video-magazine-1987-02

IZM OT ANd Gm QUELAL : $1.95 FEBRUARY 1987 The #1 Magazine of Home Video 67 VHS Tapes Tested Which Brand Is Best For You? | Cary Grant’s Ke. / Video Legacy ee. Sizzling Romance Tapes Great Video Love Affairs Interviews Alice Cooper, lobe Hooper BERGER-BRAITHWAITE VIDEOTESTS Ploneer HQ VHS VCR Zenith VHS Camcorder NEC 8mm Camcorder Multivision Digital Video Adapter Mh uM ons 70989 37869

PICK FROM OVER 200 MOVIES ON THESE TWO PAGES. | TITLE SELECTION TITLE SELECTION } NUMBER NUMBER | CHUCK NORRIS. LEE MARVIN THE BRIDGE ON THE THE NATURAL 1649052 | SLEEPING BEAUTY DELTA FORCE E JAGGED EDGE RIVER KWAI 1606062 [ELENI 90082 { TE 5437022 3383012 ROCKY IV 1813052 [70 CATCH A THIEF 2050052 _|THE CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR ENEMY MINE 3584082 _| FRIGHT NIGHT 1820062 3570042 MOONRAKER 0894092 JANE FONDA’S NEW WORKOUT ROMANCING THE STONE 0607152 WUTHERING HEIGHTS FANTASTIC VOYAGE 0564162 A VIEW TO A KILL STAR WARS COMMANDO 0584122 |THE GREAT ESCAPE BONNIE AND CLYDE 14847092 DR. STRANGELOVE | SOME LIKE IT HOT ANIGHTMARE ON RE-ANIMATOR 11803072 ELM STREET 2 PATTON 5378032 CRUISING RISKY BUSINESS 2035132 THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD THE BEST OF TIMES J) 1510882 3507022 SMOOTH TALK ALICE IN WONDERLAND 0935002 {6020032 eae econ eee See 60430 1 WSIELSVTERSAIDDOE STORY CEAIBNDAERCEHTID 12 le TITLE NSEULMEBCETRION TITLE NSEULMEBCETRION TITLE NSEULMEBCETRION T|_HOEEATCHOTWTIOSNH CLUB AYNENNITEL HALL 6080002 STALAG 17 328 ROCKY 0563172 | BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE WARGAMES 0828002 | STING—BRING ON THE NIGHT THE TEXAS CHAINSAW SUNDANCE KID 0517302 | GREMLINS 0775112 |THE GRADUATE 02 6082082 | PORKY'S 2040082 | POWER 6079032 MASSACRE 3305062 | CHARLOTTE’S WEB 2095022 | IT’S AWONDERFUL LIFE 3256052 | LOVE STORY 6049002 _| ST. ELMO'S FIRE 0855062 THE HOWLING 5251052 | POLICE ACADEMY 3553052 | 20,000 LEAGUES THE BIG CHILL i 0527202 | FORT APACHE 5526042 | DUMBO RAGING BULL 2055182 | COCOON UNDER THE SEA PURPLE RAIN 1527022 |THEGOOD, THEBAD AND THE UGLY | 0582222 | EDDIE MURPHY—DELIRIOUS STAR TREK— THE CARE BEARS MOVIE THE MOTION PICTURE zip 0500132 | GUYS AND DOLLS _| 3533002 6048012 _|STARMAN 1723042 | 7110022 | PALE RIDER 6097012 TRUE GRIT 2028122 FRIDAY THE 13TH 2042062 CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF SUPERMAN 0013132 | FUNNY GIRL 1511002 THE THIRD KIND CITY LIGHTS 4857062 MY FAIR LADY OLD YELLER 0669022 | TWICE IN A LIFETIME 2029032 BILL COSBY—HIMSELF A CHORUS LINE 0504012 BODY HEAT THE PARENT TRAP 5289012 | REDS 1633032 THE RIGHT STUFF 2014182 CHINATOWN A SOLDIER'S STORY 3193012 _|THE BLACK STALLION 7507032 CLEOPATRA JANE FONDA’S WORKOUT 6095032_| REVOLUTION |CHALLENGE 5288022 | AGAINST ALL ODDS 6014012 TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A 4802022 OCTOPUSSY 1733282 _|TERMS OF ENDEARMENT 0910092 / GIANT MARY POPPINS RED RIVER [1862052 ANIGHTMARE ON PLACES IN THE HEART [3104092 g ELM STREET EATING RAOUL 5260042 | MISTER ROBERTS BODY DOUBLE 7225042 |CHARIOTS OF FIRE 1819092 |} KRAMER VS. KRAMER [_ 6024092 .f AGNES OF GOD 5276062 | PRIZZI'S HONOR Ye) @ Mi FIREFOX co £ THE GREATEST STORY FSEOSLALMOEW STTHRAETETBIRPDRESENTS 0978082 _|THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK PRETTY IN PINK EVER TOLD 0793012 _|THE CARE BEARS MOVIE II 4224022 1713062 | BLADE RUNNER 1812062 | GUESS WHO'S COMING IRON EAGLE 3588042 6117072 [ATROTHDUINRNER A lot of savvy VCR owners just for joining the Club. We’ll even SAVE 50% WITH : have been finding out how good our pay the shipping and handling. OUR BONUS PLAN. r deal is. And how good our movies are. Just keep reading and you'll see for You can also order a fourth Once you've bought five yourself four reasons why the CBS movie right now and save up to $60 movies at regular Club prices, you can Video Club has the best deal around on more (see box at right). And that’s only cancel your membership at any time. the movies you want to own. And you the beginning. But most members prefer to keep can get in on that deal right here buying from the Club. Because under and now. PAY NO our current generous Bonus Plan, each movie you buy allows you to take 3547042 MEMBERSHIP FEE. an THREE MOVIES Even with an upfront deal as Se acetal ONLY $3.30 EACH. good as ours, there’s no mem- bership fee. All we ask is that WITH MEMBERSHIP you buy five more movies at regular Club prices within the Seems too good to be true? next two Then take a good look at the listing years—movies above. We’ll send you any three of over you'd probably 200 terrific movies here for $3.30 each, buy anyway. Club prices cur- rently range from $29.95 to $79.95, plus shipping and handling (extra-long films and specials may cost a bit more). Then you can start saving all over again with our Bonus Plan.

GOOD DEAL WHEN THEY SEE ONE. JUST $3.30 EACH. WITH MEMBERSHIP PICK FROM OVER 200 MOVIES ON THESE TWO PAGES. [_TITLe SNEULMEBCETRION TITLE SNEULMEBCETRION HALLOWEEN 3250012 _|THE THING (ORIGINAL) 5505092 STOP MAKING SENSE 1759192 _| ARSENIC AND OLD LACE 0735102 AIRPLANE 2033232 |CAT BALLOU 1545002 TEEN WOLF 4104072 | AMERICAN GIGOLO 2030002 STAR TREK tll— 2016162 THE SWORD IN THE STONE 5409062 |THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK MAD MAX: BEYOND NORTH TO ALASKA 7310002 _|THUNDERDOME 6089012 THE SEVEN SAMURAI 5299092 THE KARATE KID 3708052 _|ROBIN HOOD [1742012 ALL ABOUT EVE 0071072 HELLO DOLLY 1710092 _|GHOSTBUSTERS FOOTLOOSE 0002322 THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING 0044082 | “10” 0078002 YANKEE DOODLE DANDY 5304022 RETURN OF THE DRAGON 0609052 | ALIEN 4114052 0577032 2019052 _|THE GODFATHER—PART II 0948052 | SPLASH THE TEN COMMANDMENTS SPIES LIKE US JEWEL OF THE NILE i 0574062 _|WITNESS Ariat 0818022 _|THE LONGEST DAY 2026062 6116082 3571032 5426052 SELECTION |SELECTION | SELECTION ai GES TITLE NUMBER TITLE NUMBER TITLE NUMBER SallyField PRIVATE BENJAMIN 6018072 | REBECCA [0664072 | COUNTRY 5341072 K DAS BOOT THE POSTMAN ALWAYS 7520092 | OKLAHOMA! 0054052 _|THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY b RINGS TWICE 0670142) |}VALANCE ANNIE BLUE HAWAIL B0Ne052 STRIPES CARNAL KNOWLEDGE 4000022 | THE MUPPETS TAKE |THE ROAD WARRIOR 6028052 THE AFRICAN QUEEN GANDHI 1516052 _|MANHATTAN 0923122 _|RICHARD PRYOR—LIVE ON 1603092 CASABLANCA 1513162 | THE PINK PANTHER 0561012 |THE SUNSET STRIP 6084062 2003032 | THE KILLING FIELDS aTOOcTSaIE 3122072 _|SUNSET BOULEVARD 0511022 FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE 0690212 TRADING PLACES 2017152 1533042 THE FRENCH CONNECTION [042422 0507162 | EUROPEAN VACATIONf . 6096022 a75n09i042 Sema aeenaa THeay THE EARTH | REVENGE OF THE NERDS 0925022 D STILL 0576042 CITIZEN KANE 5501032 ’ ai ae LAWRENCE OF ARABIA 1514072 THE FALCON AND | gate [1529002] WITNESS FOR THE THE SNOWMAN 4808062 | SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER 5502022 |PROSECUTION | GREASE THE WAY WE WERE BEVERLY HILLS COP 2053102 2020282 feWEE'S BIG 6098002 |THE GODFATHER 0717122 | FLASHDANCE 2018142 : ae LOST IN AMERICA 2074072 |‘AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN |THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING ADVENTURE 0008022 | THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN 0534212 |THE MALTESE FALCON 6088022 KISS OF THE 3187092 |LONDON M°A\"S\"*H ma [THE ALAMO 0858032 SPIDER WOMAN 0523162 _|LA CAGE AUX FOLLES 4173032 | MR. MOM 0508072 ON GOLDEN POND 6081092 | CADDYSHACK 7140062 | SUMMER RENTAL 3112092 0583052 GOONIES 0567132 _|SOUTH PACIFIC 0512012 | FANNY AND ALEXANDER 2022182 ‘SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON 7104002 NOTORIOUS 6042072 | AN OFFICER AND 6023002 |48 HOURS 1733282 ‘A PASSAGE TO INDIA 5504002 NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN 7105092 _|A GENTLEMAN 3506112 _|A SOLDIER'S STORY 3145002 MOMMIE DEAREST 7741022 THE WOMAN IN RED [6017082 2000142 THE EMERALD FOREST 2021192 | DIRTY HARRY another movie of equal value or less Advance Selection I CBS VIDEO CLUB 1400 North Fruitridge Avenue at 50% off. And we'll see to it that Dept. 648, P.O. Box 1111, Terre Haute, IN 47811 you always have plenty to choose SAVE UP TO $60 MORE— from. HAVE LESS TO BUY LATER! Please enroll me in the CBS Video Club under the terms outlined in this advertisement. As a member, I need to buy HUNDREDS OF Order a fourth movie now for only $19.95 | just five more movies at regular Club prices within the next HIT MOVIES. (that’s up to $60 savings! )—and your mem- bership obligation is immediately reduced | two years. |# About every four weeks (up to (you then need buy only 4 more, instead of5). 13 times a year), we'll send you our I SEND ME THESE # CBS Video Club Magazine, reviewing See coupon at right. our Director’s Selection plus a wide 3 MOVIES FOR |# choice of alternate movies. Including specified. (If you ever receive a tape recent hits like Pretty in Pink and before having had a full two weeks to I ONLY $3.30 EACH. Return of the Jedi. Classics like Casa- decide, send it back at our expense.) I That's only $9.90 for all 3! blanca and The African Queen. And You can also call us toll free with any I Check one: 0VHS CIBETA family favorites like The Sound of questions or service requests. Music and Sleeping Beauty. I Please check how paying: Join today and we'll send your In addition, up to four times a first three movies for just $3.30 each | (_] My check is enclosed. X19/X21 year you may receijve offers of speciai l along with more details on how the selections, usually at a discount off Club works. I (J Charge my introductory movies and future Club purchases to: regular club prices, for a total of up to If you’re not satisfied, re- I () MasterCard [_]Diners Club X20/X22 17 buying opportunities. turn everything within 10 days for a American Express [_] VISA full, prompt refund—no further If you want the Director's Se- oblij gatijon. I lection, don’t do a thing. It will arrive I Account #. automatically. If you prefer an alternate For faster service, use your I Expiration Date. or none at all, just let us know by credit card to order and call toll free I Signature mailing the enclosed card by the date 1-800-CBS-4804 (in Indiana, call i KAlso send my first selection for $19.95 plus $3.00 for 1-800-742-1200). Or mail the coupon. I shipping/handling, which I’m 4 | CBS VIDEO CLUB eee Micro above. I 1400 North Fruitridge Avenue, Terre Haute, IN 47811 tGheesnthndeed of Bbiuye ontliyve 4yemaorrse, Name Phone ( Site SMe Address ) a City. Zip NOTE: CBS Video Club reserves the right to reject any application or cancel any membership. Offer limited to continental U.S. and Canada I (excluding Alaska). Canadian residents will be serviced from Toronto (offer may vary). Applicable sales tax added to all orders.

February 1987 Contents Volume X, Number 11 Video S/N Dropout Count 72 75 Departments 43 Programming Features VIDEO Magazine’s 1987 News & Views Channel One Blank Tape Tests. Part 1: VHS The start of our exhaustive By Mark Fleischmann. .............2.... 79 Malerotthe Tape! «ttt sie. tekesciee 6 bi-annual technical evaluation: 67 VHS brands and grades Reviews Fast Forward tested, charted, and graphed. Labyrinth, Raw Deal, By Lancelot Braithwatte...........000... 43 Ran, Toxic Avenger, Korea’s 4mm Challenge.............00066+ 8 Monty Python, more Romance’s Renaissance Directory Feedback Get ready for Valentine’s Day New Releases on Tape & Disc........ 90 Letters from Readers ............06..055 10 with made-for-video love stories and the enduring Videotests The Gazette appeal of onscreen amour. Tobe Hooper, Adam West, By Toby Goldstein ........c0.cccceeccc0ees 72 Zenith VM7100 HQ VHS Camcorder Alice Cooper, more Pioneer VH-900 VHS Hi-Fi VCR Cary Grant NEC EM-A8U 8mm Camcorder Edited by Ira Robbins.........000.0.0004. 14 A fond look back at the Multivision 3.1 Digital Video Adapter career of Hollywood's Top 40 most elegant romantic star. By Berger-Braithwaite Labs.......... 98 Tape & Disc Sales & Rentals ......... 16 By Beverley Bare Buehrer .............. 75 New Products ‘The: LatéestGeate te eee hacen) 22 Fine Tuning Video Questions & Answers........... 32 TV Den Black & White Backlash By Roderick Woodcock..........0.....+++ 36 The Camcorner Cross Breeding Camcorders By Roderick Woodcock.....02.........++ 40 Off the Air ee eo. 142 Born to Shop By DoW Brennen Sizling Romance Tapes Interviews Uae wa About the Cover. An all-in-one automatic blank tape tester may be just a fantasy, but we can dream, can’t we? Construction by Ajin. Photograph by Robert Lewis.

