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_ Musi.i, c, Dialogue Musicu,i Only Yamaha Yamaha Cinema DSP gives dialogue more definition. Music, more &ffe 4 Ll tote Cinema DSP creates phantom dimension. And sound effects, far greater realism, more graphic detail fj\\ speakers that and superior placement. This breakthrough in realism is no small feat. 4)Z Phantom Speakers fully replicate It’s accomplished by multiplying the effects of Digital Sound Field the experience you get in multi- Processing and Dolby Pro Logic’ speaker movie Digital Sound Field Processing isYamaha's unique technology that theaters. It sounds so real, electronically recreates some of the finest performance spaces in the world. you'll swear you While Dolby Pro Logic places sound around the room, matching the hear sounds from places you dialogue and sound effects with the action on the screen. don't even have Together, these two technologies allow Yamaha to offer a complete line speakers. ©1994 Yamaha Electronics Corporation, USA. Cinema DSP is a trademark of Yamaha Electronics Corporation, Dolby Pro Logic is a registered trademark of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation.

ching a movie and actually being in one. of home theater components that outperform other comparatively priced products on the market. After reading this ad, ifyou get the feeling that watching a movie with Cinema DSP makes a world of difference, you're absolutely right. But don’t just take our word for it. Hear it for yourself. Stop by your local Yamaha dealer for a demonstration today. It’s one demo that’s bound to change the way you look at YAM AH A movies forever. Or at least for a very, very long time. For the dealer nearest you, call 1-800-4YAMAHA. Yamaha Electronics Corporation, USA. PO. Box 6660, Buena Park, CA 90622. Circle 1 on Reader Service Card.

FEATURES ~ PLAN YOUR HOME THEATER ae “a2 Key decisions for dreams rooms and 6 systems to help you make them. 48 By Ron Goldberg 52 56 VIDEO IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND | A buyer's guide toextra-small, ultra-portable TVs and monitors. By Johnathan Takiff HOTROD YOUR PC How to turn your work-a-day home computer into a dynamite CD-ROM game machine. By Ron Goldberg— . WARRANTY ROULETTE Are extended service plans helpful safety nets or a needless expense? By Merle Elson TAPES & DISCS REVIEWS/ Clear & Present Danger, Natural Born Killers on tape; Fred Astaire, My Fair 60 Lady, Ed Wood on laserdisc; Road Rash on 3D0; Macbeth and Beavis on CD-ROM 61 EDITOR’S CHOICE / Once Upon a Time in the West.ByKen Korman DIRECTORY / The latest releases on tape and disc 68 VIDEOTESTS MITSUBISHI HS-U550 VHS VCR ime, y a cn eae Cover: Getting serious GE CG400 Images 8mm Camcorder, about home the- Toshiba 27-inch CV27D48 TVCR, ater. Pictured are Sharp VC-H925U VHS VCR, ProScan’s 27-inch PS27153 TV, Magnavox 27-inch TP27-90 TV Fosgate’s Model Four surround DEPARTMENTS — CHANNEL ONE/Home theaters and small receivers Ni 8 processor, Sony’s FEEDBACK /Letters from readers - SLV-920HF VCR, Pioneer’s CLD- FAST FORWARD /Video CDs and CD-i, Alec Baldwin, George Gilder, 10 Years Ago, 10 D703 combi player and a front speak- Late Breaking News, more er from Energy’s Reference Video NEW PRODUCTS / ProScan and Proton TVs, Sony LCD projector, Thieland 14 System. Photograph by AudioSource speakers, Niles amp, more Les Morsillo HANDS-ON TEST / Optimus Pro LX5 Speaker aVniddeoDirector 2.0 for Windows 16 Video Magazine Volume XVIII HOME THEATER / Energy's new surround sound performance high 18 Number 12 CAMCORNER / Finding your voicaesavideomaker SROs Q &A/ Technical queries answered Hein ived dist one ate READER FORUM / Laserdiscs, treble boosts and re-equalization — Snctbik OFF THE AIR/ Inside videogames, a master shows how it’s done Pome.” Audit Bureau 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. © 1995 Reese of Circulations Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. © under Universal, International, and Pan American Copyright Conventions. Reproduction of editorial or pictorial content in any manner is prohibited. Single copy price $2.95; $3.50 in Canada; £2.50 in U.K. One-year subscription (12 issues) $18.; Canada, $22.47 (includes GST #R125938423) U.S.; foreign, air mail, $40 U.S. Canadian international publication permit #546488. Address sub- scription orders, change of address, correspondence and inquiries to: VIDEO, Box 737, Mt. Morris, IL 61054-0737, or call 815-734-1283. 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 737 Mt. Morris, IL 61054-0737. For microform copies of issues or articles, write to: Serials Acquisition Dept., University Microfilms, Inc., 300 North Zeeb Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48106. 4 VIDEO MARCH 1995

<TH3E ULLTAIMSAETERDMOIVSIEGSEXP.E.R.I.E.N.CE.J: EA. PLUS 1 MORE AT GREAT SAVINGS st pitas seiow. Four Weddings And A od z n= The Bodyguard *1105907 Funeral 1302900 Star Trek: The Motion Picture The Paper_ “1285501 *0203505 Ace Ventura: Star Trek Il: *0201301 The Wrath Of Khan Pet Detective “1242908 “1251305 Star Trek Ill: “0201608 The Pelican Brief __ The Search For Spock *0430603 0426908 Top Gun Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home Beethoven's 2nd “1241504 Monty Python’s PHILADELPHIA JURASSIC PARK SPEED Star Trek V: 1251404* 1264001* 1297407* F a Frontier The Meaning Of Life 0523902 sii *0448605 Star he “1001007 Monty Python’s & Now 4 eo? ” ail Undiscovered’@ountry Something Completely wit Different ge. “0177204 Pink Floyd: TheWall \"1299802 Mad Max — The Road Warrior “1261106 Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm “1238906 Striking Distance Das Boot (Subtitled) “1232800 My Life “1246305 The Prince Of Tides Reality Bites *1260900 Remains Of The Day *1232503 Dave Searching For Bobby Fischer *1255207 Hamlet (1990) Shadowlands “1239201 The Sound Of Music *0003905 RETURN OF THE JEDI TOTAL RECALL THE FUGITIVE Indochine (Subtitled) 4 188903 0354704* 1286103\" 1197706” Citizen Kane (Remastered/ 091110 *Letterbox 50th Anniversary) Star Wars *0056408 he Last Of The Starman *0172304 Mohicans (1992) The Empire Strikes Back *0091009 Predator “1071406 Age Of Innocence “1207307 Predator 2 “0364901 Die Hard *0367607 *0104307 Outland *4928103 The Firm “1154400 CLUB FAVORITES Die Hard 2: Die Harder *0041806 Ghost *0826008 Dragon: The Bruce Lee Bram Stoker's Dracula *1102904 Much Ado About Nothing 1208701 Story “1150705 Beverly Hills Cop 3 *1300201 Robin Hood: Close Encounters Of The Third Wizards 0734905 “0976803 City Slickers II: The Legend Prince OfThieves ——--— Kind (Special Edition) *1273002 Hard Target “1179605 1033109 Of Curly's Gold 1296805 My Cousin Vinny 1038405 Bladerunner: Indecent Proposal “1142009 Eric Clapton: Unplugged *0202507 The Flintstones *1297308 The Director's Cut 0360909 Chinatown *0220509 *1097906 Alieris—~ Conan The Barbarian 1146604 48 Hours (Remastered) *1315308 Robotech — Volume 1 Terminator 2: *0233205 Alien 3 ey ™4+042506- Home Alone 2: *1104900 Guarding Tess *1299700 Judgment Day Lost In New York *0151704 Patriot Games *1051309 *0854307 Manhunter *0514406 Cliffhanger *1149301 Blue Thunder *0150003 Basic Instinct *1033208 Hook *0844605 Maverick *1297209 In The Line Of Fire *1190107 Midnight Express 0382309 Batman (1989) *0642504 “1147008 With Honors *1291509 Demolition Man *1199306 Jaws “1229301 Batman Returns *1029909 Highlander No Escape *1288505 Unforgiven (1992) *1084003 *0681106 Grumpy Old Men *1251503 Goodfellas *0969808 Sliver 0805309 Rising Sun *1174804 Carlito’s Way Under Siege “1077908 E.T.: The Extra- The Naked Gun 33 1/3 - Bridge On The River Terrestrial Kwai Restored *1143809 Back To The Future *0211409 The Final Insult 1286707 The Silence Of The Lambs Alien 0000208 Back To The Future Bad Girls *1285808 Part Il *0921304 The Piano *1237809 Back To The Future Crooklyn “1293505 _ Part Ill The Seventh Sign *0591404 _ *0497008 Fright Night *0182006 Moonstruck \"1252204 Scent Of AWoman *1121300 *0559005 Monty Python And The *0192005 Backdraft *0650309 The Abyss *0881102 Holy Grail “1251909 Rambo: First Blood *1154806 On Deadly Ground *0844308 The Wizard Of Oz 0001404 *1106301 The Last Action Hero \"1247709 2001: A Space Odyssey In the Name Of The The Hunt For *0825000 A Few Good Men CH®Th1ooe9lum9uspF5meaa,bntihyaer Red October Sleepless In Seattle *1154905 to build a collection provided by the date specified. And Dept. W9Q, P.O. Box 1112, Terre Haute, Indiana 47811-1112 of your favorite movies — on laserdisc! you'll always have 14 days to decide; if Yes, please enroll me under the terms outlined in this advertisement. As a member, | need buy Just write in the numbers of the 3 not, you may return the selection at our only 4 more selections, at regular Club prices, in the next 2 years, laserdiscs you want for $1.00 each, plus expense. shipping and handling. In exchange, you TE:Send me these 3 laserdises for $1.00 each-plus $1.50 each shipping and handling (total $7.50). simply agree to buy four more laserdiscs If you in the next two years, at regular Club continue your membership after fulfilling RaeBUY YOUR FIRST SELECTION NOW—AND HAVE LESS TO BUY LATER! prices (currently as low as $29.95, plus your obligation, you'll be eligible for our Also, send me my first selection for $19.95, pllus $1.50 shipping/handling, shipping/handling)—and you may cancel generous bonus plan. It enables you to which I'm rb my $7.50 payment total $28.95}. |then need buy only 3 more membership at any time after doing so. enjoy great savings on the movies you instead of 4) in the next 2 years. What's more, you can get still one more want — for as long as you decide to movie for the low price of $19.95 and remain a member! Please Check How Paying: My check is enclosed A35/A37 have less to buy later (see complete details in coupon). . We'll send Charge my introductory laserdiscs and future Club purchases to: A36/A38 details of the Club’s operation with your sent every four weeks introductory package. If not satisfied, MasterCard Diners Club AMEX VISA O Discover (up to 13 times a year) reviewing our return everything within 10 days at our Director's Selection — plus scores of expense for a full refund and no further Acct. No. Exp. Date. alternate choices, including many lower- obligation. priced laserdiscs. And you may also Signature receive Special Selection mailings up to four times a year. (That's up to 17 For fastest service, use your credit card Name buying opportunities a year.) and call us toll-free 24 hours a day: Address. If you want Dept. the Director's Selection, do nothing — it ws City will be sent automatically. If you prefer an alternate selection, or none at all, r, Entertaining Zip Phone No. ( ) just mail the response card always e America... One Person | Do any of the following apply to you? (41) LASERDISC CLUB at a Time. ® ! Ol own a Personal Computer (1) 1 |own a PC with a CDROM (2) 01! plan to buy a PC with a CD-ROM (3) 'Note: This offer oplies to firsttime Laserdisc Club members only. Limit one per household, Columbia House reserves the |{_lrei%gchtlutdoirnegquAelsotskaod.ditiiAtiopnpallicaibnfloermsaotlieosn,fxrejaedctdeadnytospalplioerdaeirso.n or ©ca1n9c9el5,any TmheemCboelrsuhmibpi.a OfHfoeurselimiCtoedmptoatnhye continen_ta2l5-U2./S9.5

