much ; | 6:00p 30m (CC) (DVD) format war is smaller. In addition, EFM VCR-programming system, getting fiercer every day. (eight-to-fourteen NBC 4 News at 6 e Though the first DVD modulation) and error- Guide Plus+ shares players aren't due to hit A/v correction coding are ABC 7 Eyewitness News at 6 shops until sometime next vastly improved, greatly SEMSIG; hESy Pesie; Se 7 sae year, both the Sony/Philips increasing efficiency. CBS 2 CBS Evening News and Toshiba/Time Warner e There’s no further news systems display program camps are talking about on the standardization lPiasrtings, complete wit. h NBC \"lia4 NewsMaried at W6ith Children DVD recorders. At front. Maneuvering by the show summaries, on your presstime, Sony was on competing camps has so PBS 28 Nightly Business ... the verge of announcing far failed to yield any real TV via the TV signal’s KRoCoAmL ie9? oInasnide erEideition movement toward the vertical blanking interval tentative technical specs universal ideal: a single (vB!). But the two systems KSCI 18 News for a recordable DVD that DVD standard. are far from identical. could debut as early as afford to offer their service 1997. Political and — Marc Horowitz The big plus for Guide free thanks to an economic issues have Plus+ is that the service is innovative arrangement surfaced again, of course, free; to get it, all you need with the ABC TV network: as they do whenever a to do is buy a TV or VCR Guide Plus+ data technology “threatens” to that’s equipped with a will be carried on the empower consumers with network's VBI; in the ability to make digital exchange, the copies of films or other programming with no loss pass the buck studying a selling Japan-sourced gear in quality. Questions about copyright protection and As the U.S. dollar wilted mere 2-percent in the U.S. are affected, royalties will probably against the Japanese yen price increase on some prove more complex than in the early summer heat, VCRs, camcorders, and most are reluctant to raise the nuts and bolts of a audio components. Many prices drastically because DVD recorder’s operation. most major Japan-based manufacturers report that e Sony has provided a few A/V manufacturers were they'll make up the they don’t want to plant an more specifics on the studying wholesale price difference in areas invisible play-only DVD they're to consumers, such as obstacle in frontofbuyers. developing with Philips. increases on selected video cutbacks in funds paid to The MMCD (multimedia and audio-for-video dealers for local advertising. Pioneer, which was compact disc) differs from the music CD in a number components. It's been a The slowing U.S. considering price increases of important ways:.Ituses tough 12 months for economy may actually help: of up to 3 percent in June, MPEG-2 digital compression While all manufacturers [see “Bit Streams,” page Japanese subsidiaries now say they probably 18], and the size and pitch operating in the United won't raise prices at all on of the pits read by the States, as the dollar's spring-time plunge was 1Vs and other high-volume estimated to have raised components. _ manufacturing costs by 20 percent since last fall. _ — Paul Gluckman Though price hikes may be imposed on retailers this fall, consumers may not notice much of a ripple. At presstime, for example, Sony was said to be VIDEO SEPTEMBER 1995 13

displays up to three time Digital VCR. slots simultaneously, network and its affiliates while Guide Plus+ tape talk work group. Meanwhile, receive preferential presents only a single Sony and Thomson positioning on the guide’s slot. In addition, JVC and RCA may have predict that the first DVC display. StarSight gives viewers made a splash by camcorders for consumers more ways to customize introducing the D-VHS could hit A/v shops roughly StarSight’s advantage is the displays, and their format this summer one year from now; pricing that their listings are far displays are easier on [“Feedback,” June 1995], may be about $2,000. more comprehensive than your eyes. but that hasn’t slowed Guide Plus+. They provide work on the digital The format, which isn’t a week's worth of Guide Plus+ does offer videocassette (DVC) backward-compatible with information, while Guide one thing that the current the VHS format, Plus+ is generally incarnation of StarSight format. A tweaked version accommodates two confined to 2-day blocks. doesn’t, however: A of the format’s specs, different cassettes, each StarSight’s grid guide also unique “live” video which were first approved using 6-mm (0.25-inch) window (similar to a PIP) of by more than 50 metal tape. The larger the currently tuned cassette measures 4.9 x 3 channel is fully integrated manufacturers over a year x 0.6 inches (h/w/d) and into the listings. ago [“Fast Forward,” July records 4.5 hours of 1994], was recently standard-definition (SD) Gemstar says they have approved as HDTV- licensing agreements with compatible by an FCC most major TV and VCR manufacturers. Expect Hitachi, JVC, Magnavox, and Panasonic to be the first to offer the guide. — Marjorie Costello Viewers excited by the programming. But the $5,000 for a rear- minded legislators in prospect of high-definition same bandwidth could projection set, and, Washington—has hinted television (HDTV) had a carry as many as four perhaps, about $3,500 for that it'll let broadcasters good-news/bad-news digital NTSC channels. a 32-inch direct-view set— make their own choices summer. RCA and Zenith Most local affiliates prefer will mean that relatively regarding the second promised that HDTV sets four standard-resolution few people will be able to channel. This might not be would be available in channels, since a afford to watch HDTV a terrible compromise, as 1997, while the parent conventional TV set could channels. Broadcasters long as some HDTV NBC network has can't collect advertising channels get on the air. committed to broadcasting receive them with the dollars if they don’t have After all, do we really need at least some HDTV addition of a compatible viewers, and many to see news, sitcoms, talk programming by then. digital-decoding black box affiliates say they need ad shows, and home The embattled FCC also (HDTV channels can only dollars to offset the cost of shopping in high-def? completed final testing of be received and displayed upgrading their facilities the digital HDTV format, by HDTV sets). for HDTV (which can easily Broadcasters know that clearing the way for its run into millions of dollars). they need to get moving, official approval next This concerns most local though. The DSS and spring. But arguments affiliates, since the high The FCC—whose Primestar satellite systems over what to do with the cost of early-generation powers are being assailed are already ahead of them HDTV standard’s HDTV sets— expected to by deregulation- on the technology curve, “second channel,” and be a minimum of about the cable industry is busy concerns voiced by local working on digital cable broadcast affiliates, still service, and the telephone hover like thunderheads. companies are tweaking compression algorithms in The second channel in an attempt to squeeze question was originally multiple channels of intended to carry an HDTV programming with high- channel plus conventional quality pictures and sound (analog) NTSC through conventional phone lines. |—Bill Wolfe 14 SEPTEMBER 1995 VIDEO

video with 500 lines of generated excessive heat. bright spots poly/silicon layer that was horizontal resolution or It was something of a 2.25 hours of high- surprise, therefore, when Panasonic has begun added to the thin-film- definition (HD) video. The Mitsubishi announced that selling two projectors smaller cassette, which is they'll introduce a flat, that incorporate an transistor (TFT) LCD panel. intended for use in DVC 40-inch plasma TV within innovative liquid-crystal- camcorders, measures 2.6 12 months. display (LCD) technology This layer gives each x 1.9 x 0.48 inches (h/w/d) that the company says and holds 1 hour of SD or The company claims to offers better brightness pixel its own aperture, 0.5 hour of HD video. have solved the brightness characteristics than and contrast problems, conventional LCD allowing more light to Unlike D-VHS decks, though they're still working models. DVC components will on a way to satisfactorily Designed for pass through. incorporate analog-to- dissipate heat. The the profes- digital and digital-to- 40-incher will be extremely sional Both models can be analog converters, so expensive at first, and it you'll be able to connect a could take several years market used as either front or DVC component directly to for it to come as low as conventional audio/video even $5,000. (though rear projectors, with sources and TV sets; a that desig- D-VHS-style digital- Just don’t hold your images measur- bit-stream input and output breath for screens larger nation proba- are also part of the spec. than 40 inches or with the ing up to 300 resolution required for high bly won't deter —Rob Sabin definition: Current plasma dedicated “ama- inches in technology allows high teurs”), the DataPro Lite plasma attack contrast and brightness or Ill (PT-L890U, $8,500) is diagonal high resolution, but not rated at a very bright 350 ) and Engineers have wanted to both. Initially, executives ANSI lumens, while its build flat TV sets that you at Mitsubishi say, we'll sibling, the DataPro Lite II \"having could hang on a wall since have to settle for the 1930s. Liquid-crystal “state-of-the-art NTSC (PT-L290U, price not 640 x 480 displays (LCDs) generally performance.” available) is said to have been their deliver 200 ANSI lumens. RGB resolution. medium of choice, and —Lance Braithwaite the technology has Their brightness is They both accept progressed to the point mouse party attributed to a 1.3-inch where it's given us thin, flat ! composite and TVs—but the biggest Disney is the latest production model only has media company to jump S-Video signals; the a 20-inch screen size. into interactive TV. The Plasma displays, in which company recently Data-Pro lll also accepts — a hot and glowing gas-like announced that it'll join mass of charged particles three Baby Bells— compressed S-VGA and is manipulated by the Ameritech, BellSouth, and video signal, have also SBC (parent of MAC signals, while the shown promise, though Southwestern Bell)—in prototypes have come up Media Ventures, Inc. DataPro || accepts VGA short on brightness and contrast and have Under the agreement, and MAC signals. Disney will provide programming and The valise-sized projectors weigh 18.3 and 19.8 pounds, respectively. —LB promote the network, telcos to transmit MVI’s which has yet to be named. The media programming, while other giant will also assist with the development program providers could of an on-screen operating system that'll create programming help users navigate the network’s many options. for MVI’s network. The telcos, meanwhile, No timetable was will supply the local hardware and software given for the network’s required to deliver the programming and launch. —RS enable two-way interactivity. They'll also try to entice their cur- rent phone and cable-TV customers, who number 50 million in 19 states, to sign up. Like some interactive-TV developers, MVI wants to use an “open architecture.” That would enable other VIDEO SEPTEMBER 1995 15

“Phantom Speaker Effect Only Yamaha Cinema D to fully replicate a multi- S, ~ 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. o 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

YAMAHA cum nines sven recentn ncveres The RX-V2090. Easy-to-use features plus state-of-the-art technology. Like 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. © Ofcourse, 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

MPEG coding in theory and T STREAMSpractice, from 22,300 miles in space N THE WORDS OF ONE BEER COM- structure is out there, carrying trillions each of them, yielding a total bit rate of of bits of digital data per second. The 201 Mbps. A conventional 650 mega- mercial, the world today is a pretty problem is how you connect to it. byte optical disc (like the music CD) cool place. It’s a high-tech, plugged- Whether you’re sitting at home or driv- could store about 26 seconds of this dig- in cybertooth zoo, careening be- ing to the Dairy Queen, your personal itized video program, and, at the play- tween a doctoral lecture on quantum access to information—that last mile back rate of a conventional CD player, mechanics and savage jungle war- from the vast network to the individual it’d take 72 minutes to play that 26-sec- fare. The area between Things That user—remains limited. ond segment back. Have Already Been Invented and Things That Are Impossible Because of The problem is not the information it- Yes, it’s a vast, thick data milkshake the Laws of Physics is starting to show self, but the volume of data needed to out there, and the straws we currently distinct signs of shrinkage. Never think, convey it and the means we currently use to suck it up are very thin. The cop- though, that all of the really cool things have of doing so. The magnitude of dig- per wire that brings phone and cable-TV have already been invented—the best is ital data required to code a simple video service into our homes—and will bring yet to come. But a number of very stub- program, for example, is enormous. much more in the near term—isn’t capa- born problems remain, and they’ll im- Most American homes receive “stan- ble of conveying much in the way of pede progress until we find a way dard” video, an analog composite signal digital video data. So we have two around them. One of the biggest prob- adhering to the NTSC standard, with a choices: We can buy a bigger straw, lems concerns the “last mile.” bandwidth of 4.2 MHz. To digitize it, which sounds simple but isn’t, since the Currency speculators will be the first the Nyquist theorem, which governs all cost of running high-bandwidth cabling to tell you that the nations of the world efforts at digitization, demands a sam- into American homes would run into the now have a common currency. It’s pling frequency of 8.4 MHz. At 8 bits hundreds of billions of dollars. The bet- called information. It flashes around the per sample (8 bits is the length of the ter choice, then, is to thin the milkshake globe at near-light speed—in the form typical digital “word,” or “byte”), this a little by reducing large data files to a of news, gossip, transactions, documen- yields a data stream that’ll flow at 67.2 smaller size, so they flow through the tation, jokes, education, entertainment, megabits per second (Mbps). Because a last mile at a quicker, more efficient color image is comprised of red, green, speed. and much, much more—for anyone who and blue components, this rate must be cares to plug in and pull it out of the multiplied by three to accommodate There are a number of brute-force ether. An absolutely incredible infra- ways to reduce the size of a video file. The frame rate can be reduced, the size of the image can be reduced, and/or the number of bits used to code colors can be reduced. These tricks are routinely used in the universe of multimedia PCs and the World Wide Web, with results that aren’t even up to VHS standards. A more subtle trick is to decrease a file’s size by examining the file for irrel- evant information within each frame as well as over a series of frames; once identified, the redundant data can be eliminated. This technique can be very efficient at preserving picture quality, while delivering the low bit rate we need to fit video through our straws. There are a number of audio/video data-reduction standards, but the MPEG standards (devised by the Motion Pic- ture Experts Group) are among the best and most commonly used. These stan- 18 SEPTEMBER 1995 VIDEO

dards describe how to perform the cal- to those in MPEG-1. In one implementa- encoding algorithms aren’t fixed, so culations needed to reduce the data in tion, MPEG-2 specifies an NTSC video they can be optimized for particular video and audio files. Using the limita- resolution of 704 x 480 lines and a uses. In addition, MPEG encoders can be tions of our eyes and ears, as uncovered PAL/SECAM resolution of 704 x 576 improved and upgraded, while existing by psychovisual and psychoacoustic decoders that were designed to accom- testing, extraneous data can be careful- lines with data rates of 4 to 8 Mbps, a modate these encoder upgrades will au- ly deleted. Depending on the extent of 16:9 aspect ratio, and interlaced fields. tomatically convey the improved pic- the reduction, and the quality of the cal- ture and sound quality when they’re culations themselves, the effects of re- But that’s just one example. As men- phased in at the encoder. In other duction can range from imperceptible tioned, the MPEG-2 algorithm (and its to godawful. MPEG siblings) can accommodate a words, MPEG is a well designed but wide range of bit rates and produce var- flexible syntax that can be applied in The MPEG tale is pretty complex, but ious levels of picture resolution. The it appears that it'll be the basis of many WEB WATCH (if not all) future home audio/video ap- plications. The MPEG-1 standard came THANKS TO BIG-SCREEN TV SETS, SURROUND SOUND, AND DSS SYSTEMS, first, chronologically, and it’s the sim- plest in the MPEG family. It can reduce there’s almost no reason to leave your home. Once you plug into the Internet, you audio/video data rates by various de- grees, though the end result is always can simply have the carpenters board up the doors. The best part of the Internet, within range of the compact disc’s 1.41-Mbps data-transfer rate. This al- perhaps, is the World Wide Web, which has quickly become a multimedia extray- lows data files to be stored on CDs and transmitted over computer networks aganza of text, graphics, audio, and and other media such as DSS. video. As long as you’ve got a reason- — Using the MPEG-1 algorithm, broad- cast-quality video coded at 165 Mbps ably fast modem connection (a 14.4- a (the rate specified by the CCIR 601 kbps modem is the absolute minimum), standard, which is used for extremely high-end professional-caliber record- you can tap into the wild and wack ers) can be reduced to approximately 1.15 Mbps, a reduction ratio of 140:1. world of the Web. 1.41-Mbps audio data can be reduced to about 0.22 Mbps, a ratio of 7:1. The By the time you read this, | video and audio data are combined into a single data stream that, as mentioned, Forever will be ready to win has a total rate of 1.41 Mbps. General- ly, this is considered to be the minimum out of movie theaters, bu performance that’s acceptable for full- motion, full-screen digital video. In lucky, its Web site will stil other words, MPEG-1 is the thinnest straw anyone will buy. Log into http://www. The MPEG-2 standard uses a more and you'll find lots of ba sophisticated algorithm and provides of bat video. The compl higher picture quality than MPEG-1, though that comes at the expense of trailer is available as a higher bit rates. It’s also backward- compatible, so MPEG-2 decoders can ac- AVI videofile running at commodate an MPEG-1 bit stream. In addition, it provides a variety of video second. Thanksto resolutions: High (with rates less than per-second LAN connect 80 Mbps), High-1440 (less than 60 to download the 6.6-1 Mbps), Main (less than 15 Mbps), and minutes, even during Low (less than 4 Mbps). The MPEG-2 standard has been accepted for use in hour; a typical home the DVD and digital HDTV standards, and it can provide stereo or 5.1 digital have taken an hour toES , O'Donnell multichannel sound [see “Surrounded,” The tiny-screen video, which rv ersion, of course, but it page 35] using audio algorithms similar under 2.5 minutes, can’t compe sure whets your appetite—and You'll also find some excellent high: images and some great au- dio clips from the movie soundtrack( PJ Harvey, and others). A unique touch is that, after you down le audio-player software, you can listen to music directly from the site without having to download audio files first. This feature is hot right now and is spreading across the Web faster than newbies on their first browser stroll. Any Web crawler with a passing interest in music should also check into http://www.iuma.com, otherwise known as the Internet Underground Music Archive. This site has information on over 600 unsigned independent bands and artists. You’ll find MPEG audio clips, album covers, and other goodies on musi- cians ranging from the superb to the absolutely awful. If you’ve got a garage band, make sure you add your materials to the Archive, and join up with all the other permanently obscure and possibly famous musicians who are already jam- ming in cyberspace. —KCP PHOTOFEST VIDEO SEPTEMBER 1995 19