~LWO THUMBS UF bkhe pert mances are great! el & Ebert @THE MOVIES moece blalf Moon Street’! On the scale of 1 to 10, a 9+!” —Gary Franklin, ABC-TY. LOS ANGELES Dr. Lauren Slaughter Harvard Ph.D. AYFr(eelem Delian Daeererne Hooker ‘larget . Phy 3 iy oe — uid - «¥ FBIOLBM SCWOARIPM FPIRELSMENTATION SigoumeyWeWel oNVlichael Caine : MUSIC BY RICHARD H IVE PRODUCERS EDWARD R. PRESSMAN AND DAVID K : PLAY BY BOB SWAIM AND EDWARD ~ BEHR* BASED ON THE NOVEL [pig *TOR SLAUGHTER” BY PAUL THEROUX cers tuitte PRODUCED BY GEOFFREY REEVE * DIRECTED BY BOB SWAIM R) Caime are on AVAILABLE ON VIDEOCASSETTE AND LASER VIDEODISC February 18, 1987 EMBASSY HOME ENTERTAINMENT® hy 1901 AVENUE OF THE STARS, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90067 ) :| P fy Artwork and Design © 1987 Embassy Home Entertainment® Printed in U.S.A. 7; For additional information. circle No. 1 on Reader Service Card

Channel One WV Tale of the Tapes Editor Doug Garr Managing Editor Stan Pinkwas Technical Editor Lancelot Braithwaite West Coast Editor Roderick Woodcock Senior Editor Ira Robbins Art Director Eileen M. Goldstein Acting Art Director Carol Dietz Associate Editor Lou Kesten Assistant Editor Dan Wishnoff Contnbuting Editors Ivan Berger, Bob Brewin, Steve Daly (Directory), Mark Fleischmann, Frank Lovece, Tim Onosko, Murray Slovick Asst. to the Editor Adam Philips Two years ago this month, Technical Editor Lancelot Braithwaite presented his Asst. Art Director Patricia Quon last biannual report on the state of blank tape. His analysis of 50 VHS tapes was the Ant Assistant Julie Thurer most exhaustive study of its kind, and cost Braithwaite many sleepless nights of preparation. But his self-imposed insomnia was worthwhile. The February 1985 Typesetting Janet M. Holland issue has become a collector’s item. It was VIDEO’s best-selling issue ever; the Editorial Assistant Lily Schwartzberg few office copies left are selfishly protected. Publisher Jay Rosenfield What’s new in blank tape this year? For one thing, there are more brands and Associate Publisher Debra Halpert grades, a full third more than we found in 1985. Sixty-seven VHS tapes were Production Manager Linda M. Vallely scrutinized by Braithwaite’s measuring devices. He’s looking at almost as many Production Assistant Lisa Paisal Beta tapes for next month’s Part II, and at Compact VHS and 8mm tapes—which Circulation Director Joseph Muccigrosso didn’t even exist when we conducted our last tests—for the final installment in Circulation Manager Rena Adler April. The other big news is that our technical chief has set stiffer standards, largely because the overall quality of blank tape has so improved. Financial Officer Albert Mineo Business Manager Janette Evans “Almost everybody’s tape performed better than in my last test,” he reports. Gabrielle Macari “However, tape is getting so damn good, there’s little room for improvement. For Assistant to the example, two years ago, tapes with fewer than 10 dropouts were considered Publisher 460 West 34 Street excellent. Today, a tape must have fewer than five dropouts to earn a top grade in N.Y., N.Y. 10001 that category. An audio signal-to-noise ratio under 51 was considered average. National Editorial (212) 947-6500 Now, anything under 51.1 is poor. The next improvement has to be in the systems & Sales Eric C. Schwartz themselves: the VCR’s metal heads plus the tape. And by tape, Imean 8mm, either Luanne Rao metal particle or metal evaporated.” He allowed himself a sly smile that he’s really Advertising Director Noel Boyle partial to 8mm tape, which performs as well as half-inch with only half the surface Promotion Manager Beth Cahill area. Linda DeRogatis Ad Coordinator Janet Rubin Is there a “best” tape? Obviously, this depends on the qualities you’re looking East Coast Sales for. There is a best tape for you and, more importantly, a best for certain situations (it’s not always the highest rated or most expensive). When you scan our Classified Sales exclusive test graphs to see how each company’s tape scored, bear in mind that the best tapes will have the largest area within the connected dots. The bigger and Midwest Sales more even the snowflake-like pattern, the better the tape is, overall. Is there such Milton Gerber, Gerber & Associates, 1309 a thing as a perfect six-pointed flake? Maybe when it snows, but not in our tape North Rand Rd., Arlington Heights, Ill. 60004 tests. “There’s no such thing as perfect tape,” declares Braithwaite. (312) 253-7500 There were, however, a couple of surprises. Konica’s Super HG T-120 and Zenith’s SHG T-120 performed very well, considering that Konica’s tape hasn’t West Coast Sales been around very long and that Zenith’s is supposedly made by JVC (whose Sales Manager: Deborah Kern. Adv. Asst.: equivalent didn’t do as well as the Zenith). There were also some non-surprises. Fuji’s Super XG H451 and TDK’s HD Pro 120 were great, just as they were two Ellyn Rubin, 16661 Ventura Blvd., years ago. Just below their level were Maxell’s HGX Gold Hi Fi, T-120, and the RX Encino, Calif. 91436 (818) 905-5303 Pro, T-120. Of the six tapes just mentioned, Braithwaite says, “There’s little perceptible difference among them. It’s there, but it’s a fussy small difference.” VIDEO (ISSN 0147-8907) is published Connoisseurs will want to make up their own minds. Braithwaite lost a lot more monthly by ese Communications Inc., sleep this year than he did last time, but we think this issue and the next two will also keep you awake, and will be issues you'll want to keep. 460 West 34th Street, New York, N.Y. 10001. -cond-class postage paid at New York, N.Y. and additional mailing office. * 1987 by Reese Communications Inc. All rights reserved. © under Universal, International, and Pan Regular readers will note a change this month in our columns as “The Third rAimaleroircapnictCopyrightte Conventions. Reproduction of edito- copy Price 1s prohibited. Single ?2.00 Sterling in U.K. J IF 2.00; Leandada$16.00 reign, air mail, Format” becomes “The Camcorner.” With 8mm well-launched and Compact VHS orders, change of adc adding new twists to minivideo, it seemed time to focus more on the camcorder’s to: VIDEO, P. O. Box growing innovativeness and popularity. “The Camcorner,” with West Coast Editor 6293. Change of addr addre: label, new adi Roderick Woodcock at the helm, will cover camcorders of all formats, the burgeon- in thism: azine is subject to manufacturer's change wi shia ing accessory market, as well as the nuts and bolts of home video making. Look for notice, and publisher assumes no responsibility for such change. Printed in the U.S.A. hands-on tips about the latest products and the best techniques for using them. We POSTMASTER: Send Address changes to VIDEO, P. O. Box 56293, Boulder, Colorado 80322-6293. think you'll enjoy it. y id —The Editors 6 Video February 1987

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Fast Forwar Late-Breaking News Korea’s 4mm Video the audio down and the and a supershort wave- Challenge Forecasts TV screen blue at the end length laser give the disc of a cassette to mask out its zip. The pros will see More details are emerg- This is the year VCRs irritating audio and video it later this year or early ing about Samsung’s in- will finally pass color noise. next; consumers will triguing—and potentially TVs in sales, according to have to wait a while disruptive—4mm cam- JVC marketing manager Fit To longer. corder format, which us- Steve Isaacson. He re- Be Decked es a digital audio tape cently told the Interna- Waves (DAT) cassette about the tional Tape/Disc Associa- VCR penetration con- tion that home video will tinues its seemingly inex- Of Clay Samsung’s 4mm camcorder. generate $6 billion in fac- orable climb. The latest tory sales this year, and Nielsen research says Flat speakers are fol- size of a Wheat Thin. The sell 15 million VCRs, for that 40 percent of the lowing in the tracks of camcorder, dubbed the a healthy 7.5 percent country’s 86 million TV flat screens. Murata SVC41, will weigh 2.5 gain over 1986. His opti- households now have the pounds without the bat- mism was complemented ubiquitous appliance. Manufacturing has devel- tery and include a 2.5- by Vista Home Video That’s another huge inch color LCD viewfin- president Nick Santrizos, leap—last year Nielsen oped a wafer thin ceram- der. An impressive fea- who reported that pre- estimated only 23 per- ic speaker it says is ideal ture lineup promises recorded tape sales grew cent of TV homes were for tiny LCD TVs, as well autofocus, auto white bal- by an astounding 2000 equipped with VCRs. Inci- as portable radios. The ance, quick playback, low percent in the past five dentally, the best-decked larger of two versions of light sensitivity, fades, years, and predicted that cities, with penetration the speaker is only one- memory indexing, and a cassette sales will double levels of 56 percent, were tenth of an inch thick, tuner, making it possible between now and 1990. San Francisco and Las weighs a fraction of an to watch and record TV Vegas. ounce, and should add programs. Samsung The Little Tube less than $2 to the cost plans to introduce the That Couldn’t TVCRs of an LCD TV. SVC41 in Korea this Multiply summer for about $1300. The mighty rise of the Booming There’s no U.S. release yen against the dollar Sony may have started Boob Tubes date yet, but the company has killed off Panasonic’s a mini-trend when it is betting it will have five eagerly awaited Pocket combined a 25-inch mon- The Soviet Union’s lag- percent of the camcorder Watch. Company spokes- itor/receiver with an ging video culture seems market by 1988. men say the value of the 8mm VCR. Other compa- to lead the West’s in at yen caused its projected nies now tied to this least one category: ex- If 4mm delivers, it price to leap from about high-tech hitching post ploding televisions. The could be as disruptive as $300 to nearly $500, include Goldstar, which Leningrad fire depart- it is revolutionary. Indus- more than it expects U.S. has a 19-inch TVCR,; ment reports that explod- try watchers say many consumers to be willing Lloyd, with a 13-inch ing sets started about consumers are already to pay for a tiny 35-inch combo; Brentwood Elec- 500 fires in 1986 and confused about which screen. Panasonic first tronics, with a 19-inch 406 fires the year before. minivideo format—8mm showed the LCD color TV remote controlled unit; or Compact VHS—is the last January, and won and Panasonic, which RCA’s Compact best bet. Will another in- compliments for the clar- has a 13-inch, side-load- Contender compatible tiny format ity of its active matrix ing VHS industrial model raise the confusion factor picture. The Pocket that some consumer out- RCA, which flirted with enough to harm every- Watch was promised for lets have begun carrying. 8mm two years ago, has one’s prospects? last spring, then moved abandoned the fledgling to Christmas. Now, it’s on Hi-Def Discs format to pursue Com- hold—except in Japan, pact camfans instead. Its where it’s been selling With High Definition new $1400 Compact VHS for half a year. Television (HDTV) loom- Small Wonder camcorder, ing on the horizon, weighing 4.1 pounds Blue Horizons Toshiba says it has per- with battery and cassette, fected a high definition is a full-featured model Two of Sharp’s forth- videodisc that carries 90 and a companion to last coming VCRs will have a minutes of playing time year’s full-size VHS Pro- new tweak: a Blue Screen suitable for super-sharp Wonder. RCA predicts Noise Elimination Sys- 1125-line HDTV screens. VHS will control 85 per- tem. The feature turns High density recording cent of this year’s cam- corder market, with Com- pacts accounting for a growing share. 8 Video February 1987

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Feedback Readers Air Their Views Laser Lament Record Discord readers of VIDEO magazine, peruse FCC bulletins. The point I was trying to make A funny thing happened to Indiana Jones I agree with your “Deja View” editorial is that the A/B switch ts going to cause problems for the unsophisticated. This and the Temple of Doom. Your Novem- (“Channel One,” Dec., 1986) that took a should be a boon to people who charge $50 an hour in places like New York City ber, 1986 issue lists the price for both stand against laws requiring built-in pro- to accomplish the simple task of hooking up a VCR and TV set to a cable and an the tape and the videodisc as $29.95. tection codes on VCRs. No one should antenna. The tape price is correct, and it has have the right to prevent me from re- Blanking Out cording off the airwaves or from a rent- been available since the original release While the product hypesters are busy touting the new video formats (Compact date. But when I ordered a videodisc ed tape as long as I do not use it for VHS and 8mm), I’ve been looking at store displays of blank tape. So far I copy I was informed it would not be re- personal gain. The public airwaves have not seen any displays of Compact VHS tapes, and only one for 8mm tape leased until sometime later. Since should never become the sole province (with a $14.50 price). of individuals or companies, and I should then the release date has been pushed Granted, I haven't really looked for blank tape, but then I wouldn’t want to back twice, and the price is now $39.95. have a right to use tapes I rent as I see pay a premium price for tape that claims to be almost as good as (or, at I purchased my videodisc player for fit in my own home. Robert J. Tilley best, equal to) VHS. Only documented claims of a new format’s superiority will three reasons: picture quality, sound Sterling Heights, Mich. make me give up my collection of more than 250 VHS tapes. Even then, the quality, and a lower price for movies. Macro Tip cost of blank tape will have to be at least competitive. At less than $5 for two However, I must wait months longer be- hours, VHS is a real bargain. fore a movie is released in this format, if When playing Macrovision-encoded tapes Loren Rosebraugh Agoura Hills, Calif. it is released at all. Delays are the on my Panasonic PV-1730 VCR and Looking for Mr. Goodcam norm, release dates are rarely met, and Sony KV-25XBR monitor, a bright half- When the PBS series Live from Lincoln now I’m paying a premium price for moon glare would appear at the bottom Center proved what stereo could do for television, I knew that VCRs would movies that cost $10 to $12 less on right of the screen. Sony and Panasonic someday follow suit. Now I have a Beta Hi-Fi, but I’m still waiting for the right VHS. Furthermore, I have just found repairmen who saw it said the glare was camera/camcorder. | tried the Beta- movie and loved it, but was puzzled by out that Walt Disney Home Video will no caused by my high-end equipment pick- the lack of video out/playback functions. These shortcomings could have been longer release on videodisc. What’s go- ing up the Macrovision signals and dis- remedied, but then the 8mm format was born. Sadly, it seems to have pulled the ing on? Michael J. Harding playing them on my screen. | don’t get plug on Betamovie. So, I’m still waiting for an affordable camcorder with Hi-Fi East Aurora, N.Y. the glare when I use my low-end combi- stereo. Which company will come up with it first this time? nation: a Panasonic VCR and an RCA Peter A. Bourdelle If videodiscs are to videotape what CDs monitor. My advice to those who intend Bethlehem, Penn. are to audio cassettes, why are they be- to rent Macrovision-encoded tapes is to The only stereo camcorders we know of are ing kept such a secret? It often seems Kodak’s MVS 5000 (“Videotests,” Feb. that Pioneer has the sole right to make use cheaper equipment. You'll get a 1986) and Zenith’s VM7100 reviewed in this and market both the players and the month’s “Videotests.” more satisfactory picture. Ken Price discs. If the format is as good as Pio- This Means War Ontario, Canada neer’s ads indicate, I’d buy it, but not un- Ever since home video really started to til I get some assurances that it won’t Switch Glitch grow, movie companies have expressed concern over revenue lost through illegal go the way of CEDs and Quadrophonic. Bob Brewin’s scenario in “Cable’s New George Schneider Complication,” (“Off the Air,” Nov. Woodside, N.Y. 1986) was inaccurate. The Federal Com- munications Commission proposal on Affordable Portable? A/B switches clearly states that exist- Sony should make a portable, record- ing cable subscribers are not required only version of the sophisticated SL- HF1000 SuperBeta VCR you reviewed to accept visits from cable servicemen in December’s “Videotests.” Profession- or have A/B switches installed on their al editing capabilities and 300 lines of televisions. Therefore, we are not con- horizontal resolution make the SL- HF 1000 the ideal recorder for Canon’s demned to having our equipment made top-of-the-line VC-50A video camera. obsolete by the FCC. Although the VC-50A has a lot of pro- fessional features and a resolution of 400 With my cable service connected to lines, its present companion VHS re- corder, the VR-40, does not have flying one VCR and the regular antenna con- erase heads and has a resolution of only nected to the TV, I can switch be- 200 lines. There are enough serious am- tween cable and over-air broadcasts (an ateur videomakers to justify a record- only version of Sony’s SL-HF1000 or a essential, given the frequency with riodel with similar features. which my cable operator has signal loss) Narciso T. Arong Houston, Tex. with my wireless remote. Few, if any, 10 Video February 1987 people with wireless remote channel changing on their sets need to accept an A/B switch. Jan R. Harrington New York, N.Y. Bob Brewin replies: Not all television viewers, not even all the sophisticated

The stereo VCR that has everything. Including a cure for the bends. i At last, an ergonomically-designed VCR. And something no other VCR comes with. The new Magnavox VR9565 has everything A tilt-out control panel that saves you no truly sophisticated VCR should be without. bending and stooping every time you use it. Exclusive tilt-out control panel 4 heads, wireless remote, Hi-Fistereo and HQ enhancing for the clearest possible picture make it absolutely everything a VCR can be. So it goes perfectly with the new Magnavox Star TV. After all, one beautiful piece of equipment deserves another. The perfect VCR. To go with the perfect TV. Nobody puts ittogether like MAGNAVOX. ©1986N.A.P. Consumer Electronics Corp, A North American Philips Company For additional information, circle No. 4 on Reader Service Card.

