video-magazine-1994-08

VIDED $2.95 * AUGUST 1994 MALAZINEG Video On The Info Highway FALL'S HOT PRODUCTS New Big Screens, Camcorders, VCRs & More LIGHT ITUP! We Compare 11 Camcorder Lights 3 VIDEOTESTS: Hi8 Viewcam, Combi Player, Video Titler, 2 VHS-C Camcorders

Mikey was always an over achiever! That's why we have Mike working for us! At JVC we strive to be over-achievers. It wasn’t enough for us to just build one of the highest quality Camcorders ever, We decided to offer a Multi-Level Interactive Menu System, Video Equalizer /Processor, and Advanced Editing Functions, all ina 1.4 pound Camcorder! No wonder they are calling the GR-SZ7 an over-achiever too. So we thank Mike for the GR-SZ7 and once you get your hands on one, you will too! Super VHS e”No Loss” Image Stabilization oi } H1i0-0Fxi SDtiegirteaol Zoom ° C13oloDrigiLtCalD EVfifeewctfsinder NS f1.2 Lens «:_ »Ss 570,000 Pixel CCD ¢ 17 Digital Scene Transitions iia Comero The Inventor of VHS Technically Perfect. Perfectly Simple «© Random Assemble Editing

Panasonic FEATURES MULTIMEDIA PLAYGROUND 32 A guided tour of five disc-based systems for the information age. By James K. Willcox 36 HYPE, HOPE AND REALITY Why the video superhighway will cost more and take longer 40 than anyone believed. By Frank Beacham 44 AUTUMN INNOVATIONS What's the word on fall’s new lines? Think bigger, thinner, flatter, smarter. CHARGE OF THE LIGHTS BRIGADE How 11 of video's brightest stars stack up against the light meter. By Brent Butterworth TAPES a Dists REVIEWS / Reality Bites, Philadelphia, Jurassic Park Interactive, more 50 EDITOR’S CHOICE / Mike Leigh’s Naked. By Kenneth Korman 51 DIRECTORY / The latest releases on tape and disc 58 VIDEOTESTS PANASONIC LX-600 COMBI PLAYER, 20 DEPARTMENTS Sharp VL-H400U Hi8 ViewCam, ProScan PSC24C VHS-C camcorder, Videonics Titlermaker 2000, Panasonic PV-IQ604 VHS-C camcorder. By Brent Butterworth, Stewart Applegath and Timothy Liebe; tests by Berger-Braithwaite Labs CHANNEL ONE / Information highway—promises and reality 4 TChoeverv:ideo superhigh- FEEDBACK / Letters from readers 7 —way—sports and FAST FORWARD / Daniel Day-Lewis, high-end speakers, Sony Wonder Lab, more § movies on demand, in- NEW PRODUCTS / Beach gear, TVs bi; g and iltitttle, an add zapper, more 12 tpearnaicctievse agnadmeism,oreonclailne HOME THEATER / The final verdict on the THX decoder debate 14 coming, but not neces- Q & A/ Technical queries answered 15 Satily soon, to your CAMCORNER / Tips on piecyking the r:ight trPipod 18 cloocnatlrolTV.phoRteomobtye Gene COLLECTOR’S CLEARINGHOUSE / In search of Billy Joel and UFOs 19 Coleman; baseball pho- OFF THE AIR / A new challenge for HDTV 90 _ ‘0, Dave Black/Sports Photo Masters Video Magazine Volume XVIII Number 5 The VIDEO Magazine (ISSN 1044-7288) is published monthly by Reese Communications, Inc., 460 W. 34 St., New York, NY 10001. Second-class postage paid at New York, NY and additional mailing office. © Audit 1994 Reese Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. © under Universal, International, and Pan American Copyright Conventions. Reproduction of editorial or pictorial content in any manner is prohibited. Bureau Single copy price $2.95; $3.50 in Canada; £2.50 in U.K. One-year subscription (12 issues) $15.; Canada, $22.47 (includes GST #R125938423) U.S.; foreign, air mail, $40 U.S. Canadian international publication permit #546488. Address subscription orders, change of address, correspondence and inquiries to: VIDEO, Box 56293, Boulder, CO 80322-6293, or call toll-free 800-365-1008. Change of address takes 60 days to process: send old address label, new address, and zip code. All material listed in this magazine is subject to manufacturer's change without notice, and publisher assumes no responsibility for such change. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to VIDEO, Box 56293, Boulder, CO 80322-6293. For microform copies of issues or articles, write to: Serials Acquisition Dept., University Microfilms, Inc., 300 North Zeeb Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48106. AUGUST 1994 VIDEO

Information VIDEO Hi ts promises and reality Whether it’s called the information superhighway or the National In- President and Managing Director, formation Infrastructure, the notion of an electronically connected Jay Rosenfield society has captured the imagination and interest of industry, the me- dia and (uh-oh) the politicians. Many videophiles view the trendiness Editor, James M. Barry of the debate with a combination of hope, amusement and wariness. Each of these reactions is justified. Nevertheless, for those of us with Managing Editor, Stan Pinkwas an abiding interest in home video, the future is brighter than ever as a Technical Editor, Lancelot Braithwaite result of developments that can be included under the broad rubric of Senior Editors, Kenneth Korman, the info highway. Brent Butterworth Assistant Editors, Josef Krebs, In our cover story, “Hype, Hope and Reality,” contributing editor Stewart Applegath Frank Beacham provides a reality check on the state of video in the Contributing Editors: Bob Angus, Bob info highway, along with a look at some of the short-term successes Barlow, Frank Beacham, Bruce Eder, M. and the challenges still to be met if the promise is to be realized. Faust, Corey Greenberg, Ty Harrington, David Lachenbruch, Timothy Liebe, George While we’re amused by the whining of some cable companies Mannes, Marianne Meyer, Cliff Roth, Tom about regulation, and the way telephone companies brand cable opera- Soter, Jonathan Takiff, Rich Warren, tors as monopolists—and wary of the Feds’ penchant for mucking Stewart Wolpin, Roderick Woodcock things up (as in the 1984 Cable Act) —we view the coming of the In- fobahn with hope. Digital video transmission will make available Art Director, Marshall Moseley electronically many of the pleasures videophiles already enjoy. Now we Assistant Art Director, Nadira Abdul-Kadir use a variety of products— including VCRs, laserdisc players, camcord- Art Assistant, Gary French ers and editing equipment—in concert with our TVs to assure high- Production Manager, Gary M. Krystofiak quality picture and sound. In years to come, if proponents of the new Production Assistant, Kim Lau systems deliver on their promises, high-quality images and sound will Typesetting, Janet M. Holland be wired directly to your home or delivered via high-powered satellites. Group Publisher, Eric C. Schwartz But don’t confuse PR with reality. The truth is—with the excep- tion of the direct broadcast satellit—ea fully realized digital Associate Publisher, Linda DeRogatis information and entertainment system is still years away. The good Vice President, Business Development, news is that virtually all the neat stuff touted as coming down the Alan Deitch road is here already in the traditional components we’re all familiar Editor, Video Pro, Tim Wetmore with. So don’t wait for the info highway to be paved and smoothed to National Advertising Director, Video Pro, your door. There are scores of products that provide the same benefits Annette Schnur now. Videophiles know it better than anyone. Circulation Director, Rodney Bell Circulation Assistant, Rosemary Y. Paver e Newsstand Sales Director, Gerald Levine Marketing Director, Luanne Rao In our June issue, we printed a reaction from the Lucasfilm Home Financial Officer, Mark C. Spector, C.P.A. THX Group to our two-part article about THX (“THX on Trial” and Business Manager, Janette Evans “The Decoder Debate,” April and May) as well as our response. Sub- Assistant Business Manager, sequently, representatives of Lucasfilm and our editorial staff met to Lily Schwartzberg conduct further listening tests in an attempt to resolve the differences Advertising Coordinator, Karen Pellino in performance obtained in our separate tests of the Kenwood KC-X1 Assistant to the President, So Hee Kim surround sound decoder. The results of those tests appear in this month’s “Home Theater” column. As always, Video Magazine’s testing Corporate Offices, Editorial & Sales: Linda objective is to provide the best possible equipment evaluations to our Futterman, Christine Barbieri, readers, and we’re happy to work with companies that share that goal. 460 West 34 St., New York, NY 10001; 212-947-6500, 212-947-6727 (fax) James M. Barry West Coast Sales Office: Linda DeRogatis, Editor Susan Kay Moses, 1453 Third Street, Suite 490, Santa 4 VIDEO AUGUST 1994 Monica, CA 90401; 310-393-5057, 310-393-5538 (fax) Chicago Sales Office: Milton Gerber, Kristene Richardson, Media Plus, 135 N. Arlington Heights Road, Suite 106, Buffalo Grove, IL 60089; 708-913-5400, 708-913-5403 (fax) Editor-in-Chief, Art Levis (1936-1991) CROEEMSMEUNICATIONS @. INCORPORATED PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.

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stereo system doesn’t have to be complex. A stereo system can be simple and approachable. Uncomplicated and true. (The same can be said for relationships.) from the legendary Harman Kardon. You'll know it when you hear it. For a retailer near you, call 1-800-422-8027 - Festival Intelligent Music System, under $2,000 by Harman Kardon Hi A Harman International Company harman/ kardon Circle 1 on Reader Service Card.

Parasailing, Pro-Logic and Paik Harman Kardon's Festival 500 Intelligent Music System High-wired act like HBO-type programs or standard Music is in our soul. pay-per-view events. “Awesome Camcorder Adventures” Harman Kardon is one of the (May ‘94) really hit the spot. I just re- We have the technology... many worldwide companies which turned from Florida where I tried para- forms Harman International. sailing for the first time. I took my An item by Stan Pinkwas about video camcorder up when I flew and, being al- artist Nam June Paik (“Fast Forward” Our distinctive companies most 70, it was quite an experience. | May '94) caught my attention. Paik was include Harman Kardon, JBL, Infinity, AKG, mounted a wireless receiver to the cam- commissioned to make a sculpture for Lexicon and Sounderaft. They share a corder and wore a communications the Cincinnati Art Museum to com- single, compelling passion. Music. headset. My friend in the towboat below memorate the career of radio pioneer It is the soul of each. had a headset while my wife on the Powell Crosley Jr. Crosley was a unique beach had a hand-held transceiver. The man who developed any product he And each of our companies video and three-way audio turned out is equally passionate about making reasonably well with only a few mis- that music more available and takes. With a little more experience, I'll more accurate. That’s why we’ve really be sailing. created high quality, intuitive sound systems — easy to set up — Wally Kervian, even easier to use. South Hadley, Massachussetts Festival is one such product. Pro Pro-Logic SoundEffects by JBL and Epsilon by Infinity are other products Your article on THX versus music which reflect the same perspective, although each does a different job. speakers was very interesting. The key Harman Kardon, JBL, Infinity, AKG, element in any speaker system is accu- Lexicon and Soundcraft share the pas- racy, whether for music or home theater sion and share the fundamental objective of all Harman compa- applications. I listen to music and home nies: to reproduce music flawlessly, to make the products easy to use theater on the same system, music in and lovely to look at. stereo mode and movies in Dolby Pro- Music and the soul. A great way to make a living. Logic surround mode. My Pro-Logic set- Intrigued? Then please call us up is as good as or better than any THX at 1-800-422-8027. system. Steve T. Seitz, harman international Portland, Oregon Locked out Paik’s Metrobot: Homage to Crosley. I was considering buying one of RCA’s thought he could sell to the public. Paik’s “Metrobot” includes TVs, radios, new DSS small-dish satellite systems hub caps and other items from the Crosley Corp., including my contribu- when it becomes available this fall. tion of a book-radio. Frank M. Shea, However, I’ve heard that RCA intends Cincinnati, Ohio to equip it with anti-recording devices For the record that work much like Macrovision on e In July’s “Late Breaking News,” a phone number directing readers to fur- pay-per-view sports and movie events. ther information about moviemaking seminars by Videonics and TDK should Why should I spend $700 to $900 for a have read 800-338-EDIT. DSS receiver and buy “unrecordable” eA comment in May’s “WHS Cam- corder Buying Guide” about the weight HBO when I can buy recordable HBO of early camcorders should have been attributed to Hitachi video product (despite the picture quality) from my lo- manager Rich Savich, not Bob Scaglione of Sharp Electronics. cal cable company? Someone should tell RCA greedy schemes like this will kill the business. Phil Cohen, Bay Harbor, Florida Editor’s Note: Though the DSS system will include a chip by Macrovision, spokesmen for RCA and DirecTv said it will not be used for subscription services AUGUST 1994 VIDEO 7

a EDITED BY KENNETH KORMAN Fast >> FORWARD > b> | >> Acting out High-end hoedown The Method. It’s the technique supposedly used by so many great ac- Once an insular tors — from Marlon Brando to Robert De Niro and now, Daniel Day-Lewis— to community obsessed get deep inside the roles they play, often staying in character when the cameras with exotic tube ampli- stop rolling. But many actors wind up re- nouncing the method publicly, if only to fiers and electrostatic distance themselves from the self-indul- speakers, the world of gence now associated with it. high-end audio is open- Add irishman Day-Lewis, brilliant star of the recently-released In the Name ing its doors to home of the Father (MCA/Universal), to the list of honored thespians who don’t wish theater. At the recent to be known as “method actors.” “Things are sometimes said about me Miami show sponsored that give the impression I’m a life-long member of the masochist society,” Day- by Stereophile, the lead- Lewis told us. “People never mention | the pleasurable areas of discovery you go ing high-end audio through. It’s all part of the messy process by which you hope to understand a life magazine, home thea- that’s essentially alien to your own.” ter stole much of the But some obser—vjoeurnralissts es- pecially— refuse to understand, at least thunder from music- according to Day-Lewis. “There was a piece recently in an Irish paper entitled, oriented demonstra- ‘Why Don’t You Try Acting.’ It was about me, and it suggested that all my tions. Among the most preparation undermines spontaneity. It impressive home thea- said, ‘Look at Keitel, Pacino, De Niro— they walked away from the method ter sound demos were years ago.’ But do you really think De Niro just strolled onto the set of Raging those from Cello, show- Bull and said, “Oh, what’s happening to- day, lads?’ Everyone prepares.” —KK ing a quintet of its new, affordable ($5,000/ pair!) speakers; Mirage, which debuted a new | surround-sound proc- essor designed for use with its bipolar speak- ers; and Atlantic Tech- nology, demoing a B&W’s ‘Nautilus dynamite new $1,400 speaker system. There was plenty of video, too. One display combined Faroudja’s $14,000 line doubler with a Barco projector to create a very watchable 17-foot diagonal image. Runco’s Super IDTV 900 (with integral line doubler) was also impressive in a dis- play with Snell’s new $29,000 THX system. But some manufacturers are keeping one foot firmly in the stereo realm. Witness B&W, which introduced a stunning pair of music speakers dubbed the Nautilus. The speaker's strange shape gives each driver its own optimized enclosure. The Nautilus indeed sounded like a $36,000/ pair speaker ought to: fabulous. The Stereophile show provides a rare chance for the public to see and hear home theater products, and talk to their creators. Next year’s show will run from April 28 to 30 in Los Angeles. —Brent Butterworth Method to His Madness: Actor Daniel Day-Lewis. How Americans watch growth of personal computing. The study also found that: Sometimes it seems that the more TV changes, the more it stays the e Americans spend more time same. A new survey of 4,000 families, watching TV than engaging in any other Technology in the American Household by the Times Mirror Center for The People leisure activity. & The Press, has concluded that the TV e More Americans, 67 vs. 27 per- set is still “the most flexible technologi- cal device in modern homes” despite the cent, would rather rent a movie than visit a movie theater. e Cable subscribers are more satisfied with their viewing choices than broad- cast viewers, while satellite dish owners 8 VIDEO AUGUST 1994

TIMESHIFT TEN YEARS AGO IN VIDEO MAGAZINE “CBS/Fox has agreed to pay George Lucas $10 million for the video rights to The Empire Strikes Back. The bid- ding war for the film was reportedly QUOTE OF Comedy isn’t easy hot and heavy. It’s nice to see that THE MONTH Michael Agee, owner of the Nos- the worlds of Hollywood and home talgia Archive and mastermind of the new Lost Films of Laurel & Hardy laser- video are not always fight- disc (Image Entertainment), has had his ing...Extrapolating Sony’s idea of share of troubles with the team’s old movies. When he was working at Hal the “Video 45” tape, Pioneer has Roach Studios in 1986, King World Pro- ductions cancelled a $10 million agree- come up with the eight-inch laser- disc—emphasizing music videos, naturally. The company’s new ad spokesman is Ray Charles, who in- sists that since the sound is so good, he couldn’t care less what the video —JAMES MEYER, looks like...Average home video- Senior Vice President, Thomson Consumer tapers are using one in every three Electronics blank tapes to record soap operas, according to an A.C. Nielsen survey. are happier than cable subscribers. Time-shifting old movies, usually broadcast during the workday or eA third of all VCR owners still late at night, ran a stiff sec- don’t know how to program their VCRs. ond...Sony’s pioneering of Beta Hi- Fi early last year came as a breath e Only a third of all viewers actually watch commercials. —SP of fresh air and y considerably V rs a i, Reality bites back Lost and Found: Laurel and Hardy are back on disc. boosted the for- NIGEo “I was aware that she had been ment with Roach to syndicate the mat’s lagging directed by Martin Scorsese and Francis Coppola,” says Reality Bites director Ben Laurel and Hardy film library, maintain- sales. We only Stiller of his experience directing Wino- wish that the na Ryder, “but I had to get past that. Ev- ing that it was so decomposed as to be ery actor needs a director. I had to be there for her in that way no matter how unusable. VHS folks would insecure I was feeling.” Agee responded by personally sifting get their act to- Stiller has performed on Saturday gether and ag- through one and half million feet of de- Night Live, MTV and on his own short- lived FOX TV series, but directing Real- caying nitrate film stock and three gressively push ity Bites, his first feature film, was a real learning experience. “I thought direct- months later produced pristine master Hi-Fi the way ing was all technical. You know, ‘Action. videotapes and a successful TV show. Sony did. Hurry- Cut. Put the camera here.’ It’s more just dealing with people, their egos. Trying to The 26-episode series earned over $5 ing matters get them to see what you want and get- ting them to want it too.” million during its 1986-89 run. along for both AA Stiller, who also appears in Reality There was a serious side effect, how- Bites as an executive at a thinly veiled MTV-type network, adds that he ever: Agee contracted silver nitrate poi- Beta and VHS AUGUST '84 drew from personal experience for | his character. “He's a lot like many soning from the decomposing film and Hi-Fi will be the FCC’s approval of people I’ve met in the business— development executives, agents was sick for three months. He shrugs it stereo TV broadcasting. Broadcas- and so on—who are very close to | ~ ters are rushing to equip themselves the creative process but not a part | off with a typical tough guy remark: of it,” Stiller explains. “They want | to feel a part of it so they can justify “Hey, somebody had to do it. Laurel & to start stereo transmissions. Thus their existence.” —Jon Silberg Hardy were geniuses—I just love their VCR maufacturers have a greater incentive to make and sell Hi-Fi ma- films, and it’s disgusting the way they’ve chines for off-air stereo record- been kept.” —Tom Soter ing...Recent trade reports showing Beta slipping below 20 percent vis- a-vis VHS—and predicted to go still lower—have drawn fire from Sony executives. Meanwhile, Zenith’s jump from Beta to VHS indicates a steady worldwide strengthening of VHS. ” AUGUST 1994 VIDEO