Home theaters VIDEO & small receivers magazine Home theaters have never been more desirable, partly because there President, Jay Rosenfield have never been more ways to achieve first-rate audio/video environ- ments. But selecting the right components takes effort, and that’s why Editor, Stan Pinkwas this month’s cover story features a helpful guide to planning your home theater. Contributing editor Ron Goldberg discusses the key questions Senior Editor, Peter Barry you'll need to consider, while a sixpack of systems offer specific equip- Technical Editor, Lancelot Braithwaite ment recommendations for different types of rooms and budgets. Associate Editor, Stewart Applegath Assistant Editor, Josef Krebs You'll also find good advice this month about TVs, PCs and ESP. Entertainment Editor: Ken Korman Contributing editor Jonathan Takiff’s valuable buyer’s guide brings us up to date about the state of small, hand-held TVs, which seem to Contributing Editors: Bob Angus, Frank come in more sizes and varieties than ever before. Next, “Hotrod Your Beacham, Brent Butterworth, Anthony PC” offers a step-by-step approach to turbo-charging your home com- Chiarella, Bruce Eder, M. Faust, Ron Goldberg, puter for the thousands of CD-ROMs, many with ingenious video seg- Ty Harrington, Tom Heald, David Lachenbruch, ments, pouring out of America’s multimedia precincts. Finally, Mark Timothy Liebe, George Mannes, Marianne Elson’s “Warranty Roulette” explains why sales pitches for extended Meyer, Kevin Miller, Cliff Roth, Sol Louis service plans (ESPs) inspire so much distrust, and how you can decide Siegel, Jon Silberg, Tom Soter, Jonathan Takiff, what they’re really worth. John Walker, Rich Warren, Stewart Wolpin, Roderick Woodcock e Art Director, Marshall Moseley There’s good news and bad news for satellite TV. The good news is Assistant Art Director, Nadira Abdul-Kadir that Americans are embracing the small-dish Digital Satellite System Art Assistant, Gary French developed by DirecTv, Thomson Consumer Electronics and USSB. Production Manager, Gary M. Krystofiak Thomson revealed it produced nearly 600,000 of the RCA dish-and- Production Assistant, Kim Lau receiver kits in 1994, a remarkable achievement for a new product that Typesetting, Janet M. Holland only began to roll out in the middle of the year. Publisher, Jay Rosenfield The bad news is in Iran, where the mullahs have decided too many citizens are enjoying themselves by watching Western TV programs Associate Publisher, Linda DeRogatis pulled in by backyard dishes. To counter the so-called corrupting influ- Circulation Director, Rodney Bell ence of the TV shows we take for granted, the Iranian government has Circulation Assistant, Jessica Schneider simply banned all backyard receivers. But we’ll be surprised if the Classifieds Representative, Lydia Ferrante crackdown is as effective as its enforcers hope. Electronic borders are Newsstand Sales Director, Gerald Levine growing more porous with every passing year, and a similar edict in Marketing Director, Luanne Rao China is widely ignored. Financial Officer, Mark C. Spector, C.RA. e Business Manager, Janette Evans Assistant Business Manager, This year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, from which Lily Schwartzberg we’ve just returned, was one of the most exciting in years. There were Advertising Coordinator, Karen Pellino scores of intriguing new products and fascinating previews of coming technology, including powerful displays of digital video. Look for a full Corporate Offices, Editorial & Sales: report in next month’s issue. Linda Futterman, Christine Barbieri, 460 West 34 Street, New York, NY 10001; ae Vdhek 212-947-6500; 212-947-6727 (fax) West Coast Sales Office: Stan Pinkwas Linda DeRogatis, Susan Kay Moses, Editor 1453 Third Street, Suite 490, Santa 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) REESE COMMUNICATIONS @ INCORPORATED PRINTED IN THE U.S.A, 6 VIDEO 1995

Velodyne VA-X Subwoofers Sound So Real You Can Feel It Sound moves us most when it’s built on powerful waves of bass. Because bass WVF(or-e |dalg is the heartbeat. That steady, pulsing beat that seems to flow from your home entertainment system right through your body. Touching, soothing, arousing, Velodyne Acoustics, Inc. enhancing your every mood. 1070 Commercial Street, Suite 101 San Jose, CA 95112 When that sound comes from Velodyne’s new VA-X Series Subwoofers, it’s more than just realistic. It’s real. So real you don’t simply listen to it. You (408) 436-7270 feel it! And marvel that this high-definition, distortion-free sound could have such brute force and intensity. Now it’s easy to add VA-X Subwoofers to the audio/video home theater ofyour dreams. At a price that’s music to your ears. To audition a Velodyne, call for the dealer nearest you: 1-800-VELODYNE. Circle 2 on Reader Service Card.

whisper whisper Letters from our readers whisper Music to the ears Strait talk whisper I love my RCA DSS dish! Your maga- I learned the hard way that not even Now with THX re-equalization will save you if zine was my bible in the decision-mak- your interconnects are the cheap, Bohanced. Sound. Croll: throw-away kind. For over a year, | ing process. It had verything I needed to moved speakers around my living room Introducing the and endlessly recalibrated my Fosgate know, when I wanted to know it. My THX Model 3A processor. It never VOLUME STABILIZER™ came together. Soundtracks sounded most unexpected use of this satellite muffled or shrill, which reminded me, that lets you hear the whispers worst of all, that I was still analyzing and stops you from system has been for the music channels, equipment instead of enjoying movies. cringing at the bangs. which have excellent selections with It’s an innovative, low cost solution Then I saw “Wire Straits” (Oct. ‘94) to home video volume control prob- CD-quality sound. I wonder if I'll ever and took a chance on a $40 intercon- lems because it automatically nect kit from Monster Cable. I thought increases the volume of the audio assemble cassette compilations again. it was another gimmick as I sat down to source during soft passages and watch The Fugitive on laserdisc. Boy was reduces volume during loud pas- However, my friends and I all want to I wrong. Here’s to movie marathons! sages. You'll hear every word of dialogue and every bar of music see American Movie Classics on DSS as Robert Valentin while the VOLUME STABILIZER Bronx, New York softens the sounds that are soon as possible. Les Perkins normally too loud. Whether you use a satellite dish, a Glendale, California home theater system, or just a VCR, you can put the remote con- Magical eyes trol aside. Now with four models to choose from. “Video Magicians” (Jan. ‘95) is wrong to attribute 3-D television effects to light Call or write for our slightly delayed by a neutral-density fil- ter over one eye. Obviously, there’s a FREE psychovisual effect at play, but the brain just gives less attention to the dimmed paper on “Dynamic Range; eye. It is true that light slows down When less is more.” when passing through mass, but no organic system has the capacity to dis- For more information ask your dealer or tinguish the infinitesimal delay call or write: caused by a sliver of plastic. Brookline James Mattison Tachnologiss Dallas, Texas 2035 Carriage Hill Road NTSC, exactly One for all Allison Park, PA 15101-3350 In “Big-Screen Brouhaha” (Dec. After reading “Gleaming the Disc” 1-800-366-9290 ‘94), you state that Proton charges $150 extra to calibrate its 31-inch TV (Dec. ‘94), I felt I had to write you. I to NTSC standards. This is an NTSC set. What on earth are the standards hope those manufacturers concerned they usually calibrate to, if not NTSC? with high-density discs will combine Has it come to the point where you have to pay an extra fee to get what the manufacturer is supposedly including when it sells to you the TV? Norman Strong Seattle, Washington Editor’s reply: Since many TV buyers their efforts instead of competing with are drawn to the brightest TV picture multiple formats. We need one record- in a showroom, manufacturers keep edging the color temperature of their ing and playback format for both audio sets higher, away from the NTSC stan- dard of 6,500 degrees Kelvin for the and video. George Baker color of gray, shifting toward a brighter blue. Because of the fierceness of this Bloomingdale, Illinois competition, Proton’s offer to recali- brate its sets to meet exact NTSC stan- Send letters to Feedback, Video Magazine, dards is a valuable one, even though 460 West 34 Street, New York, NY precise calibration may not always sur- 10001; or fax to 212-947-6727; or send via CompuServe to 75147,1255 or via the vive cross-country shipping. Internet to 75147.1255@compuserve. com. Letters may be edited for clarity and space. 8 VIDEO MARCH 1995