new TV and plan to hook it up to a cable Armstrong Remembered Quality system, you should talk to your local op- After reading Ivan Berger’s “TV Sound’s Advantage” (“Audio Input,” Dec. 1986), rightdown erator before doing so. He can tell you I must mention some additional facts the line. dealing with Major Armstrong’s discov- what will or will not work with his equip- ery of AM and FM tuning circuits. While Moments worth remem- he did make a fortune with these discov- bering are worth keeping ment and what the limitations would be. eries, a good deal of it was spent in bat- on RCA Video Tape. It’s tling RCA for the legal rights to his FM made to the same high The consumer should realize that new inventions. Whether RCA was fighting to standards of excellence as smooth the entry of FM into TV or not, Our video cameras and technology always requires a certain the long and expensive legal battle drove VCRs. Whether you Major Armstrong to suicide. After his use our VHS or amount of time to fully develop each as- death, a court granted him full legal rights to FM networks RCA had tried to pect of it. Ronald K. Peterson obtain. Major Armstrong’s visionary dis- coveries were inventive, dynamic and an Bisbee, Ariz. incentive for all engineers. Worth the Gamble? I found your article “The $10.00 Gam- ble” (Dec. 1986) very interesting and very true. I purchased several of these titles over the past year (generally from Congress and Goodtimes) and the quali- Joseph Cozzarelli Belleville, N.J. Addendum Last month’s “The Year in Gear” re- view of 1986’s best video products should have included Hitachi’s VT-87A VHS Hi-Fi VCR. Technical Editor Lan- celot Braithwaite rated it the best in its class. We regret the omission. Vv) VIDEO welcomes your comments and questions. Please do not enclose self-addressed envelopes with letters as the volume of mail does not permit personal replies. All letters may be edited for clarity and space. Address correspondence to Feedback, VIDEO Magazine, 460 West 34th Street, New York, N.Y. 10001. taping. In the past I have been willing to ty varied widely. Generally, I found ex- premium buy reasonably priced videos on the as- actly what you reported: Sabotage had sumption that their picture and sound awful sound; Blackmail had even worse is a proven leader in quality would be superior to what I could sound, and My Man Godfrey had a buzz. get by taping a film off a pay TV channel our quality reputation on like HBO. Unfortunately, I was badly A copy of Devil Bat | got from Good- the line. Proudly. mistaken. times was not only recorded in EP speed, but the video noise was so bad I LCE] If you can get a better copy taping the had to return it. The next copy was in movie yourself than buying the commer- the SP mode. Its quality was better but Video Tape cial video, you’d have to be a fool not to the tape shell looked like it had been do so. If the movie companies really thrown from a speeding car before it FaiN2cRSCondio4eanrfd.rarcoivdlrtieemicraoetniaoln, want to battle the video pirates, they was shrink-wrapped. On average, these should keep prices competitive and offer tapes are unpredictable, but what can When you're playing for keeps. a superior product. you expect for under $9? Stephen F. Rees Ben R. Wilkie Abington, Penn. York, Me. It’s a Jungle Out There I found Roderick Woodcock’s “Taping in the Cable Jungle” (“TV Den,” Aug. 1986) an irresponsible piece of journal- ism. The compatibility problem between VCRs and cable TV systems has been as much, if not more, of a headache to the cable operators than it has been to the subscribers. Their incompatibility is not a conspiracy thought up by the cable industry, as Woodcock suggests. We have two technologies that do not work smoothly together. However, the cable and TV industries have been working to- gether to solve the problem by produc- ing a truly “cable ready” product. If you are thinking of purchasing a 12 Video February 1987

VIETTONAUNMYD.OEURSHTAVAENDTOITS.EE IT THE CBS VIDEO LIBRARY INTRODUCES A REVEALING NEW VIDEOCASSETTE SERIES, THE VIETNAM WAR WITH WALTER CRONKITE. anywhere else. And you can own it for just $4.95—a full $35 off the reg- ular subscription price. Asa subscriber, you'll broaden your understanding of every stage of the war. Future videocassettes will arrive about one every 6 weeks, always for a 10-day, risk- free examination. Each is $39.95 plus shipping and handling. There is no minimum number you must buy and you can cancel your subscrip- tion at any time. For faster service, use your Vietnam. Never was a war cial battle. . . from the streets of credit card to order and call toll free 1-800-CBS-4804 (in Indiana, more thoroughly examined and Hue to Khe Sanh, where 6,000 call 1-800-742-1200). Or mail the documented. Yet cold facts Marines held off over 40,000 coupon. In return, you'll gain an don’t tell the whole story. Or North Vietnamese. ..and to understanding of Vietnam only your VCR answer the underlying ques- Saigon, where MPs shot it out can deliver. tions. What made this war so Narrated witha Vietcong suicide squad in by Walter Cronkite different and so tough to fight? Did the U.S. Embassy compound. “The Tet Offensive” is an eye- we really lose on the battlefield? What was it like for the fighting opening experience you won't find man? THE FIRST VIDEOCASSETTE IN THIS EXCLUSIVE COLLECTION FROM THE CBS VIDEO LIBRARY To understand Vietnam, you “THE TET OFFENSIVE\" need added perspective. You need FOR JUST $4.95. to see and hear it for yourself. And now you can. In the new videocas- sette series, The Vietnam War with a with subscription Walter Cronkite, graphic CBS com- ajee bat footage has been assembled to mi{<co=]) [CBS VIDEO LIBRARY give you a complete picture. 1400 North Fruitridge Avenue Be Dept. AL 9 PO. Box 1111, Terre Haute, IN 47811 eg pm , Through , Seats ambushes and ioe) tYihnE)iS.s,aAdle.snotSeersnedmnydmemsue“bsTchfrueitpuTrteeitoncOafstfoseenTtstHieEvse”V(aIattE$tT3hNe9A.i9Mn5tropWldAuusRcto$rW2y.I4T5pHrischeWiApopLfiTn$g4E.R9a5n,dCwRhhOainNcdhKliInITga)Em under the terms described in firefights, boo- aD paying as indicated below (fill > on 10 days’ approval, with no Ax obligation to purchase. by traps and 3 Check One: VHS BETA Check how paying: Ozo snipers, Phan- = C]) CHECK ENCLOSED for $4.95* (future cassettes billed with shipment). V11 Ss = [] CREDIT CARD Charge my series purchases, beginning with $4.95* for my first cassette to: v12 toms and SAM [on American Express VISA MasterCard Diners Club f missiles, you'll wit- oa oO Expires &=>we Account No. & ness it all. You'll follow Signature {fea American soldiers into 3 NAME PHONE ( ) action from the Mekong Delta to the oO Feo DMZ. Your first videocassette, S4 ADDRESS. APT. “The Tet Offensive,” will show you Za5z GIEY, All subscriptions subject to review. CBS STATE ZIP. subscription. Offer limited the full scope of the war’s most cru- ce NOTE: Video Library reserves the right to reject or cancel any to continental U.S. (excluding Alaska). *Applicable sales tax added to all orders.

Holy comeback, Adam! “Right again. It’s a sus- Jagger \\ —— _ Are you really making a com- pense/terror film, but not edy with Walter Matthau, slash-and-gash or anything “It’s not a movie,” declares Julien Temple, referring to called Doing Time on Planet like that. I made the picture Running Out of Luck, the Mick Jagger vehicle he directed. “It Earth? in Canada.” was really intended as a video. It took one week to write and three weeks to film—you don’t do a movie that way. No,” he “Yes, I am. It’s a comedy Folks must still think of decides, “it’s a long-form video.” Temple, 32, the man behind with substance, concerning you as Batman. such masterly music clips as the Kinks’ “Come Dancing” and itself with the rites of pas- such idiosyncratic movies as The Great Rock’n’Roll Swindle sage of a young man, and the “Of course. The show still and Absolute Beginners, had previously filmed Jazzin’ for Blue feelings of alienation teenag- plays to millions of people, ers have at that time in their which is probably why it’s not Jean, a 20-minute “mini-musical” with David Bowie. lives.” out on home video yet. But The idea, says Temple, was Jagger’s. “We had worked on a in the last few years, I’ve But why are you riding started to do other roles. lot of the Rolling Stones’ stuff and got on pretty well. Mick around in a bullet-shaped red The pain of typecasting be- was keen to do a long-form video, but something different. I and silver bus in the film? gins to go away if you're per- was working on a movie which fell through; Mick heard about sistent. If you hang around it and called me up.” Jagger was in the midst of recording his “Because we're sort of hip long enough, people start to first solo album, She’s the Boss. “He played me tracks and I people, and you don’t know think you’re good or some- tried to come up with a script that would allow the songs to whether we’re extraterrestri- thing.” make sense on a large scale. als or not. Perhaps we're just very stylish.” Gosh, Adam, you don’t re- “We chose Brazil because I’d shot the Sex Pistols there and gret playing Batman, do you? wanted to go back. Also, South America has had a sort of Golly, Mr. West, didn’t you just make a horror film “On the contrary, I was mythical quality for Mick ever since he got lost in Peru [filming called Nightmare? damn lucky to be able to cre- Werner Herzog’s aborted first version of Fitzcarraldo] and left ate a character that’s caught under weird circumstances.” on with the public and be- come a classic. It’s a great As an expert in this seemingly growing field, does Temple privilege to have played a character that goes on and expect rock movie-musicals to be the next entertainment on.” —Clifford Meth vogue? “Oh,” he deadpans, “I hope not.” —Frank Lovece Adam West (right) discusses his next film. 14 Video February 1987

ack in 1974, when Invaders from Mars, Hoop- Tobe the animation or the optical Tobe Hooper made er’s recent remake of the [effects]. The budget begins Texas Chainsaw Mas- Hooper: to dictate the end results of sacre, things were simpler, 1953 science fiction classic, post-production, which means although the director regrets was part of a three-picture Back some of the magic you in- that the groundbreakingingly deal with the Cannon disgusting film “screwed me Group. What was it like to On The tended may not be finished into that horror genre. I used make movies with Holly- Chain the chainsaw as a way to get wood’s hottest budget-con- because it might be too ex- some notoriety on a low scious dream factory? “Being Gang pensive. Something like $5 given the quick freedom to budget. I didn’t have a star, go make a film is certainly a you need someone to turn to million was cut out of the ef- plus. Being left alone in the for help, it’s a minus.” He so I had to select a genre of filming is a plus. But when made the film without benefit fects budget for Poltergeist IT film which was its own star.” of an exact budget. “You go to the execs and find out [he directed only the first] whether you can afford after the film had been shot.” something.” Hooper, who wants his That worked during cast- next film to be “a pure come- ing, but when Hooper began shooting special effects the dy,” is a self-described video going got rough. “You don’t freak who uses a Sony 8mm know if they’re going to ap- prove the budget for adding camcorder, a LaserVision player, and a ten-foot indus- trial projection TV. This month, Texas Chainsaw Mas- sacre II follows Invaders onto video, and leads to a discus- sion of the conversion pro- cess. Hooper is a supporter of banding widescreen releas- es to preserve the original aspect ratio. Except for Pol- tergeist, he admits, “I’m real- ly disappointed with the transfer of my films.” —Mark Fleischmann oot\"acov\" a\\we\" Liberating writer who serves as the American co- The Last ordinator for Britain’s Prisoner fan club. Some recent films intentionally “A version of Chimes of Big Ben, the made in black & white: Prisoner second episode, had been prepared for the British press while the series was Manhattan (MGM/UA) Bruce Clark never gives up, and dev- still in production. It was not supposed Raging Bull (CBS/Fox) otees of Patrick McGoohan’s 17-episode to be televised and was noticeably differ- Stranger Than Paradise (Key) TV series, The Prisoner, have him to ent from the broadcast version.” Under the Cherry Moon (Warner) thank for it. “I had heard about a ‘lost’ The Elephant Man (Paramount) episode,” recalls the insurance under- Clark’s quest began in 1985 when he Young Frankenstein (CBS/Fox) learned that two fans had seen the show Zelig (Warner) on New York TV in the early ’70s. He She’s Gotta Have It contacted the offices of the show’s own- er, ITC, in both New York and London, INSTANT but they had no record of it. He checked REPLAYS with collectors across the country, as well as local TV stations, and scoured The latest magazine to belly ads for dealers offering bootleg pro- up to the video bar is Sports grams. Near despair after a year of fruit- Illustrated, which will begin less searching, he heard from ITC’s Ca- pr» oducing made:-for-bheodme- nadian office. They had located a 16mm video programs (in conjunction print of the show on a shelf. It had been with HBO, another Time, Inc. slated for destruction within the month. subsidiary) for distribution by HBO/Cannon. Plans call for at “There are at least 25 differences be- least two titles a year, begin- tween this show and the released ver- ning this summer. sion,” explains Clark, “in the scenes, the dialogue, and the opening credits. It’s not a historic find in terms of world his- tory, but for Prisoner fans, it’s a major discovery.” Maljack/MPI, which has re- leased all the other episodes on video, is planning to issue it later this year. —Tom Soter February 1987 Video 15

e DANCING FROM ASTAIRE TO RICHIE : nthe mind of the legendary Stanley Donen, all the world is most literally a stage: The director/choreographer's characters perform on sidewalks and in gutters (Singin’ in the Rain), on New York streets (On the Town), and all over the walls and ceilings of hotel rooms (Royal Wedding). Even more than Busby Berkeley, Donen liberated dance for the movie camera, removing it from the confines of the stage. The proliferation of rental the company says, sent sales He's still at it today, directing Lionel Richie's music-video stores has dropped the price of of the tape to stores soaring, reprise of Fred Astaire’s dancing-on-the-ceiling routine. anight of video fun from movie- turning a minor title into a ma- ticket range to the price of a jor deal. “My whole history of doing musical numbers has been large soda. The newest ma- neuver to cut rental rates even Other labels are working the trying to show things that are impossible to do in real life,” more comes from Continental promotional angle overtime as says the 62-year-old Donen in his Los Angeles office. “Like Video, which used a rebate mixing cartoons and live action with Gene Kelly (in Anchors well, with numerous contests, Aweigh, which Donen co-choreographed), running the film coupon to promote the release giveaways, sales rebates, and of a Mike Norris action feature, backwards, or using split-screen—that kind of stuff.” Born American. Offering con- discount pricing gambits. (See “Cash Register” in the “Di- For those who want to start their dance diet properly, at sumers a buck off the rental, rectory” for this month’s in- stallment.) least six of Donen’s movie-musical classics are on video, as are such non-musical efforts as /ndiscreet, The Grass Is Greener, and Charade. —Frank Lovece CASSETTE RENTALS CASSETTE SALES VIDEODISC SALES 1. Indiana Jones and the Tem- 1. Indiana Jones and the Tem- 1. Out of Africa (7). 1986. ple of Doom (—). 1984. 118m. ple of Doom (—). 1984. 118m. 161m. (PG) LV $34.98. MCA. eo2e.eBeasceksetsoetsheesFuture (2). 1985. (PG) $29.95. Paramount. (PG). $29.95. Paramount. 116m. (PG) LV $34.98. MCA. 2. Down and Out in Beverly 2. Sleeping Beauty (1). 1959. Hills (1). 1986. 103m. (R) 75m. (G). $29.95. Disney. 3. Brazil (5). 1985. 131m. (R) LV $34.98. Embassy. $79.95. Touchstone. 3. Jane Fonda’s Low Impact 4. Santa Claus—The Movie (—). 1985. 104m. (PG) LV KID VIDEO 3. Raw Deal (—). 1986. 90m. Aerobic Workout (3). 1985. > $34.95. Image. : 5. The Jewel of the Nile (1). 1. Sleeping Beauty (2). 1959. (R) $79.95. HBO/Cannon. 50m. $39.95. Karl. 75m. $29.95. Disney. 2. Pinocchio (3). 1940. 87m. 4. The Money Pit (10). 1986. 4. White Christmas (—). 1954. $29.95. Disney. 3. Alice in Wonderland (1). 91m. (PG) $34.98. MCA. 120m. $19.95. Paramount. 1951. 75m. $29.95. Disney. 4. Dumbo (4). 1941. 64m. 5. Pretty in Pink (3). 1986 5. Jane Fonda’s New Workout :. 1985. 106m. (PG-13) LV $29.95. Disney. :+ $34.98. CBS/Fox. 5. The Sword in the Stone (5). 96m. (PG-13) $79.95. Para- (2). 1985. 90m. $39.95. Karl. : 6. After Hours (—). 1985. 97m. 1963. 79m. $79.98. Disney. 6. Robin Hood (6). 1973. 83m. mount. 6. Raiders of the Lost Ark (—). (R) LV $34.98. Warner. $29.95. Disney. 7. Pound Puppies (7). 1985. 6. Out ofAfrica (2). 1985. 1981. 115m. $39.95. Para- 37m. $14.95. Family. 8. Winnie the Pooh and Tigger 161m. (PG) $79.95. MCA. mount. : 7. Head (—). 1968. 86m. (G) Too (9). 1974. 25m. $14.95. Disney. 7. Cobra (—). 1986. 87m. (R) 7. Witness (—). 1985. 113m. + LV $29.95. RCA/Columbia. 9. A Tale of Two Chipmunks : 8. Murphy’s Romance (8). (—). 1986. 24m. $14.95. Dis- $79.95. Warner. (R) $29.95. Paramount. > 1985. 107m. (PG-13) LV, CED ney. eeCesosem8ee.se9se1/e2eeWseeekssese(7s).se1e9s86e.sesesseses 8. The Sound of Music (4). 10. Jiminy Cricket’s Christmas (—). 1986. 45m. $19.95. Dis- 116m. (R) $79.95. MGM/UA. 1965. 174m. (G) $29.98. CBS/ > $29.95. RCA/Columbia. ney. 9. F/X (4). 1986. 108m. (R) Fox. : 9. Police Academy 3: Back in $79.95. HBO/Cannon. 9. Beverly Hills Cop (—). 1985. .: Training (—). 1986. 84m. (PG) . 10. Legend (—). 1986. 89m. 105m. (R) $19.95. Paramount. . LV $34.98. Warner. . (PG) $79.95. MCA. 10. Pinocchio (8). 1940. 87m. . 10. Spies Like Us (6). 1985. . (G) $29.95. Disney. . 103m. (PG) LV $79.95. . . Warner. . . . . . ~ . . . . . eCe e . Pceccsrreeseseesccees Number in parenthesis indicates position last month; (—) indicates a new listing. Copyright 1987 by Billboard Publications. |Reprinted by permission. 16 Video February 1987