Interactive mecca tivate harids-on exhibits that demon- Ticket to Ride: The Sony Wonder access card. strate the history of video, audio and bP It starts with a card. You pull one your card in case you return, which | from a bin and swipe it through a bar- other electronic technologies. code reader while staring at a small A winding, four-story ramp lures you know I will. The Wonder Lab is open monitor. In a moment, you’re watching your own digitized image, listening to through a series of studios where you Tuesdays through Sundays and is free of your recorded voice and being told how can mix a 16-track audio recording, edit to proceed through the Sony Wonder a Billy Joel music video, operate an en- charge. For further info, call Technology Lab. doscopic body camera, and produce, di- rect or shoot one of four mock TV 212-833-8100. —Stan Pinkwas The Lab is a dazzling new interactive shows always in progress. If there’s still museum perched above an airy Sony re- time, you can pause to operate a plane- tail plaza in the former Manhattan tary surface robot, help design a new headquarters building of AT&T, which videogame, predict the course of a hurri- Sony has converted to its own uses. Visi- cane, or commune with TV science guru tors employ the personalized cards to ac- Beakman in the country’s first high-defi- nition, interactive theater. At the end of a visit, you can keep 2ae JURASSIC stone base film to achieve enhanced du- 100 watts in each front channel, and Park update rability, despite an overall thickness of another 100 watts split between the only 12.3 microns. The ST-C40 will be a surrounds. The VSX-D903S brings the #3: Steven godsend to S-VHS-C camcorder own- onscreen menu system used in the Spielberg’s ers, who routinely run out of tape at just $2,000 VSX-D2S to a more affordable the wrong time (the previous maximum price: $1,200. The D9035S also offers monster hit recording time at SP speed was 30 min- will be avail- utes). And at the EP speed, the new onscreen control of Pioneer’s PD-F100 tape runs for two hours, making S-VHS- 100-disc and PD-F51 50+1-disc CD able letter- C a viable format for watching home- changers. The least expensive Pro- boxed and full- Logic receiver, the VSX-403, is only frame when it taped movies on the go. $345, but it offers 45 watts in each arrives on vid- @ front channel. eocassette October 4. Both versions ESCHEWING THE HOOPLA OF 6 carry a list price of $24.98, but you can expect grocery and discount stores to the typical spring line showing, Pioneer SHARP IS PLUGGING 175 blow ’em out for half that figure, just quietly announced its 1994 line in May. popular LCD ViewCams directly into to get customers in the door. As we re- the video superhighway. The company ported before, both the laserdisc edi- The company’s TV offering remains the has introduced two models in Japan tions, available October 12, will be same, but the laserdisc players and A/V that work with special modems that letterboxed. Unfortunately, neither receivers have undergone significant re- transmit compressed still images over the $44.98 CLV edition nor the $74.98 vamps. phone lines. The video pictures can be CAV will have any extras beyond the sent in simple or detailed modes that movie. You can expect to see a special The star of the laserdisc line is the require up to 20 seconds to transmit. edition of Jurassic Park, probably on Sharp hasn't decided whether to re- CLD-D703, which offers auto side- lease the products here. tape as well as laserdisc, some time in changing, digital CLV effects, separately 95, though Universal executives adjustable luma and chroma noise re- ° stopped just short of confirming this duction and a coaxial digital output (a PANASONIC’S VHS-C VIDEO- rumor. feature audiophiles have been begging cassettes come in two new flavors, for). Pioneer expects that the CLD- tropical punch and family values. The Just as we went to press, MCA/ D503, a player with side-changing but 30-minute cassettes both use the same Universal announced that Spielberg’s no digital effects, will sell on the street Super High Grade formulation. But other 1993 theatrical blockbuster, for less than $500. Both these models the “World Travel” blanks display a Best-Picture winner Schindler's List, use Pioneer’s new gamma-turn mecha- romantic palm-strewn sunset, while will beat Jurassic Park to video when it nism to reduce side-changing time to the “Family” tapes picture a smiling arrives in stores August 17. Standard eight seconds. The company will add a baby. With Panasonic considering letterboxed and full-frame cassette new player to its Elite line, the CLD-53, more “themed packages,” can Fabio editions will be priced for rental, and a with the gamma-turn mechanism and letterboxed CLV laser edition will cost the same Legato Link digital-to-analog blanks be far behind? $49.98. Limited-edition cassette and conversion used in the audio section of ® laser “Collector’s Sets,” which add a our favorite laserdisc player, the soundtrack CD, the paperback book CLD-97. THE INDUSTRY-WATCHING on which the movie was based, and a Television Digest reports spotting a pair picture booklet, will be available at the Pioneer also announced the first ka- of unique PC-TVs in stores in Japan. same time for a whopping $139.98. Matsushita has packaged a 486SX raoke laserdisc player we've seen that computer with a hard drive, a CD- e also plays CD + G karaoke discs. A new THE 40-MINUTE S-VHS-C ROM drive and a 13-inch TV. Users tape Panasonic and JVC have hinted $99 microphone mixer, the MA-3, turns can watch TV through an application at for years has finally arrived. JVC any laserdisc player into a karaoke ma- window and download TV graphics to chine. The MA-3 even comes with a other programs. A multimedia model says its new ST-C40XZ cassette uses a by IBM lets viewers either watch TV combination of high magnetic-particle os and an eight-inch karaoke demo or compute. Both cost between $3,000 packing density, a sturdy ceramic filler isc. backcoating and a new Super Poly- All of the company’s top A/V re- and $4,000. ceivers have been restyled along the lines of last year’s VSX-D2S. All feature 10 VIDEO AUGUST 1994

Save $2.00 a ef = =a) > Every dollar you spend on XLO/VDO™ cables for home entertainment™ can actually make more of a performance difference than THREE dollars spent on other system components. That's like saving TWO dollars for every ONE dollar you spend. Top quality cables from XLO/VDO (recognized as \"The Best in the World\") let you enjoy all of the performance your Home Theatre or A/V surround-sound system can deliver. XLO/VDO cables are the best, smartest, and most cost-effective way to make real improve- ments to your system's sound and picture, without major component changes. XLO/VDO is the only brand of cables that lets you buy every cable you need (audio, video, digital, loudspeaker, and even true 75 ohm antenna cable) for a complete home entertain- ment system from a single, fully integrated product line—all engineered to work perfectly with your system and with each other. Visit your authorized |aESave AAnOEoS tMNhOerNON$E2.0pa0te O|| XLO/VDO dealer today! Ask your authorized dealer about XLO/VDO cables and give him this completed coupon. He'll give you TWO BUCKS OFF YOUR PURCHASE OF ANYTHING AT ALL FROM ANY MANUFACTURER. Name 9480 Utica Street, Suite 612 Telephone Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 Mr. Dealer, XLO Electric Co., Inc. promises to pay you $2.00 plus 50 cents handling for each Phone (909) 466-0382 completed coupon that you send us. Only one coupon may be redeemed per customer. Offer is FAX (909) 466-3662 not valid outside the continental United States, and expires December 31, 1994. XLO Electric Company, Inc., 9480 Utica Street, Suite 612, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91370. Tel (909) 466-0382, Fax (909) 466-3662. Circle 2 on Reader Service Card.

_ EDITED BY STEWART APPLEGATH | whe ts Beach gear, TVs big and little, me and an ad zapper SOLID SOUND BEACHCAM The Titan Powered Subwoofer Hitachi's new VMH71A Hi8 camcorder ($1,899) not from ACI ($640) is a wooden only incorporates a color viewfinder and electronic tower of sound. With 250 watts image stabilization—it can float! It is submersible in of power, it features a flat fre- water up to one foot for one minute—O-rings keep quency response to 20 Hertz, the outside out. Hitachi says it will withstand 400 cross frequency from 50-150 pounds of pressure. The VMH71A also features a Hz and user-adjustable volume. 24x lens, instant zoom, auto head cleaning, 16:9 ACI claims that the Titan’s 12- recording and synchro editing. (For additional infor- inch woofer has higher output mation, circle 103 on the Reader Service Card) synchro editing. (For additional information, circle and better bass than most 15- 103 on the Reader Service Card) inch subwoofers. Velocity-sensing feedback protects it from damage and reduces distortion. (For additional additional information, circle 100 on the Reader Service Card) \" | NEWS SPLASH Gapeeeeeeeees TRIM ON YOUR TABLE Sony FDL-KB300 Watchman TV GIVE ME A BREAK The Mitsubishi TS-5053 ($3,099) is part of the Slim ($549) lets you enjoy your favorite programs by the pool. This television yAroius'tvae’s dCroemammeerdciaolf elBirmeiankatimngaycobmemearcgioadlssendf.romIf Line Table Top group of projection TVs, which fea- features a 3-inch color LCD screen in a splash-resistant, double-sealed de- your videotaped TV programs, Arista offers a ture improved contrast and brightness. Viewers with sign. The unit has a built-in re- compact, simple-to-use answer. The Break senses chargeable nickel-cadmium battery commercial clusters and skips over them, leaving a space limitations can have the advantages of pro- with a unique charging system. Sony avoids the danger of a water-induced 5-10 second blue screen in their place. It sets up jection television without the size. This model is tsehorrmti-ncailrsc,uititbaylsoelifmeiantautriensg aexlpeoaskeadge easily, connects with the TV, VCR and wall less tAhanVN2e4twionrcAhke,swidceehpf‘aancd twsePiingecshsomabmierneeTd14V3 | outlet, and identifies by itself the asenntseonrn,a VaHnFd/UoHnFscrteuenningd,isaplabyuisl.t-i(nFor VCR's control code. The price Wve VCR operations (For additional information, circle additional information, circle 106 on is $199. (For additional in- 105 on the Reader Service Card) j the Reader Service Card) formation, circle 109 on the Reader Service Card) 12 VIDEO

STABLE SHOOTING 4 (NO) GHOSTS IN THE MACHINE 4 The Magnavox FP5360 Video Theatre Projection TV ($2,899) Nikon's new VN-350 Hi8 camcorder ($1,099) offers is the first TV designed to be compatible with Philips’ ghost- shooting convenience and advanced features such as cancelling technology. It also includes built-in surround sound electronic image stabilization. It also includes four and automatic volume leveling. A remote control locator will programmed auto exposure modes, from portrait right even pinpoint your mislaid unit. The ghost-cancelling unit (ar- up to a high-speed shutter mode. A 12x power zoom, riving early '95 as an accessory under $200) eliminates a fader with mosaic option and an audible trigger alarm complete the package. (For additional informa- multiple images and plugs into a dedicated jack. (For addi- tion, circle 110 on the Reader Service Card) tional information, circle 104 on the Reader Service Card) YAMAHA TOWERS > ULTRA-HITACHI ¥ Yamaha's NS-A2835 speaker ($499/pair) is a magnet- Hitachi's new top-of-the-line Ultravision Il 60SX9K ($3,999) is ically shielded, floorstanding tower designed to a 60-inch projection television incorporating HDTV lens tech- provide the front left and right channels in a high- nology. Hitachi claims it combines a high level of color purity quality audio/video system. It incorporates twin 8-inch and resolution with user-friendly features. Need time to jot woofers, a 4-inch midrange driver and a one-inch fer- down home shopping numbers? A “Quick” feature puts a ro-fluid cooled dome tweeter. (For additional snapshot of the main picture into the PIP screen. Dolby-Pro information, circle 102 on the Reader Service Card) Logic completes the package. (For additional information, cir- cle 107 on the Reader Service Card) STICK-ON SOLUTION ¥ Brother’s P-Touch PC ($499) is a dedicated label printer compatible with both IBM-PC and Macintosh. Does your tape collection need organizing? Users can print almost any image from their computer screens onto laminated, adhesive transfer labels available in over 40 varieties. (For additional informa- tion, circle 108 on the Reader Service Card)

THEATER BY BRENT BUTTERWORTH The final verdict on the THX decoder debate ontributing editor Corey Green- er switching box. Right away, we had a there were three possible causes of the berg’s May ’94 article, “The Decod- problem—the KC-X1.wouldn’t power new, incongruous results in the test with et Debate,” caused perhaps the up. But as I pulled it from the rack, the Grimani. First, we used a different laser- power suddenly came on. disc player, one with a proper, two-volt greatest controversy of any article in the output. Second, we fed the Model Four history of Video Magazine. In the article, In these double-blind tests, we used from the CP-3’s tape loop. Third, the Greenberg severely criticized the THX- a Pioneer CLD-S201 laserdisc player (to initial power-up problem showed that certified Kenwood KC-X1 surround de- alleviate Grimani’s concern about the something had happened to the KC-X1 coder. Since receiving Greenberg’s CLD-97’s slightly high 2.4-volt output) between the time it left Lucasfilm and manuscript, we’ve conducted a series of and the Marantz THX amps. We started listening tests to verify his impressions, with B&W THX speakers, then arrived in our offices which, unlikely as and to answer concerns Lucasfilm (li- switched to B&W non-THX speakers— it might seem, might have improved the censor of THX-certified products) raised two 803s as the left and right, and an sound. At this point, Grimani had to about our testing methods. The results 805 as the center. We used the leave, but Braithwaite and I resolved to of these tests gave us new insight into A-weighted calibration Grimani recom- try more tests to figure out what had audio equipment testing, and the con- mended, but to everyone’s surprise, set- happened. clusions about THX that can be drawn ting our sound-pressure level meter to from our experience Unfortunately, we couldn’t resolve with the KC-X1. Kenwood’s KC-X1 surround sound decoder the question of whether or not the Before we pub- C-weighting produced almost identical KC-X1 used in the lished “The Decoder results in our room. test with Grimani sounded different Debate,’’ we con- Interestingly, Grimani remarked that from the other sam- ducted two formal differences between the decoders were ple. Once again, the tests. First, three easier to hear in our room with non- first sample refused to Video Magazine edi- THX speakers than in Lucasfilm’s room power up, but this tors participated in a with THX speakers. He stated that the time for good. single-blind compari- non-THX speakers exaggerate the dif- We started again son between a KC-X1 ferences between components; my opin- with a new system —a and a Fosgate Model ion is that THX speakers partially Poa tp a.s.0.u nd Two, using BAW conceal the differences. Who should you HCA-1206 THX non-HTX speakers, listen to? Neither of us—listen to the Marantz MA-500 THX amps and a Pi- speakers for yourself. amp, a Panasonic LX-600 laserdisc play- oneer CLD-97 laserdisc player. The er (which puts out a two-volt signal) and The results of this test were far from Model Two (an older, outdated design) those of our original tests. Braithwaite RA Labs’ non-THX speakers. A double- edged the KC-X1 by a fair — but not dra- and I both bashed the Model Four for a blind comparison between the Model mat—imarcgin. In the second formal harsh, almost crackly sound on voices. Four and the second KC-X1 sample mir- test —a series of double-blind compari- He preferred the CP-3 on each of the rored the results of our original test: The sons between a second KC-X1 and a three types of program material used, Model Four sounded much better. Fosgate Model Four, using alternately while I actually preferred the KC-X1 on THX and non-THX speakers— all six of two of the three tests. All three of us To try to find out why the test results the participating staffers found the Mod- were baffled—we agreed that each de- were so different, I connected one stereo el Four much smoother-sounding than coder had a distinct sound, and it output of the CLD-97 directly to the the KC-X1, though the results were less seemed unlikely that Braithwaite’s and Model Four, and sent the other output pronounced on THX speakers. my own perceptions would have through the CP-3’s tape loop. At last, I changed so much. had the answer—the CP-3’s tape loop Lucasfilm then conducted its own wasn’t as transparent as we had thought. listening tests on our first KC-X1, and On the surface, the methods for all The Model Four sounded great without found it virtually indistinguishable from the tests were virtually identical. But it, weak with it. two other, well-regarded THX decoders. This result taught me something To reconcile the results obtained by Video Magazine and Lucasfilm, director that anyone concerned with sound qual- of THX licensing Tony Grimani flew to ity should remember: Sloppy signal rou- our offices for more tests. ting can erase the differences between electronic components. So never assume Grimani, technical editor Lancelot something — even the simple buffer stage Braithwaite and I hooked up the first used in a tape lo—odopesn’t make a dif- sample of the KC-X1 (which had since ference. Compare the sound with and been shipped back to Kenwood, then re- without any piece of equipment (includ- turned to our offices), along with the ing cable) you add to your system. Trust Fosgate Model Four and a Lexicon your ears, not your assumptions. CP-3, using Grimani’s three-way decod- continued on page 31] 14 VIDEO AUGUST 1994

BY RODERICK WOODCOCK X-Rays, erase heads & rooftop antennas [Je the TV show America’s Fun- optimized for the fastest tape speed. niest Home Videos shows its mailing When recordings are made at the slower speed, the flying erase head is wider than address, it’s on an envelope that’s it needs to be. That’s why some Mit- marked “Videotape —Please Don’t subishi VCRs use two flying erase X-Ray”. Is this a precaution I should take when mailing videotapes to friends heads— one optimized for SP use, and and relatives? I thought that only photo- one for EP use. Customizing the width of graphic film is susceptible to damage the heads for each speed delivers more from X-Rays, not videotape. precise edits, free of moire or the “rain- bow” distortions occasionally visible Jane Devore with VCRs using single flying erase head. Atlanta, Georgia [sven speaking, you’re correct. While I live in Los Angeles and X-Rays can damage photographic have cable TV, J also have a sizeable film, since the rays can pass through just roof antenna, a leftover from the previ- about any substance and fog light-sensi- ous owner of my house. I can switch be- tive film—assuming the X-Ray device is tween the roof antenna and the cable, set high enough to present this sort of using an A/B switch. Sometimes I can danger. Travellers with film cameras by- pick up TV stations in San Diego very pass this risk by either packing their film clearly, other times not at all. Why this in lead-lined bags, or by having their intermittent reception, and is there any gadget bags inspected visually, avoiding way to stabilize it? | Norm Alexander the X-Ray machine completely. Introducing the Pasadena, California Videotape is a magnetic, not photo- VOLUME STABILIZER™ graphic, process and isn’t subject to the ANS transmission and reception that lets you hear the whispers same sort of risk. Some observers have and stops you from varies according to weather condi- noted there may be a risk of inadvertent tions. Cloud cover in your area will gen- cringing at the bangs. erasure from the magnetic fields of the erally allow TV signals to bounce further motors that drive the conveyors belts on than they will under cloudless condi- It’s an innovative, low cost solu- the X-Ray machines, but I think this is tions, creating the intermittent recep- tion to home video volume control overstated. problems because it automatically tion you describe. increases the volume of the audio source during soft passages and Check the antenna you inherited to reduces volume during loud pas- [i]Most camcorders and VCRs I’ve see if it has a rotor, or rotating motor. If sages. You'll hear every word of seen have a flying erase head. But not, the antenna is probably pointed to- dialogue and every bar of music Mitsubishi VCRs claim to have twin fly- ward the usual transmission point for all while the VOLUME STABILIZER softens the sounds that are ing erase heads. Why the difference, and TV stations in your area. In the Los An- normally too loud. what benefit does it offer? Bob Baird geles area, almost all VHF stations Whether you use a satellite dish, Chicago, Illinois transmit from Mount Wilson, east of the a home theatre system, or just a VCR, you can put the remote con- city. Installing a rotor will allow you to trol aside. Prices start at $119.50. AlFlying erase heads are used to en- remotely redirect the antenna south- For more information call or write: sure clean edit points and scene-to- ward, towards San Diego, and greatly Brookline scene transitions. Instead of erasing old improve the reception quality for TV Jechnologiss video with a fixed electromagnet located stations from that city, even though you in the tape path, a flying erase head live about 90 miles away. moves diagonally over the surface of the Other readers who rely almost en- tape, following the same helical path as tirely on cable TV for reception might the rotating video heads. also consider installing an outside an- Since one frame of video consists of tenna. It’s not prohibitively expensive, two video fields, comprised of two adja- and it provides free TV signals, often cent diagonal tracks, a single flying erase with superior quality to those from the head must be at least as wide as the cable. An inexpensive A/B switch widest recording head, preferably wider. (which you can buy for a few dollars at On many VHS VCRs, for example, the Radio Shack and other electronics width of the flying erase head is about stores or which your cable company will 120 microns, or about twice the width of install for you at a reasonable cost, if you the widest SP video track. ask them) gives you the ability to switch 2035 Carriage Hill Road \"B2JUp1dOPe91pA1AeB1Ne9eYS These dimensions are sufficient to back and forth between your two signal Allison Park, PA 15101-3350 deliver clean edits in most cases, but are sources. as 800-366-9290 AUGUST 1994 VIDEO 15