many ways, and in many different ap- of largely redundant frames is fully fect, MPEG can efficiently convey data plications, wherever data reduction is coded. From there, the coder simply over the last mile. needed. codes the differences it notes between that initial frame and the very similar SOMETIMES THAT METAPHORICAL LAST The coding process is similar for both ones that follow, using a process called MPEG-1 and MPEG-2. In short, a video “motion-compensated coding.” In this mile stretches quite a distance. In the signal is broken down into its base process, a “displacement vector”— case of the DSS direct broadcast satel- components, these components are ana- which you can think of as a simple di- lite (DBS) system, it literally runs lyzed, and those that are judged extra- rectional pointer—is coded to indicate 44,600 miles. DSS’s audio/video pro- neous are discarded. Though the long how many pixels the image in the cur- gramming consumes a lot of band- form wades into some pretty heavy tech rent frame has moved in relation to the width, due to the large number of chan- speak, it’s fascinating. same image in the previous frame. nels and the quality of their pictures and sound. Yes, it’s another thick milk- With a color video signal represented Accurate, fully coded frames do ap- shake. by red, green, and blue components, pear regularly in the bit stream, serving MPEG video reduction begins by con- as references for the motion-compen- And DSS’s straw is thin: The FCC verting these RGB “triplets” into three sated frames and minimizing the accu- only gives DirecTV and USSB, the signals—one luminance and two mulation of artifacts, or errors. In sum, DSS program providers, so much band- chrominance—for more efficient cod- both MPEG processes code three frame width to use in broadcasting their pro- ing. The two chrominance signals rep- types in a video sequence: Intra, Pre- gramming. The answer is data reduc- resent the difference between 1) the red dicted, and Bidirectional (1, P, and B). tion and data compression. and green components and 2) the green and blue components. Each video Accurate, fully DSS uses that portion of the spectrum frame is then divided into blocks, with coded frames serve known as the Ku band. Uplink signals each block corresponding to a square as a reference (those that transmit programming from multi-pixel area on the playback moni- for Bidirectional the service providers to the satellites) in tor. Next, the blocks are processed ac- as well as this band must fall between 17.2 and cording to a mathematical translation Predicted frames. 17.7 GHz, while downlink signals called a “Discrete Cosine Transform.” (those that broadcast programming When the processing is complete, the Intra frames—the “accurate, fully from the satellites to earthbound frame is represented by a set of num- coded frames” mentioned above—are bers called “two-dimensional frequency self-contained; as noted, they serve as dish/receiver systems) must lie between coefficients,” which delineate the fre- reference frames, aren’t referred to oth- 12.2 and 12.7 GHz. Within that spectral quency content that appears in each er frames via motion-compensated cod- limit, very few high-quality digital au- block. ing, and are only moderately com- dio/video channels could be conveyed pressed. Predicted frames are referred without data reduction or data compres- At this stage, the signal’s output val- to another frame (either a previous or sion. They’d look and sound great, but ues are no longer pixels; the coeffi- subsequent I or P frame), and they’re a few channels does not a world-beat- cients literally represent the level of en- more highly compressed using motion ing entertainment service make. ergy in each frequency. Transform an compensation. Bidirectional frames are image of nothing but finely spaced coded using a process called “‘interpola- DirecTV has determined that they stripes to 2-D coefficients, for example, tion prediction,” which codes an esti- need to offer roughly 200 channels to and you'd see a large value for the fre- mation of the original signal content us- satisfy the breadth of consumer demand quencies at which the stripe pattern was ing displacement vectors from both and turn a profit, so serious data reduc- repeated, while all other frequencies previous and subsequent I or P frames, tion is absolutely necessary. The MPEG- would have a value of zero. and they’re very highly compressed. 1 algorithm has been used since the launch of the DSS format in the sum- Once the signal is broken down into The trick is that the precise sequence mer of 1994, with MPEG-1 encoders 2-D coefficients, the actual data reduc- of I, P, and B frames, as well as the ex- working at the program providers’ up- tion can begin. It’s achieved by elimi- act number of each type in any given link facilities. And consumers have nating those coefficients that are char- multiframe sequence, varies according generally been satisfied with DSS’s pic- acterized by low energy. A technique to the bit rate—which itself varies ac- ture and sound. However, MPEG-1 is far called “run-length coding,” as well as a cording to the relative complexity of from perfect. Anticipating this, every- type of data compression called “Huff- the scene that’s being encoded. Bottom one involved with developing DSS pro- man code” (in which the frequency val- line: MPEG coders are pretty smart, con- vided an upgrade path. And that path ue that appears most often is assigned tinuously weighing the importance of a leads to MPEG-2. the shortest codeword), are the specific program’s video-signal content, as well processes that are used to reduce signal as the manner in which that signal All DSS receivers, including first- content within each video frame. changes over time, against the way that generation models, contain an MPEG-2- human beings see. While it isn’t per- decoder chipset. As noted, the MPEG-2 As mentioned, most of MPEG’s reduc- algorithm uses a higher bit rate as well tion work is achieved by pouncing on as more sophisticated encoding to pro- signal content that appears redundantly vide improved picture quality. Because in sequential frames. Each frame isn’t an MPEG-2 decoder can decode an handled identically, however. Specifi- MPEG-2 or MPEG-1 signal, the last mile cally, only the initial frame in a string from the program providers to con- sumers can be upgraded at the pro- 20 SEPTEMBE1R995 VIDEO

TRUTH Danny (ower TOonyrDanzaDaunirChyyistuptier Laid G rh STARGATE 1364405 [13i7S49s09 WINNER OF Six 1994 Acapemy Awarps® ING Best Picture! 7 CHOOSE ANY MOVIEFSORAll movies available in VHS only. ©1995 The Columbia House Company PLUS 2 MORE AT GREAT SAVING See Details below. Andre 1335009 The Shadow 1297001 Four Weddings And The Pelican Brief 1251305 The Godfather 0000802 Basic Instinct 1033208 3 Camp Nowhere 1353408 Wolf 1314905 A Funeral Sister Act 1071208 1302900 The Godfather: Part! 0001800 Bram Stoker’s Dracula 1102904 5 Only You 1342708 Ace Ventura: 1242908 Star Wars 0056408 Fried Green Tomatoes 1005404 The Godfather: Part lll 0842302 Grease 0207407 a The Specialist 1341700 Pet Detective The Empire Strikes Back 0091009 The Color Purple 0630103 2 1363209 Return Of The Jedi 0354704 The Inkwell CLUB FAVORITES iy 0211508 Beethoven's 2nd 1241504 National Lampoon's THE CLIENT 1300409 WHEN A MAN LOVES & BLUE SKY 1348606 RICHIE RICH 1353705] 1319607 |CORRINA, CORRINA 71334101 A WOMAN The Silence Of Animal House |THE FLINTSTONES 1297308 FREE WILLY 1310507} » DOUBLE DRAGON 1353606 THEPROFESSIONAL 1364801} The Lambs 0805309 North 1147503] & THE PUPPET MASTERS 1366707| ED WOOD 1366202 Thumbelina 1265909 =Prehysteria 2 1302009 |THE MASK (1994) 1318807 THE WIZARD OF 0Z 0001404 x (1994) 1366103) MARY SHELLY’S Elle McPherson: 1383009 Red Rock West 7346006 |MAVERICK 1297209 THE FUGITIVE 1197706] 2 QUIZ SHOW 1362102 WYATT EARP 4291400 3 HOFORPANKDERNESATMESIN (1994) 1363803 Your Personal Best 1353507 Renaissance Man 1328707 |SPEED 1297407 THE ROAD TO 1345503) cePLESS IN SEATTLE 1154905] © 1358704 it's Pat Trial By Jury 1328004 |TOMBSTONE 1254200) WELLVILLE 1352509 1 LIKE IT LIKE THAT 1359207 Jason’s Lyric 1341205 Widow’s Peak 7310309 |S|MIRSST.ERDOAUCBTTF2IRE © 11226281160015 JURASSIC PARK 1264001) ¢e THE SHAWSHANK 1366301) A LOW DOWN 1370709 (Theatrical Version) 7349109 Dennis The Menace 1145705 |GRUMPYOLD MEN 1251503 TRUE LIES 1327105) § | REDEMPTION 1352905) DIRTY SHAME 4338409 [ove affair (1994) Malcolm X 7107903 SPEECHLESS 0202606 THE PAGEMASTER 1345206 The Meteor Man 1363407 Backdraft 0559005 PHILADELPHIA 1251404 THE RIVER WILD 1336304 s TERMINAL VELOCITY 0289702 PRISCILLA QUEEN OF Milk Money 1330307 Menace ll Society 1200609 A Few Good Men 1106301 Cliffhanger 1149301 5 THE WAR 1006808 THE DESERT The Ten Command- 1105907 Princess Caraboo 1340306 On Deadly Ground 1251909 Beethoven 1009901 Steel Magnolias 0597807 = Silent Fall 1347806 Scarface (1983) 0216804 The Firm 1154400 & Timecop 1332204 ments (1956) The Bible... A Simple Twist Of Fate 1353309 Monkey Trouble 7298603 Bullets Over Broadway 1374503 8 Angels In 1262104 All Dogs Go To Heaven In The Beginning 0074708 1335306 Baby’s Day Out 1310705 Cool Runnings 1247907 § qj The Outfield (1951) 1332006 : Sugar Hill 1264506 Blankman Barcelona 1340603 The Secret Garden He it Could Happen To You 1335405 JUNIOR Belle Epoque 1296904 In The Line Of Fire 1190107 (1993) 1188804 & 1377001 & The Next Karate Kid 364504 Beverly Hills Cop 1300201 Raiders Of The Lost Ark 0910802 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 0054809 § = Blank Check Blown Away 1291301 Gettysburg 1213305 § Fern Gully: Indiana Jones And The Last Rainforest The Temple OfDoom 0910703 The Bodyguard ¢ The Good, The Bad 0058206 Breathless 0711606 Indiana Jones And 0910604 Home Alone 2: 8 2 And The Ugly Color Of Night 1343805 The Last Crusade Lost In New York 1104900 > 3 The Dark Crystal 1376300 Getting Even With Dad 1310606 The Nightmare Dirty Dancing 0495507 8 = Hocus Pocus 1377100 | Love Trouble 1318708 Before Christmas 1261809 Casablanca 50th 2 3 The Three Musketeers In The Army Now 1343706 Top Gun 0426908 Anniversary Edition 0865204 2 Pretty Woman 0904102 Indecent Proposal 1142009 £ = (1994) 1376706 Mrs. Parker And 1366608 2 2 Homeward Bound 1377209 The Sound Of Music 1277409 The Cowboy Way 1292705 The Vicious Circle ©, Exit To Eden 1348804 8 Seconds 1278704 Willy Wonka And 0606103 THE CHEMOVE) Safe Passage 1371707 8 = The Land Before Time il 1314103 What's Love Got 1218007 The Chocolate Factory 1192301 1333509 The Crow 1374206 iP Lassie (1994) 1318609 To Do With It? —Son-In-Law 1071406 Highlander: = 0826008 > Little Giants 1330208 ET: The Last Of We're Back 1206903 The Final Dimension 1378009 & The Extra-Terrestrial The Mohicans (1992) Scent Of A Woman 1121300 S Natural Born Killers 1327709 Dances With Wolves 0681106 Mighty Ducks 1248004 & 0805200 Ghost = The Scout 1335504 Above The Rim 1298405 D2: The Mighty Ducks 1377704 < of the selection, or none at all, just mail use your credit card Dept. 6 movies you want for 1¢ each, the response card always provided plus shipping and handling. In by the date specified. And you'll and our toll-free number. Call 24 houra dsay. (For New Video Club Members Only.) GVB exchange, you agree to buy just always have 14 days to decide; if Falah ate lel halelated six more movies in the next three not, you may return the selection Advance Selections years, at our regular Club prices Columbia House Video Club Dept. GVB (which currently start as low as at our expense. PO. Box 1112, Terre Haute, IN 47811-1112 You may order one or two more movies now for $19.95, plus shipping and han- Yes, please enroll me under the terms outlined in this $6.95 each-and have less to buy later! And each dling)—and you may cancel discount purchase reduces your membership membership at any time after advertisement. As a member, I need buy just six more obligation by one! doing so. What’s more, you can movies at regular Club prices within the next three years. get two more movies for the low Also send my first selection for $6.95 plus price of $6.95 each and have plus $1.60 each shipping and handling (a total of $9.66). $1.75 shipping/handling which I’m adding to my much less to buy later (see com- $9.66 payment (total: $18.36). plete details in coupon). As soon as you become a Please check how paying: BRW/BRZ/BR3 I then need buy only 5 more member, you'll immediately (instead of 6) in 3 years. sent every be eligible for our generous CO My check is enclosed. four weeks (up to 13 times a money-saving bonus plan! C1 Charge my introductory movies and future Club purchases to: Also send still one more selection for an year), reviewing our Director's CO MasterCard C) Diners Club 0AMEX( VISA CO)Discover additional $6.95 plus $1.75 shipping/handling -Selection—plus scores of alter- It enables you to enjoy more (total: $27.06). I then need nate movies, including many great savings on the movies buy only 4 more (instead lower-priced cassettes, down to you want—right from the start of 6) in3 years. $14.95. And you may receive Special Selection mailings up to of your membership! BRX/BR1/BR4 four times a year (a total of up to 17 buying opportunities). We'll Account # send details of the Club’s operation If you with your introductory package. If Exp. Date Signature want the Director's Selection, do not satisfied, return everything nothing—it will be sent automati- within 10 days for a full refund and Name Apt. City cally. If you’d prefer an alternate no further obligation. Address \\, Entertaining State Zip Phone e America... Do any of the following apply to you? (41) VIDEO One Person ata Time” CO Towna personal computer (1) ( I own aPC witha CD-ROM (2) CO I plan to buy a PC with a CD-ROM (3) CLUB Note: Columbia Hou ideo Club reserves the right to request additional information, reject any application or cancel any membership. Canadian residents willk rviced from Toronto. Offer limited to residents of the contiguous United States, Residents of Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, U.S. territories, APO and FPO addresses please write for separate offer. Applicable sales tax added to all orders. 1400 N. Fruitridge Avenue, Terre Haute, IN 47811-1112 1587/F95