F$R5E.E0!0! (and you don’t even have to buy our cables!) It's true: XLO Electric Company's popularly-priced XLO/VDO™ brand cables for home entertainment™ are so much better than what your system probably now uses that, once you learn about them, we think you'll want to own them. That's why, ifyou fill out the coupon printed below, take itto any authorized XLO/VDO dealer, and ask him to tell you about XLO/VDO, the best and only complete line of cables for every audio, video, and Home Theatre application, we'll have him take five bucks off the purchase price of anything at all that you buy from him—regardless of what itis,or what brand it may be. We'll even pay him to do you the courtesy. (Check out the fine print in the coupon, below.) If XLO/VDO weren't really \"The Best in the World,\" do you think we could afford to make this offer? Visit your authorized |=Yes,Iwant $5.00 Free! || | | I'm going to complete this coupon, take itto my authorized XLO/VDO | XLO/VDOdealertoday! | dealer, ask about new XLO/VDO cables, and get $5.00 off anything at all | that |buy from him, no matter what itisor what brand itmay be! | xLO/VDO | Name | XLO Electric Company, Inc. | Address | 9480 Utica Street, Suite 612, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 | Phone (909) 466-0382, FAX (909) 466-3662 | Telephone | | | Mr. Dealer, XLO Electric Co., Inc. promises to pay you $5.00 plus 50 cents handling for each completed | | coupon that you send us. Coupons are subject to check for validity. Only one coupon may be redeemed

a Fast > FORWARD Pr a >> Shadow boxing with PBS Video Jet Set: A futuristic Manhattan in Chaos “The thing I like about the Shad- CDs and Control, Infogrammes’ anime- CD-i style CD-i combat game. pick ow is he’s not always doing good,” says Alec up Baldwin, star of Universal’s The Shadow, steam just released on video. “Most super he- roes are always saving people and fight- ing crime. The Shadow finds out about his super powers and says, Hey, let’s par- ty.” But Baldwin’s playful take on Lam- ont Cranston and his alter-ego is surprisingly at odds with his own concerns as an actor. And these days that includes a feeling that there is simply “too much entertainment” in the world. “Movies have a nuclear half-life now,” he explains. “They’re on TY, pay-per-view, video. They’re on air- Those looking forward to watching movies on five-inch videodiscs will planes, in hotels, they linger in the cul- have a wide variety of new players and software to choose from this year, judg- ture for years. When I hear talk of 500 ing from a recent conference on this fast-developing technology. Even as major electronics companies began a somewhat rancorous public channels in the future I scream, my God, debate over a technical standard for digital videodiscs (DVD)-the high-qual- no! Put a stake through the heart of who- ity videodisc that’s projected to arrive sometime near the end ofthe decade—rep- resentatives of Philips, Sony, JVC, Panasonic, Goldstar and other companies ever came up with that idea.” met to voice strong support for the Video CD format currently in stores. The Particularly troubling to Baldwin is the state of public affairs TV programs. This explains why he’s been seen on CNN de- conference on CD-i and Video CD, held in Dusseldorf, Germany, in Decem- bating conservative columnist Pat ber, quickly turned into a showcase for an expected onslaught of Video CD Buchanan about freedom of expression. Baldwin has also been involved with pro- products. Sony showed a $700 five-disc Video CD changer now available in Japan, ducer Mark Mori whose documentary, where consumers can also choose from among 500 Video CD titles. Sony’s changer features a new function called Playback Control that allows the use Building Bombs, was turned down by PBS. of chapter stops and index points on a disc. JVC displayed a letterboxed Video According to Mori, PBS often declines to show acclaimed, but controversial pro- CD using its XL-SV1 player and a 16:9 monitor in “fill” mode. This is the first time we've ever seen widescreen Video CD. And Panasonic showed a strik- grams. Baldwin agrees, and asserts that ing Video CD player the exact size and shape of current audio CD portables. the conglomerates that subsidize PBS have Video CD titles may be earning the lion’s share of attention in the world of CD-i lately—after all, CD-i was the first system with Video CD capabili- hooked the network’s executives on ty-but the conference also proved that there’s no shortage of non-linear in- teractive software for Philips’ capable CD-i format. A French software company their money. “I’m pretty cynical about this,” called Infogrammes made a big splash with a preview of its new Chaos Con- trol. Inspired by the look and feel of Japanese anime, Chaos Control uses full- says Baldwin. screen video to send a player hurtling above a stylized version of Manahttan on a virtual jetpack, battling it out with similarly equipped enemies. It’s an As the Shadow, Baldwin may want to exciting new twist on a familiar style of gaming. The future of multimedia nev- party, but actor Baldwin talks like a real crusader. —Jon Silberg THE NUMBER er looked brighter. —Ken Korman Tehntetaepera,tmaodiuinnsmctent&s,peeqnfturioepmamceThnVtye—parurcohnas—es. 10. VIDEO MARCH 1995

TIMESHIFT TEN YEARS AGO IN VIDEO MAGAZINE “The crackdown on satellite JVC doesn’t claim its new cam- dishes should beenforced like guide to home in- corder qualifies as Super VHS, but stallation of small Video thefightagainst drugs.” it’s better than before. At the slow- book dishes, and their integrate with ex- est speed, recording time will be |beat- isting home sound stretched to an hour. Our techni- cal editors are eagerly-and skep- /new & systems. tically-awaiting their first look at recom- ¢ In the world mended the wonder-camcorder...The FCC of high-tech how- tos, Multimedia & lideseems ready to drag the cable CD-ROMs | for companies kick- ing and scream- From tech- Dummies by Andy ing into the nology’s future to Rathbone (IDG multimedia’s present, here are four fas- Books; San Mateo, CA) is an excellent stereo revolu- cinating books for your video reading list: addition to IDG's popular “dummies” se- tion. “Must car- Kevin’s Kelly’s Out of Control (Ad- ries of books. Rathbone’s entry is a win- ry” rules, stating dison-Wesley; New York) depicts a future ner. The text, packaged with a guided tour that cable com- in which technology is modeled after na- on CD-ROM, covers everything a novice panies have to ture. In discussing what he calls needs to know about CD-ROMs | neo-biological civilization, Kel- as well as multimedia clip art, offer customers ly explores the marriage of what video libraries, graphics and the entirety of a is born with what is made. By al- sounds. This highly-recom- TV broadcast | lowing technology to evolve bi- mended book can save you signal, will pro- @2e==== ologically, Kelly believes we can hours in navigating the frontier bably be en- MARCH 1985 create appliances that anticipate faa of multimedia computing. forced in the near future...Farewell human desires, like a VCR that ¢ Leonard Herman brings can record what we want to arare sense of perspective to his to another video service whose watch without being asked. compelling history of videogames. time never came. NBC Teletext at- ¢ Dr Frank Baylin’s Miniature Phoenix: The Falland Rise ofHome tracted fewer than 200 sub- Satellite Dishes: The New Digital Television rs (Rolenta Press; Union, NJ) be- scribers, and has closed its doors. (Baylin Publications; Boulder, CO) offers gins with a brief history of computing, then The lack of affordable in-home de- a good plain-language overview of the describes the invention of the videogame, coders was cited as the major rea- technology and players in the direct satel- by a federal employee in a nuclear research lite broadcast (DBS) industry. Baylin ex- lab in 1958. Herman covers the rise of son for the service being banished plains how satellites work, then clearly Atari and includes stories about the peo- to the high shelf-somewhere be- describes the systems offered by DirecTy, ple and companies that dominate today’s tween the Edsel and the CED...Pi- | USSB and Primestar. Key technical is- videogames. This insightful book would oneer is so pleased with its LV/ CD | sues are covered, including encryption and make a wonderful gift for any videogame player that it has decided to try video data compression. There’s also a buff. —Frank Beacham another video/audio combo: an Breaking the size barrier 8mm video deck with separate digital audio capability. The 2-way Is there a size limit to rear-pro- machine will record up to 9 jection TVs? If there is, ProScan plans to break it this spring with a humongous hours of digital audio on a 90- 80-inch rear-projection TV, with the largest screen this technology has yet pro- minute videocassette...Alterna- duced. The mammoth monitor uses new nine-inch CRT projection tubes that tive video is keeping pace with the ProScan says increases light output by more than 50 percent over rear-projec- never-ending surge of recorded tion sets with conventional seven-inch optics. A sneak preview of the TV showed theatrical films and other main- a remarkably bright picture in a well-lit room. Additional features include two stream entertainment. New from tuners, a giant 38-inch picture-in-picture, and user-friendly onscreen graphics. the Stefaan Janssen Studio al- Suggested price for the big box is $8,499. ternative video catalogue are Be- —Stan Pinkwas ginning Knitting, Bellydance for Fitness and Fun and Let’s have an Irish Party with Carmell Quinn and the world champion Reagan fam- ily dancers. . RCA exec Joe Clayton with mammoth monitor. MARCH 1995 VIDEO \"1

Lale SONY AND FOR A PROPOSED OVERHAUL OF Jim Henson Productions has spun off Philips have the Emergency Broadcasting System, Jim Henson Interactive to do pretty announced the FCC is backing a system that much the same thing with the would let broadcasters automatically Muppets. 3. Tele-Communications, standards for a turn on TVs, radios, pagers, CD play- Inc., the nation’s largest cable compa- new high-den- ers and other home devices to warn ny, has created CyberMedia, a new people of impending disasters, like company to create interactive multi- sity multimedia hurricanes and floods. The emergency media products, including CD-ROMS alerts, which are expected to begin and online services. CD, firing what operating in 1996, work through the Radio Broadcasting Data System, a could be the new digital technology that also makes it possible for broadcasters to show call first shot in a letters, song titles and artists’ names, and synchronize VCR clocks. News fresh format eo e war over the IF YOU HAVE ONE OF LIVE HOME EXPECT TO SEE FEWER COLOR- Video’s cassettes of Bad Lieutenant, so-called digital video disc (DVD) ized video versions of old black-and- Abel Ferrara’s film about a scabrous that is already being touted in techni- white movies. Turner Broadcasting, cop, it could become a collector’s cal and movie-producing circles as which put computerized colorizing on item. The industry-watching Video home video’s future format of choice. the map in the mid-’80s despite the Week reports that a U.S. District Court The problem is that the Sony/Philips objections of purists, has shut down its has ordered unsold copies of the film standards will not be compatible with colorization facility. The operation has destroyed because its soundtrack DVD projects being pursued by other tinted about 120 films. includes “Signifying Rapper,” a song by Schoolly D that uses unauthorized major companies, including Toshiba e samples of Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir.” and Time Warner, and Pioneer. The Live says it will release a new version Sony/Philips CD would be able to FURTHER SIGNS OF THE MULTI of the film with a substitute song. media gold rush: 1. The Walt Disney store 3.7 gigabytes of data, about five Co. has created an interactive divi- sion, Disney Interactive, to develop times the capacity of current CD- multimedia and interactive products, like CD-ROMS, using Disney cre- ROMs, while a dual-layered version, ations like Aladin and The Lion King. 2. e being developed with 3M, could hold WE'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT OF 7.4 GB. According to Sony, the single- the Macintosh as a glorious game layer version could hold 135 minutes machine. Now Apple has licensed its of MPEG-2 quality video plus several Power PC technology to Japanese toy tracks of compressed digital audio and manufacturer Bandai to create a mul- subtitles, more than enough for the timedia deck for use with TV sets. vast majority of feature films. Stay Bandai is expected to introduce its tuned, you'll be hearing more about CD-ROM-based Power Player late this year for around $500. . DVDs for some time to come. Video: How has it become a threat the emergence of vast broadband net- to cable? works and imagine they will be chiefly Gilder: The average lackadaisical, used to transmit broadcast video. This sleepy-time cable system is heavily affected by urban politics-you know, is a similar misconception. The net- big bribes for the mayor and the vari- works will be used for teleconferenc- ous special interests in town. Those with George Gilder old systems cannot compete with 150 ing of all sorts. You will be sending bright, clear channels that come from To George Gilder, the spread of inter- your own image, your personal video- active technologies will enhance per- the Clarke orbit. sonal freedoms and create diverse new Video: How will cable companies tapes. Digital video products will be sources of programming. His optimistic outlook, coupled with a conservative respond? zipping back and forth across this net- philosophy articulated in such books Gilder: DBS will force cable to work. It will be a silly question to ask as Wealth and Poverty, Life After Television and the upcoming Telecosm, offer high-speed interactive computer which services will dominate. There have helped make Gilder one of the services. PCs in the home will connect most prominent gurus of the informa- using new cable modems. We'll see will be more business conducted over tion age. Gilder spoke recently with cable systems connected to phone Video Magazine contributing editor company fiber lines. It won’t happen the networks than in any single arena. Frank Beacham about broadcasting’s overnight, but this will be the direc- newest trends. It will be the central nervous system of tion. Video: What surprises you most the new information economy. about today’s new technologies? Video: You believe that interac- tive networks will enhance personal Video: Does Gilder: Direct broadcast satellites. freedoms and bring diversity to pro- this mean that I’m talking about Hughes’ DirecTv gramming. How? over-the-air TV and Hubbard’s USSB. The quality is surprisingly good. They’re comparable Gilder: Look at it not as a broad- broadcasting is to the studio images at the head end of casting system, but a phone system. dead? a cable company. It’s spreading like When Alexander Bell created the Gilder: The wildfire. This is a powerful, successful phone system, he imagined it would be passive broadcast- competitor to cable. chiefly used to transmit radio broad- ing model of TV is casts. [he idea of people using the net- dead. But the same work for personal communications was quite alien to him. Today we look at broadcast —prod- ucts, to the extent George Gilder that they can com- pete with this huge new variety of ser- vices, will still flourish. Local news pro- grams will do very well. People will be able to see them whenever they want, any time of the day or night. = 12 VIDEO MARCH 1995