0 I have four VCRs, two from Hitachi In fact, a two-head VCR is almost Aig is Hi8. Tape wraps differ from Band two from RCA. All have Ex- product to product and the always mono, and typically sells for press Recording, or XPR, which lets you around $200 these days. But mono EV-S3000 does offer a larger tape wrap, sound, based on a narrow one-millime- program the VCR to record one event ter wide track on the top edge of the but that’s to give it the ability to record within a 24-hour period without having tape, relies on linear audio recording digital audio in the space provided by to turn on the TV. Since you don’t have techniques, and the fidelity is quite poor the extra wrap angle. It has nothing to to turn on the TV set to use onscreen compared to VHS hi-fi, which records do with overall image resolution. Setting almost CD quality analog audio using this aside, dubbing from your Hi8 cam- menus, I find this feature very useful, special rotating heads mounted on the corder to the 3000 would still produce but my local dealers say it’s no longer same spinning drum as the video heads. an excellent second-generation master, available. Do any current models offer In the 10 years since JVC unveiled VHS and VHS copies made from it would be XPR? James P. Connor hi-fi, the quality has improved signifi- about as good as you can get using con- cantly. But little has been done to im- Devon, Pennsylvania prove linear audio, which remains a low- sumer equipment. fi backup track on hi-fi machines. In A Your dealers are wrong. Almost all many tests we’ve conducted, we’ve also Creating your edited master on an Bnew VCRs offer XPR, Instant Re- found that this linear audio track is of- S-VHS deck would provide equally good cord, IRT, Express Record, One-Touch ten out of phase with the hi-fi tracks, results. All in all, I think S-VHS remains Record or Instant Timer Record. All creating even more problems. a better choice for editing projects like these names refer to essentially the same this. If you do create a decent edited feature, which may be why your dealers In your case, apart from the phase master, regardless of format, why not are failing to recognize it. problem, there’s a good chance the just take it to a professional tape house azimuth alignment of the audio head (a for duplication? These costs have also As you note, as long as the VCR is fixed head set on the right side of the come down, and a pro shop can “bump set to the channel you want to record head drum) may be slightly out of kilter. up” your Hi8 or S-VHS master to a and the recording speed is selected, you A technician may be able to adjust it to broadcast level format, and make copies just have to punch in the length of the improve the audio slightly, but I think from that. You'll get much better quality recording, usually in 30-minute incre- the money would be better invested in than from your home-grown duplication upgrading to another hi-fi deck. Linear ments. On many machines, you can also audio is adequate for voice and narra- set up. delay the start of the recording by a se- tion, but can’t compare with hi-fi sound when it comes to music. 0 The jackets of almost all the laser- lectable amount of time. While this fea- ture may appear to be new, it harkens Tape interchange problems that are discs in my collection carry the back to the early days of home video be- inherent in all VCR designs can also warning “When not in use, place laser- fore the advent of onscreen program- contribute to tracking problems with hi- disc in jacket and store vertically in ming, when all programming was done fi tapes as well. But these days, this is a cool, dry place.” This makes sense to by pushing little buttons or levers while me. But other jackets implore users to watching an LCD display. minor consideration, compared to the “Remove shrink wrap completely upon vast improvement in audio that VHS hi- opening.” Is this really necessary? 0 I have two four-head VCRs, a hi-fi fi delivers. Jack D. Watson mMmodel and a mono machine. Oe taping railroad videos with a Clearwater, Florida Hi8 camcorder, and I want to make They’re the same brand. When I record copies I can sell. I need to arrange the a tape on the mono machine and play it original sequences onto a second-gener- ation master, and then dub three copies on the stereo VCR, the audio sounds at a time from that. How do I get the best possible second-generation master? muffled. But when I record and play a My first impulse is to edit to S-VHS, but would SuperBeta be better? Also, I was tape on the mono VCR, the audio told to make a second-generation Hi8 A ae laserdiscs vertically, with master using a Sony EV-S3000 VCR be- sounds much better. What can I do to cause the tape wraps all the way around each one resting against the next the head and records more information. obtain clear sound on the stereo VCR What do you think? like books on a shelf, is the recom- when playing tapes made on the mono Richard Moss mended procedure. The PVC laserdiscs VCR? Paul Moore Long Prairie, Minnesota are made from, while resilient in normal Lubbock, Texas use, can bend under long-term stress, causing disc warpage that induces play- A faquick answer is to replace the ability problems. Manufacturers recom- mono VCR with another stereo mend removing the shrink wrap because model. Monaural VCRs continue to it can continue to shrink and distort the have a place in the VCR market, but cardboard sleeve as well as the disc in- barely. Just as simple two-head VCRs side. If you’re worried about marring the are growing less popular and being re- glossy cardboard surface of the disc placed by superior four-head designs, hi- fi VCRs are coming down in price an sleeve, many dealers sell looser fitting pushing mono machines to the back burner. sleeves, often with sealable flaps, that you can use to store laserdiscs without this risk. 5 16 VIDEO AUGUST 1994

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Returns and exchanges may be made within 14 days of receipt of merchandise with prior authorization only (call Customer Service foraReturn sa2eo“gup21ouen1elo1gay9s ©) Authorization Number). Non-defective merchandise returned for refund will be subject to a restocking fee: 5% ifbox is unopened (still sealed), 12% ifbox has been opened. All returned merchandise must be in new condition and must include all packaging and printed material in original, unaltered condition. Shipping and handling charges are non-refundable. Some items are one per customer. All orders are subject to verification and acceptance. ALLOW 2-6WEEKS FOR BACK ORDERS.

CAMCORNER BY CLIFF ROTH | Tips on picking the right tripod For all the talk about subtle differences exception is for shooting the occasional The best tripods use fluid heads. In a in technical parameters like horizontal point-of-view shot, such as in horror fluid head, a viscous liquid is perma- resolution and signal-to-noise ratios, the films, where you want viewers to experi- nently sealed inside to provide smooth most obvious difference between professional video and home efforts has ence each footstep. resistance to both up/down (tilting) and nothing to do with formats and specifi- left/right (panning) motions. The ad- cations —it’s in shot framing. And the If you just want to capture one static vantage of a fluid head is simple: smooth shot at a time, almost any tripod can starting point for any serious discussion hold the camcorder adequately still. But camcorder motion. But the disparity be- about framing is the ability to keep the if you want to do camera moves like picture steady, usually with a tripod. pans and tilts, you'll find there's a big tween the smoothness of cheap and ex- difference between inexpensive tripods pensive fluid heads is enormous. Fortunately, tripods are the most and fancier models. In fact, the heaviest, Beware of fluid-head hyp— ewhen camcorders became popular a few years ago, a lot of cheap tripods hit the market claiming to have fluid heads, but with performance not much better than spring-loaded heads. Visit a professional video or film supply store to see how smooth the heads on over-$500 tri- pods are, so you can learn how to gauge the smooth- ness of less-expensive models. All fluid-head tripods are rated for the maxi- mum weight they can handle. If you exceed this limit, the tripod won’t necessarily break, but the Top Tripods: Bogen’s tripods and heads are highly head’s performance will be i regarded among video pros. Above, the 3063 head, compromised. In other and at left, the 3033, 3036 and 3046 tripods. words, your pans and tilts will look jerky. All good tripods have universally compatible camcorder acces- sturdiest pneumatic pedestal mounts lock-down knobs or levers to limit the sories. Regardless of whether your cam- used in network TV studios (which camcorder’s motions, so that when do- corder is a deluxe semi-pro dreamboat smoothly glide up and down at the ing a pan the camera won't accidentally or a point-and-shoot loss-leader, it’s touch of a button) cost tens of thou- tilt, or vice-versa. Better heads also have guaranteed to have a tripod socket sands of dollars. Even the simple-looking drag or resistance adjustments to con- wooden-legged tripods (like the Sachtler trol how hard you must push to make (screw threads) on its bottom. 7+7) commonly used in 16mm student the camcorder move. Although zooming the lens is the Sure, you’ve seen ITV news crews film productions cost thousands of dol- shooting without tripods, but most TV lars. Tripods used by TV news crews car- one camcorder movement that doesn’t news camerapersons have years of expe- really require a high-quality head, you'll rience keeping a shoulder-mounted ry similar price tags. camcorder as stable as possible. And What makes a pro tripod so expen- still need a solid, stable tripod if you in- even with all that skill, the picture still sive? Once you go beyond the extremely tend to touch the camcorder controls. looks shaky. Just watch a local news- sturdy base, the main difference is in the Otherwise, every time you press the cast—the shaky field images are literally head. The tripod’s head is mounted on zoom buttons the camera will shake. (A “anchored” by far more stable shots of top of the three legs —it’s what you use wireless remote control with zoom but- | the news anchors in the studio (where to attach the camcorder. The cheapest tons can be very useful in this situation.) heads, found on most tripods costing less A shaky tripod will also shake the image hand-held camerawork is taboo). than $100, are simply a collection of nuts whenever you start and pause the tape, | But not all the field shots are and bolts that facilitate camcorder unless you use a remote. shaky —TV news crews try to use tri- The fanciest camcorder movements pods whenever time and space permit. mounting. A half-notch up in quality Outside of news (where production val- are spring-loaded heads, which use a require physically moving the camcorder ues tend to be sloppier), tripods are con- sidered an absolute must. The only metal spring to provide resistance when | forward or backward (dollying), or side- continued on page 70 you tilt the camcorder up or down. 18 VIDEO AUGUST 1994

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COLLECTOR'S EDITED BY JOSEF KREBS CLEARINGHOUSE jm Searching for Billy Joel, the Bionic Woman and UFOs I'm looking for a new or used laserdisc of I am desperately looking for a copy of the If anyone has a copy of the Kung-Fu Billy Joel Live from Long Island (1983). I'll music video Alice Cooper & Friends from gladly reimburse for expenses incurred. 1979 with Sha-na-na. Also, any video classic Five Fingers of Death, | would ap- Used disc must be in excellent condi- with Sha-na-na; I’m a big fan without tion. John Shiles luck. Will gladly pay all expenses. Help! preciate your calling me collect at 43 Timber Trail Chuck Blackford 619-689-8487. James E. Anderson Port Orange FL 32127 1969 South Kirkman Road, #21 9556 Carroll Cyn Road, #141 I am looking for episodes of The Bionic San Diego CA 92126-4901 Woman, which aired between 1976 and Orlando FL 32811 1979. I’ve had no luck in getting MCA WLIW (channel 21) in Long Island to release any episodes on home video. I remember when Boston Blackie, High- broadcast some British TV comedies I’m HELP! VHS please. looking for. They are Man About the way Patrol and the TV version of Dick Jon Brown House, Robin’s Nest; The Lovers, Doctor in 1807 North Weaver Street Tracy with Ralph Byrd were first on in the House and Doctor at Large. | will pay all expenses for any episodes. Gainesville TX 76240 the 50s. I haven’t seen any in decades. Dan Wetzel My S-VHS machine crunched the tape VHS or Beta copies of any would be that had four episodes of Cinemax’s Red Box 991244 Shoe Diary, particularly Denise Crosby's most welcome. All costs will be gladly Cleveland OH 44199 role as a policewoman. As a fan of hers, I Phone: 216-238-5870 would like to replace it. Will reimburse reimbursed. Tom Chenevert all VHS/S-VHS costs. Box 181, Kevin Tuttle 11700 East Waterman, #258 Dunstable MA 01827 Wichita KS 67207 I am interested in finding VHS tapes of MTV from its inception to 1987. If re- quested, | will supply blank tapes and cost of postage and handling. If tapes are not required, I'll reimburse the cost of same. John S. Overfield 500 Fair, #61 Henderson KY 42420 I’ve been looking for copies of an old British TV series called U.EO. Also, if I would love to have a copy of the Oprah anybody has some old copies of The Winfrey Show special with Michael Jack- Wild, Wild West with Robert Conrad, let son. Also, if anyone has a copy of Su- me know. I have lots of stuff, so give me perbowl 93 with Michael Jackson at the a shout. Paul Breitband half-time, please contact me. If anyone 505 Route 10 E has a VHS copy I will gladly pay for Randolph NJ 07869 postage and a tape. Tanya Horn I’m a big fan of. Megan Porter Follows 8148 West Fairground Road and would like a video of her 1980-81 se- Holton IN 47023 ries, The Baxters. Also, does anyone I am searching for a VHS copy of the have a taping of Megan answering Klaatu Barada Nikto: Patricia Neal meets her Miss America Pageant which aired Sep- phone pledges on Saturday Mar. 4, 1989 computer date in The Day the Earth Stood Still. tember 17, 1983. Vanessa Williams, then at WETA PBS channel 26 in Washing- Help! I am looking for a good quality Miss New York, won the title. I will re- VHS copy of an old ‘50s/’60s Sci-Fi ton, D.C. when Anne of Green Gables movie: The Day the Earth Stood Still. I imburse expenses. Jim W. Barr have no idea who the characters were, was aired? I'll be glad to trade or reim- but I’m hoping someone can help me Route 1, Box 11-F out. Charles C. Wright burse for copies. Richard Kannarr Glass Addition 9292 Imogene Street, #404 704 North 16th Street Houston TX 77036 Poca WV 25159 Harrisburg PA 17103 I am looking for a complete copy of the 1992 Tony Awards broadcast. I’ll gladly I am trying to find any or all episodes of reimburse expenses for a VHS copy. Send those requests for hard-to-find tapes to a short-lived television series called Collector’s Clearinghouse, 460 West 34 Quark, which first aired about 1978. It Rob Davis Street, New York, NY 10001. Video Maga- 2 Hamilton Street zine DOES NOT locate tapes; this is a was a comedy take-off about a garbage Farmingdale NY 11735 reader-to-reader service only, so please do collection space ship commanded by not send a self-addressed envelope. Requests Captain Quark and a misfit crew. | will for copyrighted material must be for person- happily reimburse any expenses for a al use only. You may offer to reimburse ex- copy. Randall Moe penses, but the Clearinghouse is not open to requests for purchase or sale of tapes. 326 West 550 N Orem UT 84057

MULTI LASER DISC PLAYER LX-600 Panasonic AUTO REVERSE DIGITAL SERVO & ADVANCED DIGITAL TBC EMOTE SENSOR ® ¢~ PHONES LEVEL +10 DISC SIDE POWER PHONES AY OFF = PROGRAM [ = RANDOM MIN MAX By Brent Bad specific brand, with one exception— PRICE: $750 Panasonic. V- RATING: I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with laserdisc All of the Panasonic players we've PICTURE players. In the last five tested, including the LX-101, LX-900 years, I’ve found lots of and LX-1000, have produced great pic- SOUND players —at prices from about $600 to tures and sound. And the LX-600 may $3,500 —that produce nearly perfect be my favorite Panasonic player yet. FEATURES pictures. But I’ve also found many play- ers—some at very high prices—that The LX-600 offers automatic side- VALUE changing, but no digital effects on CLV discs. And that’s fine with me. In my ex- o 12345 perience, the only digital-effects players that produce pictures as good as simpler sees GIVEN ARE RELATIVE TO THOSE players are Pioneer’s mega-expensive R OTHER LASERDISC PLAYERS Elite models, like the $2,500 CLD-97. get smooth searching without black Instead of digital effects, Panasonic frames.) Of course, the LX-600 won’t give you still frames, slow motion or uses clear scan, which gives you alter- nating still and black frames on CLVs. I speed play on CLV discs. find this more esthetically pleasing than Like all combi players, the LX-600 the rolling images produced by many ba- plays laserdiscs, CDs and CD-Videos. To sic laserdisc players. (On CAV discs, you Multiburst pattern showing frequency response of SPECS AND 30x. CAV end to end 40 Outputs: S-video, video, weighted luminance 50.2, LX-600, which is typical for a laserdisc player. MEASUREMENTS secs. max., CLV end to 2 stereo audio, video/DC/ unweighted video 48.6, end 1 min. 45 secs. max, mono audio, Toslink opti- weighted video 50.8, have noticeable faults. Because the Weight & Size (h/w/d): cal digital audio, 1/4-inch chroma AM 51.3, chroma quality of most manufacturers’ work var- 20.5 Ibs.. 5 x 17 x 16-7/8 Maximum Direct Search headphone jack PM 47.5 ies from year to year and model to mod- inches Time: 4 seconds el, I’ve found it hard to recommend a Power Use: 36 watts Key Features: automatic Audio Frequency Re- Disc Formats: 12- and Program Start Locator/ side-changing, clear scan, sponse: digital 20 Hz-20 HOW TO READ THE RATINGS 8-inch laserdisc, 5- and Index/Cue:; chapter/track, shuttle dial, digital TBC, kHz. +0.9/-0.1 dB: analog 3-inch CD, 5-inch CD- index. time or frame, A-B S-video output 20 Hz-20 kHz. +2.3/-2.1 SEE PAGE 30 Video repeat dB Cue & Review Search: RESULTS starts slow then about Analog Audio: Audio S/N: digital 96 dB, AFM stereo/dual mono Horizontal Resolution: analog 65.8 dB 425 lines Digital Audio: stereo/dual Audio Distortion: digital mono with MASH-type S/N Ratios (dB): un- less than 0.02%, analog bitstream D/A conversion weighted luminance 48, 0.4% VPLMIEOHSDROESTOIOTLGELRSOATPHS: 20 VIDEO AUGUST 1994