grammer’s will. The best part is that the tures—such as interactive services that games and Mad Max movies, on the upgrade can be implemented without allow a user to, say, order tickets or the consumer having to do anything at download videogames via their satellite other hand, require more bits. all—the program providers just have to receiver’s built-in modem. DirecTV Today, program providers are making uplink MPEG-2-encoded signals instead says that they'll probably pursue all of these options in time. good use of the year-long experiences of MPEG-1 signals, and the satellites they’ve had handling bit-rate allotment. will simply broadcast them down to Though more channels and cutting- Instead of manually assigning a bit rate Earth. (A DSS receiver will automati- edge features will turn on many DSS to each channel, they’re using a process cally know which signal it’s receiving.) subscribers, videophiles focus on the called “statistical multiplexing,” which And that’s precisely what’s happening question of picture quality. For them, continuously and automatically varies now, as the DSS program providers are the original MPEG-1 encoding algorithm bit rates among the programming based busy fine-tuning their MPEG-2 algo- wasn’t adequate. And though the MPEG- on content. A scene with a talking head rithm; the programming DSS owners 1 encoders used by DSS program pro- receives a lower data rate, for example, receive is scheduled to be converted to viders have been continually tweaked while a fast-action event like a car MPEG-2 sometime this fall. since the system’s launch (so much so chase receives a boost in data rate; if that they’re now referred to as MPEG-1% one channel on a transponder is show- While MPEG coding significantly re- encoders), videophiles are still critical. ing a football game and all of the other duces the bit rate that represents a channels on that transponder are occu- It’s incorrect to pied by talk shows, the game will be al- video picture, other factors come into say that DSS, lotted a massive data rate. This give- play. One critical decision concerns with all of its and-take is dynamically varied among how the channels are physically trans- variables, simply all of a transponder’s channels, with the mitted to Earth by the relay satellites’ uses MPEG-1 transponder’s maximum data rate (or or MPEG-2 coding. that of two paired transponders) being transponders. Three satellites—DBS-1, the pool from which individual data The problem they typically point to is rates are taken. DBS-2, and, as of last June, DBS-3— picture artifacts, especially in scenes figure into the equation. Each satellite that are characterized by fast-moving For this reason, it’s incorrect to say has 16 transponders, and each transpon- images or in speedy scene-to-scene that DSS, with all of its variables and transitions. complexities, simply uses MPEG-1 or der has a 120-watt amplifier; alterna- MPEG-2 coding. The more accurate tively, each satellite can be configured DSS program providers have been statement is that DSS programming is with eight transponders, with each aware of the existence of artifacts ever conveyed in a highly customized man- transponder having a 240-watt amp. since they first started working with ner using a statistically multiplexed bit MPEG-1, which explains why they’re stream that’s MPEG-2-compatible. Since DirecTV uses 11 transponders on using their new, big straw to encode a typical program has scenes whose DBS-1, and USSB uses the remaining programming with a version of the signal content constantly varies from five. DirecTV also uses all 16 transpon- MPEG-2 algorithm. Each channel won’t simple to complex, most programs will ders on DBS-2. And DBS-3 will pro- be individually encoded with MPEG-2, use MPEG-1, MPEG-1%4, and MPEG-2 cod- vide additional channel capacity for Di- however—the combination of MPEG-2’s ing (once the MPEG-2 upgrade is com- recTV, at the same time acting as an high bit rate, the number of channels, plete) to some degree. orbiting spare. and the FCC-allotted bandwidth in which DSS channels are broadcast sim- THE QUESTION OF PRIORITY—OF DirecTV can use their 11 DBS-1 ply doesn’t add up. Instead, MPEG-2 transponders to provide up to 60 chan- will be accommodated in more efficient whether picture quality, number of nels, while USSB can use their five to ways using both hardware and software provide 20 or more channels. DirecTV upgrades at the uplink. channels, or features is given more bits can also increase their channel count by pairing DBS-2 with DBS-3 and config- These upgrades are pretty clever, and relative to the others—is an economic uring each bird with eight 240-watt efficiency is key. When the format was transponders. Increasing the transmis- first launched, engineers manually as- decision the program providers make sion power of each transponder (from signed different bit rates to different channels. Premium pay-per-view movie on an ongoing basis. Over the coming 120 to 240 watts) decreases the per- centage of the transmitted bit rate that channels, for example, were allotted months and years, DSS’s program pro- needs to be applied to error correction, higher bit rates, so that their films so more of the total available bit rate would be presented with a higher quali- viders, as well as programmers working ty picture. In general, channels whose can be used to code audio/video data. programs had relatively little on-screen with other MPEG-based delivery Using two birds to do the work of one action—The Weather Channel, for ex- may seem inefficient, but it doesn’t add ample—required fewer bits. Football schemes, will continue to upgrade their up that way: This setup results in a 20- percent increase in total usable bit rate. encoders and their encoding methods, In other words, combining DBS-2 and DBS-3 creates a fatter straw. making just these kinds of priority deci- DirecTV has several options regard- sions. So it’s important for the viewing ing how they’ll use it. They can provide more channels, provide the same num- public to voice its compliments and ber of channels but increase their pic- ture and sound quality, or add new fea- complaints. That last mile is your per- sonal link to the world of information. How much information you wish to re- ceive, and its picture and sound quality, is largely up to the laws of supply and demand. In other words, it’s largely up to you. —Ken C. Pohlmann 22 SEPTEMBER 1995 VIDEO

No matter where you are, you're there. Musical truth. Within seconds you’ve stepped into a total sound picture. You leave your role as a spectator and without realizing it you become a participant. The speakers disappear as a seamless soundstage envelopes your every emotion. Now you’re a featured performer. See your Energy dealer today. And audition our new lineup of Surround Sound Systems. Magnificent depth and impact. Welcome to the real world. Energy Surround Sound Systems eENeEeG>” CIRCLE NO. 31 ON READER SEI BOO NUPD ISSR ETA Kc esas 6 — yt Sound asa performance art.

TEST SPECIAL Heaven Sent Sony’s SAS-AD1 leads DSS’s second wave BY KEN C. POHLMANN WE DON’T NEED channels of programming. The two program providers. When SAS-AD1 ($949) is the priciest programming is sent from ae a compass to tell of Sony’s three DSS systems. these facilities to the DSS us where we are. satellites, much of it passes We’re midway We’re not the only ones ex- through Sony pro products. through the Dig- cited by DSS. Even though the format’s 1994 launch was geo- FEATURE ital Decade, and we’re loving graphically limited for a spell, PRESENTATION it. Every day, more and more and despite the fact that there of us are taking our first tenta- weren’t enough systems to sat- The SAS-AD1 includes the tive steps into cyberspace, isfy demand last Christmas, thrilling to the stunning digital roughly | million DSS systems SAN-18D1 antenna, the SAT- recreation of our favorite now reside in American Mahler symphony, or recoiling homes. That’s a staggering Al receiver, and the RM-Y130 in fear as a computer-generated number when you consider that remote control. If Thompson’s velociraptor approaches, sav- only 35,000 CD players were DSS experiences are any indi- age intentions shining in its sold in 1982, the year that for- cation, roughly a third of the eyes. It’s all made possible by mat was launched. people who eventually buy a seemingly innocuous strings of Sony DSS system will opt for binary code—the ubiquitous Is The 1-million milestone was this top-of-the-line package, and Os that only a computer particularly important to Sony, partly because of the dish’s can love. And that binary code the second DSS licensee. dual-output low-noise blocker is behind the most exciting ad- Thomson’s RCA brand had (LNB), which is capable of vance in home entertainment sole rights to manufacture the feeding two different signals to since the compact disc. To find two DSS receivers simultane- it, you have to look due south first 1 million DSS systems, ously. The AD1 system also in- and about 22,000 miles straight with exclusivity ending in cludes several features that, ac- up into the sky. That’s where June; the 1-million mark was cording to Sony, make the you'll find a trio. of satellites hit in May, and Sony promptly system easier to both install hard at work, beaming digital announced their systems [“Fast and use. TV programming directly into Forward,” July/August 1995] American homes. The technol- as well as plans to introduce The SAT-A1 receiver is the ogy is formally known as the them this summer. heart of the AD1. It’s a trim Digital Satellite System (DSS), component, measuring 3.25 x and Sony has joined RCA, the Sony is no newcomer to DSS 17 x 10.9 inches (h/w/d), and first company to sell DSS hard- technology, though: The com- its metal chassis wears a face ware, in offering satellite- pany’s professional division of industry-standard charcoal- was instrumental in the design gray plastic. At first glance, it dish/receiver systems that are and construction of the uplink might easily be mistaken for a capable of receiving DSS’s 175 facilities owned and operated VCR or CD player. 24 SEPTEMBE1R995 VIDEO by DirecTV and USSB, DSS’s Like that of RCA’s receivers, PCTBHYOONRTYDOOZA

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the Al’s front panel is pleasingly spar- 1 Os mG foundly ergonomic design: Roll the tan and surprisingly unimposing for SRAETCEELILVIETRE spring-loaded rubber-coated trackball such a sophisticated device. It offers and the associated on-screen cursor only a few controls—POWER on/off, ad 2 will step or jog (depending on how far MENU, EXIT, and TV/DSS select—plus you roll it) through the many on-screen On track: the RM-Y130 remote menus; click down on it once and the four cursor keys (marked with arrows) menu field indicated by the cursor will that surround a multifunction SELECT “Control-S” input and output jacks be highlighted. button. These controls are duplicated are on hand for adding the A1 to the in- on the unit’s impressive remote, how- frared (IR) control bus of other compat- A number of dedicated buttons on the ever, so Al owners probably won’t use ible Sony components; a Control-S- remote allows direct access to com- the front-panel set very often. linked system can be operated by one monly used menus and features. The compatible remote control. To accom- CHANNEL/PAGE buttons let you sequen- There are three front-panel indica- modate the receiver’s built-in modem, tially surf channels or page through tors: one for power, one for DSS recep- there’s a modular RJ-11C telephone menu displays. The DISPLAY button tion, and one that lights up whenever jack. Finally, in anticipation of future puts information about the current one of the program providers has sent programming applications, the Al pro- channel on-screen. The JUMP button you a promotional or personal mes- vides a 15-pin wideband data port and lets you switch back and forth between sage; messages are accessed via the re- a nine-pin low-speed data port, both of two channels. A 10-button keypad se- mote and one of the Al’s many on- which use computer-style D-Sub con- lects stations and menu items directly screen menus. (The MESSAGE indicator nectors. DSS’s program providers plan and can be used to enter spending lim- will be marked MESSAGE/TIMER on the to use these ports to deliver interactive its for PPV as well as passcodes for Als you see in A/V shops; more on the programs as well as data services; the blocked channels. Volume and mute ports will connect the Al to either your buttons are provided for controlling timer in a bit.) home computer or a sophisticated next- other components; transport controls A hinged door marked with a PULL generation set-top box. are located under a hinged panel. legend conceals a slot that holds a re- CONTROL CENTRAL One other very hip feature of the re- movable DSS access card. The card The RM-Y130 is the André Previn of mote is that it emits both IR and RF sig- contains identification and billing soft- nals. The RF transmissions let you con- ware. It needs to be in place when you this particular orchestra. It’s a universal trol the receiver if it’s stowed in a turn on the system, so it provides a learning remote control that’s prepro- cabinet or if you’re in another room. measure of security. It also needs to be grammed to operate many brands of there when you select pay-per-view TVs, VCRs, and cable boxes; you can DEEP DISH (PPV) programming; when you do, the “teach” it to operate other remote-con- Collecting the system’s digital bit- receiver automatically phones in your trollable components. The Y130’s most request via an onboard self-dialing mo- striking feature is its mouse-like track- stream signal from the Great Beyond is dem that connects to your phone line. ball pointer, which allows fast point- left to the SAN-18D1 antenna, whose and-click operation. This is a pro- compact aluminum parabolic dish mea- One of the Al’s most useful fea- sures 21 inches high by 18.4 inches tures—and an advance over the RCA wide. Its slightly elliptical shape is DS2430RW DSS system I evaluated in largely a cosmetic touch, though Sony the summer of 1994—is its program- says it cuts down on wind noise. In ad- mable seven-event/30-day timer. You dition, it’s said to allow the LNB’s arm can program the Al as you would a to be shorter, which is claimed to cre- VCR, selecting turn-on/off times and a ate a better focal point for reception. channel. Program your VCR to coin- As on RCA’s dish, the LNB arm is cide with the Al and you’ll be floating round, which is said to help minimize in time-shift heaven. buildup of snow and debris; such buildup can mar reception. Around back, you’ll find the Al’s business end, and what it’s selling is Thomson has said that about 40 per- flexibility. The receiver provides video cent of their DSS customers installed RF jacks that you link with the dish via their system themselves. Sony official- a length of RG-6 coaxial cable. A ly encourages professional installation, VHF/UHF input jack that accepts stan- but they anticipate a boost in do-it- dard F ¢onnectors lets you plug in a yourself installs as the DSS market standard (terrestrial-broadcast) TV an- grows. So they designed in a couple of tenna or cable-TV feed. tweaks that help make the job go a lit- tle easier. You need a southern expo- There are three options for getting sure to use a DSS package, since that’s the signal from the receiver to your TV. where the DSS birds hover. But you al- The least sophisticated is a VHF (SAT)/ so need to fine-tune the position of the UHF output jack with a channel 3/4 system’s dish so that it’s picking up the switch. Enthusiasts, however, are likely strongest signal possible. Sony’s dish to prefer the phono jacks, which pro- helps out here with the SignalSeeker, a vide video and stereo audio outputs (a red LED that’s mounted in the body of similar set of jacks offers an extra video output and a mono audio output), or the S-Video output jack. 26 SEPTEMBER 1995 VIDEO

the LNB. It’s activated when the receiv- apiece), you can use a remote to trans- SE er is placed in its diagnostic signal- mit IR signals from a secondary room BY THE NUMBERS strength mode. As its name implies, the through the cable to the main room. LED flashes slowly when the signal is Measurements by Berger—Braithwaite Labs unlocked and flashes more quickly as GREAT INSTALLATIONS signal strength increases. When you’ve My installation of the SAS-AD1 sys- Horizontal resolution: > 480 lines reached the ideal orientation, the LED Picture S/N: unweighted video, 49.7 dB; should be streaking. The SignalSeeker tem began with the receiver. Its video makes basic setup a one-person job. and audio outputs were easily connect- weighted video, 51.3 dB; chroma AM, You should still use the on-screen me- ed to a VCR and A/V receiver; the A/V 55 to 58.5 dB; chroma PM, 56.2 dB; ter to fine-tune the dish’s orientation, receiver, in turn, conveyed the video chroma output, 706 millivolts; video though—while the LED is convenient signal to the TV set. This configuration output, 407 millivolts and quite accurate, the on-screen meter allowed me to record off-air and to use Audio frequency response: 20-—20,000 will help you dial in a final margin of the A/V receiver to switch between the Hz +0.01, -0.5 dB accuracy. And every bit counts. DSS and VCR sources. The system doesn’t allow you to record one satel- For this test, a series of standard video One other dish feature: As men- lite program while watching another, and audio test signals were uplinked from tioned, Sony has followed RCA’s lead and if a PPV signal is protected by DirecTV's Castle Rock, Colorado facility by providing a second output jack on Macrovision copy-guard coding, you and broadcast on a standard DirecTV its top models. This lets you connect have to turn off the VCR if you want to channel that was temporarily set aside one dish to two receivers, which can be enjoy an undistorted picture. I also for this purpose. Our SAS-AD1 installed in separate rooms. This lets connected a cable-TV lead to the DSS sample received these signals at our you, say, watch a football game down- receiver’s UHF/VHF input jack so I New York City test facility. stairs, while your wife or kids watch a could switch between cable and DSS movie upstairs. While accessory kits signals. Like most people, I can’t use remote to select the System Menu, then enable single-output dishes to feed up DSS to get local broadcast stations in the Installation Menu, and, finally, the to five TVs, only one DSS channel can my area (though it’s possible in some Set Up Antenna Menu. I was then be viewed at a time. prompted to enter my zip code, which areas), so I needed a cable or antenna told the system where I was located in ACCESSORIZING feed to get local programming. relation to the DSS birds; a moment Speaking of accessories, Sony offers later, the unit spit back the azimuth and Wiring tasks completed, I powered elevation coordinates I’d need when a bunch of optional ones. Among the up the system. The DSS receiver re- setting up the dish. usual standalone remote controls, ca- sponded by displaying “Searching for bles, and signal-routing hardware are Satellite Signal” on the screen—an un- Leaving the receiver in the Set Up two notable items. The ANJ-DS1 in- derstatement, considering that I hadn’t Antenna menu, with the screen show- stallation kit ($80) contains everything set up or connected the dish. I used the ing zero signal strength, I connected an you’ll need to set up the system, in- RG-6 coaxial cable to the DSS receiver cluding antenna mounting hardware, a and ran it outside to a grounding block. couple of RG-6 coaxial cables (running CONTINUED ON PAGE 93 25 and 75 feet), a telephone line cord and connectors, a compass for aligning pendent Film Channel are slat mov channel of- the dish, and, for the faint of heart (or broadcasting a second feed of STARZ!, the - —Chuck Tannert terminally curious), an installation fered by Encore Media Corporation. videotape. Serious users may also wish to con- sider the MRD-D1 multiroom distribu- tion system ($250). The base unit ac- cepts signals from three sources, which can then be routed to up to five TV sets using standard RG-59 coaxial cable. There are phono-jack inputs for video and stereo audio from a DSS receiver plus another video source (perhaps a second DSS receiver, a VCR, or a la- serdisc player); an RF input for a cable- TV or standard broadcast signal is also provided. Signals for each set are conveyed as unoccupied midband or UHF TV channels; the same cable shares both satellite and conventional TV signals, and each TV can be indi- vidually tuned with no interference be- tween sets. In addition, if you throw in optional EAC-T1 infrared targets ($25 VIDEO SEPTEMBER 1995 27