WEANY DENNIS ELLDLE EAL REEVES HOPPER BULLacK DHLAOONI 1297407 4254200 TOMBSTONE “TWO very emustasuc wumus up!” All movies available in VHS only. ©1995 The Columbia House Company EACH PLUS 2 MORE AT GREAT SAVINGS! See Details below. Being Human 1285204 The Air Up There 1260009 On Deadly Ground 1251909 All Dogs 0289702 Fried Green 1005404 Willy Wonka And The 0606103 Blue Chips 4270503 Blink 1262203 The Ref 1273200 Go To Heaven 0904102 Tomatoes 1149301 Chocolate Factory 1208305 China Moon 1285105 The Chase 1268507 Serial Mom 1275809 Pretty Woman 1276500 Cliffhanger Beverly Hillbillies A Home Of Our Own 1302504 Angie 1273309 Body Snatchers (1993) 1251800 - 1277904 0000802 Carousel oo hoieresry CLUB FAVORITES 0001404 1255306 0001800 Dangerous Game Director's Cut 0842302 |GRUMPY OLD MEN 1251503 THEWIZARDOFOZ 1105907 1246404 CAIBTOYVESLTIHCEKERRSIM II: 1298405 THE HUDSUCKER (Theatrical Version) The Godfather 11219387880039 |ACE VENTURA: THE BODYGUARD 1190107 THE LEGEND PROXY 1287101) Geronimo: The Godfather: Part! 1145705 | PET DETECTIVE 11020492990018 artHsE LILNOEVEOFGOFTIRE LITTLE BIG LEAGUE = 1292903) An American Legend |BEETHOVEN 11017472900089 CPOPeSdAtNDt a aera sTHeE FlINAlL iINSnULTfi 11228968760073)| THheeaveHnousAendOfEaTrhteh Spirits 11225714730017 TThhee PGioaondo Son 1121300 _||8BSEEECTOHNODVSEN’S2ND = 11227461570044 TH59e) FnIoRMwiry it? 4218007 1310804 THE NIGHTMARE House Party 3 1260504 |THEPELICANBRIEF 1251405 SISTER ACT ROBBERSONS Dennis The Menace 1107903 1154400 11229932570055 +THBEEFNOURTECRCAHCRKIESRTMAS 1261809} iI'nllTDhoe ANnaymtehinOgf 1274406 0207407 |T|H_EOF SMOuUsiNcD HTeIiEta00a6\" RSEiEerEnWIALBYT 2 TCHREOOCKOLWYBNOY WAY 1292200 _(1994) 1287804) The Father UInnddeecrenStiePgreoposal 1179605 |THE FUGITIVE 4071208 THE FAVOR THE PAPER 1285501) The King And| 1247709 Scent Of AWoman 1277805 0597807 Star Wars acbhaaln GETTING EVEN 11239190760006 _WWIYTAHTTHOENAROPRS L12E91E50!8) MMiadnn'isghBtestCoFwrbioeynd 1253905 Malcolm X 1033208 The Empire 0056408 We're Back dba GUWIATRHDINDGAD TESS Grease 1146000 Strikes Back The Color Purple Hard Target 1200609 0091009 Home Alone 1206903 0630103 1126804 0104208 calntersection 1268804 The Getaway (1994) 1260405 Deluxe 25th Ann. Edition 1276401 Steel Magnolias 0982207 Return Of The Jedi 0354704 Home Alone 2: TNFL’s 100 0054809 Demolition Man 1199306 Lost In New York Greatest Follies Like Water For Chocolate 1273408 Oklahoma! 1277706 —_Basic Instinct 0216804 1104900 1319904 Reality Bites 1260900 The Sandlot 1150705 Doctor Zhivago 0002600 1192301 Bad Girls 1285808 Searching For Menace Il Society 7229301 Son-In-Law Bitter Moon 1286400 Bobby Fischer 1255207 Tom And Jerry: 1189109 Casablanca 1276302 “Greedy 1302405 Six Degrees The Movie 1179803 50th Anniversary Edition 0865204 1121706 Kalifornia 1316504 Of Separation 1246206 Driving Miss Daisy Fiddler On The Roof __0055103 1094507 SENFL Super Duper South Pacific 1277508 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang The Greatest Story 0085506 vFootball Follies State Fair 1277607 Scarface (1983) 0805309 Ever Told No Escape 1288505 as rare A Streetcar Named 1257302 Dragon: 0202606 The Joy Luck Club 1218106 1302306 Yfeddings Desire (Director's Cut) The Bruce Lee Story The Bible... Posse (1994) 1264506 0074708 1299007 faneral Sugar Hill 1265909 Carlito's Way In The Beginning 0209502 Ren & Stimpy: Thumbelina Poetic Justice Charlotte’s Web eThe Classics 1249200 0681106 Wayne’s World 2 Rookie Of The Year ET: oBurn Fat And Get Fit What's Eating Once Upon A Forest The Extra-Terrestrial with Susan Powter 1312404 FOUR WEDDINGS SLEEPLESS IN “3Threesome 1282805 AND A FUNERAL Gilbert Grape? 1264605 Pure Country SEATTLE The Secret Garden 1188804 The Wedding Banquet _1285709 1302900 Dirly Dancing 0495507 The Silence Of 1154905 (1993) 1102904 1239201 1213305 zSurviving The Game _ 1286509 MyFatherTheHero 1268200 Shadowlands The Lambs The Last Of The 1071406 Bram Stoker’s Dracula 0826008 33 Ninjas Kick Back 1286608 My Girl 2 1268309 Fern Gully: 1006808 The Ten Command- Mohicans (1992) 1106301 Gettysburg The Last Rainforest ments (1956) A Few Good Men Ghost Addams Family Values 1232701 My Life 1246305 use your credit card Dept. of the ‘ :: =and our tSoll-free number. Call 24 hours Sa day. (For New Video Club Members Only.) WWZ 6 movies you want for 29¢ each, selection, or none at all, just mail plus shipping and handling. In the response card always provided Columbia House Video Club Dept. WWZ Advance Selections exchange, you agree to buy just by the date specified. And you'll six more movies in the next three always have 14 days to decide; if PO. Box 1112, Terre Haute, IN 47811-1112 years, at our regular Club prices not, you may return the selection (which currently start as low as Yes, please enroll me under the terms outlined in this $19.95, plus shipping and han- at our expense. dling)—and you may cancel advertisement. As a member, I need buy just six more You may order one or two more movies now for membership at any time after As soon as you become a movies at regular Club prices within the next three years. $6.95 each-and have less to buy later! And each doing so. What’s more, you can member, you'll immediately get two more movies for the low be eligible for our generous plus $1.60 each shipping and handling (a total of $11.34). discount purchase reduces your membership price of $6.95 each and have money-saving bonus plan! much less to buy later (see com- It enables you to enjoy more rer obligation by one! plete details in coupon). great savings on the movies iso send my first selection for $6.95 plus you want—right from the start if n beakn ns etd,bPaieepoEVeEtRYs. 1.75 shipping/handling which I’m adding to my of your membership! 11.34 payment (total: $20.04). , review aB Selection—plus scores of alter- leuteheeeanceaneed buy only 5 more nate mo.vies, including many We'll (instead of 6) in 3 years. $l1o4w.e9r5-.priAcendd cyasosuettemsa,y dorewcneivteo Special Selection mailings up to Ps 7 i Please check how paying: BLH/BLL/BLP Also send still one more selection for an four times a year (a total of up to big eee pee Mycheck isenclosed. additional $6.95 plus $1.75 shipping/handling 17 buying opportunities). (total: $28.74). Ith7en need 1 . If you Charge my introductory movies and future Club purchases to: he4s ingeng (instead Peeing want the Director’s Selection, do MasterCard [1]Diners Club 1]AMEXCI VISA C)Discover SRgeTH AT nothing—it will be sent automati- Account# cally. If you'd prefer an alternate not saauttisfied, return y eDvaeCrkyotnhcieng Exp. Date Signature wEiRtihcinthe10e daoysufn oBrinaefull refund and N:ame ig 3 Address Apt. City ‘7 Entertaining State Zip Phone America... Do any of the following apply to you? (41) e One Person I own a personal computer (1) O I owna PC with a CD-ROM (2) ( I plan to buy a PC with a CD-ROM (3) ta Ti ® WIDEO Note: Columbia House Video Club reserves the right to request additional information, reject any application or cancel any ata lime. ses ee ee eae, will be serviced from Pas oles ice to Se a of the Soe eg ca. CLUB aelloalellelteeaollatelelelonrlednleern1ts4e0,n0Ntn.tFreunltiedngteeAntvontee nTerureHeau,te, INA7BILALD. 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BY STEWART APPLEGATH A multiplayer, a mini- projector, 2 big screens and home theater speakers GOLDSTAR’S 3D0 Goldstar’s 3D0 Interactive Multiplayer system ($399) features a double-speed CD- ROM drive, full-motion video capability, CD-quality sound and photorealistic graphics. It includes a new seven-button gamepad and comes bundled with | more than $150 worth of software. The system also plays audio CDs, Photo CDs and video movie CDs. (For additional info, circle 101 on the Reader Service Card) MOVING PICTURES SWITCHABLE POWER Sony's CPJ-100 portable projector Niles’ SI-1200 Systems Integration Amplifier ($849) is a fully ($1,100) will turn your videos configurable 12-channel amplifier. The SI-1200 has an ample into a moveable feast. With a power supply, and with flexible channel assignment allows listeners to choose either twelve 25-watt or six 50-watt chan- 400-hour halogen bulb, this nels. You can also adjust the volume individually for up to 12 LCD projector can throw an image up to 100 inches diag- speaker locations. Cascade outputs on the main bus input allow you to daisy-chain onally and can be tilted to any multiple amps. (For additional info, circle angle. The CPJ-100 accepts 100 on the Reader Service Card) signals from any video source including cam- PROSCAN POWER corders, VCRs and TVs. GRYAOD Stereo audio inputs and out- Thomson’s ProScan PS35660 direct-view con- puts let you use stereo head- sole ($2,699) is 35-inch TV with dual-tuner technology phones or external stereo and 70 watts of picture speakers. (For additional info, circle 106 on the Reader Service Card) power. It also features matrix surround sound, a PORTABLE GRABBER stereo headphone jack, a 10-watt amplifier, digital Digital Vision’s ComputerEyes/LPT picture-in-picture, a comb filter and front inputs. (For video frame grabber ($399) for PCs additional info, circle 109 on the Reader Service Card) has been upgraded to accomodate portable computers and easier sharing between machines. ComputerEyes/LPT is a 24-bit capture device that allows you to easily bring images into your computer from any camcorder, VCR or still video source. It draws power from your computer printer's parallel port or from three AAA batteries. Windows capture software is included. (For addi- tional info, circle 108 on the Reader Service Card) — = 14 VIDEO MARCH 1995