They're coming back AFTER TEN YEARS . hats ' to give you a buzz. OF SILENCE, Rip, chop, shred, slice, dice. The world's THE “Buzz” greatest horror movie has gone one better with this terrifying sequel that boils TS BACK! a over with chills. Directed by legendary horror director Tobe Hooper (Poltergeist, “Invaders From Mars” and the original “Texas Chainsaw Massacre”) and starring Dennis Hopper (“Easy Rider,” “Blue Velvet”), the buzz boys are back with a vengeance to cook up even more outrageous horror. Join the horror feast today! Available on videocassette and laser videodisc mS MEDIA HOME ENTERTAINMENT A Heron Communications, Inc. Company Los Angeles, California elal Te oe ay Oe i ee, a : They wont cost you an arm and a leg. Name Company Name 4= Address City State Zip MasterCard Phone (_ ) Check or Money Order OO Visa Card Number Issuing Bank (Required) Exp Date Your Signature Quantity | Item (Circle T-shirt size)|_Price Each |Total Standee $19.95 P Tehir |3-D Poster 4.95 oster -shirt ; ett 3-D Leatherface puff printed on poster 15x 18! a einblend peso inissae MG LEAL Allow 4-6 Weeks for Delivery $4.95 t-shirt $9.95 Make Checks & Money Standee Orders Payable to Media 6 foot lifesize Home Entertainment & ‘sath iem standee $19.95 mail to: t ] peg g ‘: er Se now. ttn: Special Markets- VM 5730 Buckingham Parkway Culver City, CA 90230 Limited quantities available. ay ngOO ee For additional information, circle No: 65 on Reader Service Card

DEPEWNHDASTOYNOWUHAGEI! Warren Miller’s seneiasrre-conraan i :: is ae z (lifforraL’h sa f ; ae FREGNANC, BRT, AND AIGNER)i ‘im deFondswaFernenyOeger aT ABNtUDuYSnTAaEPYoTcRSvUeNnenca gk JANE FONDA'S nase.-4onnenan PRIME TIME Malco VY ORROU T Self he Elf MHIOWNTONRAYESOTA FATS ACADEMY AWARD A Daudly Rack-A-Bye ae nest a THE CRADLE ents (=)KASODRETHNES,, : cp ; WILL FALL

OUT OF TELEVISION YOU PUT INTOIT. Laelie senocatyieseoieacaan KeyPoly Janaceras WARLIQRMAR LILY JMLIN EROBIC AgfAPACT LOW stBORCaTreBBeOa OK pay aa Julie Walters and Anthony Higgins Because there’s more to Give your children a head And enjoy many new fea- MONSATNDE: S home video than just movies, _ start with Colorforms ture films, Broadway shows, CLLegends Of Theq peTHe Karl-Lorimar has created Learn’N Play educational and music videos. ueBt KLV-TV: A collection of entertainment. Look for the official hundreds of quality enter- Benefit from important KLV-TV symbol wherever tainment and information lifestyle information com- video cassettes are rented or cassettes to help you get piled by the editors of sold. And watch your TV, more out of the time you’re Parents, Consumer Reports, and what you get out of it, watching TV. And, more out Working Woman, andother _ grow into something big. of the time you're not. leading magazines. wa NY es Develop total fitness with Find new success in the KiV- \\ NY Jane Fonda’s Workouts. The business world witha 5 ta, N videos that changed the way _ career-developing Roadto Your Personal Network America looks and feels. Achievement series. © 1986Karl-LorHoimmeVairdeo,Inc.All RightsReserved, For additional information, circle No. 6 on Reader Service Card. WA0N0TN7 TO CGOETTOAVGAERDRUECLALTION :CF b: ax Pe,

- egular J Love Lucy watchers have seen the name Bill NSMtoeavwrise Asher a thousand times—he directed three full seasons to Stuff a Wild Bikini. “He loved it,” Asher enthuses. “He of the show. He’s since directed or produced such TV hits as Alice, The Patty Duke Show, Bewitched (with then-wife would bring me bits and routines. He’d say, ‘How about this?’ Elizabeth Montgomery), and Dinah Shore’s many talk shows; and it would just be this wonderful, inventive stuff. he was also executive producer of the recently cancelled Kay O’Brien series. “A lot of the audience seemed to be seeing Buster for the Somewhere amidst all that, Asher found time to create a first time,” says Asher. “Once the kids in the cast became quintessentially ’60s phenomenon: the Frankie-and-Annette aware of who he was, they all respected him and were crazy beach movie. “I made Beach Party (1963) as a sort of broad- about him. And the other comics who came in—Paul Lynde, stroke satire of youth movies,” Asher remembers. He fol- Don Rickles, Buddy Hackett—they hit it off with him great.” lowed with 1964’s Muscle Beach Party and Bikini Beach. Keaton appeared in only three more movies after that, and Then, for reasons Asher doesn’t completely remember, he de- died-in 1966. For all their campy silliness, Asher’s cided to cast Buster Keaton—the genius behind The General, The Navigator, and other silent classics—in the next one. two films with Keaton give us one last look at one of the best “T always loved Buster Keaton,” says Asher. “I thought, that ever was. —Frank Lovece what a wonderful person to look on and react to these young kids and to view them as the audience might, to shake his head at their crazy antics.” After over 20 years of alcoholism and a terrible decline, Keaton had been rediscovered by film buffs. In 1964, the 68-year-old legend did a comic turn in an Annette Funicello flick, Pajama Party, which led to his memo- rable moments in Asher’s 1965 Beach Blanket Bingo and How “Pve always said that there’s a to? | mean, | know what’s going to perfect marriage between horror and rock music,”’ says singer Alice Coop- happen.’ ” Viewers can also catch er who, after four years of laying low, is back again scaring audiences. The Jason running around in Cooper’s two project that brought Cooper back is Monster Dog, a film made for video recent music videos. ‘Jason is one of in which he plays an adventuresome the greatest rock images I’ve ever rock star transformed into a killer ca- nine/man. ‘‘l was at a period where | seen,” says Cooper. ‘‘Just think of wasn’t really doing anything,” says Cooper. “‘I’d been watching all of it—give him a guitar instead of a ma- these [Dario] Argento splatter movies when they offered me the part. It had chete and he’s totally heavy metal!’’ an Italian director, so | figured we'd be able to get away with more. It Disenchanted with the music video sounded like fun—three months in Madrid, I'd get to turn into a dog, and scene, Cooper would rather utilize we’d get to kill eight people,” he laughs. Cooper agreed to do Monster video for dramas such as Monster Dog as long as it was cast with un- knowns. “I love C-movies,”’ he says, Dog or his earlier Welcome to My “but there’s nothing worse than a big budget splatter film.” Nightmare. ‘‘To me, you were a band Cooper was thrilled when offered first: you played, you did gigs, you the chance to do the music for Friday the 13th, Part VI. “| had just signed a were almost a gang. Then you record- new deal with MCA, and they called ed, and maybe you did a video.” up wanting someone to write music for the film. | said I'd Jove to do it,”’ Cooper finds it “sadly amusing” that he recalls. ‘‘They asked if |wanted to see the film and | said, ‘Do | have some bands’ success rests solely on their video appeal. ‘‘Music videos de- fine too much,” he asserts. ‘“They’re three-minute commercials for your song. It’s generally not any artier than that.” Cooper also thinks video is better suited for bringing concerts to home audiences. His band will do that with their current tour. ‘“We’re contemplat- ing giving blood bibs to the first 20 rows,’”’ he says. “‘I’d hate to see an entire generation get away without experiencing at least one decapita- tion.” —Clifford Meth 20 Video February 1987

F COLLECTIONIll Acollection of 60 titles featurin 46 Academy Award nominees and winners. And at $2998 each’ the 60 course, one-of-a-kind films titles in the 5 Star Collection III like Star Wars. are truly irresistible. Musicals So award yourself with the like The Sound of Music. videos youve always wanted Classics like Casablanca. to own. With the 5 Star Col- Rousing dramas like lection II]-and the greatlow Rocky!,JIandIll.Andof -~ price=+the winner is you! . Five Stafen ee a trademark ofThe CBS/FOK oi er ahBaaseee M5 eee \" Enterthe Copyright © ge TheCRSFOX CompanyAllRights Re a ena: bx Sai pec Ill “Academy Awards*” is theregistered trademark onds S ite neccen oMfotion PictufeArts and Sciences. aieStars at your video resetved in inglegset se rs.1S 0 trademark ofCBSInc.used under license in Canada CBS\" if

Magnavox’s First ‘ Compact VHS Camcorder Magnavox has entered the Compact VHS field with the VR8295/97 Video Es- cort camcorder, featuring a 1/1000-sec- ond shutter speed for blur-free action pictures. Other unique highlights include low-light sensitivity to 7 lux and focal zone indication, which isolates and focus- es on one subject in a crowd. The f/1.2 macro lens has 6x power zoom, infrared autofocus, and auto color tracking. Philco Enlarges Philco R6980AAK stereo TV The Video Escort weights 3.1 pounds Stereo TVs without battery, and has a two-third-inch models have a 24-button remote that al- adjustable black & white viewfinder with Philco has expanded its line of stereo so controls most brands of VCRs. operational and warning indicators. Most televisions with a 26-inch console and functions are operated from a control 37-inch rear-projection model. Each unit The 26-inch R6980AAK has a black panel on the front of the unit. The pack- has an MTS/SAP decoder and UHF, screen picture tube and an oak grain age includes an AC adapter, a one-hour VHF, and 84 cable-channel tuning. Auto cabinet. The 37-inch P8237AAK has a battery, an A/V cable, a cassette adapt- color-rite keeps picture quality consis- black matrix screen and uses three 7- er, an RF adapter, and a shoulder strap. tent from channel to channel, while auto- inch liquid-cooled tubes and a liquid-cou- matic light sensors monitor a room’s pled lens system for a brighter picture. Price: $999.95. lighting and adjust the picture’s bright- ness, contrast, and color levels. Both Prices: R6980AAK, $900; P8237AAK, For additional information, $2000. circle no. 145 on Reader Service Card. Pioneer’s Low-Priced LV With Digital Audio For additional information, circle no. 147 on Reader Service Card. Pioneer’s new LD-838D LaserDisc player has all the video highlights of last chapter skip, scan, still and step frame, 838D is also compatible with Pioneer’s year’s CLD-909 LV/CD player for $350 and multi-speed forward and reverse unified remote system. less. The new model features digital au- play. Memory, chapter/frame time, pro- dio circuitry with a new digital filter to gram, and onscreen display can also be Price: $550. reduce distortion. Its picture has a man- operated fromt he remote. The LD- ufacturer-rated horizontal resolution of For additional information, 400 lines and a high signal-to-noise ratio circle no. 146 on Reader Service Card. for sharper video. The LV player also features a tilt servomechanism to com- pensate for warped discs, and a 10- event programmable memory. The CU-LD007 remote control has buttons for analog audio, CX noise re- duction, and auto digital/analog, pause, 22 Video February 1987

CsS Computers and Communications The first VCR that — makes abad if.) ol-Kelelelep NEC In this imperfect world, some copying, etc.) You can see snow, grain, picture from any VHS cassette, see your and glitches. On the right isthe effect of NEC dealer. He’s got good news for bad videocassette recordings look worse than tapes: the DX-2000U with Digital Noise others. That's why NEC invented the new the same tape, as itwould be played on DX-2000U. It’s the world’s first VCR with NEC's DX-2000U. The snow has melted. NECReduction. Digital Noise Reduction —a computerized The fuzz has fled. And the glitches are system that actually improves the picture. gone. Digital Noise Reduction not only We bring high technology home. improves the picture on bad tapes, ithelps On the left is a dramatization of a even well-recorded tapes look their best. FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: (312) 860-9500. noisy videocassette. (Noise can arise from NEC Home Electronics (U.S.A.), Inc., 1255 Michael Drive, Wood Dale, IL 60191 repeated playing, off-air recording, So ifyou want to see the cleanest *Model DX-2000U with Digital Noise Reduction, HQ, VHS Hi-Fi, and MTS Stereo reception. Noise reduction effect dramatized.