Next-generation videogame systems arrive ut 2 Veet! i Hi A a v4 OR BUG ZAPPERS AND ROAD joined this fall by the Ultra 64. Late jected suggested retail price for the Ul- racers across the country, the long last spring, however, Nintendo an- tra 64, which would clearly make it the wait for the next generation of nounced that they needed a little more price leader among next-generation game systems is finally coming to a time to get the player’s software just systems; the Saturn currently sells for close. Sega’s 32-bit Saturn is here in right and postponed Ultra 64’s debut between $399 and $449, the base 3DO force, and Sony’s 32-bit PlayStation until next April. 3DO’s M2, on the oth- system was recently reduced to $300, was scheduled to hit stores by late er hand, is scheduled to appear by and the PlayStation is expected to sell summer. Only a short jaunt down the Christmas. If nothing else, consider for $299. The trade-off, if it really is road, the M2 Accelerator, a 64-bit add- that the Ultra 64 uses a more powerful one, is that Nintendo’s system will play on for the 3DO system, and the 64-bit processor and is expected to cost less silicon cartridges instead of CD- Ultra 64, from videogame-stalwart than either the Saturn or PlayStation. ROMs. Some experts question whether Nintendo and workstation-wizard Sili- the carts will be able to handle complex con Graphics, will touch down. Boast- Ultra 64 will feature a 64-bit central video or graphics-heavy data with the ing blazing processing speed, eye-pop- processing unit (CPU), a custom graph- aplomb of CD-ROM-based games; ping graphics, and room-filling sound, ics processor, and an audio engine, all Nintendo is already at work on a sec- the new systems offer dramatically im- of which have been developed by MIPS ond-generation non-cartridge-based proved gameplay over their 16-bit pre- Technologies, a frequent partner of Sil- storage device. decessors. icon Graphics. According to Nintendo, Game-system buyers looking to up- the Ultra 64’s CPU will run at an eye- At this stage of the game, it’s impos- grade during the 1995 holiday season blurring 100 MHz—that’s the speed of sible to tell how closely the Ultra 64 should try to be patient. Originally, the one of the fastest Pentium chips you system we’ll see next spring will ad- Saturn and PlayStation were to be can get for a PC. here to Nintendo’s widely publicized performance target. I recently visited Nintendo has announced a $250 pro- BY JAMES K. WILLCOX

Silicon Graphics’ headquarters and was FACE-OFF! able to see some early Ultra 64 works- in-progress, and all of them looked TO GET A HANDLE ON THE GAMEPLAY PERFORMANCE OF SEGA’S SATURN AND stunning . . . but the games were run- ning on an emulator that only approxi- Sony’s PlayStation, I spent several days this summer putting the systems through mated Ultra 64 performance. their paces. The Saturn I used was a test sample from the full U.S. production run, A more pressing issue, at least as far as holiday shopping is concerned, is while the PlayStation was a Japanese unit sent here for review purposes; the only how the Sega and Sony systems stack up. [For a gameplay comparison, see difference between this PlayStation and U.S. units, Sony says, is that the Japanese “Face-Off!” at right.] To fully under- stand the advances that the new sys- version has an S-Video output and the U.S. version won’t have one. tems represent, however, you need to know a little bit about how they work. One qualifier: A head-to-head comparison of this type is full of variables. When A bit—an acronym for “binary digit”— is the most elemental piece of data a you’re comparing two laserdisc players, you can play identical software while eval- computer can process. In order to pro- cess data more quickly and efficiently, uating each component. That’s not the case here, obviously, since the games de- individual bits are grouped together in- to longer units. When Sony and Sega signed for these systems are incompatible with one another. While I compared the state that their systems have 32-bit processors, they’re generally referring game systems themselves, the differencesin software have to be considered. to the number of bits of data their sys- tems can process at one time. In any case, it was impossible to enter this head-to-head challenge without some Having a 32-bit processor is no guar- expectations, especially since I’d spent a good time comparing the system’s antee of a system’s overall perfor- mance, however. Like a 400-horsepow- inner workings. On paper, at least, the Saturn appears to be the superior system, er engine in a car with a bad clutch, a system with a 32-bit processor has just with two CPUs to the PlayStation’ Ssone th enerate more polygons per one of several elements required for second (200,000 to 180,000), the use of n nory (4 MB of RAM to outstanding performance. A case in 4-channel), and MPEG point are personal computers, which 3.5 MB), a more sophisticated sound often have ripping-fast CPUs, but be- compatibility (via an optional cartridge) f os. For its part, the come anemic when asked to play a PlayStation’s one CPU is faster thanei the Saturn, but it em- fast-moving, graphics-intensive Win- dows-based game. That’s because even ploys JPEG-only video, a format th. : a fast CPU (which is really optimized analysts say is nearing obsolesce for crunching numbers) can bog down when it’s asked to do too much work at It came as something of a su one time. As a fix, PC gamers typically when similar games looked and add dedicated boards, such as a graph- ics-accelerator card, to boost perfor- on the PlayStation. My test sé mance to acceptable levels. PlayStation came with two titles- Game-system companies have taken two steps to solve this problem: First, er, a driving game, and : they’ve moved to Reduced Instruction tial-arts bopper. For compa Set Computing (RISC) processors in- stead of the Complex Instruction Set Virtua Fighter fighting tith Computing (CISC) processors used in driving game that Sega suppli most home PCs. The CISC type of processor works with long, complicat- urn sample; Sega also suppli ed sets of instructions, while the RISC processors perform narrower types of goon, a sci-fi adventure, ai calculations. But RISC processors tend to be more efficient, so products using Knight, a platform-style s them—like the new game systems— are able to process information more similar to Super Mario Bro. Daytona USA, as played quickly. And speed is essential for flu- While both driving games. id, lifelike gameplay. hat seemed to pop up on the Saturn, suffered from offered better steering Second, game-system makers have offloaded some of the tasks from the out of nowhere. Ridge Race the PlayStation game, CPU onto several other processors, each ile Virtua’s action and control and smoother animation iceably slower than Toh Shin In the shootout among marti: much more like unrefined 0we more sharply defined Toh Shin Den, over the Satu graphics offer true arcade-le Den. In addition, the fightersin the atu polygons, giving them a “blocky” appe fighters in the PlayStation game. Though there is no PlayStation counterpart as yet, I couldn't help but load up Panzer Dragoon into the Saturn, and I’m g : The graphics and gameplay in this shooter were truly stunning. The opening cinematic sequence was among the most impressive visuals I’ve seen on a home game system at any price. This is key: It’s going to take game developers 12 to 18 months before they really learn how to design games that take advantage of the systems’ capabilities. Com- pare a newer 3DO title like Gex, for example, to early 3DO releases—it’s hard to believe they’re running on the same game hardware. While there are a few titles that’ll be exclusive to each of the new systems (Mortal Kombat 3, for example, will be a PlayStation exclusive for 6 months), most major game developers have pledged that they’ll create titles for all of the major game platforms, so a desire to play a specific game shouldn’t affect your choice of a game system. Whether or not you decide to buy a Saturn or PlayStation this fall will probably be decided more by disposable income than by a clear superiority in either system’s hardware. Both systems clearly offer a breakthrough in game performance, and that alone should justify the outlay. —JKW VIDEO SEPTEMBER 1995 29

of which is designed to tackle a specific for adding peripherals, such as a 512K Sony PlayStation computing task. By adopting this mul- RAM cartridge ($60) for storing game Below: Sega Saturn tiprocessor approach, the systems are data. In addition to CD-based games, able to assign difficult operations, such Sega says that the Saturn will play mu- gaming via a modem), and a door that as creating 3-D graphics, to specialized sic CDs, CD+Graphics discs, CD+Ex- leads to a slot for a backup battery as chips that focus exclusively on per- tended Graphics discs, and, with the well as a receptacle for a future add-on forming that task. Sega’s Saturn uses a use of optional adaptors, Video CDs, MPEG-2/Video CD adaptor. total of eight microprocessors, and Photo CDs, and electronic books. Sony’s PlayStation uses six. (3DO’s All play on the Saturn is directed via M2 Accelerator is said to feature 10 On the back of the Saturn console are the supplied control pad, a fairly con- custom co-processors in addition to its two standard RCA audio outputs as ventional-looking controller with a di- 64-bit RISC-based PowerPC 602 CPU; rectional pad on the left and six buttons Nintendo hasn’t yet released full con- well as RF, RGB, S-Video, and HDTV situated in two rows on the right. Two struction specs, but the Ultra 64 system video outputs. The back panel also of- large shift buttons are located at the should feature a multi-processor de- fers an AC input, a RS-232 communica- front of the unit. The controller also di- sign.) tions port (for multi-player, two-site rects basic functions when playing a music CD. There’s more to the Saturn and PlayStation than processors, of course. In terms of pure horespower, Saturn’s Outfitted in a black-plastic shell and of- numbers are impressive. Running the fering a double-speed, top-loading CD- show are a pair of Hitachi-built SH2 ROM player, the Saturn vaguely re- 32-bit RISC CPUs, each of which runs at sembles the earlier Genesis system, a 28.6 MHz; combined, the CPUs are ca- resemblance that is most certainly only pable of delivering 50 MiPs (millions of skin-deep—just a few moments of game action leaves all recollections of instructions per second). Hitachi’s SH1 Genesis far behind. 32-bit RISC processor is on hand to op- erate the CD subsystem, and a custom The Saturn’s controls are straightfor- sound chip developed by Yamaha is ward, with two lozenge-shaped buttons used to kick out 32-voice, CD-quality for power and reset flanking a larger audio. Other processors include a sys- button that opens the CD lid on the top tem manager and a peripheral con- of the unit. Behind the CD tray is an troller, which manages inputs from the opening that looks like a Genesis car- peripherals, and the System Control tridge slot, but isn’t (the Saturn can’t Unit, which synchronizes the activities play Genesis or Sega 32X games). The of all of the other chipsets. opening is actually an expansion slot Two 32-bit video-display processors 30 SEPTEMBER 1995 VIDEO (VDPs) are responsible for generating the graphics, working together to pro- duce the on-screen images and back- grounds. The VDP1 generates charac- ters and gameplay images—called “sprites’—as well as effects such as “texture-mapping” and “Gouraud-shad- ing,” while the VDP2 creates back- grounds and effects such as rotation and scrolling. Texture-mapping is a technique used

She: got tlhe: heouse,, the: cai;, and the- fiuniitrume. (And youre still married) With all due respect to your better half, perhaps it’s time you balanced things out a little. 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 HOME Ee HSAane Oe e)fe) ci cipl The Art of Entertainment ©1995 Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc., Long Beach, CA. Custom audio/video design and installation by JG Communications, Inc., Northridge, CA.

Guide To to create 3-D characters and objects by troller, which features a wing-shaped Surround creating a computer-generated 3-D wire- Sound. frame skeleton and then “wrapping” an design and four directional buttons, in- image—or, for a particularly realistic Audio Catalog effect, a photograph—onto it. Because stead of the usual directional pad, lo- objects and characters are created as cated on the left side. Buttons marked At Cambridge SoundWorks we make speakers polygons, game developers use the SELECT and START are situated in the and music systems designed by Henry Kloss Gouraud-shading smoothing technique (founder of AR, KLH & Advent). We sell to round the polygonal object, reducing middle, while a four-button array locat- them—and components from companies like its geometric appearance. In general, ed at the right controls game action. Sony, Pioneer, Philips, Carver and others— the more polygons the system can gen- factory -direct, with no expensive middlemen. erate every second, the more realistic Four additional buttons (two more than For example, a Dolby Pro Logic Surround objects and characters will look and Sound system with Model Six speakers, rear move. The Saturn can create 200,000 Saturn’s) are mounted on the front of speakers, a Sony Pro Logic receiver and remote texture-mapped polygons per second is only $747. Call today and find out wh and 500,000 flat-shaded (without tex- the control unit; the extra buttons can Audio magazine said we may have “the best ture) polygons per second, and it has a be pressed into service for a variety of value in the world.” palette of 16.7 million colors. For com- functions, depending on the individual parison, Sega’s Genesis works with a game’s requirements. * Call toll-free for factory-direct savings. mere 64 colors. ¢ Save hundreds on components and systems Like Sega’s Saturn, the PlayStation The Saturn comes packed with one uses a multiprocessor architecture, from Cambridge SoundWorks, Sony, Pioneer, game, the martial-arts scrapper Virtua though its main CPU is a single-chip de- Philips, Carver and more. Fighter, and one game controller; a sec- sign. Reducing silicon in this fashion ¢ Audio experts will answer your questions ond controller costs $35. kept the PlayStation’s profile smaller before and after you buy, SAM-Midnight and its manufacturing costs down. The (ET), 365 days a year-even holidays. With the launch of the PlayStation, PlayStation’s choice of CPU is a custom ¢ 30-Day Total Satisfaction Guarantee on all Sony becomes the new kid on the R3000A 32-bit RISC chip developed by products. game-system block (though their soft- LSI Logic; the CPU runs at a fast 33- ¢ 7-Year Parts & Labor Speaker Warranty. ware arm, Sony Imagesoft, has been MHz clip. While the PlayStation relies publishing games since the days of the more heavily on its single RISC chip SoundWorks amplified 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System). than Saturn leans on its RISC chip, the subwoofer/satellite With the debut of their first game hard- responsibility for producing the sys- ware, Sony brings a formidable amount tem’s excellent graphics is offloaded to $199speakers, of technology, marketing muscle, and two graphics subsystems: a graphics brandname awareness into the video- processing unit (GPU) and a geometry a “This is the best $199 game arena. Still, the PlayStation has to engine (GTE). The PlayStation also em- you can spend deliver the videogame goods. ploys a data-decompression engine on yourself and (MDEC) for video playback, a CD drive your computer.” Slightly smaller and more stylish in controller to handle the information design than Sega’s Saturn, the gray spooling off of the double-speed CD- . Rae BPiCll MMaagcahzrionnee PlayStation is not only sexier, but at ROM player, and a 16-bit sound pro- $299, it should be priced at least $100 cessor that produces 24-channel audio below the Saturn. Sega executives point and special sound effects. out that the price difference is mitigat- ed by the fact that the PlayStation While all of the PlayStation’s capabil- doesn’t come bundled with a game, ities are up to snuff, graphics is where while Saturn does. Like Saturn, Play- the system really shines, with the GPU Station ships with a single controller; and GTE working in tandem to create Sony hasn’t set the price for a second controller. the on-screen action (similar to the Sat- urn’s two-VDP approach). The PlaySta- The PlayStation is laid out in similar tion’s GPU is responsible for rendering fashion to the Saturn, with a top-load- the games’ character sprites, effects ing CD tray and a pop-up cover, but it such as rotation and scaling, and pro- has large, circular buttons for open, ducing the system’s 16.8 million colors. power, and reset functions. There are The GTE handles texture-mapping, ports for two controllers on the front of Gouraud-shading, and fog (yes, fog) ef- the unit plus standard RCA A/V jacks fects. Sony says that PlayStation can and an RS-232 jack, for modem’d two- produce 180,000 texture-mapped poly- site play, on the back. (Sony recently gons or 360,000 flat-shaded polygons re-engineered the system, removing an per second. S-Video jack that was included in the 1-800-FOR-HIFI Japanese version, probably to help the IT’S CLEAR THAT SEGA’S SATURN AND PlayStation meet its $299 retail price.) We Know How To Make Loudspeakers. Sony’s PlayStation have what it takes Most striking at first glance, perhaps, is the PlayStation’s unique-looking con- to deliver exciting gameplay. Both CAMBRIDGE prove that our long wait for this next hol©) Bia BD. (0) 184 generation of gaming systems hasn’t been in vain. If you simply must buy a game system this holiday season, this is 311 Needham Street, Suite 130 SEP ,Newton, MA 02164 where you'll find the cutting-edge tech- Tel: 1-800-367-4434 Fax: 617-332-9229 nology. a Canada: 1-800-525-4434 Outside U.S. or Canada: 617-332-5936 ©1995 Cambridge SoundWorks. 32 SEPTEMBER 1995 VIDEO CIRCLE NO. 29 ON READER SERVICE CARD