TESTS BY BERGER-BRAITHWAITE LABS SHARP HI8 CAMCORDER car or on a camping trip. You can use its By Stewart Applegath video/audio input to dub tapes from your VHS VCR for this purpose. If a piece of equipment The ViewCam has two sections can be said to have cre- joined by a swivel. On the right is a han- ated a genuine paradigm dle flanked by effects controls and shift in the way we under- stand a technology, it would be the Sharp ViewCam. The innovative design of the VL-H400U ViewCam makes the PRICE: $2199 process of shooting video much more enjoyable. Sharp has updated this sec- V-RATING: ond-generation Hi8 version to make it easier to navigate and hold, and has also PICTURE 5 added some new effects. SOUND FOR FEATURES As a result, the ViewCam is attract- VALUE ing buyers who previously wouldn’t have used a camcorder regularly. Why? Be- o 1 234 cause you don’t have to keep your eye RATINGS GIVEN ARE RELATIVE TO THOSE OTHER S-VHS AND Hi8 CAMCORDERS glued to a viewfinder. Subjects are not as intimidated — or irritated — by it. It topped with a cylinder for the camera. doesn’t obviously intrude. The handle also contains the battery. Another major advantage of this The left section incorporates the LCD camcorder is its versatility—one can screen and recorder. The 270-degree swivel lets you turn the LCD screen in almost any position relative to the camera unit. This allows shooting from high or low angles. The ViewCam can even be turned around so you can shoot yourself and see the image at the same time. Turning the LCDs on most camcorders upside-down would re- sult in an inverted image, but the View- Cam automatically flips the image on improve picture quality, Panasonic em- the LCD when the viewfinder is turned ploys a digital timebase corrector, a past a certain angle. dual-magnet disc clamp, an aspherical Multiburst pattern showing VL-H400U frequency re- The ViewCam’s viewing screen is an glass-lens pickup and a precision brush- sponse, which is somewhat rolled-off for Hi8. anti-glare color LCD that can be seen in less direct-drive motor. We can’t quan- tify the individual contributions of these play back tapes immediately, using it as a continued on components, but as we'll see, the end re- mini Hi8 TVCR. It includes an integral sult is definitely impressive. speaker and a headphone jack, so it’s perfect for keeping your kids busy in the Besides digital effects, the only sig- || nificant feature missing from the LX-600 is a jog dial, which makes it easy to step through videos frame by frame. The LX-600 does have a EXT. MIC shuttle dial (on the remote and the front panel) for easy forward and reverse searching, plus bi-direction- al frame advance buttons. The rear panel has two sets of stereo audio outputs, an S-video output and a video output. It also has a separate group of outputs (video, mono audio and DC) for connecting an optional RF convertor, which you’ll need if your TV doesn’t have direct video inputs. Few laser- disc players have RF convert- ors anymore — manufacturers have removed the convertors because they can cause inter- ference with the video signal. At the bottom of the jack continued on page 28 AUGUST 1994 VIDEO 21

ett LESTE. Ze Panasonic Pailmcorder IQ STABRIZATION VIEWRINDER PANASONIC VHS-C easy to handle and to use. As on many PRICE: $1,300 CAMCORDER of the newer camcorders built by Mat- V-RATING: By Timothy Liebe sushita (parent company of Panasonic), TEST The trend these days in the remote has its own storage slot built PICTURE 744 camcorders is simpler, right into the body. Having lost a cam- SOUND simpler, simpler —a man- corder remote or two in my time, I’m tra Panasonic obviously very pleased with this feature. In place FEATURES had in mind when it designed the PV- ofalens cap, the PV-IQ604 uses an inte- 1Q604 VHS-C camcorder. The PV- gral, shutter-like lens hood that auto- VALUE 1Q604’s limited control over camera set- matically slides away when the unit is tings, small number of bells and whistles, 1 and general ease of use combine with a put into camera mode. lightweight, compact design to make it A five-watt video light included with RATINGS GIVEN ARE RELATIVE TO THOSE an appealing choice for the point-and- FOR OTHER VHS-C AND 8MM CAMCORDERS shoot crowd. (See also our review of the camcorder snaps onto a shoe on top; Multiburst pattern showing PV-IQ604 frequency re- SPECS AND Autofocus: contrast-type Jacks: video/audio output, RESULTS sponse, which is very good for VHS-C. MEASUREMENTS DC output for RF TTL continuous to macro convertor Horizontal Resolution: ProScan’s PSC24C in this issue. The two in wide-angle, switchable camera 250 lines, camera camcorders are almost identical, but to manual with thumb- Tape Speeds: SP, EP with EIS on 230 lines, re- have some noteworthy differences.) wheel adjustment and corder 240 lines, pushbutton AF Video Heads: 2 viewfinder 210 lines A number of simple yet effective fea- Cue & Review Search: tures combine to make the PV-I1Q604 Iris: auto with 3-mod ax Picture S/N Ratios (dB): Weight & Size (h/wid): 2 | BLC anaes unweighted video 37.7 SP, Ibs.. 4-5/8 x 4-1/8 x 6-7/8 Fast Forward/Rewind 36.5 EP: weighted video Time: 4-1/2 min. for 45.5 SP, 43.2 EP; chroma inches Fader: hold-down type to TC-20 tape AM 41.9 SP, 40.6 EP; chroma PM 41.8 SP, 41.3 black Edit Protocol: none EF Power Use: 11 watts (16 Shutter Speeds (sec.): Remote Control: IR wire- Minimum Illumination: watts with light) auto high-speed shutter less with camera and 1.7 lux for 50 IRE 1/60-1/250, 1/60 (normal), playback controls Image Sensor: 1/3-inch 1/100, 1/250, 1/500, Approx. Battery Life ccD 1/1,000, 1/2,000, 1/4,000, Audio: linear mono (man. focus/no zoom): 1/10,000 125 min. Lens: f/1.6, 12x (5.4-64.8mm) 4-speed White Balance: auto only power zoom with continu- ous focus to macro range Viewfinder: 0.7-inch color LCD Filter Diameter: 49mm Viewfinder Controls: Key Features: flying Audio Frequency diopter focus, positioning, Response, -3 dB; 75 Minimum Focusing Dis- brightness erase head, electronic im- Hz-7 kHz SP, 50 Hz-3 tance: 1/2-inch at wide- age stabilizer, digital still kHz EP angle, 40 inches at tele- Microphone: mono elec- and strobe, digital zoom to photo tret condenser Audio S/N: 41.1 dB 120x, squeezed 16:9 mode, color viewfinder Audio Distortion: 1.1% 22 VIDEO AUGUST 1994

CABLE TV it gets its power from the camcorder’s DESCRAMBLERS battery. This doesn’t provide much illu- Best Prices in the U.S.A.! lCTUE-Te-lajcci-vemcom aelag mination, but it’s enough for close-ups. WE WILL BEAT ANY PRICE! The color LCD viewfinder folds Jerrold, Scientific Atlanta back so it rests snugly against the top of Pioneer, FTB-3, SA3 the housing when not in use. It can be The Newest & the Latest brought forward when needed so that it TVT-3K - Jerrold Impulse & Starcom series either aligns parallel with the lens or sits SA3-DFA -Scientific Atlantas at a 90-degree angle to it for shooting incl. 8536, 8536+, 8580, Drop-field from chest height. PN-3A - Pioneer systems The manual focus wheel and auto- Panasonic TZPC145G 99 Ch Converters Zentek XL2100 99 Channel Converters focus override button are unusually but 30 DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE FAST SHIPMENTS & FREE CATALOG conveniently placed at the lower right- 1-800-772-6244 hand front of the unit. If you’ve ever ac- ee cidentally gotten your fingers in the shot U.S. Cable TV, Inc. Dept.: KVM084 while using a focus ring, you'll appreci- 4100 N. Powerline Rd, Bldg. F-4 Pompano Beach FL 33073 ate the horizontal, easy-to-manipulate NO FLORIDA SALES! focus wheel on the PV-IQ604. I wish I could say the same about the Flip to Play: The tape transport controls rest awk- playback controls, which are situated on wardly on the underside of the viewfinder. the underside of the viewfinder so that they face up when the viewfinder is autofocus is fair—the PV-IQ604 has folded back into its rest position. I’m more of a tendency to hunt in low light sure the designers of the PV-IQ604 than many of the camcorders I’ve re- thought this would be an effective use of cently used. surface area, but it makes through-the- Many Video Magazine articles have viewfinder playback clumsy. complained about color viewfinders, but Except for the power/mode switch, I found the one on the PV-IQ604 to be intelligently located on the lower left quite good. I had no trouble focusing front of the PV-IQ604, most of the other manually, and the picture was sharp and controls appear to be laid out randomly clear (although techincal editor Lan- across the top spine of the camcorder. celot Braithwaite found it a bit too soft This may seem like a minor quibble until for accurate focusing). Perhaps it just “gU2aJ1OdPa9Ipe1Ned1Ia9ayS a\"JUZpadOjlpD1eIdIaADyIYS you try to find the still button (which is doesn’t seem to be as much of a problem fairly far back behind the zoom lens con- when you’re dealing with the limited trols) or the digital zoom (even further resolution of VHS. back) while shooting. The audio is a disappointment due Most of the PV-IQ604’s special fea- to the mono omnidirectional condenser tures are useful for day-to-day shooting, mic built into the camcorder, the lack of like a simple A/V fade to and from hi-fi, below-average frequency response black, electronic image stabilization and (even for VHS linear track) and the high-speed shutter for capturing clean presence of tape transport noise in stills and slow-motion of fast-moving recordings. Panasonic’s decision not to events. A three-level backlight compen- include either an external microphone sation control takes the place of a man- jack or headphone input is unfortunate, ual override for the automatic iris — not but probably to be expected on a low- as good as a manual iris, but a lot better end camcorder like this. CAV Reg. $74.98 . . Sale $56.25 than a simple on/off backlight compen- Despite this flaw, the Panasonic PV- sator. There’s also digital still and strobe, 1Q604 is a good overall camcorder for CLV Reg. $44.98 . Sale $33.75 digital zoom to 120x, and a 16:9 mode basic consumer use. While experienced Offer expires 9/30/94 + Due mid-October, 1994 that squeezes a 16:9 picture into a 4:3 videomakers might be frustrated by its snoW White frame. (You'll need a 16:9 TV to view limited manual controls and lack of spe- aes & 15% Off these images correctly.) cial features, most people will be happy There is no override whatsoever for with its simplicity and good results. Both available in CAV & CLV Versions... the automatic white balance, which can eS CLV Versions are ONLY $25.49 each! (Aladdin CAV Version is THX Widescreen) be a problem in constantly changing TEGOAIPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL Offer Expires 8/30/94 * Due September/October, 1994 lighting conditions (like sunsets). There is also no time or tape counter display, Just Announced! except for an indicator which flashes Schindler's List 15% Off once every 10 seconds while shooting. (THX Widescreen) Offer Expires 8/30 + Due in late September, 1994 Image quality is good for VHS-C, Dews and don’ts with only slight amounts of luminance — Free Gift of Cleaning Fluid (a $19.95 value) and chrominance noise, though the col- On many Sony camcorders, the dew when you order 3 or more Titles — ors seem to be somewhat subdued. Low- warning may continue to keep the LASERDISC FAN CLUB INC light capability is excellent at 1.7 lux, if equipment shut down long after the slightly grainy. The stabilizer cuts hori- problem has “evaporated.” The battery + Free Membership & Monthly Catalog! + Every Title Available, including Karaoke! zontal resolution by only 20 lines— it must be removed and re-attached to re- * Up to 40% off! * Free Shipping! Open 7 days a week! doesn’t seem to lose as much resolution set the system. James R.C. Adams, Call or write: (800)801-DISC(3472) x841 as the original electronic stabilizers. The North Manchester, Indiana 1058 E. 230th St.» Carson, CA 90745 AUGUST 1994 VIDEO 23

‘(aCrOoN,TROL VIDEONICS VIDEO TITLER handsome, professional-quality titles VADEO) IMAGA with a minimum of complication for By Stewart Applegath $500—a fraction of the cost of most Misi gia} Video titlers have always character generators. Now Videonics been vaguely intimidating has created an updated version, the KUjiide%o)Magazine to me. Generally, high- $599 TitleMaker 2000, with improve- end titlers confound me ments that make it even easier to love. j with endlessly intricate computer com- There are changes in both the video mands and sequences. On the other quality and the quantity of options avail- A few of the good-looking new fonts (shown with hand, low-end titlers produce crude, outlines) available on Videonics’ TitleMaker 2000. plain and blocky titles. As Hi8 and able. S-VHS camcorders have boosted the The TitleMaker 2000 gives you more video quality available for home and The TitleMaker’s titles look better choices than you will ever use. Video- prosumer videography, the quality gap than those you see on many cable chan- nics has doubled the number of letter between videotape and video titles has nels. The edges on the characters are become that much more apparent. smooth, with no jagged edges (unless continued on page 29 Last year, Videonics came up with the TitleMaker, a titler that produces you select the double-high, double-wide option). The titles don’t look as great as PRICE: $600 the ones produced by a Video Toaster, but hey, it does a great job for the money. V-RATING: SPECS AND Jacks: power, S-video/ Key Features: preview Picture S/N Ratios (dB): PICTURE MEASUREMENTS video/stereo audio input mode, GPI trigger, demo unweighted luminance 67, and output, preview video mode, new fonts, lithium weighted luminance 67.2, FEATURES Weight & Size (h/wid): output, GP! control input battery to preserve memo- unweighted video 68.7, 2.6 Ibs. excluding AC Ty, project/page indexing weighted video 69, VALUE adapter, 4 x 12 x 9-1/2 Titles/Graphics: 23 fonts chroma AM 66.2, chroma inches in 4 sizes; most fonts in- RESULTS PM 51.3 12345 Power Use: 9 volts, ap- clude capitals, lower case, RATINGS GIVEN ARE RELATIVE TO THOSE prox. 9 watts punctuation, symbols and Horizontal Resolution: Insertion Loss; less than accented letters; total ca- titler 720 pixels, source 1 dB FOR OTHER VIDEO TITLERS pacity 8,000 letters; 1,000 bandpass over 10 MHz characters per line maxi- (800 lines) Audio Frequency mum; 40 to 60 lines per Response: 20 Hz-20 kHz, page; advanced scroling; Vertical Resolution: titler +0.42/-0.43 dB over one million colors 480 pixels (but only 64 colors per ear Range: over 90 palette) d Audio Distorticn: 0.03% 24 VIDEO AUGUST 1994

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F ES1000 ne Laser Disc Players LaserKaraoke |} BATTERIES CAMCORDERS INGOV)AD IED)OURO iitSHAKE |Evo-150TR lg EY VOB25 ,....seressrecsseesseesereees SONY 90 min C-FORMAT CO, VIDEONICS VO9816 ........PANASONIC/JVC-VHS-C PV-M 1324 - 13” 2 head PV-10204 ....sscsscsssesssserserseseeee 10:1 Z00M MITSUBISHI PV-M 2043 - 20” 4 head PV-M 2053 - 20” 4head/Hi-Fi Vv0829 .. sePANASONIC full size PV-IQ304 ... . 12:1 zoom MITSUBISHI ELECTRONICS AMERICA, INC. “Interactive Video” VO385 37mm, 2 lens kit (1.5 tele PV-10404 .......0--ssss0ee---COlOr viewfinder Canon JVC and 0.5 wide angle)... $49.95 PV-IQ504 . ...image stabalization PHILIPS R(i(GOH PV-IQ604 ......-..5 ..color VF/EIS TOSHIBA | Panasonic PV-54 i‘ ssseeesee StOTEO MICROPHONE PY-SG4 oie cscscecessen soe SVHS/EIS FULL SIZE WMS-PRO 2mic system PV=S770 ,...rasscsescsesseseereasess SUPOr VAS WHX-PRO....sssssseeessresnneeenenhiand held TV/VCR COMB PV-M1324 ....sessserseere M4 PV-M2043.. .20” Combo E700 ....w/FREE CASE! $839.95 PV-M2053...... 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ROM OAIN PROSCAN VHS-C VHS-C CAMCORDER 1Q604 review, start there and come back CAMCORDER to this one—the PV-IQ604 review in- PRICE: $1,399 cludes a full description of the controls By Timothy Liebe and features common to both.) So-called “clone” cam- V-RATING: VV V corders have become Set next to its sister camcorder, the quite common in the BETTER ——> PSC24C boasts a sleeker, more stream- video world. Utilizing a lined design. This difference is not mere- base design from a manufacturer like PICTURE ly cosmetic, as shooting hand-held with Matsushita (Panasonic’s parent compa- SOUND both units proves. The PSC24C’s weight ny) or Sony, these camcorders offer vir- FEATURES is more evenly distributed than the tually the same features and ergonomics 1Q604’s. As a result, it settles more com- as models put out under the original VALUE fortably into the palm of your hand for longer periods of stable videography, manufacturer's name. Sometimes, how- even when you're not using the elec- ever, the clone has certain advantages over the original. SPECS AND Autofocus: contrast-type Microphone: mono RESULTS MEASUREMENTS TTL continuous to macro electret condenser Case in point: the ProScan PSC24C in wide-angle, switchable Horizontal Resolution: VHS-C camcorder, which closely resem- Weight & Size (h/w/d): 2 to manual with thumb- Jacks; video/audio output, camera 250 lines, camera bles yet subtly improves upon Pan- Ibs., 4-5/8 x 4-1/8 x 6-7/8 wheel adjustment and DC output for RF with EIS on 230 lines, re- asonic's PV-IQ604 VHS-C camcorder. inches pushbutton AF convertor corder 240 lines, (If you haven’t read this issue’s PV- Power Use: 11 watts (16 viewfinder 210 lines watts with light) Iris: auto with 3-mode Tape Speeds: SP, EP ae a BOE 2Y PULSER Image Sensor: 1/3-inch BLC Picture S/N Ratlos (dB): CCD Video Heads; 2 unweighted video 38 SP, Multiburst pattern showing very good (for VHS) fre- Lens: {/1.6, 12x Fader: hold-down type to 36.5 EP; weighted video quency response of PSC24C. (5.4-64.8mm) 4-speed black Cue & Review Search: 44.1 SP, 43.4 EP; chroma power zoom with continu- 3x AM 41.9 SP, 38.8 EP; ous focus to macro range Shutter Speeds (sec.): rl PM 42 SP, 39.7 Filter Diameter: 49mm auto high-speed shutter Fast Forward/Rewind Minimum Focusing 1/60-1/250, 1/60 (normal), Time: 4-1/2 min. for Minimum Illumination: Distance: 1/2-inch at 1/100, 1/250, 1/500, TC-20 tape 1.2 lux for 50 IRE wide-angle, 40 inches at 1/1,000, 1/2,000, 1/4,000, telephoto 1/10,000 Edit Protocol: none Approx. Battery Life (man. focus/no zoom): White Balance: auto only Remote Control: IR wire- 125 min. less with camera and Viewfinder: 0.7-inch color playback controls Audio Frequency LCD Response, -3 dB: 75 Audio: linear mono Hz-7 kHz SP; 50 Hz-3 Viewfinder Controls: kHz EP diopter focus, positioning, Key Features: flying brightness erase head, electronic im- Linear Audio S/N: 41.1 age stabilizer, digital still dB and strobe, digital zoom to 120x, squeezed 16:9 Audio Distortion: 1.1% mode. color viewfinder 26 VIDEO AUGUST 1994