Are you one of those Super Micro Script New Products people who needs their heads examined Pan and Tilt With Spiratone Panomat Color Video Titler The Spiratone Panomat electronically Affordable $495.00 sugg. retail controls panning and tilting of video cam- eras as well as other photographic equip- Superimpose text and/or graphics ment. It pans continuously between 30, to existing footage or live productions. 60, and 90 degrees, at a rate of 2 to 8 degrees per second. The panhead Features: weighs 27 ounces and accommodates cameras weighing up to 6 pounds. A 3- GENLOCK: syncs to any video signal foot wired remote can be used to control VIDEO FADER: controls intensity of overlay panning, tilting, and speed, and a 20-foot DISPLAY MODES: CRAWL and PAGE cord is optional for the remote. CYCLING both with user variable speeds 2 FONTS SIZES AND STYLES: in 8 colors Price: $124.95. 7 PAGES OF MEMORY: each page can For additional information, contains: circle no. 150 on Reader Service Card. 16 lines of 32 small characters and/or 4 Canon Upgrades lines of 10 large characters 8mm Camcorder BATTERY BACK-UP: COMPLETE MEMORY RETENTION Canon’s new 3.5-pound VM-E2 8mm | camcorder weighs a pound less than last PREVIEW OUTPUT: easy to use COLOR BAR GENERATOR year’s VM-E1 and improves on many of the original’s features. The new model See March issue for special Send $10.00 for demo tape has a CCD image sensor that records in Memorex Safeguard light as low as 8 lux. The f/1.2 lens System offer (Refundable with a purchase o1 2 Super Micro Script) zooms 6x, from 8mm to 48mm. Auto- matic functions include focus, white bal- Scriptovision Inc. ance, and fade. The VM-E2 boasts a fly- 7419, Lajeunesse St. ing erase head for sharp edits, as well Montreal, Canada H2R 2J1 as still frame and 5x forward and re- (514) 271-2265 verse scan in playback. i5aSFcRNCoinodea1enrfr.dacdoivld.rtieemicraoentailon, Accessories supplied with the VM-E2 include a 90-minute battery pack, an AC power adapter, an RF adapter, a battery NOW YOU CAN RENT OR BUY THE WORLD’S GREATEST VIDEOS! ASK YOUR DEALER FOR THE 2 HOUR CASSETTE CONTAINING ALL FOUR SPACE SPECTACULARS. SPACE SHUTTLE—“SPACE WALKS” coupler for charging two batteries at the same time, a shoulder strap, and a 60 Min. 51A Recovery Of 2 Satellites... $50 30-minute 8mm cassette. @ 30 Min. Video SHUTTLE FLIGHTS Hi Lites$40 Price: n.a. 45 Min. Video STS-7 (Sally Ride) ..... $45 32 Min. Video 41B “SPACEWALKS”. . . . $40 For additional information, circle no. 144 on Reader Service Card. FIRST MOON LANDING, July 1969 @ 30 Min. Videocassette/Sound & Color. . .$40 Vidicraft Corrects Color On Home Videos “ROVER AUTO” ON MOON, April 1972 If Your Video Dealer Does Not Ca Vidicraft’s VCP-100 video color pro- e 30 Minute Videocassette/Sound & Color $40 This 2 Hour Cassette Of All 4 NASA cessor allows camcorder owners to Flights Please Mail The Coupon. correct color and brightness levels in LAST MOON LANDING, December 1972 homemade videos shot in low light. The Apollo 17, Set Of 54 Color Slides. ....: *$27 Order All Four e 30 VCP can operate between a camcorder and a TV or VCR, between two VCRs, @ 30 Minute Videocassette/Sound & Color. $40 or between a cable box or VCR and a TV. Its automatic fade lets the user fade “Incluodnley sfullcircle photo of earth ever taken. to black between scenes and make smooth edits free of audio/video noise. MOVIE NEWSREELS, Circle VHS or BETA Minute Videos On BOX 25-89X, Hollywood, Calif. 90078 ONE TWO-HOUR Price: $199.95. CASSETTE For Enclosed find $ 0 For additional information, circle no. 149 on Reader Service Card. ADD 5% FOR SHIPPING (MIN. SHIPPING CHARGE $2) Name Address Only *45 City, State, Zip Plus $3 Shipping Fee. Visa, Mastercard & Diners. We credit you $1 for phone call. FR9iaCScNooidnae6n.rdfracdiovdl(.trieeim2croae1nt3ailo)n, 467-2448. Give Card # & Expiration Date 24 Video February 1987

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i Audio New Products Sauneennanaanannennenl Videographers know the frustra- Affordable Editing VCR Sima CamLight | tion of trying to get great sound From Panasonic Brightens Videos when shooting from a distance. _ Panasonic’s AG-1950 VHS VCR offers Sima’s compact new CamLight pro- AZDEN wireless microphone sys- professional editing features at a price tems solve this problem by giving affordable to consumers. For assemble vides the extra illumination necessary to you “up close” sound from a dis- edits, the unit can automatically play shoot sharper images in low light. The tance of over 100 feet. There are 3 back part of a tape while controlling the 7-ounce light can be mounted on top of a record function of a second VCR. New camcorder or placed on a table as a side different Azden systems, each one video images can be inserted without af- or back light. The Camlight has a color fecting the linear audio, or video and au- temperature of 3300 degrees Kelvin; its with different microphones but all dio can be inserted together. The 150-watt color-balanced quartz halogen having the same great performance jog/shuttle dial operates at ten speeds in and the following features: both forward and reverse, with a still lamp has a heat-resistant glass shield mode for freeze-frames, while flying and a vented metal housing to keep it 2 Frequencies (49.83MHz, and erase heads ensure crisp edits. One-shot cool. The extra illumination lets a cam- recording, during which the VCR re- corder lens record at a smaller aper-.- 49.89MHz) to choose the cleanest cords in quarter-second bursts, can be sound—Receiver attaches to camera used to create stop-motion effects. The ture, providing greater depth of field. with professional shoe mount or vel- intermittent recording feature tapes two Price: $79.95. cro—monitor earphone—windscreen seconds at a time at four-second in- tervals for up to 22 hours. For additional information, on all microphones—handsome circle no. 151 on Reader Service Card. leatherette carrying case. The AG-1950 also features white clip enhancement, two-channel Hi-Fi stereo Azden wireless microphones are audio, a 30-function remote, automatic available at most search, 14-day/8-event programming, camera and and a tuner with 16 channel presets. The optional AG-A95 editing controller D, video hardware provides centralized, microcomputerized dealers. For lit- control over the AG-1950 and a second erature and the VCR. name of your Price: $1500. nearest Azden For additional information, ) dealer please circle no. 153 on Reader Service Card. f contact us. m= €StEREOD AUTO ON 7. G0 RPO ROA T 4 ORA Adds HQ QUALITY YOU CAN HEAR To Older VCRs HO 1060 147 New Hyde Park Road ORA Electronics’ HQ 1000 audio/ used with monitor/receivers, though it Franklin Square, NY 11010 (516) 328-7500 video signal enhancer gives VCRs, does not improve RF signals (those from videodisc players, and satellite receivers regular TVs or antennas). The unit is FaicN1RSCodnio3eanerdf.rciaodvltr.dieimceoaentailon, three of the four HQ improvements. A available from ORA Electronics, 20120 single integrated circuit combines white Plummer St., Box 4029, Chatsworth, 26 Video February 1987 clip enhancement, chroma noise reduc- Calif. 91313. tion, and luminance noise reduction. The HQ1000 can also improve the sound and Price: $69.95. picture of broadcast transmissions when For additional information, circle no. 152 on Reader Service Card.

ief Wy © Deyse ft 09 C v8tPid MANOYC: FE): CINEMA GROUP vc KGB, THE SECRET WAR swe MICHAEL BILLINGTON = DENISE DUBARRY = MICHAEL ANSARA = WALTER GOTELL CAT. # 1086 neSALLY KELLERMAN sr snes “tyMISHA SEGAL rrosron PETER COLLISTER vroweet PETER COLLISGTRAEHRAME JENNINGS ™: DWIGHT LITTLE. SANDRA K. BAILEY CONTINENTAL VIDEO ‘ww SANDRA K. BAILEY \"““S; KEITH RiUBINSTEIN .«SANDY HOWARD “*s DWIGHT LITTLE A Cinema Group Company © 1886 Claoma Group Venture omy CINEMA GROUPPG-13 |Panents staonGLycaurioneD << ‘Some MateriaMlayBe Inappropriate for Children Under 13 |

SUPERIMPOSE New Products TITLES ON VIDEO Cabinet From A stand-alone titler with true GENLOCK, Bush Industries typewriter keyboard, and expansion port that interfaces with PC's... for $599.95. Bush Industries’ new V1336 oak cabi- net accommodates monitor/receivers = We ertc5 ere tri ” from 19 to 26 inches. An adjustable shelf holds a VCR. Below the monitor com- VIDEO EFFECTS TITLER partment is a glass-enclosed storage area (VET)... just $599.95 for other components, accessories, or videocassettes. Cabinet portholes ex- Superimpose 30 pages of color titles over a cam- pose speakers that may be mounted on era image or add titles over existing video footage the side of the monitor, and hidden cast- during editing. Each page will display 8 lines of ers allow for easy maneuverability. The 16 characters in upper/ lower case and each char- entire unit measures 48-1/2 inches high acter in 1 of 15 colors. The VET retains up to 30 by 30 wide by 20-1/2 deep. pages of titles in memory when turned off or unplugged. Price: $249.95. Optional interface adapters coming from MFJ For additional information, let you superimpose computer-generated graphics circle no. 157 on Reader Service Card. with an IBM PC, Radio Shack Color Computer 2, Apple II (e or +) and Commodore 64. Vidicraft Enhancer Complements Copyguards And because it is expandable, the VET is never More Cabinets and outdated. An external port lets you plug-in crea- Vidicraft’s IVE-200 integrated video Carts on the Horizon tive add-ons coming from MFJ like these and many enhancer features automatic synch stabi- other... lizing circuitry intended to correct the Horizon International continues to ex- playback problems viewers say they are pand its line of furniture for home enter- a orySpecial Effects finding in many Macrovision-encoded tainment centers with two new prod- tapes. Its image enhancer improves pic- ucts. The AV 5000 is an ash or oak au- UsoCgs: F ture sharpness and detail, while its radio dio/video rack measuring 44 inches high frequency modulator improves images by 49 wide by 20-1/2 deep. Its left sec- two DifferentFonts 3-D Word Letters recorded off the air. The unit also fea- tion has an adjustable TV shelf, a pull- Each Page Zooming tures enhancement noise reduction, two out VCR shelf, and a storage area for a stereo audio/video outputs, and one RF second VCR. The right side is designed Famous output, and can easily be connected to for audio components. The AV 600 is a any TV, VCR, or camcorder. black metal TV cart measuring 26-1/2 GUARANTEE inches high by 37-1/2 wide by 16-1/2 Price: $229.95. deep. It has storage space for a VCR, All MFJ Video products come ies videocassettes, and additional audio com- with a double guarantee we think ajwelal |st‘s a For additional information, ponents, with extra space for tapes in its circle no. 156 on Reader Service Card. pedestal. is unmatched. Order from MFJ Gg Gemini Goes Stereo Prices: not available. and try any product for 30 days. With MTS Decoder If it doesn’t satisfy your needs, For additional information, just return it for a full refund, The Gemini ST8000 stereo decoder circle no. 154 on Reader Service Card. less shipping. No hassles. If you decodes MTS and SAP broadcasts and links non-MTS TVs with stereo sys- ee keep what you order you are as- tems. The decoder’s synth button simu- sured of continued service with lates stereo sound for mono broadcasts. Horizon AV 5000 TV Cart The ST8000 can also serve as a switch- MFJ’s One Year Unconditional ing center, controlling additional inputs such as a tape deck or a VCR. The Guarantee. package includes all hook-up cables and a probe for TV s that don’t have the re- Call toll-free and charge the quired MPX input terminal. products you need to your VISA or Price: not available. MasterCard, or send a check or money order, For additional information, plus $6.00 shipping, and our shipping circle no. 155 on Reader Service Card. department will promptly have your order on its way to you. Call and talk with us about all your video needs — 1-800-647-1800. For technical/repair information, or in Mississippi, or outside the Continental U.S.— 1-601-323-5869, or telex 53-4590 MFJSTKV. Free Call. Free Gabe. aon ae1800 MFJ Enterprises, Inc. 921 Louisville Rd./Starkville, MS 39759 FiacRN1SCooidn1ean.rdfraciovdldtrieeimcroaentailon, 28 Video February 1987

ThTereasuOfrGreundo \\ a ‘You've Got to Take Good

FREE New Products VIDEO STORAGE CASE Maxell Makes Nicad TO BEAUTIFY AND Batteries For Camcorders VPARLOUATBELCET YTOAUPRE Maxell is launching a full line of nickel cadmium batteries designed specifically ce sor for home video equipment. The lineup —_ includes D, C, AA, AAA, and 9-volt bat- Your im printeHerre Gold Foil Imprints teries, a multiple cell charger, a portable @ .35¢ Per Line Per VCR battery, and power packs for Beta, 4\\ines or less Case Additional VHS, Compact VHS, and 8mm camcord- Min. Ord6eCrases ers. Prices: n.a. Available With @ .35¢ Price. Less or Without Th6aCasne Min For additional information, \\mprint $2.00 Per Line circle no. 158 on Reader Service Card. Video Tape Is Nested Clean Sweep for Securely Inside Amaray’s Trackmate Made Strong The Suggested } Amaray International, best known for to Last Long its video equipment storage cases, has Retail Price of | introduced the Trackmate VHS VCR Dust and These Deluxe cleaning system. The Trackmate cas- moisture Case are sette’s brush cleans not only all parts of wiil destroy} $3.95 Each the tape path, including heads, drums, your tapes guides, and tensioning arms, but goes unless you Dust and beyond the tape path to places where Allsop Head Cleaner protect dirt often accumulates. A felt-tip pen Adds Aerobics Moisture Tight controls fluid application and avoids them Snaplock Closures waste of the cleaning solution. The The Allsop Video Care System fea- Trackmate series also includes cleaners tures a VHS cleaning cassette that uses Made in U.S.A for CDs, LPs, and audiocassette decks. a fluid to clean VCR heads and tape drive systems. The kit also includes a SATISFACTION GUARANTEED OR FULL REFUND Price: $17.95. VCR dust cover and a Maxell T-120 vid- eotape with highlights from four Jane NEWEST SUPER DELUXE VIDEO CASES For additional information, Fonda Workout videos. circle no. 161 on Reader Service Card. Made of attractive leather-like 100% soft vinyl. The Price: $29.95. ultimate in quality, design, workmanship. These Canon VCR Geared Cases are not to be confused with hard plastic, less For Audiophiles For additional information, expensive cases on the market today. *Free Case circle no. 159 on Reader Service Card. given with every order placed from this magazine. Canon’s VR-HF710 VHS VCR has all the features of its top-of-the-line VR- chroma noise reduction, and detail en- CUSTOM MADE FOR VHS OR BETAMAX HF720 except for onscreen program- hancement. The four video heads allow ming. The new model’s audio ap- nearly noise-free scanniny, still-rame, Color Code Your Titles. Five exciting decorator proaches CD quality, with a manufactur- and 1/5x to 1/30x slow motion. The colors. Brown Leatherette. Light Blue, Red, Black er-rated dynamic range of 90 decibels VCR has forward and reverse picture and White and a frequency response of 20 Hertz to search at 2x and 10x speeds, and index 20,000 Hz. The MTS stereo decoder al- search locates the beginning of scenes ORDER TODAY! OFFER LIMITED so picks up SAP (second audio program) by scanning the audio track for blank SATISFACTION GUARANTEED OR FULL REFUND broadcasts, and FM stereo simulcasts spaces. An edit switch improves image can be recorded along with TV pro- quality during dubbing, and an auto pow- SAVE © $3.95 Retail Value © SAVE grams. Audio outputs are provided for er feature turns on the VCR automatical- both a monitor and an outboard amplifi- ly when a tape is inserted. 6 @$1.98EA. © 12@$1.88EA. © 24@$1.78 er. EA. © 46@$1.73EA. © 96@$1.68EA. e Price: $950. 192@ $1.63 EA. © 240 @$1.60EA. © 300 The VR-HG710 is equiped with a @ $1.56 EA. 107-channel cable-compatible tuner with a 99-channel memory, as well as an You May Mix Colors Of Deluxe Video Cases 8-program/one-month timer that’s opera- ble from the remote control. HQ circuit- O VHS (J BETA # Red #____ Blue ry includes white clip enhancement, # Black #_____ Brown #_____White Place imprint instructions on separate sheet Qty ___ Cases @ Each Qty Foil Stamp @ Shipping Charge Only $2.00 Handling Charge C.0.D. $2.00 IL Res. Only add 7% Sales Tax Outside Cont. USA add 20C per/cs. = $ TOTAL $ Dealer Inquiries Welcome — Very Competitive Prices DIACO SALES 1000 OAKTON BOX 1937) Des Plaines, || 60018 24 Hr CALL TOLL FREE 7 Days A Day 1-800-752-7777 A Week In UL. (312) 966-0044 Please Rush [_] Order [_] More Information Name Address City __ State & Zip Phone at C.0.0. $2.00 Extra Payment C) Check 0 Mst.Cd./Visa Am. Expr. Exp. Dt. For additional information circle no. 160 on Reader Service Card Card No $3.98 VALUE LOW AS $1.56Fai3NcRSCodoni1eaenr.drfraciovddltrieeimcoraentailon,