InThe Mid ‘70s We Created Home Theater, Now We've Created A New Way Td Buy It. The people who work at Cambridge Surround Speakers channel, surround SoundWorks - including our cofounder Henry Cambridge SoundWorks makes two “dipole and main stereo Kloss (who also founded AR, KLH and Advent) radiator” surround sound speakers. Dolby La- speakers. The combina- - have been involved with the concept of home —_oratories recommends dipole radiator speakers _—_tion we show here is our theater from the beginning. In 1969 (years for use as surround speakers. 7he best seller. It includes our Surround has avery high critically acclaimed Ensemble subwoofer before VCRs and cable TV), Henry Kloss power handling ca- _ satellite speaker system (with dual subwoofers), pacity and is often our Center Channel Plus and a pair of our best founded Advent, selected for “high surround speakers, The Surround. You could the company that end” surround spend hundreds more than its $1,167 price introduced the sound systems. without improving performance. first home theater Audio, describing a For information on other home theater audio/video speaker systems system that systems - included The - or on any of complete with big- screen TVs and Surround said, the products we digital surround sound. We have had an ongoing relationship with the “In many ways the surround sensation was people at Dolby Laboratories, creators of Dolby —_every bit as good as far more aa in- Surround Sound, since Henry Kloss introduced stallations.” $399” pr. The smaller 7he thefirst consumer products with Dolby noise Surround II is arguably the country’s best reduction over 20 years ago. And now at value in a dipole radiator speaker. $249” pr. Cambridge SoundWorks we believe we have set Powered Subwoofers —_—\" a new price-to-performance standard for home The original Powered Subwoofer by make and sell - call 1-800-FOR-HIFI for your theater components. Cambridge SoundWorks consists of aheavy- free color catalog. Thanks. Because we sell carefully matched and tested duty 12\" woofer housed in an acoustic suspen- _Sion cabinet with a 140-watt amplifier and a home theater speaker systems Factory-Direct, and through cost-efficient Best Buy stores, you We Eliminate The Risks. can save hundreds of dollars. We believe the products on these pagesrepresent the country’s best values in high performance home theater components. Audio critics, All Cambridge SoundWorks speakers are and thousands of satisfied customers, backed by our 30-day Total Satisfaction agree. Stereo Review said, “Cambridge SoundWorks manufactures loudspeakers Guarantee. i them in your home, with , that provide exceptional sound quality at your music. If you don’t like them, return affordable prices.” Audio suggested that we them for a full refund. We even refund may have “the best value in the world.” your original regular ground UPS shipping charges. Center Channel Speakers For A Free Catalog, Call 1-800-FOR-HIFI Cambridge SoundWorks manufactures ; three speakers for use as center channel _ Cambridge SoundWorks products. are available only direct from speakers in Dolby Pro Logic home theater systems. All three are magnetically shielded built-in electronic crossover. Stereo Review said Cambridge SoundWorks and F so they can be Be near a TV or computer it provides “deep powerful bass...31.5Hzbass at our Factory-Direct Speaker monitor, Model Ten-A is a small, affordable two- output was obtainable at a room-shaking Walls in over 200 Best Buy way speaker. $79. level...they open the way to having a ‘killer’ stores nationwide. Center Channel is system for an eSubnogersestie essentially identical Our Slave Subwoofer uses the same woofer driver and CAMBRIDGE cabinet, but does not include the amplifier or crossover. It can only be used in conjunction with To MaWkee KLnoouwdspHeoawkers! iene eywoofer. to a Cambridge SoundWorks Powered Subwoofer II 311 Needham Street, Suite 130 SEP, Newton, MA 02164 uses a 120-watt amplifier Fe eee Ensemble satellite (but with magnieedtic shield- ing). $149”. Center Channel Plus uses an ultra- with an 8\" woofer. $399”, Outside U.S. or Canada: 617-332-5936 low, ultra-wide design that is ideal for placement hk te ee Se eas GE eae . aregistered Rea of above (or, with optional support stand, below) Cambridge SoundWorks, Inc. KLH isa trademark of KLH, Inc, AR and Advent a TV monitor, $219”. Home T eater Spea. er Systems are trademarks ofInternational Jensen Inc. Cambridge SoundWorks is not theaWteer hsapveeakearssesmysbtleemds athnautmbcoenrsisotfhoofmceenter affiliated with KLH, Advent or AR. CIRCLE NO. 29 ON READER SERVICE CARD

MARANTZ HOME THEATER Vv PURE AND SIMPLE WORMGUR RMRE ay prcaneuriznstunen aveco POWEN/BYANDMY == TAPE DCO (acetate 4 o ry ;@ } FM/AM CD cr re MONO AMPLIFICR MAS00 MONO AMPLIFIER: MASOO MONO AMPLIFIER MASOO (cueaa aT) Tv = MONO AMPLINER MABOO °° ©* *“ | 7t ® POWRAON BTANOBY POWERON STANDBY | POWERON STANDBY | POWERON G6TANDBY POWERON STANDBY “i A Home THX\" Audio System allows you to : exceptional clarity, and incredible flexibili hear film sound in your home as it was designed able to drive virtually any speaker system, to be heard, providing wide dynamic range, 7 g-~pmertarmmy ~~ regardless of impedance or efficiency. precise acoustic imaging, crystal »- 4 clear dialog, properly balanced full frequency Us hd Simply choose the appropriate number LN of amp channels to exactly match your range, and a spacious enveloping surround system power needs. sound field. Marantz components faithfully adhere to these Add your choice of Marantz source components, such as our | precepts, as they are precisely the goals set by our engineers. auto-reverse laser disc combi player and deluxe Our new AV-600 Pre-amplifier/Tuner combines a superb VHS Hi-Fi VCR, and ———————— Home THX Cinema and Dolby ProsLogic decoder together you've put together | with a full function A/V system pre-amplifier and an exceptional music and ~ ie pease. | AM/FM stereo tuner, all in one unit that is surprisingly |cinema sound system. —S2_— BIC) ea affordable. An ideal complement to the AV-600 Audition these superb —: is the Marantz MA-500 THX-certified monoblock components at your. eSaaNE power amplifier, which combines prodigious power, Marantz dealer soon. ———— HER eR B°eR ERE Z’ PURE HIGH FIDELITY Marantz America, Inc. 440 Medinah Road Roselle, IL 60172-2330 Tel. 708-307-3100 * 708-307-2687 Fax THX is a registered trademark of Lucasfilm Ltd. Dolby and Pro-Logic are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation.

plo|)o\\’A-Telerole late M-Onec Mel(lic) m-lelacelelalem-Utloa]le TV f= UlomCom=1| Meo) migl—m alls of BY DANIEL KUMIN ACH TIME TECHNOLOGY DELIV- Nonetheless, multichannel digital AC-3 products are already in A/V ers a quantum boost to the human sound is upon us, in the form of Dolby shops. Enlightened Audio Designs condition, history adds a new Surround AC-3. This digital format. de- (EAD), an American audiophile manu- platitude to the common lexicon, So it rived from the firm’s Dolby Digital facturer, was the first out of the gate; seems probable that, right now, some- movie-theater system, is quickly as- their TheaterMaster ($6,995) is a so- one somewhere is saying, “If nature suming the mantle of the de facto stan- phisticated component comprised of a had meant us to listen to multichannel dard for next-generation home- b/A converter, digital preamplifier, and digital Sound, we would have five ears.” theater surround sound. AC-3/Dolby Pro Logic (DPL) proces- CTPBOYHNORYTDOOZA OE, ebas ee VIDEO SEPTEMBER 1995 35

sor. Denon, Pioneer, and Yamaha, second. This data rate is far less than are “masked” by louder sounds at near- among others, are only a few weeks or one-third of that used by music CDs by frequencies) need not be coded at months behind with more affordable and the digital-audio tracks of LDs, all, saving a huge number of bits. And components boasting AC-3 processing. both of which use linear pulse-code- soft sounds are coded with only a rela- Denon, Mitsubishi, Pioneer, and Runco modulation (PCM) digital technology tively small number of bits. While all have also released laserdisc players and only two channels. of this is happening, the coder embeds with AC-3-compatible RF outputs, and instructions that will be used later by other LD-player makers are expected to The “reduced-data” part of AC-3 de- the decoding circuitry (AC-3, in this in- follow suit in the short term. [For more pends on a process called “perceptual stance), telling it how to reconstruct the on upcomimg AC-3 products, see coding,” which is also used by the digi- audio signal. “New AC-3 Gear,” below.] So the time seems right to determine just what we tal compact cassette (DCC) and mini- Additional data efficiency comes stand to gain—or lose—in the transi- disc (MD). It works like this: A sound- from analyzing all of the frequency tion from matrixed analog Dolby Sur- track’s channels are analyzed as numer- bands of all of the channels simultane- round sound, as decoded by DPL ous, relatively narrow frequency bands. ously. Since at least one or two chan- processors, to the discrete multichannel On an instant-by-instant basis, each nels will be either completely silent or variety represented by AC-3. band is dynamically allocated just nearly so most of the time, you can get enough digital-audio bits to do a good a great deal from a very low bit-rate; HOW AC-3 WORKS job of carrying the audio signal at the witness AC-3’s 10:1 advantage over The technology behind AC-3, which slowest bits-per-second rate possible standard 16-bit PCM digital coding. Per- while still preserving the desired level ceptual coding (or, as Dolby terms it, stands for Acoustic Coding-3, is fairly of sonic transparency. The process re- “audio coding”) is essential for repro- complex. AC-3 is a “reduced-data” lies on a “psychoacoustic” model, ducing digital audio in bit-rate-starved digital format that carries five-plus-one which simulates the way the brain media like laserdiscs, broadcast and audio channels in a data stream that processes sonic information. Sonic ele- satellite TV, and computer multimedia. travels at a rate of 384 kilobytes per ments that are inaudible (because they fall below the threshold of audibility or Dolby has considerable expertise in this arena: They developed AC-2, AC- NEW AC-3 GEAR 3’s antecedent, nearly a decade ago as an extremely efficient two-channel link IN ORDER TO ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF DOLBY SURROUND AC-3 DIGITAL SURROUND (between broadcast studios and trans- sound, you need a compatible laserdisc player and demodulator/decoder, and man- mitters, for example). And, in terms of its psychoacoustic underpinnings, AC- ufacturers will be rolling out both over the next few months. 3 isn’t very different from the analog noise-reduction techniques Dolby has Denon, which delivered their LA-2300 AC-3-ready LD combi-player ($700) in studied for 30 years. July, will offer the AVP-8000 preamp/tuner/AC-3 decoder ($3,500, scheduled to On this foundation, Dolby Surround AC-3 provides five channels—front appear in stores in “early fall”). The AVP-8000 is the first AC-3 component to re- left, center, and right plus fully discrete left and right surround (“rear”) chan- ceive THX certification for both its AC-3 and Dolby Pro Logic decoders. nels—as well as a dedicated subwoofer channel that Dolby has limited to a Pioneer added five AC-3 components to the four AC-3-equipped LD players they range of 20 to 120 Hz. (This is why the technology is also referred to as “5.1- introduced last spring. The VSX-99 A/v receiver ($2,100, August) incorporates channel.”’) All five main channels can carry full-bandwidth signals (from be- AC-3 and Dolby Pro Logic decoders and is equipped with both an AC-3 RF input low 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz), but the for- and a demodulator. The SP-99D ($153 j ugust) ii s a standalone AC-3 demodula- mat provides for some (or all) of these channels to be digitally filtered so that tor/decoder with eight discrete 1 uts. A trio of AC-3-ready LD their bass content is sent to the sub- combi-players closes out the quint woofer channel; this would be desir- ,400, July), CLD-79 ($1,440, able for any channel that isn’t served by a full-range speaker. (Any individual June), and CLD-59 ($900, Jun the company’s Elite high-end line. channel, of course, can employ a dedi- oder ($599) will be in stores in cated subwoofer/satellite speaker com- Yamaha says their DDP- bination to achieve or approach full- September. You can plug e six inputs on the compa- range performance.) ny’s RX-V2090 A/V recei digital Dolby Pro Logic Currently, you’ll find digital AC-3 decoder and seven channels 0’ soundtracks only on laserdisc titles; Yamaha’s CDV-W901 AC-3- check the fine print on the back of a ready LD combi-player ($8 disc’s jacket to determine whether it in- ugust. cludes the AC-3 data. The multichan- nel digital data occupies one channel’s Most major A/V manufac release at least some AC-3 gear worth of an LD’s analog audio-track id Yamaha may already be working early in 1996, At that poini “real estate” (AC-3-encoded discs de- _ —Chuck Tannert on more affordable second-gen Pioneer’s VSX-99 is the first AC-3-equipped A/V receiver