tronic image stabilization (EIS) feature. with the 1Q604 sample we tried. Low- RADIO PRODUCTION EJDITING Effects and playback buttons on the light capability is especially fine, with a = GETYOUR » PSC24C are arrayed across the top spine = VIDEO&TV= of the camcorder, which is a greater vir- minimum illumination of 1.2 lux and, tue than it might first appear. Unlike CAREER IN Panasonic’s apparent tendency to strew even more important for practical pur- buttons willy-nilly across camcorder FOCUS.LOCATION bodies, the ProScan follows a logical poses, a surprising lack of graininess un- progression in both location (camera controls to the front, playback controls der most indoor shooting conditions. to the back) and size. The image stabilizer and color view- By and large, however, both cam- corders are very similar in their virtues finder offer the same good quality I en- and flaws. Both offer decent color LCD viewfinders, a remote that snaps into a countered on the Panasonic camcorder. storage slot, an automatically retracting metal lens door in place of a lens cap, Audio quality is mediocre, both due to and A/V outputs using standard RCA plugs. On the downside, neither pos- the inadequate mono camcorder micro- sesses an external microphone jack to phone and the surprisingly loud tape New England Institute of Inside Edge: The flat, tiny Pro- transport noise. CAMERTeAchnology's Video & Radio MO3NM1nIai0nis Scan remote Overall, I slightly preferred the per- Production Technology Program tucks away into a features a hands-on approach, slot on the cam- formance of the ProScan model, both in corder’s left side. taught by industry experienced terms of the picture quality and the au- tofocus, which seemed a bit more stable. MULtTihnIesttreuccthonrisc,al for students to learn aspects as well as to But these minor differences could be the result of normal production variances (I explore the creative process. used the same tape in both machines.) The ProScan lists for $100 more, but the Students can earn an associate street prices of both are unpredictable. degree in as little as eighteen You might even find the ProScan selling months at our modern campus. for less. TNHoLvwinv The ProScan PSC24C is a limited ¢ Associate degree in as little but well-designed VHS-C consumer as eighteen months camcorder. Its comfortable ergonomics ¢ Technical accreditations and good image quality (despite its au- © $4 million Telecommunica- dio weaknesses) make it well worth con- sidering if you’re in the market for tions Arts Center something that’ll give you good footage ¢ Broadcast quality studios without a great deal of fuss. 2 ¢ Industry experienced instructors ONILSVIGVONS Looking ¢ Full transfer credit to for More Bachelor's Degree at Information? New England Technical DONTFORGET supplement the built-in mic (an unfor- College. TOUSE VIDEO'S tunate and increasingly common flaw) Take advantage of such courses as: or any override for automatic white bal- READER 908 ance. Also, both use Matsushita’s un- Editing and Graphics usual powered light shoe design, which ACTION CARD is incompatible with third-party accesso- Producing and Directing ties like higher-wattage camcorder When you see a product or lights. (Both models come with a tiny, service you'd like to receive Video Conferencing five-watt color enhancement light.) further information about, just make a note of the Reader A/B Roll Editing Another common flaw, and one Service number at the bottom which is shared with many other Mat- of the page. Then circle that Animation number on VIDEO's Reader sushita-designed consumer camcorders, Action card. We'll see that the Broadcasting/Cable Industries is the lack of A/V inputs. Since both the advertiser receives your name PSC24C and the 1Q604 offer flying and address and sends you the \"OSEDJIDRAJGIDITTIVANELGRTIDiSgitIalNEGditing erase heads, it would be nice to have in- information you've requested. puts so you could insert scenes from an- To find out how you can focus in on your career in video & radio other tape. production, give us a call today. Like the 1Q604, the PSC24C comes TECHNEW ENGLAND with relatively few special features. It of- WToDWvninanqawoiwndnw fers A/V fade to and from black, along 1-401 - 467 - 7744 [call Collect] mi with digital still and strobe, and what =z appears to be Matsushita’s determina- 2500 Post Rd., Warwick, RI 02886-2251 ir) tion to push 16:9 video images via a squeezed-picture wide setting. There is, CGROAMPPHUITCESR however, no timer or tape counter (not even the 10-second shooting time signal CRS9oiaenrracdvdl.iecre that the Panasonic offers), and no titler. VIDEO CONFERENCING The PSC24C’s image quality is actu- AUGUST 1994 VIDEO 27 ally quite good for VHS-C, with richer colors and less luminance noise than _

COMBI PLAYER sets — it produces considerable dot crawl continued from page 21 on horizontal edges of objects in the pic- panel is a Toslink optical digital audio ture. If you have an excellent TV set, ig- output, for connecting a high-quality ex- ternal digital-to-analog convertor. Audi- nore the LX-600’s S-video output and ophiles prefer the coaxial digital outputs found on Philips players and some new Combi use the composite (RCA jack) video Pioneers; we wish Panasonic and Sony Controller: output, which will eliminate the prob- would make the switch on their laserdisc The remote for the players, too. LX-600 has lem if your TV has a good luminance/ a shuttle ring Operationally, the LX-600 presented but no jog dial. chrominance separator. You should try no problems for me. But then again, nei- ther has any laserdisc player I can re- Panasonic both types of cables to be sure. membe—rfor the most part, they’re as easy to use as CD players. rendition were outstanding. There was The digital-to-analog convertor uses no visible noise on well-mastered discs, Panasonic's MASH noise-shaping tech- The LX-600’s picture quality is su- or on the test patterns we used. perb— it’s in that small camp of laserdisc nology to improve rendition of low-level players in which we really can’t find any- The player does have one problem— thing to complain about, picture-wise. its luminance/chrominance separator detail. The result is respectable sound In a direct comparison with Pioneer’s (which feeds the S-video output) is not $3,500 LD-S2 (one of our two reference as good as those in today’s best TV for a $750 player, considerably better laserdisc players), the only noteworthy difference between the two was that the than that of bargain-basement digital output level of the LX-600 is a bit lower than that of the LD-S2, so you may need audio gear. It doesn’t produce the detail to bring up the brightness and contrast slightly on your set. Detail and color or the sense of space created by high- end digital-to-analog convertors, but it’s more than good enough for most home theater systems. For the moment, the $750 LX-600 looks like a great buy for those seeking a side-changing combi player. But Pioneer and Sony have both just introduced sim- ilar aiodels in the $600 range, so our price/performance standards for this seg- ment of the laserdisc player market could soon change. = — Groundshaking BreakthroughAdvertising Supplement continued from page 21 CARVER’S new Lightstar technology brings intense audio realism into the home theater. sunlight, though I found it difficult to see on the brightest days. You can adjust Conventional amplifiers can reproduce music dynamically and effectively. They cannot, the brightness, color and tint of the LCD. I highly recommend buying the however, do the same for the floor-shaking sounds that movie audio requires. And any true accessory pop-up sunshield that doubles as a protective cover for the LCD —the home theater will need an amplifier that can accurately pump out these demanding sounds. screen is relatively fragile and marks up with fingerprints quickly. Addressing this need, Carver has developed the Lightstar technology. Lightstar gives The ViewCam has a number of oth- your home theater the extra power it needs to add realism and depth to your movie view- er features, like digital image stabiliza- tion and fades to and from white. All ing. Lightstar has five-to-ten here would vote to change this fade to black. It also has some popular effects: a times the energy reserves of a letterbox function, digital still, strobe and snap. Still holds an image indefi- a conventional amplifier. And its nitely, while snap records five-second stills. Also included is a feature that power supply and Digital we're glad to see becoming more com- mon: a sliding lens cover that replaces Transformer” can store energy at the lens cap. If Ihad my way, this would be standard equipment on all camcord- more than twice the voltage level ers. of a conventional amp. The ViewCam also has full-range autofocus, which allows extreme close- But the Lightstar technology is more than just added power. It is also made up of relat- up shooting. While not the fastest I’ve used, it handles most situations compe- ed technologies that actually make it possible to build an amplifier that is virtually tently. It has a manual-focus mode, but it’s not easy to manipu—lsaeptareate immune to the colorations caused by reactive speaker loads. Typically, an amplifier will buttons under the LCD screen control fight the reactive currents produced by these loads and generate not only excessive heat, It. but also distortion. A Lightstar-equipped amplifier is unaffected by these loads because it The stabilizer is an important part of this unit in that it would be difficult to circulates the energy throughout the power system so as not to disturb the signal. hold this camcorder steady over long pe- The first amplifier to feature this innovative technology is Carver's Lightstar Reference amplifier. The Lightstar Reference amp is the only amp to deliver high energy to any loud- speaker without changing the character of the music in any way — it sounds just as good as the program source. The Lightstar Reference amplifier is a must-have for anyone who takes their home the- ater viewing as seriously as their music listening. Contact Carver at 206-775-1202 for more information on Lightstar technology. Circle 10 on Reader Service Card. 28 VIDEO AUGUST 1994

tiods of shooting. (This said, it is an in- TITLER credibly comfortable camera to hold— it just feels right.) The stabilizer does a Pocket Pal: continued from page 24 good job, with little lag or smear evi- Sharp's ViewCam dent. remote has touchpads styles with over 90 font and size combi- Sharp has changed the location of rather than buttons, nations, which now include script fonts. some controls to good effect. The sepa- tate wide/tele buttons have been re- making it easier to You can add shadows and outlines, and placed by a zoom rocker that is easier to clean. use. Though we didn’t find the front- choose from three letter-spacing config- facing record/pause button on the previ- ous model difficult to get used to, mov- urations and three character thick- ing it back beside the rocker makes more sense. The digital effects and stabilizer nesses. You can have titles simple and control are also within easy thumb- reach. svelte or bold and blocky. Borders can be The recorder/LCD unit has a leg placed above, beside or around the that folds out, allowing the camcorder blocks of text. to be left standing without worrying about it falling or being knocked over. A You can use images from a camcord- hatch behind the LCD opens to reveal er or a VCR as the background (or for the tape carrier mechanism, which is a bit slow to move a tape in and out. The the lettering itself), and generate a huge brightness control above the LCD dou- bles as the speaker volume control in palette of colored backgrounds. You playback mode. Sharp has kept the jacks for external microphone and head- choose the characters’ color, borders phones, features that are becoming rare in these days of hide-the-control user- and outline color from a menu or an on- friendliness. screen color mixer that gives you prac- The ViewCam’s picture quality is leyNV 1@1@1)8)=<15} tically unlimited control over color— good, but not spectacular. Recorded col- or is noticeably muted. You can adjust more than a million choices. your TV monitor accordingly, but this While the 2000 still offers the rain- generates more noise and some bleeding. Detail is average. With the electronic ences, especially for those shooting bow patterns of the previous titler, Vid- stabilizer on, the picture loses about 15 percent of its resolution and some of its them. Though Sharp must do a bit of eonics has added funky, vibrating size. The LCD’s resolution is fine for most applications. Audio reproduction catch-up in the audio and image-quality patterns that actually throb and glow in is average —it was difficult to get any genuine stereo effect using the built-in departments, the ViewCam’s LCD real tim—yeou'll think Jerry Garcia has microphone. screen and radically different configura- been tampering with this box. Any of I find those who see and try the ViewCam are hooked instantly, leaving tion give it an overwhelming advantage the backgrounds can be mixed with live conventional camcorders to gather dust over traditional camcorders. a video at any level you choose. > in the closet. Though my brother’s new- born is pretty irresistible, he finds it awk- HITACHI ward to shoot the baby with his Sony VM-H39A CCD-TR81—a foreign object separating him from real-time experience. No such HANDYCAM reservations with the ViewCa—mit saw CAMCORDERS double-duty when I left it with him for a Berger Bros. Camera and Video Exchange day. Specializes in both Photographic and Video Equipment. We carry the Largest Selection of I think the ViewCam is the future of Camcorders and Accessories in stock and at the consumer camcorders. The large color lowest prices. We'll help you make the right LCD is great to look at—more like the choice over the phone, that’s why we can offer a teal world than a black-and-white view- full money back guarantee. We could list all of finder. No more squinting or bumping our Equipment in our ads like everyone else...but into people and things. Though defi- we Call that our 192-page Catalog. cient in the versatility offered by easy- 1-800-262-4160 to-operate manual controls, it is won- We Compete With Any Legitimate Price & We Ship Anywhere derful to hold and use. The ViewCam is beautifully put to- When Tomorrow Won’t Do. Call Us Today. gether, form following well its functions. (516)-264-4160 °¢ FAX (5 16)-264-1007 By recording events without interfering 209 BROADWAY (ROUTE 110) AMITYVILLE, N.Y. 11701 with them, the ViewCam will add to rather than detract from such experi- Circle 11 on Reader Service Card. AUGUST 1994 VIDEO 29 tie

Titles can be scrolled in from the preview output shows all the program- sync, which made it impossible to feed side or bottom, dissolved in and out, and ming icons, while a monitor connected its signal into a Panasonic video mixer. wiped on and off in 18 different ways. to the regular output shows the finished Videonics seems to have corrected this on the 2000. When we hooked up the The crawls are especially nice, giving title sequence. In this way you can work output of the original TitleMaker to a Panasonic WJ-AVE7 mixer, the sync you the running-stock-quotation effect on one title sequence while you’re problems caused troublesome vertical recording, displaying or broadcasting an- jitter. Although there are still slight ele- at 10 speeds. ments ofjitter evident on our vector- The TitleMaker 2000 can hold other. scope, the TitleMaker 2000 test sample worked fine when its output was fed to more than 8,000 characters of text. As Before the TitleMaker 2000, I hadn’t the same mixer. with the original TitleMaker, you can di- used titlers much. But I found that once There is really nothing that com- pares to the TitleMaker 2000—it is a vide the text into hundreds of separate I learned a few basic concepts, the 2000 beautiful anomaly, a unit capable of professional-looking, low-cost titles, pages. But with the 2000, you can also was very easy and intuitive to use. Every with a huge array of fonts, colors, pat- terns and effects. Its competitors are divide it into numbered projects, making once in a while I got stymied, but the in- much more expensive, with fewer fea- the titles much easier to find. Specific struction manual is straightforward and tures and choices; or less expensive, but projects and pages are indexed by title, I could work my way through it with a with poor-quality titles. As another Video Magazine editor bluntly put it, project and page number. bit of patience. The TitleMaker 2000's “You would be stupid to buy anything else.” Perhaps other manufacturers will The 2000 has S-video and video in- limitations seem to be those imposed by get the message, but in the meantime, this titler is far ahead of the pack. a puts and outputs, audio inputs and out- your imagination, rather than by Video- puts (just a loop-through for nics. The TitleMaker doesn’t noticeably convenience), and a QWERTY key- board barely big enough for touch-typ- degrade video signals passed through ing. Trying to use another professional it—with a 10 megahertz (800 horizontal titling unit a few years ago, I remember lines) bandpass, and most signal-to- how frustrating it was to find out I noise ratios in the 60-decibel range, it’s couldn’t do subtitles in another lan- very clean. One of the few shortcomings of the guage without spending another $900 for the necessary software. But the 2000 older model was that it had unstable provides accented letters for over 16 lan- HOW T0 READ We’ve also introduced two new guages and other special characters. THE RATINGS ratings: the V-Rating, a combination Videonics has also added a preview of the performance and features rat- output. A monitor connected to the ings, with no consideration of cost; =k and the Value rating, which represents gD WASTING Last month, we introduced major a price/performance ratio. A Value changes in our Videotests. These rating of five means the product offers changes make the ratings easier to un- amazing performance for the price. :PIONEER derstand, and provide a more precise Four and three indicate good and av- measure of a product’s performance, erage values, respectively. A two tells *CABLE TV CONVERTERS* features and value. you to think twi—coteher products of- First, we’ve gone to a five-point fer the same (or better) performance @S BELOW WHOLESALE ¢¥ tating scale. You can compare previ- for much less money. And a Value rat- SAVE MONEY WHY RENT ??? ing of one means the product is outra- ASK ABOUT OUR FREE geously overpriced. = BLUE BLOCKER *** All ratings are relative to other SUNGLASSES OFFER products in the same class— those you would consider buying instead of the WE CARRY ALL MAJOR BRAND product being tested. The product NAME CABLE TV CONVERTERS classes are TVs, S-VHS/Hi8 camcord- * YOUR SATISFACTION IS OUR #1 PRIORITY ! ers, VHS/8mm camcorders, S-VHS/ * 30 DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE ! * 1 YEAR WARRANTY ! WE SHIP C.O.D. ! Hi8 VCRs, VHS/8mm VCRs, laserdisc * OUR UNITS ARE GUARANTEED TO WORK !! players, editing equipment and audio PLEASE HAVE THE BRAND NAME & MODEL NUMBER OF YOUR CABLE COMPANIES equipment. CONVERTER, BEFORE CALLING. WE WILL MEET OR BEAT ANY VALID PRICE QUOTE. We've also added photos of read- UNLIKE SOME OF OUR COMPETITORS, WE ARE HAPPY TO SPEND THE TIME TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS Waveform monitor with multiburst pattern. outs from our test equipment. Usually, CONCERNING THE PURCHASING OF OUR EQUIPMENT, ously reviewed products to current we'll show a multiburst pattern, as VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS, INC. products like this: Five is excellent, seen on a waveform monitor. The mul- FOR CATALOG OR INFORMATION four is very good, three is good or aver- age, two is fair and one is weak or poor. tiburst shows the video frequency re- CALL 1-718-229-2332 A product earning a five performs sponse of the component in FRIENDLY - PROFESSIONAL - SERVICE- SINCE 1975 as well as or better than anything in its class. A four indicates good perfor- question — the better the frequency re- *1“*-F8O0R 0O-RGDEOR-SCAONBLLYE*** mance with minor flaws. A three de- notes average quali—tgoyod, but with sponse, the higher the horizontal reso- 20-04 UTOPIA PARKWAY SUITE 236 WHITESTONE, NY 11357 significant flaws. A two indicates qual- BY PURCHASING CABLE EQUIPMENT FROM VISUAL COMM.THE CUSTOMER ity that is below-average, but still ac- lution. Each multiburst displays two AGREES TO COMPLY WITH THE FEDERAL LAWS REGARDING PRIVATE ceptable. A one means that the OWNERSHIP OF CABLE TV EQUIPMENT, IF YOU ARE UNSURE OF THESE LAWS product is very disappointing in that sets of vertical bars, one per field. In CHECK WITH YOUR LOCAL OFFICIALS. ANYONE IMPLYING THEFT OF SERVICE area. WILL BE DENIED SALE OF EQUIPMENT. each set, the bars from left to right represent 0.5, 1.5, 2, 3, 3.58 and 4.2 megahertz. (Last month, we incor- rectly indicated the two left bars rep- resented | and 2 mHz.) As the bars on the right of each set shrink, so does the detail in the picture. 2 Circle 12 on Reader Service Card. 30 VIDEO AUGUST 1994