PROTON BIG SCREENY <DR. THIELGOOD The Proton NT-3740 ($3,000) is a 35-inch stereo Thiel’s CS.5 Coherent Source monitor/reciever with dual tuner picture-in-pic- Loudspeaker ($1,350/pair) is a two-way, ported, floor- ture. With 181-channel auto-programming, you standing speaker designed to can watch two broadcasts simultaneously without provide great home-theater additional equipment, or one broadcast and one sound at an entry-level price. picture from another video source. Proton says Thiel says the CS.5’s sloping |the NT-3740 offers 600 lines of horizontal resolu- baffle and synthesized tion to clarify your favorite programs. (For addi- acoustic crossover system | tional info, circle 110 on the Reader Service Card) result in unusually high per- formance for the price. The CS.5’s are 31 inches tall and available with walnut and black wood veneers, or other finishes on special order. (For additional info, circle 103 on the Reader Service Card) CONVERTER FIRSTY GOING THE DISTANCE> Panasonic’s TC40 VHS-C tape ($10) can give EAD says its TheaterMaster digital-to-audio you the extra half-hour you need to time-shift converter ($5,950) is the first with built-in 5.1-channel surround-sound decoding. By favorite movies. This 40-minute SP tape can record two hours of material in EP/SLP mode. Panasonic says special magnetic particles increase tape strength and enhance including the Zoran 38001 decoding com- video and audio detail, while a special base material improves picture and sound quality. puter with five full-range channels (20 Hertz (For additional info, circle 102 on the Reader Service Card) to 20 kiloHertz) and one subwoofer channel, EAD says the TheaterMaster creates a 360- SHIELDS UP Y The AudioSource VS Four ($179) is a magnetically shielded degree holographic soundfield and improves Dolby Pro-Logic decoding. Included are bal- center-channel ae Three four-inch woofers and a polycar- anced outputs and extensive remote control =, bonate coaxial tweeter are features. (For additional info, circle 104 on mounted on an angled front to improve sound dispersion and the Reader Service Card) time/phase alignment. According to AudioSource, this results in sound enhancements across the spectrum. The speaker can han- dle 80 watts, and has an imped- ance of 8 ohms and a sensitivity of 93 decibels. (For additional info, circle 105 on the Reader Service Card) GOOD DIRECTION> Mike Moffat Labs’ Angstrom 200 Home Entertainment Director ($2,995) is a digital sound processor that promises big, clear digital performance along with practical features. By imple- menting special surround sound and Pro-Logic technology, MML says it offers accurate decoding and top-level imaging. With an infrared remote control and onscreen settings, the 200 can control up to six audio/video inputs. MML says it will also install future hardware and software upgrades. (For additional info, circle 107 on the Reader Service Card) MARCH 1995 VIDEO 15

Super speakers and a fast, helpful fediting aid Optimus Pro LX5 Speaker ural, the output of the two drivers being dynamic range (and wished for more). by Radio Shack remarkably well integrated. Only high Nonetheless, considering their size and volume levels or deep bass transients price, the LX5s turned in an outstand- Radio Shack’s mass market approach could fluster the LX5, its sound becom- ing front channel performance. has rarely appealed to high-end sensibil- ing compressed and mechanical. Unless used with a subwoofer, this compact Rear-channel speakers are properly ities. Yet someone at headquarters must speaker is best suited for moderate vol- placed by aiming the “null” between the front and rear radiation patterns at the see the potential in products that cater Class Act: LX5s, budget speakers with punch. listening position. I placed the LX5s about a foot behind the listener, toed to audio/video connoisseurs, because ume listening. toward the side walls, so that the back the new Optimus Pro LX5 is the best- In my home theater system, the radiation of both tweeters met at a cen- sounding $300 pair of loudspeakers I tral point behind the listener. The result have ever heard. LX5s excelled in both front and rear was an enveloping surround effect, channel applications. As main speakers, nearly the equal of that created by a pair A two-way design, the Pro LX5 the tiny boxes produced a cinematic of Energy RVSS surround speakers | lis- employs a four-inch polypropylene cone soundstage that stretched from wall to tened to recently in creating a three- woofer in a dual-vented, die-cast bass wall, and from floor to ceiling. Their dimensional soundfield within the the- enclo- broad dispersion was flattering to ater. Yes, the Energy provided more spa- sure. orchestral soundtracks, but the localiza- cious and powerful effects, but Radio Trhye tion of individual images could have Shack’s LX5 was superior to all but the cone’s output is seamlessly blended with been more specific. At the high volumes most expensive dipole rear/side channel the Linaeum film-diaphragm tweeter, I prefer, I used every bit of the LX5’s speakers. which achieves dipolar high frequency response up to 25 kilohertz. While this couple of years ago. Version 2.0 adds At $300/pair, or $150 individually, small loudspeaker could hardly be important capabilities. It now supports the LX5s are so versatile and so good expected to produce deep bass many audio and video cards, so you can that anyone could find a use for them. response, it mates beautifully with inex- automatically add graphics, music and The LX5s provide the budget-minded pensive powered subwooofers. More with an entree into the world of quality important, its midrange and high fre- Gold Standard: VideoDirector’s edit interface. audio, and it is the perfect speaker for quency performance is fully competitive those whose systems must be proficient with much more expensive products. Modify Clip at both audio and home theater tasks. Radio Shack is to be commended for Auditioned through my reference TOL this affordable excellence. We hope the audio system, the LX5 reproduced jazz, LX5 is not its last word on the subject. chamber music and female vocals with a clarity and transparency no other bud- —Anthony Chiarella get loudspeaker can approach. Mid and high frequencies were smooth and nat- sound effects. It also allows drag-and- drop editing. If you have a video capture - VideoDirector 2.0 Edit card, you can grab stills from each video clip and use them as picons (picture Controller for Windows icons) to represent each clip. Just arrange the picons in the order you If you have a camcorder and a VCR, you've probably wanted to edit your want, and VideoDirector 2.0 will camcorder tapes while copying them. assemble the clips in order. It also: As long as you have a personal computer with Windows and an now 8mm or Hi8 camcorder with a works LANC (Control L) jack, Gold with Disk’s VideoDirector 2.0 for Windows gives you the control to Sony RC time code for very accu- do it. The package contains soft- rate editing, and it can trigger a ware, an illustrated manual and a Video Toaster. There’s also a “smart-cable” that connects to Macintosh version of Video- your computer’s serial port (9- or Director, which has most of these 25-pin). The three-way cable has capabilities. a miniplug for connection to the camcorder and an infrared trans- Computerized video editing mitter/ receiver that controls the usually requires all the processing recording deck. speed and memory you can get plus gigabytes of fast hard-drive Gold Disk’s VideoDirector 1.0 storage. To bypass these require- for Windows was introduced a continued on page 40 16 VIDEO MARCH 1995