liver only mono analog sound, but they ENLIGHTENED AC-3 do deliver normal stereo—Dolby Sur- round-encoded, usually—on the 16-bit ENLIGHTENED AUDIO DESIGNS’ THEATERMASTER ($6,995) IS EVERY BIT AS digital track). AC-3 will be incorporat- ed into the United States’ high-defini- imposing as its name. The sumptuously finished, all-pushbutton component com- tion television (HDTV) system, which bines surround decoding (AC-3, Pro Logic, and matrix-stereo modes) with sophisti- is now scheduled to arrive sometime in cated digital-to-analog conversion, high-end analog circuitry, and flexible, though 1997 [see “Fast Forward,” page 14]. And AC-3 will probably turn up on di- audio-only, options for digital and analog inputs and switching. Inside the TheaterMaster is a Zoran ZR38000PQC chip, which performs AC-3 rect-broadcast satellite (DBS) systems; PrimeStar has committed to the format, surround decoding as well as digital-domain Pro Logic decoding. Digital-to-analog though DSS hadn’t at presstime. Digi- conversion is handled by “hand-matched” dual-differential Burr-Brown 20-bit chips. The unit also incorporates an anti-jitter circuit to stabilize incoming digital tal videodiscs (DVDs) are another like- streams. And then there’s the specialized chip from Pacific Microsonics for en- ly candidate. hanced stereo playback of HDCDs [see “High Flying,” “Fast Forward,” July/Au- In addition to an AC-3-encoded LD, you'll need three technology items: An gust 1995] and CDs. AC-3-ready LD player, an AC-3 de- modulator, and an AC-3 decoder/sur- The TheaterMaster accepts either an analog stereo or a digital signal from up to round-sound processor. AC-3-ready LD six audio sources. Among the six S inp its,the ne is in the audiophile-pre- players include a special radio-frequen- : cy (RF) output jack that carries the en- ferred glass-fiber tire stream of digital audio/video sig- st format, inputs nals, including the AC-3 bits (the RF connector on non-AC-3 players, con- two through five versely, provides analog A/V signals combined into a standard TV-antenna are conventional signal, and don’t have anything to do with the digital AC-3 data stream; see 75-ohm S$/P-DIF “Upgrading LD for AC-3,” page 39). coaxials, and the The demodulator, which is most of- ten built into the decoder/processor but sixth one is a also may be found in the LD player or in a separate chassis, extracts the AC-3 TosLink optical bit stream from this signal and diverts it to the AC-3 decoder. The decoder, port. An extreme- which can be a standalone product or incorporated into an A/V receiver or ly flexible moni- some other type of home-theater con- troller, splits the AC-3 bit stream into tor/dubbing set- six channels of audio, converts each digital channel into an analog signal, up lets you route — and sends the analog signals through its outputs to six independent channels of analog as well power amplification. The amplifying goods could be, say, a five-channel A/V as digital audio receiver plus a powered subwoofer or any appropriate combination of mono, signals to your ions are uncommonly stereo, and/or multichannel power am- heart’s content; the setup process | front left, center, and right, plifiers. One thing to keep in mind re- generous. The TheaterMaster’s analog garding power amplification: Since all but the sixth AC-3 channel will be full- left and right surround, and line-level modated thanks to ie TheaterMas- range (unless you decide otherwise), Virtually any speaker system can be each channel needs to be powered by an amp that can drive full-range signals ter’s extremely flexible array of active cross You can detour the deep bass in- without lagging behind the system’s other amps. tended for any speaker over to the su oof d you can pick the frequency at THE REFERENCE SYSTEM which the detour begins; Dolby mandate: rangement, though not quite as For my initial AC-3 experience I as- flexibly, for all AC-3-decoding products. And EAD goes further, endowing the The- sembled a highly capable system based aterMaster with independent control over which speakers are rolled off (in the digi- around EAD’s TheaterMaster, which tal domain) and which are crossed over. Only one crossover frequency can be pro- delivers AC-3 decoding via Zoran’s ZR38000PQC chip—the first and, so grammed for all speakers, however. The TheaterMaster’s user interface is compact and effective (the remote control is a metalworker’s objet d’ art), but it’s exceedingly difficult and obscure, requiring ar- cane key-sequences, “double-clicks” of critical buttons, and an elephant’s memory (or constant reference to the none-too-clear owner’s manual). Worse, there’s no real display to speak of (just a cluster of cryptic front-panel LEDs), so you’re responsible for keeping track of modes and volume settings yourself. The payoff is performance. During critical music listening, the TheaterMaster de- livered truly top-shelf sound in the two-channel mode as well as all surround modes. As a D/A converter/digital preamp, and on sonic grounds, it should compete effec- —DK tively with just about anything out there. far, only AC-3 chip available. (At least and rear. An HTM center-channel a half-dozen big chip houses are busily speaker, which kicks out solid response down to about 60 Hz, sat atop the mon- developing rivals.) [For more on the itor. And a single, massive, corner-lo- TheaterMaster, see “Enlightened AC- cated Model 800ASW 12-inch powered 3,” above.] subwoofer [see “VIDEO Tests,” June 1995] handled the bottom two octaves. The system also included an all- Power was provided by Acurus and B&W speaker suite: Full-range floor- Adcom power amplifiers, to the tune of standing Matrix 803 Series 2s served the left and right channels both front VIDEO SEPTEMBER 1995 37

100-plus watts to each of the five full- changes in directionality, tonal balance, The big news has to be AC-3’s dis- range channels; B&W rates the 800- and sound-effects handling that these crete surround channels. Pretty much ASW’s built-in amplifier at 200 watts. allow—and that aren’t available with everything you need to know can be standard Dolby Surround/Dolby Pro gleaned by cuing Clear and Present Before I wired up the TheaterMaster, Logic. This means that an AC-3-ver- Danger to the 13'06\" mark of Side 1 I tuned up this reference system with sus-Pro Logic comparison isn’t an ap- (Chapter 2): The camera pans across my normal Pro Logic processor. After a ples-to-apples affair, though it isn’t ap- the house owned by Jack Ryan (Harri- ples-to-oranges, either. It is, well, son Ford), and a robin chirps some- good deal of trial and error, I posi- apples-to-pears. Everything else in my where off-screen. In DPL, the chirps tioned the surround-channel 803s just reference system, however, remained have a nice sense of outdoor ambience, slightly behind and well to either side the same—same LD transport, same but you can’t really tell where the bird of the primary listening position and D/A conversion, same power amplifica- is—it’s somewhere, to be sure, but that aimed them toward the rear wall. (This tion, same levels, same speakers and somewhere could be anywhere. With yielded the most enveloping and least speaker positioning, and same program AC-3, the robin was located precisely intrusive surround-channel Pro Logic mid-right rear, just off-screen, and its AC-3 performs exact positioning didn’t come at the ex- sound; remember, the 803s are full- tricks you have pense of natural, open-air ambience. range floor-standing models.) never heard The effect was so convincing, in fact, before, simply that the first time I AC-3’d this seg- Then I wired up the TheaterMaster, because DPL can’t ment (on a balmy day, with the win- adjusted output levels, and determined produce them. dows open), I thought it was a real crossover settings (the TheaterMaster robin nesting in the lilac bush outside. includes a mic and front-panel readouts material. I should also add that my for channel-balancing). After several evaluation reflects only one particular More dramatically, a Stargate se- hours of experimenting with various system, albeit a very fine one, working quence (at the 28'43\" mark of Side 2, setups, I ultimately settled on running with a truly high-end decoder/processor Chapter 4) produces a trick you’ve nev- the surround 803s full-range and si- and precisely three LD titles. In short, er heard before, because Pro Logic phoned bass content below 60 Hz from any sweeping comments I make should simply can’t perform it. One of the air- each of the three front speakers off to be read in this context. borne guards (surplus flying monkeys the subwoofer. This unconventional from Oz?) flies screen-right-to-center layout did the best job of reproducing Finally, when I switched from AC-3 and off into the distance, and the jet low and midbass frequencies. At this mode to Pro Logic, the DPL decoding roar of his apparatus follows. The juncture, the system sounded terrific: was accomplished by the TheaterMas- sound commences far-rear/hard-right clean, ultra dynamic, open, and ter’s Zoran chip, which handles DPL in and pans smoothly forward and center, smooth, with superior imaging and the digital domain. Pro Logic decoding disappearing into the behind-the-screen huge yet well defined bass. will be built into every AC-3 decoder— distance—pretty amazing, and a real a mandate by Dolby, to insure back- head-snapper if you’re paying atten- I needed an AC-3-ready LD player to ward-compatibility. In other words, if tion. With DPL, all you hear is a gener- spin AC-3-encoded LDs, of course, so I you buy a component that offers AC-3 alized rear-to-front pan, and it’s not also wired up EAD’s T-8000 Series HI decoding, you’ll also be able to use it nearly as convincing—or exciting. Universal Disc Transport ($3,950), an to enjoy DPL surround sound with pro- LD/CD transport that includes the grams that only have Dolby Surround One illuminating AC-3 trial is to lis- special AC-3 RF output. A prototype soundtracks. ten to the surround channels alone (by EAD demodulator received the T- unplugging the left, center, and right 8000’s RF output via a prototype adap- CUT TO THE CHASE tor. (EAD says that, by the time you Does TheaterMaster-driven AC-3 speakers as well as the sub). If you do read this, they’ll be supplying their this with a Pro Logic system, it isn’t SmartCable adaptor, which has the AC- sound different than Pro Logic? You very pretty: You end up with essential- bet it does. And, in most cases, the dif- ly AM-radio bandwidth that’s noisy, 3 demodulation circuitry built-in, with ference isn’t particularly subtle. AC-3 pumping, and usually kind of dirty. But each TheaterMaster.) AC-3-encoded sounded clearer, cleaner, and more dy- the AC-3 surrounds were squeaky- LDs included Clear and Present namic, with frequent bottom-octave ad- clean and almost dead quiet—still am- Danger, Stargate, and True Lies. vantages and a dramatically different bient and vague much of the time (a sense of space and ambience. Even function of a film’s recording/mixing Before plunging into comparisons of with the simplest of scenes—one char- process), but almost entirely free of AC-3 and Pro Logic, I should point out acter talking in an ordinary room, for noise or the audible artifacts (such as example—the sound was better focused pumping, fading, or fluttering) you typ- that, on LDs (and any future format), and more stable, almost as if a scrim ically get with matrix surrounds. More the AC-3 soundtrack and the Pro Logic had been removed from the sound. On important, perhaps, the AC-3 system soundtrack are totally different mixes many big, complex scenes, the differ- was completely free from dialogue created by the movie’s sound-produc- ence was nothing short of astonishing. “leakage,” since it’s an inescapable ar- tion team. This is crucial: While the tifact (in varing degrees) of matrix en- mixing team uses one six-track master coding and decoding, which isn’t em- ployed here. And there’s deep bass to make both mixes, the 5.1-channel galore. digital track is a unique mix that’s made at the end of the process of as- I also noticed that ambience repro- sembling the soundtrack. With the AC- 3 mix, the production team works with the fully discrete surround channels, the separate low-frequency effects (subwoofer) channel, and all of the 38 SEPTEMBER 1995 VIDEO

duced in the AC-3 mode frequently ly well produced Dolby Surround subtle room sound and a trace of reverb sounded dramatically different than it soundtrack sounds superbly clear and to his voice. I ultimately chalked this did in the Pro Logic mode. In Star- intelligible. But you’ll have to redefine up to AC-3’s enhanced transparency: gate’s feast scene (at the 0'04\" mark of your notion of clarity and intelligibility Flaws in the soundtrack were magnified once you’ve heard AC-3. With the The- by AC-3’s superior resolution—similar Side 2, Chapter 1), for example, the aterMaster in AC-3 mode, the dialogue to the way a high-quality phono car- sense of acoustic space was completely on my three discs simply sounded tridge accentuates the scratches and different with AC-3: brighter, of course clearer and more natural under direct pops in an old beat-up vinyl record. comparison to the TM’s Pro Logic (DPL’s surround channels are inten- mode. This change, which was true on THE BOTTOM LINE tionally cut off at 7,000 Hz), but also virtually every scene incorporating Clearly, AC-3 is an extremely power- palpably more open and lively. And central dialogue, may seem subtle to ambient, off-screen sounds had notice- casual movie fans, but if you’ve passed ful tool in the moviemaker’s arsenal. ably more detail. many an hour with three ears cocked As was painfully true with the music toward a DPL system, it’ll be a revela- If you’re not convinced that the AC-3 tion. AC-3 dialogue was virtually free CD, however, new tools take some get- and DPL mixes are entirely different, of the slightly muffled, vaguely cupped ting used to. Though I expect a much check out the 17'15\" mark on Side 1 sound that I’ve noticed with almost all quicker transition with AC-3—many (Chapter 4) of Stargate: On the AC-3 DPL dialogue. Equally absent were the filmmakers have had a head start, since track, there’s a strong, fairly deep and occasional pumping, unexpected vol- they’ve been working with theatrical definitely ominous rumble emanating ume shifts, and unintentional dialogue Dolby Digital, DTS, and other 5.1- leakage you often get with DPL. channel digital formats for the last few from a tunnel. In Pro Logic mode, the years—there will be a transition period rumble is entirely absent; for whatever Only once did AC-3 falter. . . or sol nonetheless. In part, this will consist of reason, the film’s sound mixers simply thought. In the sniper-range scene from jettisoning those Pro Logic production didn’t put it in the DPL mix. Clear and Present Danger (the 26'29\" habits that evolved to compensate for mark of Side 1, Chapter 6), the voice of the matrix system’s hard-and-fast limi- I reveled in these sorts of special ef- the sergeant major who’s positioned tations. It will also require the conjur- fects with each of the three AC-3 discs. atop the truck (“Stop—touch that light- ing of new effects that Pro Logic sim- And while they certainly turned my colored grass. . . .”) sounded very nat- ply can’t reproduce. head, delivering a large measure of the ural in DPL, but, with AC-3, the voice gee-whizzery I’d expected from multi- suddenly sounded like it wasn’t pre- True Lies, for example, sounded ap- channel digital sound, they weren’t cisely outdoors anymore: The soldier preciably different with AC-3 than it what I found most compelling about sounded a little like an actor dubbing did with DPL: at once less bright and my initial AC-3 encounter. What dialogue in a studio—there’s a very less bottom-heavy (and with a decided- jazzed me the most was simple dia- logue. Anyone who’s had a top-flight, ly lower relative center-channel level), LD-equipped home theater for a few CONTINUED ON PAGE 96 years knows that the dialogue on a real- UPGRADING LD FOR AC-3 LASERDISC PLAYERS NEED A SPECIAL Matt Dever, Pioneer’s audio brand grade takes a certain amount of exper- tise. You need to know the inner work- RF output in order to convey AC-3’s manager, points out that the upgrade ings of an LD player and the retrofit procedure or you run the risk of killing digital bit stream from a laserdisc to may not always make sense: “For own- the player.” MSBT, he adds, has an im- the next stop in the signal chain of an ers of lower-end machines, we strongly pressive résumé: “We manufacture Runco’s LJRI, which was the world’s AC-3-ready home theater. Virtually all suggest upgrading to the more modern first AC-3-ready LD player. We know what we’re doing because we’ve been new LD players will have this type of technology. With some higher-end ma- in it longer than anybody else.” output (in addition to the standard vari- chines—such as our CLD-97, which Spokesmen from Denon, Marantz, eties), while older players that lack it costs our customers $2,500—the up- Panasonic, Theta Digital, and Zenith can be retrofitted. ee may be asound Gadde agree with Pioneer’s Matt Dever, urg- ing caution and noting the importance MSB Technology (415.747.0271) is — of finding a qualified service center. Because the quandary is a new one, one outfit that retrofits LD players with other manufacturers are still pondering the upgrade question and haven’t taken RF outputs. Larry Gullman, MSBT’s an official stance. general manager, says they’ve been do- At least one manufacturer is going against the grain. McIntosh has pledged ing AC-3 upgrades for some time: “We to upgrade their MLD 7020 LD combi- player ($3,200) for any customer who just go in and install a little output wants the retrofit, at no charge. board and an RF connector.” MSBT— npetentservice —Chuck Tannert charges $385 for the upgrade; LD own- We're not doing ers also have to pay for one-way ship- ‘[the retrofit ourselves],” he says, echo- ping and any insurance. ing a sentiment shared by many of the Most manufacturers of LD players other LD-player manufacturers. “But don’t recommend the retrofit. They there are companies out there who are. note, quite correctly, that it voids the Just make sure they’re a qualified after- player’s warranty and its FCC certifica- market service center. And do not try tion; others warn that an incompetent attempting it yourself at home.” upgrader could damage the player. Again, Gullman agrees: “This up- VIDEO SEPTEMBER 1995 39