HOME THEATER sound is subpar compared with that of product —or any product, for that mat- the best $1,000 surround decoders we’ve continued from page 14 tried: the Fosgate Model Four and the ter— must fall to you. We can tell you if Adcom GTP-600. To make sure the CLD-97’s 2.4-volt a product meets our standards, but only output didn’t cause the KC-XI’s prob- What does this say about Lucasfilm’s lems, I tried feeding the KC-X1 from an THX certification program? Not that you can determine if our standards (or MSB PS-1 digital-to-analog convertor, THX products are bad, because the best which has a very high, six-volt output. (I surround decoders are all THX-certi- Lucasfilm’s) are relevant to your tastes cut the level on the KC-XI1 four decibels fied. In fact, compared with another to compensate.) The KC-X1 actually prominent audio licensor, Dolby, Lu- and needs. a sounded better with the PS-1—it didn’t casfilm’s record is positively stunning. seem bothered by the PS-1’s high output, For example, I’ve tried some rack sys- TECHSAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA and the PS-1’s rather polite sound was a tems and receivers wearing the Dolby better match for the KC-X1. Pro-Logic logo that make the KC-X1 Ground control sound heavenly. (However, Dolby Surprisingly, I occasionally found doesn’t make the ambitious quality If you’re experiencing a noisy video pic- myself enjoying the sound of the KC- claims Lucasfilm does.) And since we X1—until I heard it compared with the first noted problems with the KC-X1, ture on your cable hookup, ask the cable Model Four. In a few situations, one or Lucasfilm has been very responsive, two of our editors picked the KC-X1 showing real determination to find the company to install a separate earth over the Model Four and the CP-3. And roots of the problems we noticed. several KC-X1 owners have written to ground at the cable service entrance. It’s tell us they think the unit sounds fine. No, our results tell us that the THX logo is simply a guarantee that a product easy, if your living arrangement permits To many, the KC-X1 will indeed meets certain standards — but not neces- sound fine. But we don’t feel Video Mag- sarily your standards or our standards. A it. All the cable technician has to do is azine readers need us to seek out prod- THX-certified product will certainly ucts that are “fine” or “acceptable.” pound a three- or four-foot grounding We're looking for products that rank meet Lucasfilm’s standards, but will it among the best in their price classes. meet Video Magazine’s standard of rank- rod into the earth and attach the rod to And we think the Kenwood KC-XI’s ing among the best in its price class? Maybe. Maybe not. the cable ground. Usually the cable The final task of evaluating a THX ground is just hooked up to a cold water pipe, which can generate all types of pic- ture interference, as it did in my case. When I asked my cable guys to make the change, then look at my TV picture, they could see the difference. And were they surprised! Johan Granfeldt Los Osos, California PANASONIC PB50 Orig. PAN..........645.00 RAPID CHARGERS PANASONIC PB80/88 Orig.PAN........39 CAMCORDER CHARGER/DISCHARGER SONY NP77H 2400 mah 6V, 7.2V, 9.6V runs from house or auto. SONY 8mm 1500 mah... 1 hr. time for Sony, Canon, Panasonic, RCA/Hitachi CANON 8mm 2000 mah & most other brands PALMCORDER 2000 mah.. Charges 1 battery $44 Charges 2 batteries $69 JVC GR-C9 Type C.... SHARP BT 21/22 SHARP BT 70/80 2400 mah... i RCA/HITACHI 8 mm 2400 mab............. 39.00 NEW External Powerpac+ 5 to 7 hours of recording time. Powerpac+ includes: =6volt @ 10 amps Summer Sale sealed lead acid battery. New lower prices =Heavy duty pouch and belt. on Chargers =A charger for charging at home / Sharp ViewCam BT70-BT80 2400 mah $36.00 (optional charging cord for car). ( Charger for ViewCam $39.00 =An adaptor of your choice. — =12 vo@l7tamps $95 $85 BATTERY TECH, INC. 800-442-4275 i28-25 215TH PLACE, BAYSIDE, N.Y. 11360 = FAX:718-631-5117 AMERICAN EXPRESS Circle 13 on Reader Service Card. AUGUST 1994 VIDEO 31

BY JAMES K. WILLCOX A guided tour offive systems primed for the information age If we are to believe everything we see Because there are still significantly At the heart of the CD-i system is a and hear on TV and in the newspapers, more TV sets than computers in Ameri- 16-bit 68070 microprocessor, based on we'll all soon be surfing happily on the can homes, a number of companies are the venerable Motorola 68000 chip. information superhighway. The promise now marketing sophisticated set-top This technology has been surpassed by of catching an all-digital wave — with ac- multimedia CD systems capable of de- faster, more powerful processors, but cess to 500 channels of interactive pro- livering not only videogames, but refer- Philips counters this drawback with a gramming, movies on demand, video ence materials, educational titles and sizable library of more than 150 CD-i ti- games, home shopping services and interactive movies. So we decided to tles it has built up over the past four more — is enough to make anyone dream of the Big Kahuna. Unfortunately, a dis- take a fresh look at the five current set- Down to Earth: tribution system for all this exciting new top machines: Philips’ Compact Disc-In- At $299, the Magnavox content hasn’t yet been built. The waves teractive (CD-i), Panasonic’s 3DO In- of interactive multimedia are still teractive Multiplayer, Pioneer’s CDi450 breaks the breaking close to shore. LaserActive system, Sega CD and Com- price barrier for multi- modore’s Amiga CD32. Though a num- But that doesn’t mean we ber of new systems will be introduced media players. can’t get our toes wet. Thanks to over the next 12 months (see “Crowded the vast storage capabilities of at the Beach”), the current batch of years. In addition to software created CD-ROM and related optical disc multimedia machines provides a wealth specifically for the system, CD-i players formats, developers can store suffi of interactive pleasures and a preview of can also play audio CDs and cient amounts of data to include even richer experiences to come. Hang CD+Graphics (CD +G) discs, along sound, text, graphics and video on five- ten! with Kodak’s Photo CDs, which store inch discs. The same types of multi- snapshots on disc. Prices, once as high as media programs that will one day be Philips’ CD-i system is the grand- $1,000, have fallen to $399. beamed into our homes are available father of the group, utilizing core tech- right now on disc, as long as you’ve got nology developed in the mid-1980s. Like Plagued by slow sales since its intro- the hardware required to run them. the audio compact disc, CD-i was devel- duction, CD-i once looked like it was oped jointly by Philips and Sony, though destined for a quiet death. But the sys- There are two basic ways of access- only Philips is currently selling the hard- tem got a welcome boost from the intro- ing multimedia on disc: with a CD- ware in the U.S. and promoting the duction of the industry’s first add-on ROM drive linked to a personal com- technology as a worldwide standard for full-motion video (FMV) cartridge interactive multimedia. ($249), which heightens the perfor- Making News: The Voyeur CD-i incorporates video. mance of the hardware and allows it to play MPEG-quality video, such as that puter, or through a stand-alone system encompassed by the new Video CD designed to be connected to a TV. Both standard. types have gained popularity in recent times thanks to declining prices of CD- The FMV cartridge, which Philips ROM drives and increasingly compel- calls Digital Video, pumps up the perfor- ling CD-based software. mance of the CD-i architecture by add- ing a multitasking operating system— which allows various chores to be per- formed simultaneous—laynd doubling 32 VIDEO AUGUST 1994

the on-board memory available to game developers. This summer, Philips will introduce two new down-sized, top-loading CD-i players at even lower prices. The Mag- navox CDI450 comes with a wired re- mote and free software, and costs $299; a scaled-down FMV cartridge will go for $249. The model CDI550 is bundled with the FMV cartridge, free software and a special jack for two-player gaming (the 450 accepts a splitter that is sold separately), and costs $499. 4uics CO™ The combination of increased per- formance and reduced prices has al- lowed Philips to regain the attention of software developers like Virgin Interac- tive and LucasArts, who once again seem very interested in the format. troduced to great fanfare last year, and ware will include additional stand-alone Meanwhile, the FMV cartridge not only players, players with networking capa- lets users experience elaborate, video- like CD-i, heralded as the next VCR, bilities, and in Creative Labs’ case, add- laden games and “edutainment” pro- 3DO hit the market backed by a formi- on boards to convert personal comput- grams, but full-length movies on CD-i dable cadre of investors— AT&T, Time ers to 3DO-ready machines. (though all video CDs are currently lim- Warner, Electronic Arts and Mat- sushita— and some impressive demos At the heart of the 3DO system is a ited to 74 minutes per disc). Thanks to highlighting the system’s formidable 32-bit RISC (Reduced Instruction Set graphics capabilities. Computer) processor, which until re- agreements with Paramount, MGM/ cently was only found in developers’ UA, PolyGram and Orion, more than 80 Although Panasonic is currently the workstations. Other features include a Hollywood movies, including Apocalypse only company manufacturing and mar- double-speed CD-ROM drive and ex- Now and Goldfinger, are planned for re- keting a 3DO system—called the FZ-1 pansion ports on the back and sides for lease on CD-i this year. REAL 3DO Interactive Multiplayer— future peripherals such as a keyboard or mouse, an add-on FMV cartridge or a several other companies, including networking device. Like CD-i, the 3DO ; AT&T, Sanyo, Toshiba, Samsung, Gold- Multiplayer plays proprietary software as well as standard audio CDs, CD+ Gs If hype were sales, the much-bal- Star and Creative Labs, have said they lyhooed 3DO system would already be will launch an array of 3DO-based prod- the winner in the multimedia derby. In- ucts in the coming months. New hard- Games to Go: With Sega’s CDX porta- ble (left), you can take hot titles like Prize Fighter (above) along for the ride. AUGUST 1994 VIDEO 33

MULTIMEDIA and Photo CDs. The 3DO player uses multiple proc- essors — seven in all—to provide impres- sive graphics performance. In addition to the 32-bit RISC processor, the 3DO player includes a pair of custom anima- tion engines that break down graphics into animation cels that can be manipu- lated rapidly “on-the-fly” to create fluid motion. As a result of its architecture, 3DO Multiplayers can select from a palette of 16.7 million colors, with an animation speed of 64 million pixels per second. (By contrast, CD-i players offer a choice of 128 colors, and an animation speed of 11 million pixels per second.) However, 3DO has not yet introduced an MPEG cartridge for full-motion video, though one is expected this fall. When the op- tional FMV cartridge becomes available, 3DO systems will be able to reproduce full-motion, near-VHS-quality MPEG Wicked Games: Discs like Twisted (above left) and John Madden Football (right) play on Panasonic's 3D0 (top). video. ware has declined steadily so that play- innovative take on game shows, are an Until then, 3DO Multiplayers make ers can now be purchased for under indication that developers are learning do with a software-based compression $500. When it becomes available later how to make exciting 3DO software. technology called Cinepak to produce digitized video clips that run between 15 this year, the FMV cartridge is expected and 20 frames per second, well below to cost around $250. the 30 frames-per-second rate of true After a slow start —just a handful of With its single-speed CD-ROM MPEG video. However, unlike some titles were available when the product drive and 16-bit architecture, Sega CD other systems that use Cinepak com- launched —software for the 3DO sys- doesn’t constitute a state-of-the-art pression, such as Apple’s Macintosh, tem has been growing steadily. There are multimedia system. But it does offer a 3DO can display a full-screen picture approximately 40 titles now available, low-cost entry into the CD game mar- rather than just an inset window of and more than 200 in development. Re- ket. video. cent releases, such as John Madden Foot- Sega CD also offers a vast (200+) Like CD-i, the price of 3DO hard- ball, Total Eclipse and Twisted, an library of great games, and an army of developers who now have a few years of experience optimizing software for the system. While Sega CD does boost the performance of the Genesis console | _ (most notably memory and speed), it can’t overcome Genesis’ limited color palette of 64 colors —only 16 can be dis- | played at one time —and relatively slow | animation speed of one million pixels | per second. The Sega CD/Genesis combination features three processors: two 16-bit Mo- torola 68000s and an 8-bit Z-80. While colors are limited, the CPU manages a speedy 12MHz, the same as 3DO, which is one reason why side-scrolling games like Sonic The Hedgehog run so well on the system. Sega recently fortified its standing in the game field with the in- troduction of the CDX, ($399) a beau- tifully designed portable version of the Spare Parts: Pioneer's CLD-A100 LaserActive Player uses various control packs to enhance its capabilities. Sega CD. 34 VIDEO AUGUST 1994

Sega video segments generally look Crowded : If the large number of stand-alone multimedia systems blocky, though recent CD-based games AtThe are noticeably better than earlier ones. Beach : seems a bit confusing, hang on to your hat: As many as While the Sega CD player isn’t capable of playing MPEG-quality full-motion : 13 different systems may soon be vying for shelf space. video, the system uses a customized ver- sion of Cinepak digital video compres- The two reigning kings of the videogame world, Sega sion called TruVideo. Thoughtful and Nintendo, have both announced next-generation engineering in newer games such as Tomcat Alley cleverly cloak the annoying + game machines for shipment in 95. Sega will actually access delays generally associated with : offer two options: an upgrade, called the Genesis Su- CD-ROM drives. : per32X, for existing Sega Genesis owners, and a new 32- : bit system called Saturn. Super32X ships late this year and will allow Genesis owners to move up to 32-bit per- : formance. The add-on cartridge, which uses the two 32- : bit Hitachi chips designed for the Saturn, is expected to LASERACTIVE : cost less than $150. LaserActive is Pioneer’s attempt to : Saturn is a 32-bit system using multiple processors add additional multimedia capabilities to the laserdisc format it has long sup- : and a double-speed CD-ROM drive, and will likely cost ported. The system consists of aconven- > between $250 and $300. Another take on the Sega plat- tional combination CD/laserdisc player, : form comes from JVC in the form of X’EYE, a Sega CD the Pioneer CLD-A100, and three op- tional control packs which allow it to : clone that adds karaoke capability. But at $399, it’s sig- also play Sega, NEC or Pioneer La- serKaraoke discs. Like virtually all laser- : nificantly pricier than Sega CD. disc players, the basic unit handles laserdiscs and CDs of all sizes. : Nintendo is teaming up with workstation gurus Sili- By adding the PAC-S10 module, : con Graphics for Project Reality, a 64-bit system that will which was developed by Sega of Japan, : use —at least initially—100-Megabyte silicon cartridges LaserActive can play eight- and 12-inch LaserActive Mega-LDs (a new type of instead of CD-ROMs. A CD-ROM drive, however, is ex- multimedia disc) as well as existing Sega : pected as an option. Estimated price: $250. Atari has CDs, regular Genesis ROM cartridges and standard CD+G discs. Two other already introduced its new Jaguar system ($250), a 64-bit modules are also available. The PAC- N10 module lets the A100 accept NEC’s cartridge-based unit that is gaining acceptance among new eight- and 10-inch LaserActive LD- ROM? discs, as well as Turbo Technolo- developers. The company is expected to offer a CD- gies’ DuoSoft discs and game cartridges, and CD+G titles. Pioneer’s PAC-K1 ROM drive ($200) and MPEG add-on later this year. module turns the player into a La- serKaraoke machine. Probably the biggest buzz coming from the multi- Because the system is laserdisc- media/gaming world right now involves Sony’s forthcom- based, it delivers high-quality analog ing PlayStation system. PlayStation will use a 32-bit continued on page 48 RISC CPU, with multiple processors for graphics and sound and a double-speed CD-ROM drive. Expected in eePeeeeeeeetheeU.S. by the fall of 1995, PlayStation will feature full- screen, full-motion video, and will have software support from big names like Capcom, Konami and Namco. NEC, which was the first company to offer a CD- : ROM accessory for a videogame system —the Turbo- : Grafx-1—6is rumored to be on its way back with a new :32-bit system called the FX that will feature a double- : speed CD-ROM drive. Pricing and availability have yet : to be announced. —JW OHI =S<TETRREO7.0100: Fed S3 Zoom IAGN-D4U5S5TLIRNPEI,RSOA-VLHS gegen s1I8s S“66951399 Gf f1 PRO/INDUSTRIAL ei Ou oleNKYO BOS AG-1970P S-VHS 1199.99 VM-H39A OmICeAnLLe ‘AG-A96_ Edit Controller CALL VM-ESSA TOP MEWS.‘aya‘WHHL 4ril0l 0 VMj-He5a7An HI-8 Boe 19.99 AG-3 3CCD. ass C Ghee ‘AG-460 2CCD HiFiEdit2499. AG-195 198 \\VN-750 SAME AS SONY TR1 01 \\N-550 SAME AS SONY TR-91 \\VN-340 SAME AS SONY TR- 65 RVHS | LSUENNPMAAKR NNoo MMeemmooryr.y....C.CAALLLL 1PPnVV-1sI0a-732070:04¢big SHS at9.3999 K‘iAcOS L LARGES ELECTIOJ!ON OF haMe n SONY HOME & CAR 499.99 ALL OTHER MODELS..GALL ALL LeS rateindy 7s 5 Tear saep i ans MULT=I-SYSTEeMthErQsUcIiPMnEiNsT b=3=}5) es a Wholesale Prices To The Public... Ofrecenvingmerchandisoenlyifreturned in original mint condition with origipnaalckage andunfilled warranty cards. US alaoked‘elurned authorization before returning product. Some items listed may be parallel imports and do not include USA Warranty returns. May be subject to restocking fee. Quantities imiled prices effective through August ag Call for A ‘and handling charges. No surcharge on credit cards. We Ship All merchandise is brand new and factory fresh. Prices areformail order only. 10% deposit required for COD orders. Pleas allow 3 to 4 weeks delivery time for personal check orders, ‘xchange of refund less Sippngof inwaithin jessAndUS Mail. Ra eal shleks nueptipoalolnss Circle 14 on Reader Service Card. AUGUST 1994 VIDEO 35