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THEATER BY ANTHONY CHIARELLA Energy’s new surround sound performance high Here’s a dilemma: You've decided to tweeter in a D’Apolito configuration, generated by the Energy system. Once invest in a dedicated surround sound which minimizes lobing effects. All are they were properly positioned and cali- system, but the difficulty of choosing finished in an attractive high-gloss brated, the ability of the front-channel between megabuck “THX approved” black with black fabric grilles and end speakers to track the action taking loudspeakers and traditional stereo caps, and all are magnetically shielded. place on the screen was all I could ask products, which have been remerchan- But while the RVS-2 is designed to be for. The Pro-Logic steering effects were dised to capitalize on the home theater vertically mounted on a shelf or stand, presented with a flattering sense of real- craze, has sent you scrambling for cover. the RVS-1 is optimized for horizontal ism, and the localization of specific What to do? There’s good news, folks. placement, either above or below the images within the soundfield was both Energy’s $1,600 Reference Video television. After much experimenta- precise and tangible. While most home the- System (RVS) provides ater speakers sound bright world class performance at a and subliminally fatiguing, I reasonable price. found the RVS’ tonal bal- The Energy name ance to be nearly ideal. The should be more familiar to frequency spectrum was American consumerts. portrayed in a proportional During the mid-’80s, Energy and cohesive manner, and its parent, Audio although I thought the Products International, midrange slightly promi- rode the crest of the critical nent. I am pleased to report and commercial success that the bass capability of garnered by its Reference 22 the RVS-2s belie their com- series of speakers. But as the pact size. In fact, viewers decade waned, API focused with small theaters, or those both attention and resources on cultivating a whose cinematic diet more upscale image for its eschews blockbuster action Mirage marque. The infu- films, might consider a sub- sion of capital allowed woofer unnecessary. Mirage to develop the My only real criticisms acclaimed M series of bipo- of the RVS front channels lar loudspeakers at a time concern their use as stereo- when Energy’s designs were only loudspeakers. Whether showing signs of age. As High Energy : The Reference Video System with Energy’s EPS-150 subwoofer. in my video system or in a Mirage bloomed, Energy dedicated high-end audio withered. tion, I obtained the most realistic room, the RVS-2s lacked the detail and Lately, Energy has been making a soundstage by locating the RVS-2s transparency required to convincingly comeback. The company’s Veritas loud- eight inches to the left and right of my reproduce live, unamplified music; the speaker has been well received by the Hitachi rear-projection TV, pointed sound rarely left the vicinity of the audiophile community. Now, with the straight ahead (0-degree toe-in angle), speaker enclosures. These shortcomings introduction of the RVS, Energy offers with all three speakers protruding are not surprising considering the dis- discriminating movie aficionados a wor- slightly beyond the plane of the screen. parity in design priorities between The RVS-1 and RVS-2 immediate- stereophonic loudspeakers on the one thy alternative to costly THX systems. The five RVS components include ly impressed me with their vast dynam- hand, and home theater systems on the ic range. Below the clipping point of my other. In the final analysis, the RVS-2s RVS-2 left- and right-channel main amplifier, the speakers encompassed are components of an integrated sur- speakers, an RVS-1 center channel and a pair of RVSS bipolar surround satel- wide volume swings with an effortless round sound system. As such, they are a lites. The compact dimensions of the quality reminiscent of the best high-end triumph. main speakers facilitate installation, but audio products. Despite their 88 decibel require a subwoofer to achieve true low sensitivity rating, however, I found the ADVANCE IN THE REAR bass output. I used Energy’s AS-180 Energy front channels rather power Ever since the appearance of the powered subwoofer ($750) to do the hungry. The system’s full potential will first time delay devices in the ’70s, the job. The company also offers the EPS- only be realized when used with a sepa- quality of rear-channel speakers was rate amplifier or high-output receiver. deemed insignificant. While the absur- 150 sub. I suppose the similarities between dity of this notion was underscored by The three front speakers are virtual- ly identical. They all feature a pair of the RVS-1 and RVS-2 ensure a certain the recent development of dipolar THX 5.25-inch polypropylene cone bass/mid level of soundstage seamlessness, but I “effects channels,” the Energy RVSS drivers straddling a one-inch soft dome was unprepared for the sonic panorama continued on page 40 18 VIDEO MARCH 1995

From the publisher of | Video Magazine comesa_ new publication for the professional videographer, desktop video editor and small-business entrepreneur. mEvideoPro. | IsHere WN EMIERE \\\\PRISSUE CeCe eee eee ee O DOES ODES EEO EEO E OEE E ESOS EEE HOE SEES EES ESE ETE SES SESE EES SESE OSE ESEEES VIDEO PRO isa major new publication covering the latest in pro equipment — from video Pre Publication Savings Certificate Peat es: is : ical business 12 ISSUES OF VIDEO PRO :ion—th. ay ONLY $23.97 SUBSCRIBE ~! Yes! Send 1 year _ I want to save even more, Bags eee t (12 issues) for $23.97. send 2 years for $45.00. orris, IL 61054.0738 : Regular subscription rate $35.00 for one year. Newsstand Value $47.40. a Name (PLEASE PRINT) | Address Ee a | | nclosed delivery of first copy. ae Mer ose P| City State Zip Offer valid in U.S. Please allow up to 60 days for delivery of first copy. 4AHW3

THEATER BY ANTHONY CHIARELLA Energy's new surround sound performance high Here’s a dilemma: You've decided to tweeter in a D’Apolito configuration, generated by the Energy system. Once which minimizes lobing effects. All are they were properly positioned and cali- invest in a dedicated surround sound finished in an attractive high-gloss brated, the ability of the front-channel black with black fabric grilles and end system, but the difficulty of choosing caps, and all are magnetically shielded. speakers to track the action taking But while the RVS-2 is designed to be place on the screen was all I could ask between megabuck “THX approved” vertically mounted on a shelf or stand, for. The Pro-Logic steering effects were the RVS-1 is optimized for horizontal presented with a flattering sense of real- loudspeakers and traditional stereo placement, either above or below the ism, and the localization of specific television. After much experimenta- images within the soundfield was both products, which have been remerchan- precise and tangible. dised to capitalize on the home theater While most home the- ater speakers sound bright craze, has sent you scrambling for cover. and subliminally fatiguing, I found the RVS’ tonal bal- What to do? There’s good news, folks. ance to be nearly ideal. The frequency spectrum was Energy’s $1,600 Reference Video portrayed in a proportional and cohesive manner, System (RVS) provides although I thought the midrange slightly promi- world class performance at a nent. I am pleased to report that the bass capability of reasonable price. the RVS-2s belie their com- e pact size. In fact, viewers on The Energy name with small theaters, or those whose cinematic diet should be more familiar to eschews blockbuster action films, might consider a sub- American consumers. woofer unnecessary. During the mid-’80s, Energy My only real criticisms and its parent, Audio of the RVS front channels Products International, concern their use as stereo- only loudspeakers. Whether rode the crest of the critical and commercial success garnered by its Reference 22 series of speakers. But as the decade waned, API focused both attention and resources on cultivating a more upscale image for its Mirage marque. The infu- sion of capital allowed Mirage to develop the acclaimed M series of bipo- lar loudspeakers at a time when Energy’s designs were showing signs of age, Mirage bloomed, En NO POSTAGE NECESSARY WIDEwithered. IF MAILED IN THE Lately, Energy has |UNITED STATES || comeback. The compar eOS speaker has been well audiophile community. introduction of the RV BUSINESS REPLY MAIL discriminating movie af NEW YORK, NY thy alternative to costl The five RVS comp FIRST- CLASS MAIL PERMIT NO. 3494 | RVS-2 left- and righ speakers, an RVS-1 cen POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE a pair of RVSS bipolar lites. The compact dir main speakers facilitate require a subwoofer to : bass output. I used E powered subwoofer ($ VIDEO PRO job. The company also P.O. Box 744 Mt. Morris, IL 61054-8182 150 sub. i The three front spe< ly identical. They all fi 5.25-inch polypropylen: drivers straddling a one 18 VIDEO MARCH 1995

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CAMCORNER BY MICHAEL O'REILLY Finding your voice as a videomaker You've decided to make a video. But can make controls do what they’re not jects take on a soft and ghostly glow. The effect is more distinctive than the you want to create something that tran- supposed to do. And very often, this is out-of-focus look common to the Canon and many other camcorders at scends the footage you usually collect. where you can make the most interest- the same setting. Where do you begin? In my work as a ing things happen. Now that you have your look, what My students always respond that ideas do you have that might be well- videomaker, I am not striving for the served by your particular style? Perhaps you will want to use the blurry, yet vi- “perfect” video image. I am striving for a this is easy for me to say since I work sually rich look you've just created us- look that is going to make viewers sit up with a camcorder that generates one of ing the A-1 to complement, metaphor- ically, a text or story about seeing or and say, “Cool.” By catching their eye, I the most unique looks in the history of about the inability to see. Adapting your text to reflect things you see in hope to intrigue them enough to make camcorders—the Fisher-Price PXL-2000. 2 the images you've chosen them want to watch my images; to lis- This is a camcorder made briefly by a further strengthens the con- nection between what we ten, think and reach their own conclu- toy company that records pixelated are seeing and_ hearing. sions about whether what they’re seeing black-and-white images on ordinary au- Directors are most success- adds meaning to what I am saying. This diotapes (see “Toys ’R’ Art,” Oct. 94). I ful when they can bring to- said, it is still important to be able to tell tell my students that it doesn’t matter gether verbal, aural and vi- good video quality from bad, sual elements to realize their vision. We must find the and it is essential to know Setting which rules you are breaking. A Mood: strong and unique points A church within our camcorders and Let’s start with play. Play takes on is a good thing. It is necessary incorporate those points in- to our approach to video to have a sense of play when a soft, production. creating. Alfred Hitchcock ghostly However, it is not uncom- glow when found it necessary to story- shot by a | mon for a viewer to under- board and script everything. Sony TR101 stand your piece in a way But for our purposes, working that you, as the creator, with home video equipment, setto an might not have foreseen. As we have the luxury of not extreme director, you may choose to needing to know how our fin- telephoto employ a certain visual style ished piece is going to turn position and for no other reason than because it out. It is important at the focused looks unique. People always ask whether my use of a Pixelvision cam- on infinity. corder relates to any number of theoret- ical or socio-political ideas. The truth is start of a project not to get far simpler: I like the way it looks. too firm an idea of what you In a recent tape, Glass Jaw, which concerned my surgery and recovery want to commit to tape. In from a bike accident and a mugging, I wanted to make further changes at the the world of consumer and editing stage. I decided to double the speed of my source tape. Running the low-end professional equip- Pixelvision source material at 30 frames per second (fps) instead of the normal ment, what you see on televi- Pixelvision rate of 15 fps resulted in a sion or in the movies is, for the most what you work with. There will always distinctive look. I was later told by viewers that it was refreshing to see an part, not something you can duplicate be margins or seams to both explore and altered state of reality represented by speeded-up motion rather than by slow at broadcast levels with the components exploit. motion, which has become a cliché. One example: Canon’s Digital A-1 This was never my intention, but I wel- you're likely to be using. come the interpretation. Videomakers often start work with a Hi8 camcorder has a gain-up feature continued on page 41 look or a final result in mind, then try to that, when used outdoors on sunny find the equipment to produce it. It may days, will blow out all but the darkest seem like you’re working backwards, but objects in your shot. With the gain-up you should start a video with the equip- set at 1/8 of asecond, turn down the ex- ment you have at hand. What can you posure indicator to compensate for this make your equipment do that will give phenomenon. You may think this will your footage a unique look? This is a only muddy the image but, actually, the question I was repeatedly asked by my result is striking. Colors will be muted students at Temple University in Phil- and shapes indistinct, as though seen adelphia. I tell them this: while you are through the lens of an old daguerrotype taping, take every variable control knob camera. This is a look that is distinctly or button and push or turn it to each of un-video. its extremes, both slowly and quickly. You can also try the Sony CCD- This will give you a sense of how you TR101 Hi8 camcorder. Although it does not have the bells and whistles Michael O'Reilly is an award-winning the Canon Digital A-1 has, when its videomaker, who works and teaches in lens is in the extreme telephoto posi- Philadelphia. tion focused on infinity, foreground ob- 20 VIDEO MARCH 1995