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Wide Pioneer’s SD-P6081 delivers 60 wide inches on a thin budget IT’S GETTING MORE DIFFICULT BY THE DAY TO CHOOSE A cuitry built into Pioneer’s 16:10.7 sets big-screen television. Consider that, for about $3,000, you (including the P6081) expands any 4:3 can buy a topnotch 32- or 35-inch direct-view set or a image to fill the wider screen; the sets’ variety of rear-projection models. Most of the rear- extra 1.7 inches in picture height keeps projectors are in the 40- to 50-inch category, but Pioneer has upped an expanded image from appearing dis- the ante on the screen-size front: Their SD-P6081, which is tagged torted. with a retail price of $3,199, has a positively huge 60-inch screen As mentioned, the P6081 goes light and a widescreen aspect ratio. If you can fit a 60-inch set in your on features. It employs a single tuner, so a VCR is needed for the set’s stan- home, it’s a sight to behold. projection sets incorporate a wide- dard pip functions. The CHANNEL RE- The P6081 has the largest screen that screen aspect ratio that they call the TURN feature lets you quickly flip be- Cinema Wide System. Instead of using tween the currently tuned channel and Pioneer, a heavyweight in the rear-pro- the 16:9 aspect ratio used by all other the previously tuned channel, while jector arena, has ever produced. It’s al- A/V MEMORY stores up to four separate so the most affordable 60-inch model manufacturers of widescreen sets, Pio- groups of picture-control settings—two in the company’s four-tiered projector neer builds sets to the slightly taller ra- line. While the P6081 shares screen tio of 16:10.7, which translates out to (STANDARD and GAME) are factory pre- size with those other projectors, it cuts 1.77:1 in the film world (movies gener- back on some of their features and pic- ally have aspect ratios ranging from set and two (AV1 and AV2) can be cus- ture tweaks in order to bring the price 1.33:1 to 2.35:1). Pioneer chose the tomized. down. The set weighs 300 pounds, but 16:10.7 ratio because they feel that it’s rolls easily on its supplied casters. It the best compromise for people who The set’s inputs are limited to two measures 56.3 x 56.3 x 26.5 inches want to enjoy the big-screen experi- (h/w/d). antenna inputs and two audio/video in- ence with widescreen movies, but puts, labeled LD and VIDEO, respective- Pioneer’s approach to big-screen know that most of their viewing will be ly. There’s no S-Video input, and television is unique in that all of their of standard 4:3 TV shows. Special cir- there’s only one set of audio outputs. The P6081 utilizes 7-inch CRTs with short-focus hybrid glass-and-plastic lenses in conjunction with an SLD (Sur- face Layer Diffusion) screen. This BY KEVIN MILLER

combination is designed to do a superi- sample were quite hot, indicating that | ©r Mi nike or job of transmitting color and bright- its decoder was allowing slight oversat- BY 1c ivi 1 i, ness to the viewer. uration. \"isMeasurements by Berger—Braithwaite Lab The remote is pretty basic; it doesn’t I did notice that all three colors (red, have the ability to control other compo- green, and blue) were bleeding consid- Horizontal resolution: 410 lines nents. Its unusually small size results in erably at the top-center of the screen, extremely small buttons, which makes particularly obvious with widescreen Picture S/N: video, 56.3 dB; chroma AM, — it difficult to use, especially in the dark. laserdiscs, and at the top-right with full-screen images. A Pioneer field _ 64.4 dB; chroma PM, 64.1 dB $ Operation is straightforward: A technician was able to fix the problem small, basic bar graph runs along the by making a small adjustment to the Screen brightness: before calibration, _ bottom of the picture, offering access image’s sizing. Problems like this are to MTS (audio), CLOSED CAPTION, PIP, typically fixed through minor adjust- 29 footlamberts; after calibration, 15.5 ments on the assembly line. SETUP, PICTURE, and A/V MEMORY _ footlamberts ; The P6081 showed good convergence menus. You can highlight a menu by out of the box and needed only minor Color temperature: before calibration, clicking over to it with the remote’s ar- tweaking. The set gives consumers row keys and hitting its ENTER button. more control over convergence than _ 10,800 degrees K; after calibration, 6,550 q PICTURE MENU offers COLOR, TINT, any rear projector I’ve encountered. _degrees K There’s a nine-point static convergence CONTRAST, BRIGHTNESS, and SHARP- system, which lets you properly align The P6081 can be professionally cali- the images from the red, green, and brated. Color temperature on the top of NESS adjustments. blue lenses on top of one another at the gray scale measured 6,550 degrees As is the case with most rear-projec- eight points along the edge of the screen as well as at the common center Kelvin after calibration (the standard is tors, the P6081 comes out of the box point. Though it’s not well explained in D6,500 degrees K) with a peak light with its picture controls set too high. the manual, the process is fairly simple output of 15.5 footlamberts, and the The A Video Standard test disc indicat- once you get used to it, and it results in bottom of the scale read 6,300 degrees ed that BRIGHTNESS (black-level) and a much more clearly focused image K. The P6081 was very linear through when properly done. its output range. Most projectors (front CONTRAST (white-level) were set way or rear) develop a hump in the middle too high, and colors weren’t quite right At this point, the P6081 delivered a of the gray scale; the P6081 had the either. My color analyzer indicated that fairly sharp, crisp picture with good stable, rock-solid gray-scale tracking of color temperature measured 10,800 de- (though not perfectly accurate) color a good direct-view set. Calibration—of grees Kelvin at both ends of the gray rendition. My test sample still exhibit- the blue tube, specifically—also re- scale, with a peak light output of 29 ed more background noise (visible with duced some of the noise I’d noticed. footlamberts. test patterns and in various scenes from And color rendition was very good, my reference discs) than I would’ve with natural fleshtones. Using AVS, I set BRIGHTNESS to two notches below the middle of its graph- liked, however. On a resolution chart, I Pioneer says that the P6081 delivers a ic, CONTRAST to eight notches below its observed 410 lines of horizontal reso- wide horizontal viewing angle, and the midpoint (resulting in a very acceptable lution and 500 lines of vertical resolu- set lives up to this claim. It’s much less 15.5 footlamberts), SHARPNESS to tion. Detail was quite good. forgiving of movement in the vertical halfway between its one-quarter mark, plain, however, suffering sizable reduc- TINT to eight notches below its mid- tions in picture brightness and clarity if you move your head above or below point, and COLOR to 15 notches below its midpoint. Even after notching COL- the screen’s midpoint. To be fair, this is , f OR down, the reds produced by my test the case with most rear-projectors. The set’s sound system—two 3-inch speakers and a 3-watt-per-channel power amp—was perfectly adequate for basic TV viewing. Pioneer clearly didn’t try to give it the kind of impact the set’s picture has, of course, so you should definitely connect the P6081 to a full surround-sound system for seri- ous viewing. Sixty inches of screen size deserves nothing less. THE SD-P6081 MAKES TRULY HUGE images relatively affordable. As with any television, you should consider its out-of-the-box picture a palette with which to work. Careful adjustment with A Video Standard improves the picture in most regards, and, as always, I recommend professional calibration. Properly adjusted, the P6081 delivers a picture that competes well with any rear-projection TV. If you’re looking for the biggest screen for the buck, this is one set you must see. a 42 SEPTEMBER 1995 VIDEO

The M3! incredible plac can be placed on in comers The Matchedpie Theater System that fits anywhere. Even in your budget. “Ifyou want the dynamics of high performance surround sound while our powered subwoofer rattles home theater...but you don’t want to design your home around big home theater speakers, nor do you your windows. Thanks to the M3’s unique shape and want to spend thousands of dollars and your entire weekend in a store trying to mix and match a system, built-in bracket and the subwoofer’s compact size, then you'll understand why we designed the M Home M Home Theater is guaranteed to fit your space and Theater Solution.” ©AAatthew Polk decorating requirements (available in black and white). The performance will positively astound you. Five And at $999, you’ll love the way itfits your budget. matched Polk M3lls provide bigger than life, seamless The M3\" Video center channel speaker For more information call 1-800-377-POLK, or dial «abeplaedanywhere shove, below or —ur toll-free dealer locator at 1-800-992-2520 to find beside your TV without discoloring your _pidwe sinc itis mogetically stieded. yur nearest authorized Polk Audio dealer | Dealer Locator Number ] (1-800-992-2520 The Speaker Specialists ® H Ad code: 60009 5601 Metro Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21215 USA (410)358-3600. CIRCLE NO. 50 ON READER SERVICE CARD “Polk Audio\",” The Speaker Specialists” and “Dynamic Balance” are registered trademarks of Polk Investment Corporation used under license by Polk Audio Incorporated. *Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price. Dealer pricing may vary.

VIDEOTEST Pro Found — Meet the Model 35190, ProScan’s flagship 35-inch direct-view TV PROSCAN, THE HIGHER-END LINE FROM THOMSON (PARENT main, center, and surround speakers). company of RCA and GE), has earned a fine reputation There are also speaker-terminal con- for building high-quality direct-view and rear-projection nectors for the main, center, and sur- televisions over the years. The line is generally loaded with Thomson’s most sophisticated circuitry as well as their newest round channels (in case you want to user and convenience features. The Model 35190 35-inch TV is use the 35190’s DPL decoder and amp, ProScan’s new flagship direct-view. @ The 35190 ($3,199) is a monster, measuring 32.75 x 35 x 24.36 inches (h/w/d) and weighing but not its speakers), with slide switch- es for choosing between the internal in at a hefty 186 pounds. Cosmetically, plugging in a videogame console. and external setups. A five-pin mini-, it continues in the ProScan tradition, On the output side, a bridged output DIN output jack is on hand to feed the with a matte charcoal-gray facade and bass module that extends across the top soft edges. Across the front are the req- from INPUT 1 channels video, S-Video, of the set’s back; the cable that links uisite controls for power, menu, chan- and fixed-volume audio. There’s also a the jack and the module is supplied. nel up/down, and volume plus head- fixed-volume A/V output that works phone and A/v jacks. The A/V jack is a with all of the TV inputs, a TV tuner Thomson has given the 35190 a new mini-phone type and requires the sup- output for looping through to an A/V graphic interface, whose goal is to plied, easy-to-use adaptor to accept receiver with a remote control, and an make the set easier and more fun to video and mono audio. audio output for the channel playing in use. The interface presents a cartoon a PIP. drawing of a living room, complete The back panel features the set’s con- with the TV, speakers, a sofa, a coffee nections. There are three A/V inputs Volume-controlled line-level audio table with the set’s remote control, a (two include S-Video options) plus two outputs (via RCA jacks) are on hand clock, and the RCA mascot Nipper, antenna inputs, for a true antenna for routing left, center, right, and sur- who sits and wags his tail, ready with and/or cable. The manual notes that the round channels from the 35190’s built- second antenna input can be used for in Dolby Pro Logic decoder to separate an ASSISTANCE menu. multichannel amplification (and then to Each item in the display represents a specific component ‘or group of func- tions. You navigate among them by us- ing one of the two remotes supplied with the 35190 (more on them in a bit) BY PETER BARRY

and an on-screen cursor. You move the the right side of the main image, in Reia ae cursor by pressing the remote’s MOVE what’s referred to as “simulated mo- arrows; when you’ve positioned the tion.” The SCREEN menu also offers a BY THE NUMBERS cursor on the item you want to work CHANNEL GUIDE option, which fills the Measurements by Berger—Braithwaite Labs with, hitting the remote’s MENU button screen with images from 12 user-se- accesses the item’s options. lected channels. These channels can be Horizontal resolution: 410 lines picked from the set’s full tuning range Picture S/N: luminance, 54.7 dB; video, Clicking on the speakers, for exam- or the user-defined FAVORITE channel ple, brings up the audio menu, with group. 54.2 dB; chroma AM, 63.8 dB; chroma choices for speaker setup, a seven-band PM, 63.5 dB graphic equalizer (with bands centered You may like the cartoon graphics, Screen brightness: before calibration, at 60, 150, 400, 1,000, 2,000, 4,500, but I wasn’t crazy about them. The 112 footlamberts; after calibration, and 10,000 Hz and +14-dB boost/cut main menu can be shifted from the car- 28.1 footlamberts action), and audio processing options toon graphic to a more traditional text Color temperature (CooL setting): before (in¢luding DOLBY 3, PRO LOGIC, PRO menu, however. There are four options calibration, 9,750 degrees K; after for the background color of the menus, calibration, 6,610 degrees K LOGIC PHANTOM, MATRIX, and HALL and the clock display can take analog or digital form. Using either type of More direct access to functions would SURROUND). The SOUND CHECK option speed things up. runs white noise through each speaker The PIP-anchored in turn to help you balance sound lev- SKIP function As mentioned, the 35190 is supplied els. And VOLUME LIMIT lets you set the provides an with two remote controls—a simple re- maximum output level for the set. escape from an mote and a universal learning remote. endless sea The simple remote can control the TV If you click on the front panel of the of commercials. and can be programmed to control cartoon TV, you'll get to the PICTURE most VCRs. It has all of the necessi- QUALITY menu. It offers all of the usual menu is too involved, however. Getting ties, providing power, volume, channel, suspects in the picture-control depart- to, say, the 35190’s color-temperature and menu in TV mode and standard ment plus on/off settings for the AUTO settings requires a menu click, three VCR controls in VCR mode. clicks to reach the PICTURE QUALITY COLOR circuitry, VID(eo) NOISE FILTER, menu, another menu click, eight clicks The universal remote can be pro- and THEATRE mode (which switches the down to COLOR WARMTH, then another grammed to control other TVs, VCRs, 35190 to a group of picture-control set- click or two to change the setting. cable boxes, a satellite receiver (includ- tings that Thomson feels is suitable for That’s a minimum of 13 clicks—and if ing, naturally, a DSS package), a you want to compare the three color- laserdisc player, and an A/V receiver or viewing in a darkened room). The temp settings, we’re up to 39 clicks. CD player. Considering its many abili- 35190 also offers three COLOR WARMTH ties, this remote is fairly well laid out, settings: COOL, NORMAL, and WARM. though the buttons are small and can be difficult to locate (make that impossi- Clicking on the cartoon TV’s edge ble when you’re in a dark room). accesses the SCREEN menu, which lets you set up the PIP function, choose The universal remote accesses some SPLIT SCREEN (which presents two pic- unusual features that deserve mention. tures side by side), or select POP (pic- The SKIP function allows you to skip ture-outside-picture), which superim- commercials without missing a mo- poses three secondary channels down ment of the program you were watch- ing: Hit the SKIP button once and the ents*: Hi-Fi VCR, A/V receiver, mai PIP window appears, along with a 30- and surround speakers second timer (repeated presses in- crease the timer’s display by 30-second KEY FEATURES [ increments). You can scan channels in the main screen while the PIP holds the Logic decoding m Graphical on-screen metab 2 | Dual original channel; when the timer runs out, the PIP disappears and you resume inced functions m Innovative FETCH function = Comme watching the original channel. The au- dio stays with the main screen. Since ion m Channel lock m Two remotes (one universal) — it’s tough to determine precisely how long a commercial break will run, the mb filter m Three color--temperature settings = B best idea may be to stick with the 30- second interval and just hit SKIP again center-channel speaker, external bass module if another commercial pops up. SUMMARY The FETCH function provides at least nt of features and connections = a partial answer for my “slow-menu” gripe: It holds a maximum of five fre- quently used functions. It comes preset with SLEEP TIMER, AUDIO PROCESSOR, CONTRAST, and CLOSED-CAPTION; one more can be added to this group, and any or all of them can be replaced with VIDEO SEPTEMBER 1995 45