HYPE,BY FRANK BEACHAM HOPE of the services we’ve already been primed to anticipate, but it sets them in a time frame lengthened by unresolved is- sues and humongous develop- ment costs. What should we really expect? For a start: &REALITY e Digital technology is be- ginning to supplant analog NTSC television as the only route into the home, bringing with it visibly better TV pic- tures. Ditto for sound: for the first time, TV audio is becoming digital on all channels, and much of it will be sur- round. e We'll see this year the first alterna- tives to cable, and be able to choose the quality of our home receiving system. There will be a greater array of programs and starting times; choices will be in- creasingly available when we want to Why the video superhighway will take watch them. e In a few years we'll have the tech- longer & cost more than anyone believed. nical capability for video-on-demand, a service that will allow us to order vir- tually any movie or program for instant Much of the information superhighway doses of reality to a process that was in viewing. We'll also have interactivity. eventually will be paved with video. But danger of becoming more superhypeway We'll be using our TV sets to play real- the brave new-world of slick interactive time videogames with friends across entertainment that is struggling to find than superhighway. town, explore libraries and databases, forms and acceptance will take longer Most of us can see how the informa- shop, bank and conduct various other and cost more than its developers would like us to believe. Not all that glitters is tion revolution is shaking up and merg- transactions. interactive. Blown apart mega-mergers, ing familiar technologies like television, telephone, personal computer and fax e Ultimately, we'll have home-to- technical difficulties, the true costs of systems. But it’s less clear how events home video communications through an are affecting home video, and where the interactive information infrastructure. new services and an uncertain regula- line between fact and fantasy actually Virtually anyone will be able to make a tory environment are setting back im- lies. A realistic picture of video’s future video program and distribute it to the portant projects, and adding powerful along the superhighway includes many video “address” of anyone else. Anyone Building the Video Sling abei Infobahn: Creating an advanced video interactive games system is a nation- ar ve wide job. Here’s US West y le a and developed. Cabflieberreoppltiaccsedfowrith | video-on\" movies-on-demand, | seibcraossiotate, TC! vi—de—o progerta0ms gaimnetser,actmiuvseicguviiddeeso,s, Oyusers at electronic classifieds eesshigehlspeeds Cox Cable : a AT : | a‘; Cheashoppiinng g aa}nd| ae Homes-on-aemane

will be able to become a video producer Myhrvold, senior vice president of tech- the cost of wiring every home in the through a worldwide system of video nology at Microsoft Corp. “There are U.S. with fiber optics at more than $100 e-mail. debates going on over whether we'll use billion, but is so much fiber-optic cable really necessary? e To facilitate this, desktop video smart TVs,” he said. “Others say it’s will become inexpensive, giving both going to be personal computers. Others In fact, what is necessary? There’s no hobbyists and pros the power to create say it will all merge into one grand de- consensus at all about what kind of wire high-quality programs at home. Need a vice, the Swiss Army knife of consumer should connect the video superhighway. special effect? No problem. Dial up the special-effects computer at a high-end electronics.” Microsoft, itself, has agree- A wire needs to be able to support video service company and rent a few 100,000 bits per second to transmit still minutes of time with the latest effects ments with Tele-Communications, Inc. pictures, 300,000 bits for CD-quality software. Then download the result to (TCI) and Rogers Cablesystems, the music and 3 million bits for video. Coax- your desktop computer. largest cable operators in the U.S. and ial cable can carry about 1 gigabyte/sec- Canada, to develop a software system ond, far more than the 1 or 2 gigabits Each of these technologies is do-able called Tiger for interactive cable and today, and plans are afoot to deploy personal computers. fiber optic cable now carries, but re- them all. Many companies say their new video services will be here sooner rather BUILDING COSTS searchers are already pushing 10 gigabits/ than later. But don’t bet on it. Announ- second through fiber and predicting cements are often made by the need to Lately the reality of building the su- they'll eventually hit 100. (Forget about impress Wall Street, and projects driven perhighway, particularly the high-speed copper phone wire; fiber can carry at more by the fear of being left behind video lanes, has begun to hit home. The least 125,000 times more information.) than by genuine breakthroughs have a failures of the $21-billion merger be- way of making the future seem closer tween Bell Atlantic and TCI, and be- The cost of hooking up just one than it is, like the image of a truck in a tween Southwestern Bell and Cox home to the information superhighway rear-view mirror. The enormous chal- will be between $1,000 and $1,500 with lenges facing video applications on the Enterprises, the delay of Time Warner’s perhaps another $500 needed for mar- info highway are easy to underestimate. keting, estimates David Londoner, man- Key technologies are still untested, fi- Full Service Network in Orlando, Flori- aging director of Wertheim Schroder & nancial risks are huge, and complex and da, TCI’s decision to delay buying a mil- Co., a New York-based investment firm costly physical infrastructures have to be lion digital cable boxes from General specializing in the entertainment indus- constructed. Creating a large-scale, two- try. “The technology is not yet per- way, video-capable communications sys- Instrument, and numerous other trou- fected,’’ said tem will be among the most ambitious bled projects are raising questions about Londoner. ‘‘I engineering projects ever undertaken. the real costs and difficulties of the don’t mean to video superhighway. suggest there are Such a system must perform insurmountable flawlessly across many kinds of networks No one knows what it will really technical prob- while working as simply as a telephone. cost, but the numbers cited are in the lems, but they Yet the system’s overall shape has still to same league as strategic defense pro- are there and be determined, according to Nathan P. that, as well as jects. The Wall Street Journal guessti- the capital costs, mated the cost of the highway at $107 implies to us that billion by adding up the capital spending plans of cable and phone companies, but noted that much of the money would be spent anyway. Another estimate pegs Full Service Network for movies-on-demand, home shopping and interactive games Time Warner, Silicon Graphics, Scientific Atlanta NSEHDAW

HYPE, HOPE this thing is further away than a lot of y -Q-Be Se Qeape eHoTO @jquores les es a Video Access: @)cur @) KevwionDs Prototype interface people are forecasting.” However, if the highway is going to Ree 1:29 PM (ET) 1/12 for the Full Service = LA Times in Multimedia Venture Network (above) take longer to establish than we’ve been LOS ANGELES-The Los Angeles Times said today it uses a mall meta- led to believe, it’s also fair to observe phor with each | is joining Pacific Telesis Group to start an electronic that important video projects are al- Fy building offering ac- teady coming online. In the world’s first shopping information service offering news, cess to related deployment of a totally digital TV deliv- advertising and promotional materi als. services; to the right, ery system, Hughes Communications’ actress Teri Garr DirecTv and Hubbard Broadcasting’s - erty =e shares screen space United States Satellite Broadcasting (USSB) division have teamed with with a newswire on Thomson Consumer Electronics to de- Prodigy TV, a video- liver programs directly from a satellite to capable version of consumers via small 18-inch antennas. Scheduled to begin transmissions as this the online service be- article goes to press, direct broadcast ing tested for delivery satellite service will realize several of the technical breakthroughs noted above: by cable. e For the first time most American suffice to say it’s a milestone in ad- and telephone companies are fighting in homes will have access to a true alterna- vanced video communications. the courts and in Congress for the right tive to cable. Consumers who have been to enter each other’s businesses. At the complaining about cable TV service will And it’s not alone. Primestar Part- same time companies like Time Warner, ners offers a rental alternative to DSS. A have a choice other than pulling the Primestar distributor will come to your Viacom, Bell Atlantic, TCI, US West plug. home and install a rental system capable and AT&T are beginning trials of vary- of bringing in 77 channels. Primestar ing complexity to perfect their systems e For the first time videophiles will subscribers get a large lineup of tradi- and gauge consumer reaction to interac- be able to bypass traditional NTSC tional cable fare plus ten channels of tive TV and video services. transmissions and receive component pay-per-view movies and special events. The most anticipated test is Time pictures. Because DirecTv and USSB Launched in 40 test markets in 1990, are digital systems, NTSC’s analog im- Warner’s Full Service Network, which perfections are eliminated. To bypass Primestar now serves about 70,000 it’s creating with Scientific Atlanta and NTSC, subscribers would simply use the homes. With it’s new $250 million digi- S-video Y/C connection between the tal transmission system, also just getting Silicon Graphics, maker of the advanced DirecTv satellite receiver and their TV underway, programs will be delivered TV-top boxes that will be used in the ex- with interference-free pictures and digi- periment. The network is intended as a sets. tal sound. The key difference between comprehensive rehearsal for consumer e For the first time on any American Primestar and DirecTv/USSB is that acceptance of video-on-demand, home Primestar requires a significantly larger shopping and interactive games. The TV system, all video channels will be 39-inch diameter dish. switching technology it plans to employ, delivered to the home with digital audio. Surround sound, transmitted digitally, AT WAR FOR YOUR WIRE known as asynchronous transfer mode, will be dramatically enhanced. The picture for advanced video will permit phone calls, data, text and video to share the same wire. e For the first time near video-on- services over wire is far muddier. Cable demand will be offered to a mass audi- That wire will extend to 4,000 ence. About 50 movie channels on Di- homes (linked at an estimated cost of recTv alone will insure that a viewer can always catch the beginning of a major film within 15 to 30 minutes of turning on the set. e For the first time programs using a wide 16:9 aspect ratio will be available ona TV distribution system. DirecTv says it will broadcast any 16:9 programs provided by producers. Owners of 16:9 TV sets would, for the first time, have a source for high-quality widescreen films other than laserdiscs. To receive these new services con- sumets must first purchase the Digital Satellite System receiver built and mar- keted by RCA. The basic model, priced at $699, consists of an 18-inch receiving dish, a set-top receiver/decoder and a remote control. We’ll have more to say about DSS as the national rollout, planned for October, nears. For now, 38 VIDEO AUGUST 1994

$7,000 each). However, Time Warner perts as well. Ben Barnes, a senior IBM service that earns less than it costs, but has had to postpone the launch until executive whose Power Parallel Systems that draws people into more profitable later this year because of the difficulty of division builds the huge computer serv- services they might not otherwise use. creating the software that will run the ers that will store movies for video-on- Of course, if every video service is a loss system. Time Warner denies there are leader, says Barnes, “you don’t stay in serious problems, but some industry demand, is dubious of many video-on- business very long.” watchers doubt so complex a system can demand promises. “It’s assumed the con- be built as quickly or cost effectively as sumer will pay a premium for video-on- What about interactive movies and the company claims. demand if he doesn’t have to go out to games? Strauss Zelnick, former president the video store and if he can always get of Twentieth Century Fox and now They have good reasons to be skepti- cal. In test after test, the number of the movie he wants to see,” says Barnes. I site Options —Navigate Armotite homes actually wired for advanced “But estimates for that premium are f} Document Title: [Gv TC Heae Page marginal, anywhere from as little as a } Document URL: [http gon, connota/travel yndex hem video services falls far short of the num- dollar to as high as five dollars.” ber test sponsors initially announced. <a Barnes predicts video-on-demand FRAVELERS’ And not all tests are as advanced as they will be available on about half the na- tion’s cable networks in the next five iS EON Roe ee seem. In Cerritos, California, site of years. He also believes it will coexist long-running experiments by GTE with other multimedia services that will What's Up Corp., the movie-on-demand service generate the real revenue to support the iving BONN Ar ens Center iapduites vinematt was fulfilled by sneaker-clad workers emerging video infrastructure. Such ap- who shuffled tapes from shelves to VCRs Ne, tnt 9 bit Pou vould Like \\o-subacr ibe ti immediately after receiving viewer re- plications, he said, will include home shopping and financial transactions, ‘Travelers’ Talk quests. (Nevertheless, GTE must have e-mail, digital libraries, virtual reality been encouraged by the results. The and interactive training. Big World XI is company, which delivers phone service It had better. True video-on-demand ew Wirday||Chose Windors} in 33 states, recently said it will build a video network using fiber-optic and co- will require video servers, massive com- Net Gain: Internet travel service, running under axial cable for 4 million homes during puters that can store and transmit large Global Network Navigator by O'Reilly & Associates, the coming decade. The new cabling numbers of feature films, not guys in uses video weather maps and may eventually be- would run alongside GTE’s existing sneakers shuttling tapes back and forth. come available via cable. While the technology to do this is un- phone lines.) derstood, servers could require about CEO of Crystal Dynamics, a high-end “T don’t think this information su- 80,000 gigabytes of disk space (equiva- videogame producer, says the hurdles lent to about 400,000 PCs) just to store are primarily technical. ‘““There’s no perhighway is going to happen so fast,” the contents of a typical video rental shortage of capital willing to chase al- said Frank J. Biondi Jr., president and outlet. Then the system will have to be most any hair-brained scheme as long as CEO of Viacom. Biondi told entertain- it’s called interactive,” says Zelnick. ment and financial executives at a re- able to send films to thousands of homes “But we are still not at the stage where cent New York conference sponsored by at the same time. This is uncharted ter- we can film an actor, digitize the actor Wertheim Schroder & Co. and Variety ritory: true video servers have yet to be and create something that’s better look- that it might take 10 years before even built. Even when the technical kinks are ing than anything created in a comput- half of the country can receive en- worked out, it will be a long time before er.” Zelnick contends that even the best hanced video services. “It will probably video servers can compete economically interactive games are “pretty primitive” with the $2 charge of an overnight mov- and that the industry is still far from be- take our children to realize it fully,” Bi- ie rental. ing able to re-master a motion picture ondi added. into a CD-ROM environment. Because of the expense of true The near-term prospects for video- video-on-demand, Barnes says it may THE D.C. FACTOR have to be a loss leader, the kind of Another factor that could stall new on-demand, often touted as a “killer” application on the info superhighway, is video services is the increasingly shrill viewed with skepticism by computer ex- relationship between the federal govern- ment and the cable and telephone in- Fast What’s actually happening on the video superhighway? dustries. For example, just in response to Here’s a checklist to help you sort the progress from the the FCC’s latest round of cable regula- Lanes tions and rate’cuts, cable companies an- promises. The first set of innovations are already appear- nounced major spending cuts on their And ing, the second set may not be realized for years. part. TCI, which has committed $11 bil- olOW lion to video-oriented networks over the What’s Real next several years, is suspending $500 Lanes million in planned capital investments, e Digital component video transmissions. while Time Warner Cable, the country’s e Digital sound delivery for TV programs. continued on page 68 e High-quality pictures using the wide 16:9 aspect ratio. e The first new alternative to cable TV. : e Widening choice of movies at more frequent starting times. What’s Not Yet Real e True video-on-demand. e Truly interactive video programs. e Home-to-home interactive video communications. e Sophisticated, low-cost desktop video production at home. —FB AUGUST 1994 VIDEO 939

What's the word on fall’s new lines? Think bigger, thinner, flatter, smarter. “I could use a hand here,” announced novations. We traveled from Maui, Wide Debut: Sharp's first widescreen TV, the 34-inch Claude Frank, Toshiba’s video product where Panasonic held court, to Or- 34W1000, will be followed by a 30-inch set next January. marketing manager. Poised in a white lab coat, standing stage right behind a lando, Florida, where Sharp Elec- tail at the edges of the picture, plus a tronics set up shop, with layovers in wider viewing angle. The electron guns podium, Frank had just begun telling an will compensate for the flatter inner cor- Indiana, California, Arizona, New Jer- ners using a process Toshiba called “dy- assembly of audio/video dealers about sey, New York and a couple other points namic quadruple focus.” TVs using it the company’s new VCRs. Suddenly, a in between. will be the 32-inch CX32D70 and large rubber arm sailed into view, and CN32D90 sets, and the 35-inch bounced before settling beside Frank’s This year’s lines feature flurries of CX35D70 and CN35D90 models at left foot. improvements, major and minor. TVs prices ranging from $1,799 to $2,599. are getting a little bigger, a little thinner, Toshiba’s first TVCR, the industry’s a little flatter. Projection sets biggest, reflects the booming sales TVCRs are experiencing. The are growing still more so- CV27D48 ($999) is a 27-inch set with a four-head hi-fi VCR so well concealed phisticated. Camcorders the unit looks like a conventional TV. A comb filter, A/V inputs, MTS stereo and VCRs are getting a sound, analog onscreen clocks, a full- little simpler. Last year’s Deluxe TVCR: Toshiba’s first TVCR, the CV27D48, is a 27-incher with a well-concealed four-head VCR. high-end features are trickling into less costly models. But prices, over- all, are holding steady and, unless feared short- ages of big-screen TV Dish Fed: RCA’s RV3791F receiver has a DSS jack. tubes come to pass, it will probably be a buyer’s “Here’s your hand, master,” hissed market out there. Here’s what we saw Frank’s hunchbacked assistant Igor, who among a baker’s dozen of companies, was lurking in the shadows at the rear of and what you'll soon see: the stage. “Would you like another one?” he muttered in a half-baked Transylvanian drawl. Setting up shop in Carlstadt, California at the La Costa Resort The audience loved it, which was a & Spa (where it’s sponsoring a good thing, since Toshiba was trying to inject a few laughs into the fact-satu- tennis tournament this month), tated product demos it was giving its Toshiba told nearly 200 dealers it’s dealers that day. It’s not easy keeping moving more aggressively into big jaded store retailers entertained. screens. As proof, it introduced Each spring, major manufacturers new flatter picture tubes, a deluxe preview their fall and winter products TVCR, and projection sets with for top electronics buyers. This year saw high-contrast screens and re- more than the usual number of show- designed remotes. ings, so Video Magazine went on the road for an extended preview of Autumn’s in- Four new 32- and 35-inch sets will use the tube Toshiba calls FST Perfect. Toshiba has re- 3 This story was written by Stan Pinkwas worked the inner and the outer with contributions by Stewart Applegath, surfaces of its FST tube so they Jim Barry, Brent Butterworth and Kenneth more closely conform to each oth- Korman. er for less distortion and better de- 40 VIDEO AUGUST 1994

that emphasize ease of use with fewer, larger buttons. tupSETpUrPocedure RCA sells more Lt help you configure color TVs than any- ~YCR, Would you — ike to begin the one else. But like setup procedure now? some TV makers One, Two, Three: RCA VCRs will be simpler to configure. this year, it’s put- function remote, and onscreen prompts (like a “No Cassette” warning) round ting a lot of ef- out the package. fort into Toshiba’s eight projection sets, rang- ing from 48 to 56 inches, all have a high- larger screen contrast screen for richer colors and the company’s slimmest cabinets: the 48- sizes, where Full Bodied: Hitachi VHS inchers are less than 20 inches deep. In higher profit VM3700A with 24x digital zoom. VCRs, the company is introducing two margins reside. new VHS decks, the M-660 and the M-650 with flying pre-amps on the That’s why six of RCA’s new TVs are $1,200. Technics announced a mini head drums, and extending the V3 chassis it introduced at the start of projection sets, ranging in size from 46 component system with the first Video the year to all six decks in its new to 60 inches, that are packaged in new CD player, also $1,200, and said it will series. The chassis increases re- liability and reduces the number of slim cabinets with depths of 24-inches or have more Video CD products in ‘95. parts needed. less. Two projection models with deeper The 35-inch TV sets are the One group of products you won’t be seeing soon, if ever, is profiles—the 52-inch P52770EB CT-35S31 ($2,099) and the CT-35S21 Toshiba’s high-concept collection. ($3,099) and the 46-inch P46770CK ($1,899). They include PanaBlack Toshiba showed dealers an array of fas- ($2,799) — include underscreen storage black-screen picture tubes, the compa- cinating prototypes that included a TV with a built-in laserdisc or CD-ROM compartments for home theater audio ny's Easicon Menu System, picture-in- player (take your pick), a wireless 8mm and video components. VCR, a folding pocket-size LCD projec- picture, and artificial intelligence cir- tor, a TV with a dockable VCR, a CCD color desktop camera for video e-mail, RCA is fielding seven new VCRs cuits that digitally control color and personal video assistants, a futuristic flexible LCD screen, and a TVCR witha =q contrast levels. The Easicon sys- built-in video camera. In fact, cigar-sized cameras, like the one David Letterman tem uses a set of graphic icons to uses, were squeezed into almost any product, like a wireless cellular video- access functions like PIP, closed phone, that could accomodate one. captions and audio/video adjust- RCA The big news for Thomson Consum- ments. Each function has a differ- er Electronics this year is the receivers ent icon and can be selected using it’s making for the Digital Satellite Sys- tem, the small-dish, direct-broadcast op- the remote. eration to be launched this fall (when we'll have more to say about the pro- The improved viewfinders, ject). However; the company also intro- duced a new line of RCA products, with 180,000 pixels, deliver crisper including slimmed-down TVs, a re- vamped series of VCRs, and camcorders Time Machine: Sony's SLV-77HF VHS VCR automat- images. They’re turning up on two new ically sets its clock by reading broadcast time settings. compact Palmcorders, the PV-54 and seven camcorders. All the VCRs ($1,699) and the $1,400 PV-S64 (re- viewed in July’s “Videotests”), which use a new chassis that reduces the parts also have digital image stabilization and count by 30 percent. The VR721HF full-size video heads. The new editing ($749) includes an innovative digital jog/shuttle that eliminates the familiar Table Topper: Mitsubishi's TS-4553, a slim, 45-inch dial in favor of menu-driven naviga- |. rear-projection TV, only weighs 110 pounds. tion buttons on a standard remote control. The camcorders include 8mm, VHS-C and full-size VHS mod- els—RCA is now the only brand to cover all three forma—twisth at least one model in each format featuring a color viewfinder. PANASONIC AND TECHNICS Celebrating 35 years of U.S. oper- ations, Matsushita Consumer Elec- tronics drew Panasonic and Technics dealers to Hawaii, where it displayed the first 35-inch direct-view TVs for Panasonic, improved color view- finders and a pair of new high-end editing VCRs. Panasonic also intro- duced its first THX A/V receiver, for AUGUST 1994 VIDEO 41