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SatelliteTV BY RODERICK WOODCOCK| IS HOT! Technical queries ASK ABOUT THE from our readers FULL-VIEW SYSTEM [i]:have a question about converting HDTV versions of these programs, the TV shows to HDTV. It seems rea- The one that dishes up everything! tape masters won't be up to the task. sonable to postulate that the current SEE OVER Star Trek shows, Deep Space Nine and The original film negatives would be, Next Generation, will not convert to League Pass! NBA Games HDTV satisfactorily as they apparently but each episode would then have to be are being mastered in NTSC and NTSC FULL-VIEW SYSTEM has resolution limitations, especially re-edited to match what was originally with color. It also seems reasonable to The one that dishes up > bm postulate that the old Star Trek series aired on tape. | should look reasonably good in HDTV Awesome = © *¢ xg. For the moment, HDTV is not a since it was mastered in 35mm film, a Surround Sound ioe pressing issue for Hollywood. While format with good resolution. Therefore, Movies * Sports * Networks even though the effects in the new newer technologies like computerized series outshine the old series, the old FULL-VIEW SYSTEM series should look better in HDTV. Am editing systems are being used to help I right, or am I missing something. ve one that dishes up everything! edit both feature films and TV shows, David Hale 8 HBO / CINEMAX Channels Madison, Alabama only the films continue to be cut on 8 Showtime / TMC Channels . BO+ Pay-per-View Channels negative, as the step is necessary for New Channels Every Month making the “release prints” used in the- FULL-VIEW SYSTEM aters. But for future HDTV use, it’s cer- The one that dishes up everything! tainly true that the final step of editing Diaces £074) on film isn’t always being carried out, All Three Time Zones! and whether it ever will be is a decision FULL-VIEW SYSTEM that hasn’t yet been made. The one that dishes up “him A Star Trek series were shot in []I just bought a new Sony EV-S7000 Over 35mm film, and 35mm film offers Hi8 recorder to go with my TR101 ite resolution far above what either NTSC or PAL can provide. If anything, the film camcorder. I’ve had the camcorder for 200... FREE Stations © emulsions and lenses used to photograph Star Trek: The Next Generation are super- about a year, and now have a couple Complete Satellite TV Antenna System, ior to what was available 25 years ago. Receiver and Installation Kit. And, as companies like Kodak with a dozen tapes I would like to edit. Which vested interest in film technology have Includes - pointed out, 35mm film is “high-def machine would you suggest I use as the ready” in that its inherent resolution VCRS Descrambler! ~ exceeds that of any proposed electronic player and which as the recorder when HDTV format. CALL Fe RA FREE CATALOG editing my tapes? Victor Chang The problem for shows like The 800-318- 3474 Next Generation is that film is only used Palo Alto, California to generate the original imagery in the NBO ‘Name Breit Only’ camera. Virtually every other aspect of ‘AAs a tule, a tape plays back best on the VCR that made it. This is espe- = Satellite TV/Home Theater Catalog post-production, including editing, is done in the electronic domain. Once cially true with camcorders, many of Circle 5 on Reader Service Card. the film is converted by telecine to tape, which use smaller mechanical trans- the film is returned to Paramount, ports that can introduce jitter and other almost exactly as it came from the cam- tape interchange problems if another era. This contrasts to the original Star machine is used as the player. In the Trek series, as well as most film programs case of the Sony TRIO1, the smaller head drum is more jitter prone than the of the ’60s and early ’70s, which were larger drum used in later models or in shot and edited in the classic way: by Sony’s table-emodel VCRs. Using the cutting the original film negative and TRI1O1 as the player prevents many of making film prints that were then broadcast on TV by telecine. The Next these problems. Generation, however is edited on tape for 525-line NTSC format require- However, the tinier transport is ments. The edited masters exist on painfully slow when it comes to winding NTSC tape, not on film, as they do for tape, and excessive shuttling of original the original series. Many other pro- footage from point-to-point can induce grams shot these days are in the same dropouts. The EV-S7000, on the other | category. hand, has a faster transport, a timebase The dilemma for the studios is that Address questions to Q&A, Video Mag- if and when there is a demand for azine, 460 West 34 Street, New York, NY 10001; fax to 212-947-6727; or send via CompuServe to 75147,1255 or via The Internet to 75147.1255@com- puserve.com. Questions may be edited for space. 22. VIDEO MARCH 1995

| corrector, and two levels of digital noise All three models use excellent lens- reduction to help tweak images. It can also take advantage of Sony’s RC time [i]:want to buy a new camcorder, es, with resolutions that exceed the code. Your TR101 records RCTC on and I like the Hi8 format since it the tapes it makes, but can’t read it for requirements of Hi8 and S-VHS. For editing. Using the EV-S7000 as the has lots of bells and whistles. I was look- player overcomes this limitation. The ing at the Sony TR700 and the Canon most purchasers of high-end cam- EV-S7000 can also generate copyable ES1000, both Hi8 models. Then, I was special effects like still frames and slow dazzled by the great digital effects on corders, who usually end up editing their motion tricks, due to its digital circuits. the JVC GR-SZ7, an S-VHS-C ma- The TR1O1 can’t match these effects on chine. I'll use the camcorder mainly for tapes by copying them into another playback. fun with friends and family. But I like If you want to add additional audio fooling around with features and effects, VCR, the format issue isn’t that impor- to your footage, you'll have to do that in and I'll probably do some home movie the EV-S7000, which offers the dub- skits with my kids. Picture and sound tant, as long as the image quality is high. bable PCM audio tracks. Tapes made on the TR1O1 leave this space open for quality are important as is image stabi- In this regard, the JVC at the SP speed later dubbing, but no dubbing is possible lization. Which of these camcorders on the TRIO1 itself, although some should I buy? I can’t decide. can clearly hold its own against the two often use mixers to combine audio sources going from the playback VCR Alan Kassan Hi8 models. At the EP speed, I’d have to to the record VCR. Note also that since Encino, California the TR101 is a single-speed VCR, it give the nod to the Hi8s, since video uses wider video heads than the EV- AE the Sony and the Canon $7000, which offers SP and LP record- models employ an optical image noise at EP does go up a bit, even with ing, and needs slightly narrower heads as a result. stabilization system that the companies S-VHS. The bottom line is that I would use jointly developed. The JVC uses an the EV-S7000 as the player and the The JVC is packed with features, TRIO1 as the recorder, as it’s the most electronic image stabilizer, as do some other camcorders made by Sony. Both and is comfortable to hold, while the versatile scenario. systems provide comparable degrees of image smoothness, although the optical Sony and Canon models offer the ED+ 300,CD-|,SegaCD,LaserActive Compared: systems seem to be more fluid. However, the electronic system is less expensive LANC editing protocol, an asset if you to manufacture and should be less cost- ly to fix if it breaks. do critical editing. If you do edit, con- HIDED sider the format you want your footage to end up on. Many Hi8 fans edit to S- VHS, rather than to Hi8. There are more S-VHS decks to choose from, and they’re less expensive. Audio editing on S-VHS is also easier, since you have a dubbable linear audio track. Which should you buy? I can’t tell you that from what I know of your needs, but now that you know some of the trade-offs, maybe you'll find it easi- TL)er to make up your mind. rT AUGUST 1994 OCTOBER 1994 e Innovative New Products for Fall e The Basics of Video Editing e Preview of New Digital Satellite Systems e How to Choose Lights & Tripods ¢ 20 Universal Remotes Compared e CES Review—Whats Hot, What’s Not e Videotests: Panasonic Combi Player, e Videotests: Vidikron LCD Projector, e Videotests: Goldstar VHS/8mm VCR, Sharp Hi8 Camcorder, ProScan VHS-C Canon Hi8 Camcorder, Studio Magic Sony Hi8 Camcorder, Toshiba 56-inch Camcorder Desktop Video Package Widescreen TV, Pioneer Combi Player coleieateatenlarianlontenlanienlastenletentontonielententonteniontentententestententententente If you’ve missed Please send me the issues of VIDEO Magazine I’ve checked. any of VIDEO’s OQ) AUGUST 1994 UO SEPTEMBER 1994 QO OCTOBER 1994 recent issues, NAME_ ftNat BEATS use this coupon to order. But supply is limit- CITY STATE _ ZIP ed, so hurry! Enclosed is my payment of $ For each issue, send $2.95 plus $1 postage & handling ($3.95 total); please make check payable to VIDEO Magazine. emaaewerea Clip & mail to: VIDEO Back Issues, 460 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001

Those of us in the High End audio Laserdiscs, trade have seen our industry and the art of better sound move boldly for- treble and ward in the ‘90s. Multi-channel audio/video systems have created a re-equalization new role for High End audio as the defining element of the experience “Fight the bright: Why Your System’s re-equalization in the transfer would that separates “merely good” and Treble is Probably Too High” (“Home “great” home theater. Theater,” Dec. 794) by Brent have made a new class of disc, which Butterworth contains a number of sig- would not have needed processing in In the ‘70s it was “numbers.” Get the playback. We felt it was better to con- distortion low enough, the frequency nificant errors, one (outlined in my final form to the vast quantity of discs on the response wide enough, and the sig- comment) so serious as to render the market than to promulgate a new stan- nal-to-noise high enough, and it must article pointless. First, the article states dard. Thus, we put re-equalization in sound good. In the ‘80s, subjective that “To compensate [for reductions in the controller, not the transfer. And sound quality was what mattered high-frequency sounds in movie the- thus the article’s statement that the most. In the ‘90s, great sound must aters], sound engineers apply a treble only way to assure you are getting the move and involve the listener in the boost called X-curve.” The X-curve is proper equalization is to use THX discs music or movie experience. not a treble boost. It is the frequency on THX controllers is wrong. Virtually response of a sound system measured all film-originated discs should use re- Sure the picture counts, but great with microphones in a dubbing stage or equalization. Discs that do not need it sound makes the experience of home properly adjusted theater, and it shows a are operas, exercise videos and the like, theater come alive. The Academy and which were clearly not monitored in an its members welcome this challenge. Output X-curve dubbing stage. Impedance Chris Browder, B&W Loudspeakers, Third, Mr. Butterworth perpetuates President of the Academy for the 75 ohms a myth when he writes that absorptive Advancement of High End Audio home theaters soak up highs and thus Capacitor Input sound duller. In fact, the more absorp- THE ACADEMY FOR THE Impedance tive a room, the brighter the sound will 33,000 ADVANCEMENT ohms be. In less absorptive rooms, the average OF path of all sound from the loudspeaker Ground to the listener is longer because rever- This column is presented by The Academy for the Ad- beration is more prominent. A longer vancement of High End Audio, an organization dedi- Circuit diagram for a voltage divider average path means greater absorption cated to the recognition of excellence and the promo- of highs, since air absorbs high frequen- tion of greater awareness of high end audio. high-frequency roll-off. Although the cies more readily than lows as sound recorded treble is boosted partly to travels through it. compensate for this roll-off, the amount of the boost used is not the equal and Fourth, Mr. Butterworth writes that opposite amount of the roll-off. voices are the key to hearing that re- Second, Mr. Butterworth writes that equalization is correct. While true, “Many laserdiscs are mastered with the there are other strong indicators. We X-curve intact. Others are re-equalized during the film-to-video-transfer.” This also listen for the balance of small, gen- errs in degree: It is rare for a laserdisc erally low-level sound effects like the transfer to be re-equalized. A survey of rustle of clothing to hear whether the transfer houses showed that laserdisc balance on Foley effects is right. releases are considered sacrosanct com- Interestingly, it is sometimes hard to tell pared to tape releases, and that moni- toring during transfer is for problems on music, since taste dictates so strong- like phase inversion, dropouts and the like. The intent of the producer is ly what has been recorded. For a scene assumed to be recorded insofar as bass to treble balance goes. that shows multiple effects, consider Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. In When we looked at the problem in the first scene when Indy enters, comes the late 1980s we found there were down the stairs, and sits and talks with already about 3,500 laserdiscs that were the bad guy, the sounds of napkins at not re-equalized. To have started to put the table, champagne pouring and clothing rustling are just as good indica- tors as the hard sounding vowels in the dialog. This was the scene that first attracted me to re-equalization, because the transfer would A/B perfect- ly in a double-blind comparison with the original master, but it sounded too harsh over a great sounding music sys- tem. Thus re-equalization was born. Finally, Mr. Butterworth writes continued on page 74 24 VIDEO MARCH 1995