o i) | * \\i eo ° | no | il « | | oenk ae i|] ! | e9) | ] | z i ie || ] ; V430 rr | | Jj AT AUK CRAY ™ mun | | \" oo ¢ | | | | MOUIE TIME 1 23‘ | | | me | monet | ven) | REMOTE VIDEO CONTROL SYSTEM V-4308 | t5 STEREO TV SOUND DECODER V-620 | SaUe RBee tuasar MOVIE TIM rowan stent owe sr V620 FARMEO 1 1ONMD OECODEN K-05 we | AOEO CoMmMor BAeiEN A-*20\" TAViewstor V430 REMOTE VIDEO SYSTEM V620 MTS STEREO TV DECODER The V430 enables you to send any of four (4) input signal sources to any or all True TV Stereo has arrived. Wait until you hear the sound. It’s like switching of three (3) TV’s or VCR’s by remote control. from a pocket portable AM radio to a FM Stereo receiver running thru a full hi- Any video equipment that can be connected directly to the VHF terminals of a fidelity stereo system. To say the least, it’s an astonishing experience that’s in- TV, can be controlled by the V430, such as a cable converter or decoder, a satel- lite antenna, a video game, a VCR or a video disk player or a video camera, etc. stantly apparent. By using the V430 you can monitor the baby’s room or see who is at your front It has a dynamic theatre like sound. But, in your home, you choose the seat put- door, at the same time that you're recording HBO via satellite or cable, and watch- ting you in the middle of the action, making it sound better than a theater. It changes dull monotone TV sound into dramatic 3-D life like action. When the ing a ballgame on local TV ... bullets on Miami Vice start flying, you duck ... It sounds that real. Any or all of the above can be done without leaving your chair. It's better than Stereo TVs because their speakers, generally, do not have suffi- The addition of a V430 to your present video system will create a Video Control cient distance between the left and right channels for a true stereo effect. And the System, that is limited in flexibility, only by your imagination .+...$ 99.45 quality of the speakers supplied with your TV ... well? The V620 will extract two distinctly separate sound channels that will give the MOVIETIME V7200 REMOTE CABLE CONVERTER same stereo separation in your home as it was produced in the recording studio. The V620 is versatile enough to be used with any amplifier or VCR, because it Fine Tuning has a variable output matching network that is externally controlled. Favorite Channel Memory HRC Switch If you use your existing stereo system the V620 TV Stereo will equal the sound Switchable AC outlet Output Channel 2 or 3 (switchable) of your FM stereo receiver. The V620 can extract a true stereo signal from either the MPX out of a TV or Guaranteed to work with any cable system anywhere . .....-$ 64,95 VCR, or the output of a cable converter or VCR. It can be hooked up by anyone in a few minutes. No Probes, to play with ... Try it you'll love it $ 89.95 REFURBISHED JERROLD JSX-3 ‘The JRX-336 ISCHAANTNWOEL PICEOCNEVEWRITREERDS REMOTE. sams 30 DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE / 1 YEAR WARRANTY ON ALL ITEMS == The JSX-3 is one piece settop. Great for connec- Mail Order Form to: MOVIETIME, 20203 ne 15 ct., Miami, FL, 33179 ( )Check ( )COD ( ) Money Order ting a second set to cable, or for making your VCR V430 $9995 Total Purchase __ cable ready We Fa ak ....$ 34,95 V620 89.95 _ FL Residents - Name Remote Control Hand Units for the JERROLD 5% Sales Tax Beerand. 450 5 2's ks é $ 19.95 v7200 64.95 Shipping Chg. Address VIEWSTAR XCT 2501 JSX-3 ( )JRX-3( ) 34.95 _ PER UNIT $3.95 67 Channel Wireless Remote Cable Tuner with Hand Unit 400 19.95 2 Total Amount _ City _ ete eae. Volume Control And Mute Control Audio and Video Hand Unit 450 19.95 Outputs. Last Channel Recall Decoder Input / Out- Viewstar Chan. 3( ) American Express Zip Phone. put Jacks makes this unit compatible with all or 2 ) ExpeDate 2 : (800) # can't be called in FL) VSC2500 decoders ... Fine tuning. Fine Tuning Centering ber — Rect. # Was 1-800-843-9845 Control : Pid i wT eO XCT2501 — 1-305-652-1981 CLOSEOVSCU2T500-3 Total Signature _ Same as above less audio / video outputs $ 99.95 p|Poa ecueNmsonoeee esxtsrasscshasregseeseefosr seCseODseeosrdseersse.eeeCeODsete&eAmeeeriecaneeEexpreesssseorsdersesheipeped witshien e72sHrs. esse eeee1e-e3s0e5e-6s5e2s-s3e9s7e1sen besesecmens For additional information. circle No. 14 on Reader Service Card

Fine Tuning Your Video Questions Answered Plastic Pipe Dream troduced soon should include es only use one broadcast make sure that the TV/VCR flying erase heads. Pana- light on the Sanyo is in the I’ve seen ads for a chim- sonic’s new AG-1950 al- channel (3 or 4), the ca- VCR mode. ney-shaped “antenna ready has it. See this month’s ble-readiness of your equip- booster” that plugs into an “New Products” for details. ment is wasted. With some If all of these essential ele- electrical outlet and promises ments were in place, and as- to “turn the house wiring into Cable Incapable careful re-wiring, however, suming your initial wiring a giant TV antenna.” Have you can still receive and re- wasn’t faulty, you should you ever tested one of these I have two VHS VCRs cord any of the basic TV have gotten a good copy. things, and do they work? and a Sony KV-2782R channels without using the The fact that you later man- TV set, all of them “cable box. We explained how to do aged to copy the tape Tam Thanh Nguyen ready.” My cable company is that in “8 Ways to Link Au- through your monitor proves Fullerton, Calif. installing a new system and at dio and Video” (May 1985). that the Sanyo’s audio/video first told me I wouldn’t need a inputs and outputs on the These gizmos have been converter to use its service. Bad Connection? two machines were also around since the ’50s, Now its telling me I'll need to working properly. Perhaps and simply don’t live up to rent a converter to be able to Recently, a friend asked you just had a bad cable, or a the claims made in their pick up pay-TV channels like me ifI would copy some balky phono jack with an in- glossy advertising. What you HBO, Showtime, and The Beta tapes onto a VHS cas- termittent connection. get is an impressive looking Movie Channel. Since I’m plastic pipe, containing only a getting everything now through sette. I hooked up my new Remote Found simple electrical capacitor. If the VCRs and TV without a you want better over-the-air converter, how can I get the Sanyo VCR-4400 into my I have a Quasar VH- TV reception, check out the pay channels without using 5300 portable VHS and a selection of rabbit ear an- their converter? Magnavox VR8486 using au- VK731 camera. I use them tennas at your nearest elec- dio/video patch cords as well both to make training tapes tronics store, or go to the Jerry Carroll and often have to appear in trouble of installing a good Everett, Mass. as RF cords, but couldn’t get the shots myself. But I can’t external antenna. start and stop the tape without So-called cable-ready or a signal either way. There stepping in and out of the Flying Tigers cable-capable TVs and scene. The instruction manual VCRs usually can’t receive was no picture and no sound. that came with the camera After reading about what any of the pay TV channels I finally connected the Sanyo says there’s a remote control seems to be a standardi- being transmitted by a cable directly to my video monitor available, but in three years I zation offlying erase heads on company. Most of the com- haven't been able to find one. 8mm camcorders, I still ha- panies scramble the signals, using tts input jack and con- Is there some way I can wire ven’t been able to find a full- making them impossible to one up myself so I can get size VHS camcorder with this receive without also using nected the monitor output jack smooth on-camera shots, and feature. Are you aware of any the descrambler you rent as into the Magnavox. This is it possible to make a switch manufacturers that have one part of the subscription fee. so that I can zoom the lens in under development, and when You're able to receive the worked. Is there some reason and out as well? it would be available? other channels they provide, which are considered to be why the two machines couldn't Richard D. Sisko J.E. Rolstad part of the basic cable pack- Metuchen, N.J. National City, Calif. age, only because your cable be interconnected directly to company hasn’t scrambled YBa first problem is the Flying erase heads for them. At least, not yet. make the copy in the first easier one to solve, since consumer gear have Some cable companies now shown up on many 8mm scramble everything, basic place? Clarence Graham there’s already a remote VCRs. But no VHS or Beta cable and pay channels in- San Jose, Calif. pause jack on the VCR and camcorders have appeared cluded, making it impossible the camera. It’s just a simple with the same feature. Sony to receive or view anything A There is no technical miniplug, and you can buy an may surprise us, but it’s on their services without reason why you weren't inexpensive corded remote doubtful that any more elabo- their special descrambler control that should do the rate Betamovies are going to boxes. Since all of these box- able to copy the original Beta trick from an electron- be forthcoming. New VHS tape onto the VHS cassette ics supply house like Radio camcorders that will be in- using either of your direct Shack. hook-ups. With the patch cord method you would have to be certain that the VHS machine being used as the recorder was in the aux or line mode rather than the tuner mode. And if you used the RF transfer method you'd have to have it set to tuner and tuned to the same channel that the Sanyo nor- mally plays back on—either 3 or 4. You would also have to 32 Video February 1987

RALPH MACOLCUMCBIHA IO PRESENTS: 1ONOYK. PAT MORITA 'riendship. pinues... ; AAfGLOWi-nMiswPLvtvwadwtvaso niet Kid Il STEREO Part omnia” ae AVAILABLE ON VIDEOCASSETTE Also Available On Laserdisc Beta DF cioseo CAPTIONED BY NCI rye04 Columbia Pictures ShTiE-RfEiO HOME VIDEO MONO COMPATIB.E ©Artwork and Design 1986 RCA/ Columbia Pictures Home Video. All Rights Reserved. OQ [eerscatowne)\"™ For additional information. circle No 32 on Reader Service Card A

WHY YOU SHOULD BUY Fine Tuning when recording mono TV programs? Your request for a remotely controlled Also, TDK’s ads mention that it uses zoom lens is also possible. But it’s more difficult to accomplish since you’ve got to metal roller pins in tts cassettes instead of take the camera apart and wire a similar switch into the circuit that controls the plastic. But Sony, Fuji, RCA, BASF, zoom motor inside the camera. Instead of tackling that modification yourself, and Maxell all use plastic pins. Kodak take the camera to a good video repair center, preferably one of Quasar’s, so it and PD Magnetics use metal, like TDK. will have the neccessary service manual on hand. TDK ts my favorite brand, but is there Lens Limbo anything to its claim that metal is better? I’m planning on buying a video cam- Finally, I’ve heard that a lot of TV sta- era so that I can copy pictures from my family’s photo album onto tape. The tions are now using the Betacam system problem ts that I want to be able to fill the screen with the image from an 8 by 10- instead of three-quarter-inch tape. inch group photo, and then zoom in for a close-up of each person. Unfortunately, Shouldn't that breathe new life into the none of the cameras that I've examined COMPLETE LINE of RCA recorders & will let me do this. Can I get special lens- Beta format? Thomas M. Sipos camcorders as well as lights, tripods, battery es that can overcome this problem? What packs, and other video accessories. brands of cameras will take these lenses? Forest Hills, N.Y. FAST SHIPPING 24 hrs (in most cases) NO SALES TAX ADDED (except in Va.) Robert J. Higgins A Hi-Fi doesn’t necessarily mean ster- MAIL-OUT SPECIALS for previous Columbus, Miss. eo. It does mean better audio— customers only! VIDEO SPECIALISTS - We help before For years, video cameras and even if it’s mono. Linear audio, espe- and AFTER the sale. camcorders have lived in an optical cially at the slow speeds, is full of hiss limbo. Most of them can focus quite and wavering noises, while Hi-Fi audio is RCA RECORDERS close (12 inches or less), and even clos- usually free of these distortions. If you VMT385 VMT390 VMT395 VMT400 er when the macro focus control is really can’t distinguish between the audio VMT590 VMT5S95 VMT630HF VMT670HF tured on. Unfortunately, there’s an op- quality of the two systems, maybe it’s tical no-pics-land between these two because you're listening to both through To place your order with a company who zones. And that’s precisely the area you a tinny TV speaker system. Better ex- offers CUSTOMER TECHNICAL ASSIS- want to work in. The solution is a set of ternal speakers might make the differ- TANCE before and AFTER the sale, AC- supplementary close-up lenses that ences more audible. CESSORY SUPPORT for their products and screw into the threads that normally who specializes in. . . hold the lens hood. The close-up lenses The natural inclination is to think that usually come in sets of three, with vary- plastic parts are cheaper and less relia- reapEXCLUSIVELY ing strengths marked +1, +2, +3, ble than metal, but so far, there have etc. The higher power delivers a strong- been no problems with cassettes using er magnification. You'll probably find that plastic guide pins instead of metal ones. a +2 will deliver the magnification range you need. And what of Betacam? While it’s true If the instruction booklet for your that many TV stations are using this camera(corder) doesn’t indicate the equipment instead of three-quarter-inch thread size of the lens (sometimes it’s cassettes, that fact is hardly likely to af- marked on the lens barrel, along with a fect the consumer market, since the two symbol that looks like the number 8 lay- formats are electronically incompatible. ing on its side), take the camera into a But as long as Betacam is a viable for- camera store and have the store “fit it” mat for broadcasters, it’s reassuring to for a set. Common thread sizes now in know that you'll always be able to get use include 46mm, 49mm, 52mm, supplies of Betacam tapes and use them 55mm, and 58mm. In addition, there are in regular Beta VCRs. stepping rings available that let you switch from one size to another. Just be Missing Formats sure that you don’t try to fit undersized lenses over a larger lens or you'll lose I have an old Akai VCR that uses the edges of the picture. quarter-inch reel-to-reel videotape. Pin Wars The machine needs new video heads, and I have an NEC SuperBeta Hi-Fi VCR. I’ve noticed that when I record no one can fix it. I want to transfer some anything from TV, I can’t hear any differ- ence in the audio playback, regardless of of the videotapes made on this machine to whether it’s in H1-Fi or not. Is there any CALL x: 1-800-368-5020 reason why I should use the Hi-Fi switch VHS cassettes. Do you know of anyone In Virginia 1-804-595-2572 who can help me? Victor Harper MEMBER Royal Oak, Mich. A The machine you're talking about Hours (E.S.T.) - ge Bank Ref: was sold around 1971 or ’72, under Mon-Fri 4 Bank Of the Akai and Roberts brand names. Any- Virginia one who has one that’s still working and wants to help you out (either with a working machine or by offering to trans- co.Virginia Peninsula fer your tapes) is welcome to write to Chamber of Commerce “Fine Tuning” c/o VIDEO and the let- [ce ead (BB ters will be passed along. iV) VIDEO DIRECT DISTRIBUTORS VIDEO welcomes your questions. Please do not 116 Production Drive enclose self-addressed envelopes as the volume Tabb, VA 23602 of mail does not allow personal replies. Questions may be edited for clarity and space. Address FRS1CcNaioaoie5dnenr.rdfacdviodl.itreecimreoantailon, letters to Fine Tuning, VIDEO Magazine, 460 West 34th St., New York, N.Y. 10001. 34 Video February 1987

ousttenp. uls Theavte'nsallthpbenertiugetsoieesstthoeirteiceiLvinee-lrevel oe= = CgogmFpAlCeteq9S5yestem : ($139. alone), as asepaarate tuner and play TVsound threoungh wyoeur st2e5reooesys- tem’s speakers Priappclyeatsparticipating RadioShackstoresanddealers. =CitiLine® revolving credit from Citibank, Payment may vary depending onbalance. For additional information, circle No. 16 on Reader Service Card.