INNOVATIONS Video Dashboard: new models of its flagship LCD prod- els for a total of 336,960 pixels, and ucts, it also broadened its line of con- more than 400 lines of resolution. Sharp’s high-concept ventional TVs to include a 34-inch, 16:9 direct-view set, revamped its VHS In VCRs, Sharp is now fully commit- dashboard shows how VCRs and unveiled three new Slimcam ted to center-drive models with a new VHS camcorders. tape transport, the Full Load Rapid Re- its LCD monitors sponse System, that it says shortens the Sharp executives said they sold more time the VCR takes to change func- could be used for nav- than 130,000 ViewCams in the U.S. last tions. The VHS Slimcams include one year and expect to reach 200,000 this 12x model that weighs a mere 3.3 igation, system alerts year thanks to a quartet of new models. pounds. Topping the line is the Hi8 VLH400U HITACHI and entertainment. ($2,199) that adds features like Instant Playback with slow motion, 8x power In a year that seems to be about in- decks are the PV-4466 ($649) and the cremental changes, Hitachi unveiled S-VHS PV-S4480 ($1,099). They in- zoom, 16:9 compatibility, onscreen some distinctive camcorders and TVs it clude jog/shuttle dials on the front pan- menus and backlight compensation. feels will increase its visibility. Chief els and the remotes, flying erase heads, (See “Videotests” for a review.) among them is a Hi8 camcorder, the and assemble editing for programming up to eight scenes. The S-VHS model Sharp's 16:9 TV set, due out about continued on page 72 also has a digital timebase corrector. now, includes six picture adjustment set- tings and is expected to sell for between Vroom Boxes: Sony's KP-53BR25 TV includes a SONY $3,000 and $4,000. Sharp also said it laminated contrast screen, while Technics will have a 30-inch 16:9 TV ready next SC-VC10 mini system has a Video CD player. Sony’s new products are highlighted January. The new 24-pound SharpVision by the first VCRs to set their clocks au- XV-H35U LCD projector ($4,695) in- tomatically using broadcasts. PBS sta- tions are transmitting time and date corporates a trio of three-inch LCD pan- signals as part of the Extended Data Service on field 2 of the line reserved for closed captions in the vertical blanking interval of TV signals. Sony’s SLV-770HF ($599) and SLV-920HF ($649) VHS VCRs, already on shelves, receive the signal and reset their clocks each time the deck is turned off. Sony’s TV line is broader than ever, with an expanded group of big screens and 15 direct-view models ranging from a 9-incher with a shelf bracket suitable for kitchens to a new top-of-the-line 32- inch XBR2 set for $2,599. New features include a Program Pallette on the Trini- tron sets that uses preset picture adjust- ments for different types of programs, and a picture control called Lumi- sponder on V-series sets that automat- ically adjusts picture levels for room lighting conditions. Three new 46- and 53-inch rear-projection sets include a new Pro-Optic screen that combines a high-contrast layer with a transparent shield to protect the lenticular surface from such typical screen hazards as small, curious children. SHARP While Sharp Electronics introduced 42 VIDEO AUGUST 1994

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BY BRENT BUTTERWORTH Charge ofthe Video experts and I recently evaluated 11 video agree: The most lights from four companies. We important cam- corder accessory is started by using each light in a definitely an extra battery. Or a tripod. real-world application: We il- Or a wireless micro- phone. Or a color luminated two subjects in the LCD monitor. dark at a distance of eight Obviously, there are several accessories feet to get a rough idea of any camcorder owner should consider buying. how each light would perform But most will only help you get a better in a normal indoor Prerures ox shooting situation. video light, on the other hand, All the lights were will let you get a picture when used at full power, you otherwise couldn't. with diffusers at- Even when tached if they were you're exploiting the low-light ca- included. pability of today’s camcorders, a light We then will help you get a measured each vivid, colorful pic- ture instead of a light’s output and browned-out, noisy coverage with a image. If you shoot indoors (or outdoors light meter at a at night), you'll have a tough time getting distance of one good images from your camcorder meter. We con- without a video light. sidered a light’s But how much light do you need? effective range of Will an inexpensive 10-watter do, or do coverage to be the you need more pow- er? And does it pay angle at which light to buy the more ex- pensive lights with output fell to half. extras like automatic light sensors? In this Finally, we con- article, we'll examine the performance of a ducted a run-down wide range of video lights, and point out test with each light to advantages and dis- advantages you prob- check the battery life. Howably didn’t know You can get a rough existed. idea of battery life in stackTechnical editor hours by dividing the Lancelot Braithwaite light’s power rating in watts by its operating voltage, then dividing the amp/hour rating of the battery by the result. (Batteries are usually rated in milli- amp/hours; to con- vert to amp/hours, just divide by 1,000.) But sometimes, the 22 CV-200 theoretical battery life doesn’t quite cor- respond to actual per- formance. The battery life ratings given below =h represent the approx- imate time it takes for 11 of video's brigh test stars the light to run down to half-power. You up against the light meter. might get a minute or two of usable light beyond half-power, 44 VIDEO AUGUST 1994

but in most cases, the light will diminish patterns. We’ll describe each light be- twin bulbs makes this light an attractive choice. rapidly once the battery has discharged low, grouped by manufacturer. COOL-LUX this far. Keep in mind that our ratings e Micro-Lux LK 2100 (35 watts, $70 are approximate. Given the unpredic- AMBICO plus $20 for power cord, bulbs and bat- tery not included). With its rugged met- tability of the nickel-cadmium cells sup- e V-8810 (10 watts, $55). The lowest- al chassis, the Micro-Lux has a professional look and feel. Its very plied with these lights, you could get two powered light we tested, the V-8810 bright, 892-lux beam has a tight spread of 11 degrees horizontal, 10 degrees verti- or three minutes more or less life, de- concentrates its beam to put out a re- cal—good for shooting one or two peo- ple, or subjects at a distance, but not so pending on how carefully you charge the spectable 172 lux. The beam is very hot for covering large areas at close dis- tance. It’s intense enough to bother your battery. tight, with horizontal and vertical cover- subjects, so carry a diffuserT.he beam has a square pattern, which is unusual, If you fail to discharge the battery age of 12 degrees. The light hit half-pow- but we didn’t find it troublesome. before you recharge it, the battery devel- er after 18 minutes. Most camcorder With Cool-Lux’s hefty belt-mount ops “memory,” and it won't last as long enthusiasts will find they need more battery, it took 145 minutes to drop to half-power. (You might even be able to on the next charge. You can also impair light—in our real-world test, the light get three hours of usable light from it.) At $90 plus $90 for the battery pack, it’s battery life by overcharging. That’s easy fell off considerably at the edges of the expensive, but well worth it for the in- tense beam, long life and sturdy con- to do with most of these lights, because subjects’ faces. struction. Casual users won’t want to haul around the heavy battery, but all but one lack regulator chips inside e V-0880 (20 watts, $75). The Cool-Lux also offers a smaller, 2.3-amp/ hour battery for $80. the charger to cut off the power when V-0880 puts out an intense, 440-lux e U-3 Tri-Lite (up to 105 watts, $200 the battery is charged. So even though beam that did a fine job of lighting our plus $20 for power cord, battery and bulbs not included). With its three light operating a light might seem simple, two subjects. The beam is a bit broader sockets, the U-3 is the most expensive, versatile and powerful light we tested. don’t toss away those instruc- You can use any combination of bulbs you want; we used two 35-watt floods tio—nfolslow the manufac- and a 20-watt spot. (Bulbs cost $14 to turer’s charging recommen- dations to the letter. Or if you can, use your camcorder bat- tery charger, which probably has a regulator. We tested five basic, no- frills lights, two with switchable power, two with sensors that AMBICO automatically switch to a lower setting when possible, one that snaps onto the back of a cam- corder, and one high-end mod- el that holds three bulbs. The lights came from Am- bico, Cool-Lux, Sima and Sun- pak. Six use readily available batteries that are interchange- able with those used on most Sony, Panasonic and JVC sub- compact camcorders. The Sunpak and more usable than the V-8810’s, at 17 Readylite 20 and CZ-300, and the Am- degrees horizontal, 13 degrees vertical. bico V-8810, use proprietary batteries, The light doesn’t last long, though: which you'll have to get from an autho- about 12 minutes to half-power. rized dealer or straight from the compa- e V-0882 (10/20/30 watts, $100). ny. The Cool-Lux lights have car-lighter This light has one 10-watt and one 20- plugs, so you can use them with a variety watt bulb, which can be used singly or in of 12-volt battery packs. We used a $90, combination to get the light just right. 6.5-amp/hour “memory-free” battery With both bulbs on, it puts out a 170-lux with a belt strap. beam. It achieved the broadest spread of We. were surprised to find out that any light in the test: 27 degrees horizon- video lights are not a commodity item— tal, and vertical. The result is light that’s they’re very different, and using the | reasonably bright, and very well wrong one can result in lousy video. spre—aiddeal for shooting groups of up While most have approximately the to perhaps eight people. At 30 watts, the same color temperature (2,900 to 3,000 V-0882 lasted a respectable 21 minutes degrees Kelvin), they offer widely vary- to half-power; it'll last longer at lower ing amounts of light, in widely varying settings. The versatility afforded by the AUGUST 1994 VIDEO 45

LIGHT BRIGADE about 200 people. With at times. Battery life is only 15 minutes the U-3 on a light stand at full power, but about three times that (it’s the only one of the at low power. Like the SL-8, it offers a lights that fits on one) and good balance of characteristics for home all the bulbs burning, I video. was able to light up a row of dancers from about 30 e SL-6N (15 watts, $37). This un- feet away. This light’s ex- usual light fits between a battery and a camcorder, drawing power from the pensive, but worth it. camcorder’s battery. It works only with camcorders where the battery snaps SIMA onto the rear. Sima included a power e SL-8 (30 watts, $70). meter on the side, a feature Lance | The SL-8 put out a very loved. The SL-6N provided the least in- tensity of all the ligh—tosnly 87.2 lux— usable 246-lux beam with but a generous spread of 25 degrees hori- a broad spread of 15 de- zontal, 24 degrees vertical. grees horizontal, 14 de- The problem with this design is that grees vertical. For typical it drastically cuts camcorder battery life: home video, this light With a 2,400-milliamp/hour battery on a strikes an almost ideal bal- ance between intensity Panasonic PV-S62, it cut camcorder and angle of coverage. running time from tk minutes to tk min- | However, Sima’s SL-9 of- utes. But if you need an affordable light ' fers two light settings, and costs only $5 more. Bat- for occasional use in close-up shots, the tery life is a bit short at 15 SL-6N makes a lot of sense. minutes. SUNPAK e SL-9 (10/30 watts, e Readylite 20 (20 watts, $80). The Readylite 20 is a nice, compact design Angle Advantage: Lights with a tight angle of coverage, like Ambico’s $75). The SL-9’s dual with a tight, intense beam —our tests re- V-8810 (top), can safely illuminate only one or two subjects. Lights with power settings produce vealed an output of 502 lux with a broad coverage, like Sima’s SL-9 (bottom), can cover much larger ar- beams of 71.5 and 238 lux. spread of 13 degrees horizontal and ver- eas without producing a “hot spot” in the middle of the picture. The spread is 24 degrees tical. The Readylite is great for one or two subjects, but don’t try to shoot large horizontal, 21 degrees ver- groups with it. Also, its high brightness tical at full power; it may bother your subjects—I’ve used a Readylite for a year, and I often find my- $16 each.) All can be selected indepen- slightly differs at low power. Because the dently with separate switches on the beam is oval-shaped, you might experi- back, and triggered together with a mas- ence fall-off in the corners of the picture ter switch. It has a tiny frame you can use to hold diffusers or gels—we used the diffuser all the time to keep it from blinding our subjects. With the 20-watt spot, the angle of coverage is 14 degrees horizontal, and vertical, at 158 lux. Turning on one 35- watt flood boosts the brightness to 261 lux, and increases the spread to 18 de- grees horizontal and vertical. With all three bulbs burning, the output is 336 lux, the horizontal spread is 19 degrees, the vertical is 20 degrees, and battery life is 31 minutes. (It would last hours with only one bulb going.) The U-3 was overkill for the real- world shot — just one of its 35-watt bulbs provided plenty of light. To get a better idea of what the U-3 could do, I brought it along on a promotional video shoot— a party in a 50- by 50-foot room with 46 VIDEO AUGUST 1994

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self using a sheet of tissue paper to dif- liked this light because of its zoom fea- for review. Both Triad Stone, which fea- ture and long life —we’d just leave it on tures Japanese-style animation and Dol- fuse it. Battery life is a shortish 14 full power all the time. by Surround, and Pyramid Patrol, a space action/adventure with Roland Sound minutes. e CZ-300 (30 watts, $200). This ex- Space 3-D sound, looked and sounded pensive light put out an awesome 1,430 e CZ-200 (15 watts, $140). The lux at full power, 472 lux when the light great. However, with games priced at up CZ-200 is the only light of the bunch sensor kicked in. Fortunately, it didn’t to $120 a pop, even dedicated gamers with adjustable spread—it has a zoom buzz in low-power mode, and its color may hesitate to spend the money re- temperature only dropped to 2,700 de- quired to build up a library of titles. lever on the side. At the spotlight set- grees Kelvin. The beam is tight, at 13 de- ting, the spread was 10 degrees horizon- grees horizontal and vertical. The Price, in fact, is LaserActive’s most tal and vertical; at the flood setting, 18 pattern is slightly oval, which caused no serious drawback. Even with the recent degrees horizontal, 19 degrees vertical. problems for us. The light comes with a We loved this feature —it lets you get removeable diffuser. Battery life was price cuts, the CLD-A100 player is $755, perfect lighting easily, and avoid blind- very good —25 minutes at full power. the expansion module needed for games are priced at $485 each and the karaoke ing your subjects. For applications requiring lots of pack costs $350. Even the least expen- The CZ-200 offers automatic light sive LaserActive configurations consti- light over a small area, the CZ-300 is tute a serious step-up in cost from any sensi—nwgith the feature switched on, terrific. But it may be overkill for most it lowers the power to the bulb when home videos —the. bright, tight light other system mentioned in this story. there’s significant ambient light. Unfor- may bother your subjects. If Sunpak had tunately, this lowers the color tempera- included zoom in the CZ-300, too, it COMMODORE AMIGA CD32 ture to 2,590 degrees Kelvin and causes might be the perfect home video light. = a buzzing sound that could leak into the Long a favorite of computer game camcorder’s mic. In the spotlight setting, MULTIMEDIA players, the Commodore Amiga com- output is a bright 577 lux at full power, puter lends more than just its name to 150 lux at half power. At the flood set- continued from page 35 the Amiga CD32, which Commodore ting, output is 224 lux at full power, 64 bills as the ultimate game machine. Es- lux at half power. video rather than compressed digital sentially an Amiga computer with a CD- video. Image quality, in fact, is LaserAc- ROM drive, the CD32 is an impressive Battery life is a healthy 28 minutes tive’s principle strength, at least as evi- game console with one, perhaps fatal, at full power, and that’s with a small, denced by the few Mega-LD titles sent flaw: At press time, parent company 1,200-milliamp/hour battery. Snap on a Commodore was in financial trouble and 2,400-milliamp/hour battery, and you said it had begun liquidation. might get a solid hour of light. Despite the quirks of its light sensor, we really That creates a tricky scenario for buyers. Since the company is selling off Is your Cable Company its assets, another company could pick up the system and either continue sell- Alienating You? ing it under its present name or relaunch it under its own brand. And with Com- Say NO to unearthly modore on the rocks, retailers may begin discounting the system so they don’t get rental fees! stuck with inventory. Owning your cable On the other hand, the system may go the way of its clunky predecessor, equipment saves you CDTYV, which quickly disappeared from the high cost of the market. Software support could also be a problem. While nearly 100 titles are monthly equipment available for the CD32 system, many are CDTV titles and Amiga ports, and few rental charges, and developers can be expected to devote resources to a system that could soon pyERROLD gives you control of become history. All of which is too bad, your TV. because CD32 is an enjoyable system. We have the Best in The Amiga CD32 uses Motorola’s 32-bit 68EC020 microprocessor wedded CONVERTERS and DESCRAMBLERS! to a double-speed CD-ROM drive. In addition, Commodore threw in its own Everquest ¢ Panasonic ¢ Jerrold ¢ Zenith ¢ Pioneer Advanced Graphics Architecture (AGA) chipset, which allows the system 1 800 624-1150Scientific Atlanta ¢ Oak ¢ Eagle ¢ Hamlin ¢ Tocom to display 256,000 colors from a palette of 16.8 million colors. Frc (Se. Mas' wat | oicoe=l ida cal Full-motion video is accomplished Member of via an optional ($249) MPEG module 875 S. 72 Street ¢ Omaha, NE 68114 National Consumer which will play Video CDs, Commo- Cable Association dore’s own software-compressed CDXL video and—as a result of an ability to lo- cate buried Philips codes —CD-i Digital Videos as well. Like other multimedia systems, CD32 plays audio CDs and CD+Gs, including karaoke discs. wi Circle 17 on Reader Service Card. 48 VIDEO AUGUST 1994