functions from other menus. pre-production status. A call to ; The PIxX+ function, which encompass- ProScan determined that they’d already ; noted this and were taking steps to Photo created and produced by Media group Marketing,Inc.© es the PIP and PoP functions, is very so- eradicate it. phisticated. The PIP window can take PARA Home Theater Specialists one of five sizes, and it can be moved Analysis with the A Video Standard around the screen. The main image or a test disc showed that the 35190 has a When you're buying audio and video components, PIP image can be still-framed via the fairly well controlled power supply; it's important to understand that it's not enough to universal remote’s FREEZE button, and and gray-scale delineation was good. buy a good TV and VCR. Components must also be the PIP window can be used to scan The test disc enabled me to bring the chosen for how they sound together. PARA is a channels. You can use the SKIP and picture controls in line: CONTRAST was professional association of independent specialty SCAN buttons to channel-graze during set to its midpoint, BRIGHTNESS was set audio/video stores who are committed to the high- commercials. Hit the SKIP button and a click below its midpoint, COLOR was est standards in retailing. the PIP window appears; then hit SCAN set just above its one-quarter mark, and the main image will scan through SHARPNESS was brought down below v PARA stores will take the time to ask about all of the channels in the tuning range its one-quarter mark, and TINT was set what you already own and suggest home until the commercial timer expires and to its midpoint. Once these adjustments theater components that will integrate into your original station returns to the were made, it became clear that the your current system. main image. set’s color decoder, like that in most other TVs, is set to give yellows a v PARA home entertainment professionals are The 35190 features an FDT (flatter, slightly orange cast. Detail on AVS’s educated to explain the newest technologies in darker tube) Invar picture tube. The Multiburst pattern was good. I noted clear friendly language, helping you get the tube’s Invar shadow mask is said to al- 410 lines of horizontal resolution and best value for your money. low the set to sustain high brightness 500 lines of vertical resolution. Dot levels. There’s also a digital comb filter crawl was negligible, indicating that Vv Let us help you choose the system that’s just and HP scan velocity modulation. the digital comb filter was doing an ex- right for you. cellent job. On the audio side, the set has left and CALL 1-800 4-PARA 94 to find the PARA right speakers, a built-in center-channel At this point, the 35190 looked its dealer nearest you! speaker, and that external bass module, best in the NORMAL mode: Plenty of which sits on top of the rear cabinet. image detail emerged, and images ex- Professional As mentioned, the set includes multi- hibited very little in the way of video AudioVideo channel amplification and a surround- noise. The picture was big and involv- Retailers sound processor that features Dolby ing. Colors still bloomed a bit, but the Association Pro Logic decoding. overall effect was pleasing. Turning up the sound system with its external bass Straight out of the box, the picture module really made for solid movie en- presented by our test sample (a pre- tertainment. production model) was very bright and also very blue; colors were very satu- The 35190 can be calibrated. After rated, and reds were blooming. Switch- calibration, I measured a color temper- ing from COOL to NORMAL to WARM in ature of 6,610 degrees Kelvin and a the COLOR WARMTH menu shifted the light output of 28.4 footlamberts in overall look from blue to red. Joined by COOL, 6,415 degrees K with 28 foot- lamberts in NORMAL, and 5,375 de- VIDEO contributor (and TV calibrator) grees K with 28.4 footlamberts in Kevin Miller, I looked at the 35190 WARM (perfect for watching black-and- with a color analyzer. The COOL setting had a color temperature of 9,750 de- white movies). The set was extremely grees Kelvin and a light output of an stable throughout the output range from extremely high 112 footlamberts, NOR- high to low and delivered a very linear MAL measured 7,980 degrees K with signal. Gray scale was now very well 113 footlamberts, and WARM checked delineated. in at 6,400 degrees and 112 footlam- berts; D6,500 degrees and 30 footlam- PROSCAN’S MODEL 35190 OFFERS A berts are the NTSC standards for di- huge number of amenities for a direct- rect-view sets. Though WARM is ex- view set. It’s almost an instant home tremely close to the NTSC standard in theater—simply wiring two surround terms of temperature, in terms of color speakers to the set’s rear-panel speaker it’s shifted extremely red, particularly terminals will get you up and running with surround-sound (though a screen at lower output levels (in other words, this big cries out for more powerful, with dark scenes), and this is some- full-range sound). The 35190 also has a thing that can’t be adjusted out with the number of unique and interesting fea- set’s color controls. tures, and it delivers a very satisfying picture. Give it a long look if you’re I also noted a “peaking” problem, in shopping for a topnotch 35-incher. which a vertical snaking line of varying intensity could be observed on-screen. I chalked this up to the test sample’s

MOMMSSR RBBE ay pacanruriernusne avecotnn POWER/ STANOmY =] Mook — Marantz’s AV600 preamp/tuner/processor is far from powerless ONE OF THE BEAUTIES OF HOME THEATER IS THAT YOU CAN crossover follows the THX standard, configure things precisely the way you want them—if you sending signals at 80 Hz and below to the sub outputs and rolling off the main don’t mind making a few extra decisions, at any rate. and center speakers. If, on the audio side, you want the compact convenience and centralization offered by an A/V receiver, but aren’t satisfied The rear panel also has a 25-pin con- with a receiver’s power layout, you might be interested in teaming nector marked PRE OUT: It accepts a some form of “separate” amplification with a combination special multiconductor cable, adopted preamplifier/tuner/surround-sound processor. Marantz’s AV600 as the THX multichannel standard, that makes this proposition very interesting. as well as muting and powering up the carries line-level signals for all of the Essentially an A/V receiver minus the unit. There’s a set of A/V inputs, in- channels; you’d use them for one-cable cluding an S-Video port, keys for radio hookup of a five-channel THX amplifier. amp circuits, the AV600 ($1,199) com- tuning and programming as well as A/V The connector is actually a computer- bines inputs, outputs, and switching for tape-dubbing, knobs for bass, treble, style DB-25 jack—I’m not sure if its video components, surround-decoding and input level, and a headphone jack. signal integrity would meet strict au- circuitry, traditional stereo preamp diophile standards, due to its modest functions, and an AM/FM radio. You Around back are four A/V input/out- per-channel surface area. get plenty of connections, excellent put sets, including one set of outputs signal-routing flexibility, and several for flexible A/v tape-dubbing/record- There are AM/FM antenna inputs; a surround modes, including Dolby Pro ing. All of the video inputs and outputs 75-ohm F-jack is the only way to con- Logic and the THX enhancement of are furnished in both composite (RCA nect an FM antenna. In addition, there Pro Logic. In short, the AV600 repre- jack) and S-Video (y/c-discrete mini- are jacks for linking Marantz D-Bus- sents the best of both worlds. compatible components, allowing op- DIN) formats. In addition, there are eration of the entire bunch by a single The AV600 is elegant and sleek, mea- three audio-only inputs: CD plus two remote control. Lastly, the AV600 sup- suring about 4 x 17 x 14 inches complete in/out tape loops. Line out- plies two switched AC outlets. puts are provided for main left and (h/w/d). Most of its controls are located right, two centers, rear left and right, Under-the-hood construction is tidy, behind a front fold-down door. Fea- and two subwoofers. Two switches are and good-quality parts are in evidence. tures include the large blue display, the on hand for setting center and sub- The AV600 employs a JRC Dolby Pro large volume knob, and pushbuttons for woofer modes. The onboard active Logic decoding chip (in place of the selecting sources and surround modes various Analog Devices chips found in many of its peers) and draws from a hunky-looking power supply. BY DANIEL KUMIN

The learning remote features no few- aaaa SSE ES er than 67 keys, which all happen to be BY THE NUMBERS identically sized and shaped, except for Measurements by Start Labs the master-volume up/down rocker. In DPL channel separation (at 1,000 Hz): (LARGE/THX-CINEMA mode), <0.02%, short, it’s functionally powerful, but er- front left/front right, 52 dB; front right/front 20—20,000 Hz; surround, <0.8%, gonomically challenged. left, 51 dB; center/front left, 30 dB; 100—7,000 Hz; subwoofer, <0.06%, I slid the AV600 into a high-grade center/front right, 29 dB; front left/center, 16-200 Hz 51 dB; center/front right, 44 dB; rear/ S/N (A-weighted, referred to 1 volt, home theater, and it quickly passed my center, 30 dB; center/rear left, 39 dB; volume at 0 dB, input trim at detent): first test: After I’d calibrated the main and surround channels in the THX- center, rear right, 38 dB; rear/front left, 39 stereo, 99 dB; DPL main, 94 dB; DPL CINEMA mode, its relative channel lev- dB; rear/front right, 32 dB center (LARGE/THX-CINEMA mode), 94 dB; els stayed within 1 dB at any master DPL frequency response (referred to 1 DPL surround, 85 dB volume setting. And Pro Logic perfor- DPL input overload (input trim at detent): mance was very good: The sound was watt): main, 20-20,000 Hz +0.5, —1.2 dB; main, 1.9 volts; center (LARGE/THX-CINEMA well balanced, dialogue was excellently center (LARGE/THX-CINEMA mode), mode), 1.95 volts; surround, 1.45 volts intelligible, and left/right and front/ Video output: +0.2 dB back pans were directed smoothly and 20-20,000 Hz +0, —1.4 dB; surround, Picture S/N: unweighted video, 61.7 dB; 40-6,800 Hz +0, —3 dB; subwoofer, weighted video, 62.4 dB; chroma AM, +8 dB at 10 Hz, —21 dB at 200 Hz 75.5 dB; chroma PM, 49.9 dB DPL THD plus noise (referred to 1,000 Hz with 1-volt input, input trim at detent): main, <0.08%, 20-20,000 Hz; center accurately. Low-level detail was very good to excellent, and high-output “squished,” less transparent midrange in and out of the loop, I concluded that peaks stayed clean and punchy. A bit of sound that characterizes so many sub- the preamp marginally increased video center-channel dialogue leaked to the audiophile preamps. Its additional sur- signal level for a slightly brighter pic- left and right speakers, but it was ex- ture. I also decided that looping video tremely stable and free of sibilance. round modes—MOVIE, HALL, and MA- through the Marantz sacrificed a little TRIX—proved variously useful, and all sharpness and detail. For everyday use, The THX-CINEMA mode was equally sounded clean. (The MOVIE mode is though, the convenience of centralized fine, delivering the expected THX ben- simply DPL with the delay time of the A/V switching should outweigh this efits of slightly smoother front-channel surround channels adjustable up to a slight penalty for most users. sound and a more open, more envelop- very long 90 milliseconds.) The AV600 ing surround effect. I was also pleased also features a MONO mode, which FM reception and sound were out- to find that the THX setting sounded forces everything to the center speaker standing, ranking among the top three noticeably less metallic in the surround (and subwoofer, if one is used); this is or four integrated tuners (that is, those channels than many sub-$2,000 THX invaluable for mono TV and older built into a preamp or receiver) I’ve en- processors I’ve evaluated. In all three mono-soundtrack films. countered in the last few years. AM re- movie modes, the AV600’s front chan- ception was no better than run-of-the- nels were extremely quiet, and its sur- Video routed through the composite mill by today’s standards, which is to rounds were only slightly noisier. inputs and outputs yielded a signal that, say mediocre to poor. though not absolutely pristine, main- The AV600 also sounded fine in its tained very good definition and free- I wasn’t very fond of the big, com- stereo mode: dynamic, clean, and solid dom from video noise. Directly com- plex remote, but, once you grow accus- and defined at the low end. There was paring LD still-frames with the AV600 tomed to it, everyday ops are eminently only the vaguest trace of the slightly doable. Using the remote to change master volume is tedious, though— rolling down from the 0-dB reference level to -20 dB took nearly 7 seconds. The mute key completely silences the system, which is handy—though it au- tomatically disengages if you change aly es: Ae sources. I also disliked being required to cycle through the surround modes to get to the one I wanted (to be fair, many KEY FEATURES processors and receivers work the same : Logic and THX-CINEMA surround modes = Two way). But for the most part, the AV600 proved intuitive and pleasant to use. utput sets (all with S-Video options) = Conr ree center-channel modes m Three su lercrossover = On-screen menus m= Fror MARANTZ HAS DELIVERED A STRONG and S-Video inputs = Remote contro! all-around performer in a nicely bal- SUMMARY anced package. Its price is right, too: Excel ignal Combine it with one of the numerous under-$1,000 multichannel power amps and you'll have spent no more than the cost of a flagship-model A/V receiver. What you’ll have gained is the panache as well as the versatility and perfor- mance of a true separates system. & 48 SEPTEMBER 1995 VIDEO

They're on display in the Design Museum in London. They've won a Design of The Year Award in Tokyo. And they've quickly become one of the decade's best selling small loudspeakers. = Why — ws are Solid speakers so wildly successful? Simply because they produce superb, high quality sound that one would expect only from speakers many times their size and price. m The reason? They're acoustically engineered by world-renowned B&W Loudspeakers. The :: same people who created the S P = A KE R S legendary B&W Matrix 801 — the speaker used for nearly eighty percent of all classical recordings. m The Solid HCM|, for example, handles up to 150 watts of power. So you can crank up the volume with minimum | distortion. Plus it’s magnetically shielded, making it equally suitable for music or movies. m Start with a single pair. Then build a complete home theater system including a PowerBass subwoofer to capture the earth-shaking realism of heroic adventure films like Jurassic Park. m Call 1.800.370.3742 for the name of the Solid dealer nearest you. And find out how to get big sound without spending big money. — oon| | They play big. Rock Solid Sounds of America 54 Concord Street North Reading, MA 01864-2699 1.800.370.3742 TEL 1.508.664.4109 FAX CIRCLE NO. 49 ON READER SERVICE CARD

AMAZING NEW DiscovaeNrEW 3D Surround SOUND TECHNOLOGY DIMENSION OFSOUND, NuReality is proud to introduce a revolutionary development in audio technolo—gtyhe Vivid 3D™ series of sound enhancement products. Thanks to patented SRS (@)® technology, Vivid 3D systems retrieve ambient information lost by traditional stereo processing to create 3D surround sound from only .they work remarkably well on With a backlit LED ° The Input Source control twoW speaakers. any audio source, Mono or indicator, the 3D Space RETAILVISION lets you select Mono when stereo, and on any system f= rom display shows you the using mono audio source current level of SRS 1994 Winner INNOVATIONS material, and Stereo for fupremre prey ereiam erecerin] orenalcom aca kee) processing. stereo source material. In TV set to high-end Dolby Pro Best Product___ Mono mode, the Vivid 3D Logic surround system.” The SRS On/Off Sudio synthesizes a stereo Home Theater, April 1995 control turns SRS signal from a mono source, processing on and off. and then adds SRS 3D EASY TO INSTALL NuREALITY sound processing. In Center brings up the Vivid 3D products are easy to install with your information in the center 30 SPACE Stereo mode, the Vivid 3D ofa recording, such as a Studio creates SRS 3D existing audio system. You can enhance lead soloist or vocalist. sound from a stereo virtually any audio configuration with Vivid 3D products —including DSS, VCRs, TVs, You can use the Vivid source, 3D Studio’s built-in receivers, tape decks, FM radios, CD and laser amplifier, or bypass the INPUT SOURCE Space adjusts the width of disc players. In addition, Vivid 3D products are internal amplifier to use a sound image. fully compatible with surround sound STEREO your existing amplifier Vivid 3D products employ ExpeRience Vivio 3D Souno FREE!* technologies, system. CENTER award-winning SRS VOLUME technology licensed from such as Dolby SRS Labs. This leading- Pro Logic® edge sound technology has earned the following The award-winning patents: Vivid 3D Plus adds a USS. Patent No. 4,748,669 new level ofaudio U.S. Patent No. 4,841,572 excitement to portable and component stereo systems. Cueck Us Our ONLINE Internet address: Ittp://www.nureality.com E-mail address: [email protected] SURPRISINGLY AFFORDABLE NuReality offers a complete family of Vivid 3D products with prices starting under $100. To order or for more information, call NuReality at: 1-800-501-8086 EALITY *This specially recorded CD recreates the experience of 3D sound from any CD player. The demo CD is available for a $5.95 shipping and handling charge which can be fully credited toward the purchase ofaVivid 3D system. This offer applies only to Vivid 3D products purchased directly from NuReality. International orders do not include freight charges, duty or VAT.© 1995 NuReality. All rights reserved. NuReality and :| the NuReality logo is a registered trademark of Nureality. SRS is a registered trademark of SRS Labs. All product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. V-7/95 ay2907 Daimler Street, Santa Ana, CA 92705 714-442-1080 Fax 714-852-1059 CIRCLE NO. 63 ON READER SERVICE CARD