TV Den Techniques and Technology Black & White For several years now, tailored their visions for black two technical problems with Backlash two companies—Hal Roach & white. Advocates claim Studios’ Colorization, Inc. in they are just completing the this claim. Many modern TVs by Roderick Toronto, and Color Systems work of the original filmmak- Technology in Marina Del ers, adding color to films that are so automatic, it’s almost Woodcock Ray, California—have been would have been shot that busily splashing colors on way had color film been avail- impossible to turn the color black & white movies. Only able at the time. recently, though, has the down to the point where the But color film has been picture is completely black & around since the late ’30s, and even after it was intro- white. Some residual color al- duced, many movies contin- ued to be photographed in ways remains, giving the pic- black & white, for economic and esthetic reasons. Color ture an even more annoying color ghosting that outlines the images. Some VCRs and TVs are so good at doing their normal task of pulling in a good color signal that you can’t even purge all the color technology was available to after you’ve run the signal Orson Welles when he lensed Citizen Kane in 1942, but he through an external video processor like a proc amp. chose black & white instead. The second problem 1s that Ditto for Woody Allen’s Man- the colorists alter the rela- tionship between the light hattan, Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull, and David and dark parts of the scene. Lynch’s Elephant Man. The original gray scale, Directors, cinematograph- based on the exposure given ers, and actors have all come the film when it was original- SHteenvrey down hard on the advocates ly photographed in black & of colorizing. James Stewart, white, has to be futzed with movie industry in Hollywood for one, is appalled at the ap- so the movie can accommo- decided to take serious no- pearance of the colorized tice of what’s been going on. version of It’s a Wonderful date different hues and con- Life, his favorite among the Apparently many of Holly- many movies he has starred trasts. Even if you could turn wood’s big names naively as- in. And director Frank Capra, sumed that colorizing was go- who originally cooperated off the color completely, the ing to be confined to undistin- with the colorizing compa- guished black & white TV nies, now says he can’t stand picture would look washed shows from the ’50s (like to watch the movie. The Di- out and pasty, with muddy Wyatt Earp) and an occasion- grays instead of crisp blacks, and dingy instead of bright whites. The colorists point out that al feature movie. But when rector’s Guild of America and they’re not altering original the technicians applied their the American Society of paintbrushes to a bona fide Cinematographers deplore prints of movies. They just classic—It’s a Wonderful colorization, calling it “techni- Life—and announced plans to cal tampering of the worst obtain the best print they colorize Casablanca and The kind.” can, make a videotape copy, and use that, not the film, for their work. The movie is Maltese Falcon, the uproar The colorists often defend then dissected digitally, first from film purists was deafen- their process with the “color ing. knob” fallacy. If you don’t scene by scene, then frame like watching their new ver- The purists protest that sions of your old black & by frame. The color elements the owners of these new white faves, they argue you computerized crayolas have can always turn off the hues are assigned numbers for en- no business trying to read with the color knob on your coding individual scenes. the minds of the directors TV set. However, there are and cinematographers who Then all the thousands of col- orized frames are stitched back together in the form of another videotape com-. SSS SS SS SS SR SERRA 1 STERIL PSS ee pe cen REESE STS 36 Video February 1987

IN EVERY WAR, THERE ARE THOSE WHO DIE. COLLINS RICHARD HARRIS a. RICHARD RAY JANA ROUNTREE MILLAND CILLIERS SVEN BERTIL TAUBE, DENHOLM ELLIOTT, JOHN PARSONSON, /4f OLZUOHIDPE Executive Producer: PHILLIP BAIRD, Produced By: HAZEL ADAIR, ° Screenplay By: PHILLIP BAIRD, From The Book By: MICHAEL HARTMANN, 2S | Directed By: JAMES FARGO s~~ 4 | 43003 Color/113 Min. $79.95 & PORNEBOSAOLKE DDAATTEE:: MFEABRRCUHARY11 25 avpees Ax VS R“sRESwTReICTmED ear y 2 ie} a TRANS WORLD ENTERTAINMENT (USA) 6464 Sunset Bivd.. Penthouse Suite, Hollywood, CA 90026 me.

TV Den | f : prised of thousands of assemble edits. | ‘ These edits, though, aren’t part of the VID EO C ATA Uieg : original, and give the movie a jittery : o00*s effect that, although very slight, is | a. nonetheless noticeable to a discern- | ing eye. : Colorizing an average 90-minute black | & white film from, say, the 1940s costs ‘ roughly $2000 a minute, which adds up ©1986 Movies Unlimited inc. :: to about $200,000 for a whole film. :° That’s a big piece of change, even in the Se es eS Se high-stakes world of big-time TV syndi- 6736 Castor Ave.©Phila., PA 19149 (»215) 722-8298 cation and home video. In addition, the : process sometimes yields barely one Please Send Me: He minute of usable colorized film a day. Even with three sets of technicians Movies Unlimited Video Catalog DDRESS working 24 hours a day, 5 days a week, it takes months to do even a rudimenta- plus periodic updates of new 7IP ry colorizing job. Sina eu ud Oe [v | Colorization (a word that’s already ee — _— - trademarked by Hal Roach Studios) avis pager amounts to a kind of specialized anima- tion, requiring extraordinarily tedious 18 years old, work to coax the colors to move with Shipping/Handling Fees the foreground and background im- ages—something especially difficult to do [| AAdda’.a Foreign Shipping/ in fast-paced scenes, like dance numbers Handling Fees (APO, Canada, Mexico excluded) or action sequences. As in any business, (Cash, checks and money some colorizing technicians are more skilled than others, which explains why orders in US. funds only) one scene can look like vivid Technicolor and the next faded. But the biggest problem is time. Both colorizing companies are under extreme pressure to meet air dates and other deadlines that have often forced them to make severe compromises. Examples: The Absent-Minded Professor has dozens of scenes lacking any color at all and, in general, backgrounds that lack hues that bear any relationship to real life. It’s a Wonderful Life has some equally shoddy moments, with greyish, bland night scenes, pasty fleshtones, and jarring color mismatches. The color choices on some of the scenes in Yankee Doodle Dandy are laughable. In one Jimmy Cagney wears a sky blue suit that perfectly matches the wall in a lengthy office scene. Miracle on 34th Street opens with Macy’s Christmas Parade in New York City; sure, Kris Kringle’s there, in his requisite red suit, but the crowds are as grey and colorless as the imaginations of some of the peo- ple who crank out these hack jobs. Despite the technical drawbacks and artistic objections, it seems clear that studios will continue to colorize their black & white classics in a desperate at- tempt to attract audiences that tend to tahvaotidcoblloarcikGzein&g wwhili5lteenfsiulrmse. hTi:hgeherthreaotri:yngsis fFES or tP hese old chestnuts and eventuaé lly justify its immense cost. Meanwhile, the colorizing companies are getting very rich. Their favorite color is green, as in cash. 38 Video February 1987

Y prONEER ae Re EN! HAD NL aE R oar: 7m - =e aevor ex man j €. Hy Pioneer’ Revolutionary Audio/Videonn iaeiteteeinnee Receiver This is all you need to turn your existing electronic confused by what others may promise, because this equipment into a superior A/V system. Because this _machine delivers Dolby Surround\" Sound, the finest revolutionary invention not only makes all of your _in the world. Card audio and video components work better. It makes Yet even with all these dramatic1ma aie RSneeravdiecre your individual components have never been easier 10 them work better...together. For example, you'll see a better picture, due to _to operate. The reason: Pioneer’s ultra-sophisticated a one-of-a-kind split-screen video enhancer that 59-function system remote control: actually sharpens and focuses every video image. Pioneer’s Revolutionary Audio/Video Receiver. You'll hear a better sound too, due to three surround It makes all the components you already own, all sound listening environments. And please, don’t be —_together better. Ove) (ears CATCH THE SPIRIT OF A TRUE PIONEER. icFaonidrfdocirltmeia.otNnioaoln. ©1986 Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc., Long Beach, CA *Pioneer’s VSX 5000 remote controls all Pioneer SR™ components. ®Dolby is a trademark of Dolby Labs, Inc.

The Camcorner New Equipment & Shooting Tips Cross Breeding Some of the first VHS cord the Kyocera’s CCD-gen- imager, the picture quality on Camcorders camcorders could only feed erated signal onto a VHS signals into a TV or a moni- tape in the RCA unit. the tapes made in both ma- by Roderick chines improved, although Woodcock tor. But the newest machines Given the wide range of let you go both ways, record- camcorders now available the slower tape speed still ing signals off the TV or from with both A/V inputs and out- delivered images with a rag- other sources. This dual abili- ged look. ty makes camcorders more puts, hundreds of combina- convenient and flexible. But tions are probably possible. I I also connected the RCA it can also let videophiles tried three using JVC’s Com- and the Kyocera, recording conduct some interesting pact VHS GR-C7, and the 8mm tapes from the RCA’s mix-and-match component 300,000-pixel MOS chip and experiments, if they have Kyocera and RCA models VHS tapes from the Kyocer- friends with different mentioned above. a’s CCD. In bright daylight, camcorders. the tapes looked virtually the First, I connected the JVC same. The quality was stun- On the convenience front, to the Kyocera, and recorded ning and the colors vivid. the RCA CMR-300, for ex- the image seen by the JVC’s However, differences ap- 210,000-pixel, cross-stripe peared under low light. Even ample, has an optional adapt- CCD pick-up on a TC-20 cas- though the CMR-300 has a er that plugs into the socket sette as well as on an 8mm rated minimum sensitivity of normally used by the plug cassette. It was possible to 7 lux, compared to 20 lux for run both camcorders at the the Kyocera, low-light pic- from the detachable electron- same time, since the JVC ic viewfinder. The adapter doesn’t shut off the audio/vid- tures with the RCA were rel- eo output when it’s record- turns the camcorder into a ing. This interesting feature atively noisy, riddled with regular VHS recorder that makes it possible to tape lots of little white dots in can copy and duplicate tapes, something on the GR-C7 and dark areas. and help with editing. simultaneously display the same picture seen in the The Kyocera did a better To check the quality of viewfinder on another moni- job recording the same dim- ly-lit scenes, even when its videos, you can play them tor. CCD was recording onto the back on a TV or monitor us- The JVC can record at VHS tape inside the RCA. ing an AV output cable that To its credit, however, the plugs into a socket on the both the EP and the SP MOS chip in the RCA had a back of the camcorder. Un- speed, so I tested both. To very narrow noise threshold. like some other cam- see the results, I synchronized The minute I panned the camera into an area of suffi- corders—such as Kyocera’s the camcorders and played cient light, the picture quality KD-200, which uses a single back their original tapes into picked right up. socket for the AV inputs and a Sony VTX-1100R tuner, outputs—you can’t use feeding a 25-inch Sony XBR By separating the imaging RCA’s electronic viewfinder, monitor/receiver. I found the half of a camcorder from its since it has to be disconnect- colors recorded by the recording half, and testing ed to make room for the ex- 250,000-pixel RGB chip in ternal video feed. the Kyocera had warmth and each on a dissimilar system, snap. The JVC chip, which it’s possible to make judg- A less obvious bonus to uses a 210,000-pixel CCD, ments as to which product being able to record outside delivered pictures with sub- takes the best pictures under signals on a camcorder is the dued, almost pastel colors. what conditions. ability it gives the curious to compare camcorders by mix- Recording the output of The engineers who design ing lenses, imagers, and re- the GR-C7 onto 8mm tape these machines run tests like didn’t really change much at this all the time, usually with cording decks from different the SP speed. At the EP competitors’ products. What brands through the use of au- speed, the 8mm footage they learn helps them re-de- dio/video cables. It’s possi- showed sharply delineated sign their own. With a little ble, for example, to record help from your friends, edges and good contrast. there’s no reason you can’t an image from an RCA CMR- When I reversed the hook-up make some interesting com- 300, which uses VHS, onto and used the Kyocera as the parisons of your own. an 8mm tape inside a Kyocera KD-200, or to re- 40 Video February 1987

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Video Magazine's 1987 Blank Tape Tests Part 1: VHS a very two years or so VIDEO the tapes had a dropout count above 30. In ty are in modifying existing for- tests the most widely availa- our last tests (Feb. and Mar. 1985), about mats—as SuperBeta and High Qual- ble blank videocassettes to half the tapes had more than 14 15-micro- ity showed to be possible—or in de- second dropouts. In this test, the dropout veloping new videotape formats, determine the best performers. Our count averaged 10. or even new media. previous tests have shown there is no perfect tape, no best grade that Similarly, the range between the best All format modifications make outperforms every other on every and worst measurements of the video sig- new demands on tape. The intro- level. Instead, we’ve charted each nal-to-noise ratio narrowed from 4 decibels duction of slower speeds required tape’s strengths and weaknesses, in 1985 to 3.6 dBs this year. The spread of smaller magnetic particles that were and presented them in a way that the audio S/N measurements narrowed more evenly spread on the base will let you pick the best tapes for from 4.8 dBs to 3.7 dBs. As the results get film. Linear stereo required more your own purposes—whether it’s closer to a state of theoretical perfection, it accurate slitting since the left track simple TV timeshifting or making gets harder to make further improve- in linear stereo is less than a third of heavily-edited home videos. ments. The likeliest routes to better quali- a millimeter wide and runs at the top edge of the tape. This year, once again, there were By Lancelot Braithwaite no clearcut winners. However, we The Hi-Fi signal, recorded by did find a group of top contenders special heads on the video drum, that, as the following pages demon- lays down a signal deep in the tape’s strate, should satisfy most magnetic coating. The video head videophiles’ quest for perfection. that follows lays the video signal on Two tapes—Fuji Super XG H451 top of it, erasing part of the audio and TDK HD Pro—shine, though near the tape’s surface. As a result, they differ enough so that you may Hi-Fi requires very smooth tape to want to choose one or the other for a help the heads stay a fixed distance particular use. A hair’s breadth be- from the tape. The Hi-Fi signal is an hind are five more high-quality tapes FM signal that behaves like a video with interesting strengths that make signal, so the video S/N and drop- them suitable for special applica- outs are relatively good guides to Hi-Fi recording quality. Most VCRs tions. The tapes are the Konica switch to the linear track during Hi-Fi drop- Super HG, T-120; the Maxell HGX outs; a few go dead, but that’s a VCR Gold Hi-Fi, T-120; the Maxell RX Pro, design problem, not a tape flaw. T-120; the Sony Pro-X T-120; and the HQ is the most recent VHS innovation. Zenith SHG T-120. It works best on tapes with very fine parti- cles that can retain the stronger high fre- Bear in mind that your VCR or camcord- quency levels. Metal tape, such as is used er was designed for a particular type of for the new M2 professional BetaCam for- tape and may not give you exactly the same mat, and 8mm tape can handle these and results with each brand as our test equip- higher demands, but the tape is incompati- ment. That’s why it’s so important to try ble with standard VHS machines. VHS tapes yourself; you may need to adjust could be redesigned to work with metal your choices to account. for your gear’s tape but compatibility would go out the preferences, too. window in the process. There is a new particle called barium ferrite that JVC put in This year, we also found a gratifying a tape called EM, but it’s not available to improvement in the overall quality of blank consumers yet. tapes, particularly among the weakest: New formats hold the biggest hope for they’ve simply gotten a lot better. For ex- improvement. Compact VHS is much ample, the worst tape in our first tape tests (October 1982) had over 100 15-microsec- February 1987 Video 43 ond dropouts per minute, and about half

ry 2 v3 ee touted for its small size. It is compatible Look For Part II: Beta Sencore, Technics, and Heathkit, some of with VHS machines through an adapter, which were modified for our needs. Addi- but it offers no improvement in picture In March, and Part III: tional equipment by Beckman, quality and the cassette can hold one hour Compact VHS & 8mm Hewlett-Packard, NAD, Pioneer, and oth- at most. Beta tapes keep growing in num- Tapes In April’s Video ers was used for monitoring and other pur- ber but the format’s acceptance seems poses. A Polaroid CU-5 and its attach- confined to video buffs. VCRs. The signals were recorded onaJVC ments were used to make permanent rec- HR-7100U, which was also used as the ords off oscilloscopes and TV screens. The newest full format is 8mm, still an playback unit for the dropout count, the infant. Its picture started out looking audio S/N, and the audio frequency re- TEST PROCEDURES worse than VHS two years ago. Now it sponse tests. equals VHS on many fronts. Beta tapes We requested tape samples from manu- will be reviewed in the March issue, 8mm A Toshiba M-5900 was used as the play- facturers and bought or swapped samples and Compact VHS tapes in April. er for the video S/N, chroma AM S/N, and with tape dealers to avoid ringers, as we chroma PM S/N tests. A Zenith VR4100 have done previously. At least three sam- The digital recording technology that was used for the output loss and track ples of each tape were tested. Then we will probably make all current VCRs obso- balance tests. Dispersion was calculated measured eight characteristics of each, lete is still only a glimmer on the horizon. from the video S/N measurements. We and calculated one. These figures should We don’t mean VCRs with digital in their used the consumer VCRs because the re- tell you enough about a tape to make an name that are really analog VCRs with sults more closely match what consumers informed choice. some digital circuits, but real digital VCRs are likely to see on home equipment, and that record in ones and zeros like CDs and because JVC, the VHS format licensor, The characteristics we measured were the soon-to-be-released DAT (digital audio recommended that consumer VCRs be video S/N, chroma AM S/N, chroma PM tape). For about the last year, Sony has used when we began our tests in 1982. S/N, the dropout count, the output loss at 2 been demonstrating a true digital VCR for megahertz, audio S/N, the audio frequency professional use. Prices for it are in the six Video S/N, the chroma AM S/N ratio, response, and linear audio track balance. figures, and it will be four or five years and the chroma PM S/N ratio were meas- We also calculated the dispersion figure before the technology is cheap enough for ured on a ShibaSoku 925R/1 NTSC Color and labelled it consistency between batch- consumers. It should be able to record high Video Noisemeter. Dropouts were count- es. It is measured in decibels and definition TV pictures, if they, too, ever ed with a ShibaSoku VH0O1BZ VTR Drop- represents the difference between the become a reality. But this is all at drawing out Counter. The output loss at 2mHz was highest video S/N and the lowest measure- measured on a Sencore SC61 oscilloscope ment from a different batch of tape. Unfor- board stage, so relax. with a voltmeter. tunately, try as we might, we could find samples from only one batch of some GRADING THE GRADES Audio measurements were made on tapes. In those cases, though we still aver- Hewlett-Packard equipment. Test signal aged the samples measured, a dispersion Not every video job presents the same generators were by Tektronics, B&K, figure as an index of consistency between problem or requires the same tape. Our batches would be meaningless. examination of tapes is based on this princi- ple. We tested tapes for eight criteria and Filling In The Blanks: A Tape Test Glossary calculated a ninth. All nine are presented on the chart. Two—the output loss at 2 Audio Frequency Response: a mea- find variation, even using the same ma- megahertz and the linear audio track bal- sure of the range of frequencies repro- chine for all tests. Some of that varia- ance—are not plotted on the small graphs duced by the tape and the machine with- that follow the chart because their influ- in 3 decibels on its output level at 1 tion must come from either the tape or ence on what you see and hear is small. Yet kilohertz. those figures are of value to those with the cassette. We present the figure be- very critical applications. The Chroma Audio S/N: a measure of how much cause the variation exists, though S/N, which is also not shown on the small it may turn out to reflect some ele- graphs, may be unduly influenced by the noise affects the audio signal. It is no- cassette shell or tape transport, a problem ticeable as hiss. Since all tapes are tes- ment in cassette shell design. we're continuing to investigate. ted under the same conditions, any dif- Consistency between batches: or dispersion. The difference between the The remaining six measurements tell ferences in the S/N ratio are caused by best and worst video S/N measured for the bulk of the tape story. As you look the tape. All our comparisons are based each sample of videotape. It indicates through our graphs, you'll see that as you on this principle. Measured in decibels. the variation in quality among tapes that move up the companys’ grades of tape, Chroma AM S/N: a measure in decibels different characteristics stand out. Their come from different production batch- choice of what is important at each step of how much a tape causes the color doesn’t always agree with ours or with intensity of a single field to vary. Varia- es. We could have calculated dispersion your needs. That’s why you shouldn’t rely figures for each characteristic but felt only on a tape’s “grade” as an infallible tions in color intensity are caused by that would contribute little extra to un- guide. There are distinct differences be- noise affecting the amplitude of the col- tween grades of tape but the labelling derstanding variation in the manufac- doesn’t spell out the whole story. Our or signal responsible for intensity. turing process. Measured in decibels. chart and evaluations are intended to help Dropout count: literally a count of the tell the rest. Chroma PM S/N: a measure in decibels portions of the video signal missing TEST EQUIPMENT of how much variation there is in the from the tape. They are caused by are- as on the tape with too few magnetic Much of the equipment we used in this hue or shade ofa single color field. Such particles—like a pothole—or by debris test is the same as we used in 1985, but we variations are caused by noise affecting also added some of today’s top consumer the phase relationship that determines on the tape that momentarily separates 44 Video February 1987 the hue ofa color picture. One manufac- the tape head from the tape sur- turer notes that the tape itself can’t continued on page 124 change a phase relationship. Yet we do

How To Use The Blank Tape Test Chart As last Christmas approached, many of you to record your own our readers faced a problem oddly similar to selecting a blank videotape: picking the blank tape experi- right Christmas tree. They’re all green with brown trunks, but then what? Some ences. We suggest you like tall trees, some short; some prefer thick branches, others thin; some want a clip the chart and keep certain shape and fullness, and search high and low to find it. Choosing a brand and it in a folder. As you type of tape for the video job you have in experiment with differ- mind can be equally complicated. The chart on the next four pages, and the detailed ent tapes, you can re- evaluations that follow, are designed to help you pick the blank tape that’s best for cord your performance you, and to better understand the differ- ences between products that outwardly impressions (or meas- seem alike. urements, if you’re so Before working with the chart—which leaves blank spaces for your own rat- equipped and inclined) ings—think about what you'll be using the tape for and the characteristics that seem in the blank columns most important. If dropouts are likely to cause a bigger problem than graininess, we've provided. pay more attention to the “Dropout Count” column. If good audio is a must, look close- Here’s how to ly at those columns. Many of today’s top machines use a Hi-Fi recording system use our chart: Simply that will even let you ignore the linear audio track characteristics we measured. (Hi-Fi rate the tapes by writ- tracks are more like video tracks. )Howev- er, no VHS camcorders record Hi-Fi audio, ing letter grades or Blank Tape Rating Scale so linear audio track characteristics may be numbers in the blank critical. ures in the columns for “Your Rating,” add columns. If you use let- across individual rows, and look for the If you’re enough of a videophile to try highest numbers. various tapes rather than rely on technical ters, count up, at the evaluations, we’ve set up the chart to allow Since different video jobs ideally require end of each row, the number of excellents, different tapes, you may want to color code your ratings to reflect those that apply to very goods, goods, etc. each tape re- tapes intended for camcorders, special Hi- Fi recordings, or simple timeshifting. You ceives. You can cover your personal pref- may also want to photocopy the chart and erences in tape quality by adding or drop- use the copies as worksheets. Bear in mind that varying your criteria will change your ping a grade on the ratings for the results. For example, if low price is an important factor, you'll be focusing on a characteristics you value most. different group of tapes than if it were not. If you apply numbers, use the accompa- You'll note we haven't included prices. continued on page 125 nying “Blank Tape Rating Scale” as a guide or substitute your own numbering sys- tem for our letter scale—1 to 7 for the grades is the simplest—and count the to- tals that way. Again, you can either use the higher end of our scale to reflect your pref- erences, or, if you’re using your own num- bers, weigh them to favor the characteris- tics most important to you. Write the fig- Numerical Guide To The Blank Tape Rating Scale | Consistency Chroma Dropout a Audio 0 Excellent Video S/N and Between PMS/N' —_—|: Count Audio Frequency Chroma AM S/N’ | Batches’ Over +0.8 chcaode OSes eae 0to5 over 53.5 50 to 12k Over +1.5 0.00r0.1 Very Good oyON (ea Fs) 0.2 +0.5to +0.7 6 to 10 53.1 to 53.5 40 to 10k 0.3 11 to 20 is 4. ei ea ore | wast LPS te eet ae ay 7A Good +0.4to +0.9 +0.2to +0.4 52.6to53.0 50 to 10k Average —0.3to +0.3 0.4 —0.1 to +0.1 21 to 30 52.1 to 52.5 63 to 10k 50 to 8k Fair —0.9to —0.4 05 —0.4to -0.2 | 31to40 51.610 52.0 63 to 8k. Weak —1.5to —1.0 0.6 —0.7to —0.5 41 to 50 51a too.5 50 to 6.3k Poor under — 1.5 07 under —0.7 over 50 under 51.1 63 to 6.3k 1. In decibels. 2. In Hertz. February 1987 Video 45

Brand Your Our Your Chroma Our Grade’ Rating Rating Rating | AM S/N‘ Rating | BASF RS G Chrome EQ—120 E —1.7 F P —0.1 Chrome SHG—120 | V —0.3 Chrome SHG Hi-Fi—120 FUJI Std.—120 V —0.7 GOLDSTAR Ww —0.5 F Std.—120 V 0.9 | Ww HG—120 — —1.0 Ww SHG Hi-Fi—120 F F JVC Premium Std.—120 P —0.9 F 3| F SuperHG—120 V =1.0 | W ae V OS PER G KODAK E [+09] G V Std.—120 V coy 3G poy Std.— 160 V XHG—120 | XHG—160 Hi-Fi—120 | KONICA High Perf. —120 | MAGNAVOX E -0.5 F HQ—120 G | 40.5 V MAXELL EX—120 HGX—120 +0.8 HGX Hi-Fi—120 MEMOREX W —0.3| A G G HS—120 E Ga e E Pro Plus—120 V Pro Hi-Fi—120 F +0.9| G Pro Cam—120 P —0.2 iCertain grade names are abbreviated for space; see test pages for full names. 2S/N: signal-to-noise ratio, measured in decibels. *Between batches, in decibels.

Your Dropout Our | Your | OutputLoss | Your | Audio | Your | Audio Frequency | Your Linear Audio Your | Your | Your Your Rating Count® Rating |Rating| at2MHz* | Rating| S/N‘ | Rating Response® Rating | Track Balance’ /|Rating| Cost | Rating |Rating Totals 15/33/84 | G —2.6 Ee 63-10k 97 hy. 52.9| | 63-10k 70/17 | V 98 —2.4 52.8 63-9k 14/20/23 | G 98 5/912 | —2.4 52.2 50-8k 96 10/13/13; V | 0k i 15/1 6/21 6/7/9 V —1.6 52.4 50-9k 97 16/23/37 | G —2.1 91.8 63-10k 96 10/16/17} V —2.1 Diet 63-10k 97 ii 16/1 9/26 | “|16/2183 | 9/11/22 32/43/77 |; E ee 10/15/20} V —2.5 51.4 | 63-10k 98 i) 6/1014 | V -1.9 [51.5 63-10k 97 1/3/3 | E Sie 52.8 63-9k eee 6/6/10 | V —2.3 52.2 | 63-10k 96 3/4/5 E —2.3 yk 63-10k 98 7/12/23 9/16/32 4/6/10 47/8 | E Siwy 50.8 | 50-9k 97 15/21/29 | G 2105 G | 8/9/12 14/16/23 13/13/18 ' 33/42/61 | F = leo | 51.8 | 50-9k 97 6/50/73 | V —1.6 52.3 50-10k 96 10/14/19 | V [ —2.4 O22 [ 50-10k 97 12/16/24 G —2.1 52.4 50-10k 96 He ‘In decibels. §1541 sec/10y sec/5y: sec. ®In Hertz. 7In percent. * E for excellent, V for very good, G for good, A for average, F for fair, W for weak, P for poor.

Brand Video Our Your Consis- Our Your Chroma Our Your Chroma Our Grade’ S/N2 Rating Rating tency? Rating Rating | AMS/N‘ | Rating Rating | PMS/N‘ | Rating PANASONIC =05 [oP ee +03] A [405] °¥ Premium Std.—120 -~191. P 0.1 E =i Ww pee ir Premium Std.—160 cal V 0.3 G +12 V | +0.1 A SHG—120 +09) G 0.1 E SOG (aoe ¥ Hi-Fi—120 | al. A POLAROID |Supercolor—120, 08 - meet G aslo ae SHG HERG : ae L +01; A | V | QSUupAeSrARGT—120 +0.7| G SHG—120 -0.2| A Or ey +0.6| G +0.2| 6 Hi-Fi—120 +09] G ee +0.3| G +0.7| G qoute +04] G RCA +1.0| V 05 | F [-03] A +0.2| G LSM Rs +0.7| G eG +0.4| G [| -04| F +1.0[ V +0.8| G A “ SHG—120 +0.8| G 04 | A +0.4| G Batic V SCOTCH +11] Vv eG [+08] 6 +0.6| € EG—120 +10] V 03 | G +06] G [+08] Vv EG + —120 -1.8] P O21 ¥ [+07] EXG—120 | EXG Hi-Fi—120 -0.2| A -0.1] A |EXG Pro—120 | EXG Cam—120 SKC SG—120 SONY [ Std.—120 Std.—160 0E BOA oA 0A oS [-05| F See ES-HG—120 Qa ee A + At°'G ESX Hi-Fi—120 ge y +0.3| oe Poet 6 Pro-X—120 0E aoe keel 0A TDK ee: sath On HS—120 ny eee Oot EHG Hi-Fi—120 ZENITH +02) A ia ee EOD 0A Std —120 |-1.8/ P [06 | w =1.7| P -1.0| W Std.—160 +08] G Wage: [+14] Vv Ane | SHG—120 ‘Certain grade names are abbreviated for space; see test pages for full names. 2S/N: signal-to-noise ratio, measured in decibels. 3Between batches, in decibels

Your Dropout Our | Your | OutputLoss | Your | Audio | Your | Audio Frequency | Your Linear Audio Your | Your | Your Your Rating Count5 Rating |Rating | at2MHz‘ |Rating) S/N‘ |Rating Response’ Rating | Track Balance? |Rating | Cost /|Rating |Rating Totals 18/24/42 | G -1.9 52.5 | 50-8k 97 Ee | 11/1 7/36| G | —2.0 52.4 I 63-8k 95 9/10/13.) V 2.9 52.8 50-6.3k 96 8/11/16 | V —2.5 54.8 63-10k 97 17/22/36] & | 63-10k 96 | “| 28/37/70 6/11/28 | V 1.8 51.3| | 50-8k 98 7/215 | V =2.1 52.9 50-8k 97 8/18/34 | V =2.2 52.1 50-8k 97 14/17/22 | G 1.8 51.8 50-8k 98 28/35/41 |A —2.0 53.2 50-8k | 98 4/59 | E 2.4 53.1 | 63-10k 96 11/14/21) G -27 52.8 50-10k 97 | 2.8 52.8| | 50-9k | 13/22/35 |G Poh (Ses 50-10k a8 =27 62.8 | | _50-10k 9/13/21 |V ~2.8 52.4 50-12k 95 8/14/23 |V 97 15/15/21 |G 97 26/30/39 |A 51.8 50-8 96 a 6/6/9. | V 204 51.6 40-9k 97 | 15/24/55 | G Co 52.2 40-9k 96 | 6/9/11 | V | 52.4 50-9k | 96 1116/27 |G oes 53.7 | 63-10k 97 10/12/15 | V cog 54.1 63-10k 97 ~2.8 T/AWN9 63-10k oF 19/27/43 | G Ae 53.3 63-10k 97 | 38/73/154| F enh. 53.0 50-8k 95 10/14/20 | V Tetad 53.1 50-8k 96 ‘In decibels. 154. sec/10. sec/5p. sec. In Hertz. 7In percent. ® E for excellent, V for very good, G for good, A for average, F for fair, W for weak, P for poor

“Tape Tests — escieg+e BASF Chrome Extra Quality is BASF’s FUJI Fuji’s basic T-120 grade is an av- | new basic grade. Like most manu- Chrome Extra Quality T-120 facturers it improved quality T-120 erage performer with excellent across all grades including this. dropout count and very good con- Video S/N Areas showing the greatest im- Video S/N sistency but just fair chroma AM provements were video S/N, con- S/N. The overall good balance, Dropout Count sistency between batches, and the with few unusual peaks and val- dropout count. There was also a leys, continues up the line as per- small improvement in audio S/N, a small drop in frequency response formance characteristics improve. on the linear track, and a gain on chroma PM S/N that was over- Compared to our earlier test of shadowed by the improvements of other brands. Overall, this is an Fuji’s basic grade, this is more average to good tape with high evenly balanced, relative to the consistency. tapes of its competitors, which have also improved. Chrome Super HG T-120 Chrome Super HG is equal to or a Dropout Count Fuji Super HG T-120 is also well step up from BASF’s basic grade balanced and gives up a rating Video S/N in most areas except consistency. Super HG T-120 ‘de The most noticeable improvement point on dropout but compensates is in the dropout count with small- Video S/N by gains on both chroma S/Ns er gains in both chroma S/N fig- and the audio S/N. The result is a Audio Consistency ures. It rates better than BASF’s tape rated at good or higher on all Frequency Between SHG in our 1985 tests on all S/N measurements except video S/N Response Batches measurements and even on abso- and audio frequency response, lute dropout count. But since our which is average. A good all-pur- ee rating system has become more pose tape. demanding, it now rates very good instead of excellent. There were also small losses in audio S/N and frequency response. It is still a good competitor. Dropout Count Dropout Count Chrome Super HG Hi-Fi T-120 Super HG Hi-Fi is a BASF grade Super HG Hi-Fi T-120 Fuji’s Super HG Hi-Fi performs introduced just about a year ago. better than its Super HG on video Video S/N It is good or very good in all areas Audio Video S/N Consistency S/N and chroma PM S/N. A small Frequency Z|——_ Between increase in dropouts leaves it with Dropout Count except chroma AM S/N Response Batches four ratings of good, one of very and audio frequency response, good, and one of average, plus an for which it rates average. excellent on chroma PM S/N (not This well-balanced tape is like shown on the graph.) It shows BASF’s basic grade but with a big jump in chroma AM S/N quality. strong improvements in con- Like most Hi-Fi tapes there seems sistency and chroma PM S/N over to be little difference in picture quality between it and non-Hi-Fi the samples we measured two years ago. Again a good to very tapes. Manufacturers call the dif- ference, which has many attrib- good all-around performer. utes, runability. The one important attribute to Hi-Fi quality seems to be a head-cleaning action. Dropout Count 50 Video February 1987