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(VHS! Hi-Fi STEREO VIDEO CASSETTE RECORDER VIDEO IN) U/MONO-ALIDIO INGA ol°A @) MITSUBISHI VHS-VCR The front panel layout is simple and offers controls for most of the U550’s By Stewart Applegath PRICE: $499 major features. You can get along well without having to resort to the remote Mitsubishi’s new HS- V-RATING: V‘ control. Power, eject, one-key program- U550 hi-fi stereo VHS ming, display and audio/video line 2 VCR offers a number of BETTER —P input jacks are located to the left of the features that simplify the FOR display panel while the playback/record recording and playback of your favorite PICTURE material. At first glance the U550 SOUND controls, One Touch Recording and the seems to include features, like a FEATURES PerfecTape features, are on the right. jog/shuttle unit, that you would expect VALUE The display panel outlines most of the system’s operations. to find on an editing VCR. However, 12 the U550 is not designed as such. The HS-U550’s new PerfecTape Instead, it provides a good, sharp pic- RATINGS ARE RELATIVE TO THOSE system automatically adjusts the VCR’s ture with useful timeshifting and tape OTHER VHS VCRs recording circuits for the best possible recording at any given moment. When quality-control features, such as VCR jacks and flying erase heads, which give Plus and PerfecTape. you the ability to make clean “rainbow- The HS-U550 is the top of free” joints between segments of trans- ferred material. Nor are there picture Mitsubishi’s series of mid-level VCRs, one step below decks configured for adjustment controls, such as those on editing. As a result, you won't find fea- Mitsubishi’s top-end HS-U770. The tures usually associated with editing U550 seems to have been designed for decks, like audio/video dubbing, edit buyers who want easy and variable play- back of their videos, reliable timeshift- ing, and a good picture. SPECS AND play SP, LP, EP mono; hi-fi AFM stereo (dB): unweighted video | 40.6 SP, 37.6 EP: weight- — | Video/FE Heads: 4/0 Preset Method: auto ed video 50.4 SP, 47 EP; program with manual chroma AM 46.2 SP, 41.2 EP; chroma PM 44.8 SP. Cue & Review Search: add/erase 41.4 EP Brand & Model: 9x SP, 27x EP; variable Cable Tuning Range: Audio Frequency Multiburst pattern shows a significant signal out- Mitsubishi HS-U550 with jog/shuttle dial on 125 channels | Response: hi-fi 20 put at 3 megaHertz, indicating good detail. =‘ Hz-12 kHz, +0/-3 dB, Weight & Size (hiw/d); WR andbuttons on Timer: 8-event/1-month you push the button, the U550 runs a -37.9 dB at 20 kHz; linear quick test on whatever tape you've 12.3 pounds; 3-3/4 x Fast Forward/Rewind Clock/Timer Battery | to-3 dB 100 Hz-10 kHz inserted in the VCR and analyzes the 16-3/4 x 13-3/8 inches Time: 4-1/2 min. for Backup: 30 min. results. PerfecTape can also be used on blank T-120 Key Features: VCR SP, 75 H2-5 kHz EP Hi-Fi previously-recorded tapes, but has to Power Use: 29 Watts erase about one second of tape to ana- Dynamic Range: 75.6 lyze it. Jacks: front-video, left Remote Control: MBR Plus+, PerfecTape tape dB analyzer, jog/shuttle When you push the PerfecTape but- and rght audio; ear input- |TRyieesfsoTrV & VOR a Audio S/N: 39.3 ton once, a notice appears informing RF, video, left audio, right audio Distortion: hii audio, AV network; output- | Program Start RF, video, 2 left audio, 2 Locator/Index/Cue: RESULTS | 0.3%; linear 0.1% right audio, AV network, auto/manual mark, manual cable box control erase, bi-directional search | Horizontal Resolution: Tape Format & Speeds: VHS HQ; record SP, EP; for up to 19 marks Analog Audio: linear Picture S/N Ratios VMLPEHIOSODRTES 26 VIDEO MARCH 1995

TESTS BY BERGER-BRAITHWAITE LABS _ you that it GE 8MM IMAGES CAMCORDER Multiburst shows a surprisingly good pattern will record over a bit of By Stewart Applegath compared to those for costlier camcorders. tape. When the button When we tested GE’s where manual control is not important. is pressed recent CG818A 8mm again, three camcorder (April, ’94), A lot of camcorders, of all formats, bar graphs we were impressed with pass through our doors. Within each appear, rep- its performance, given its low $649 format, manufacturers tend to pursue price tag. GE now goes even lower on similar goals. Consequently, it’s always a resenting price with its new CG400 8mm cam- pleasure to see a piece of equipment the high, corder. While this camcorder may not that tries to separate itself from the medium and be for everyone, at $599 it provides an crowd at a remarkably low price. The low frequen- inexpensive starting point for those CG400 is the most inexpensive 8mm cies being eval- who want to get their feet wet in video. camcorder we’ve ever tested, and while uated, followed The camcorder’s completely automat- it doesn’t offer the full functionality of by another that ed functions make it extremely easy to the CG818A, it has much to recom- |tells you the results. The process takes use, and it works well in situations mend it. about eight seconds, and a little indica- ecccccce The CG400 combines the advan- | tor in the display flashes while the test PRICE: $599 tages of the 8mm format-—small size, | is in progress. The testing process can continued on page 35 | be aborted at any time by pushing the V-RATING: VVV stop button. BETTER —P Mitsubishi has also simplified the PICTURE timeshifting process with VCR Plus and the One Key Program button on the SOUND front panel. VCR Plus facilitates one- step recording of TV shows by allowing FEATURES you to enter the PlusCode number found after program listings in your TV VALUE schedule. This number “tells” the deck 1234 continued on page 34 RATINGS ARE RELATIVE TO THOSE FOR OTHER 8MM CAMCORDERS MARCH 1995 VIDEO 27

POWER, Two in One: ayes aay es The TVCR’s well- ay tn designed remote ae has clearly : designated VCR See Me buttons in a v central oval. eseT. ts SP/SLE. |STANDBY, PAUSE/STILL Vi TOSHIBA TOSHIBA TOSHIBA 27-INCH TVCR PRICE: $999 one to open the door. Three red and orange lights indicate power, recording, By Cliff Roth V-RATING: VVV and timer operation. The TVCR has come of age. When these combi- BETTER —P The picture tube is not Toshiba’s nation units first hit the highly-rated SuperTube, but it provides market, they generally PICTURE good image quality, with very square SOUND corners. Horizontal resolution mea- combined a small, inexpensive TV with FEATURES an inexpensive two-head VCR. The VALUE sured 380 lines in our lab tests, which is result was a compact unit offering all- perfectly acceptable for the intended 1 234 5 uses of this set. Of course, using the in-one convenience, perfect for a bed- RATINGS ARE RELATIVE TO THOSE room, a guest-room or a second home VCR, horizontal resolution drops to the system. ‘Toshiba’s new CV27D48 FOR OTHER TVCRs. standard 240 line rating for VHS. Our demonstrates that styling, set-up sim- sample TVCR exhibited a slight one- plicity, and operating convenience can with very good special effects playback, degree tilt to its geometry; that is, ver- also translate upward into bigger sets and an attractive design that manages tical lines on a convergence pattern with better features. to totally hide the existence of the VCR appeared about a quarter inch closer to behind a big hinged door beneath the the left at the top of the screen, com- | Besides boasting a big 27-inch screen. When this door is closed, only pared with the bottom. This anomaly screen, the $999 CV27D48 has MTS two buttons are visible—on/off, and the was likely caused in shipping. stereo sound, a four-head, hi-fi VCR Using a crosshatch test pattern, con- SPECS AND quency synthesis Outputs: rear-variable 43.4 SP, 42.1 SLP; sisting of vertical and horizontal white MEASUREMENTS level left and right audio weighted, 47.8 SP, 46.2 lines on a black background, we also Method of Tuning: SLP. Direct: 51.3 un- noticed a ringing in the picture—the ver- Make & Model: programmable scan on External Speaker weighted, 54.7 weighted tical lines bent slightly after intersecting Toshiba CV27D48 set; scan plus direct Connectors: none with the horizontal lines. This indicates a access from remote Screen Brightness: 30 set being overdriven in its contrast, or Weight & Size: 89.1 Internal Audio footlamberts when set white level, setting. By lowering the pounds; 25-3/4 x 26-7/8 Broadcast Tuning Amplifier Power: 3 Toshiba’s contrast level to its midpoint x 19-5/8 Range: 2 to 13, 14 to 69 Watts per channel Color Temperature: level, the ringing was virtually eliminat- 6,600 Kelvin after ed. Colors were oversaturated. Power Consumption: Cable Tuning Range: Accessories: remote calibration TV-109 Watts; VCR-18.5 125 channels—2 to 13, A- control with batteries, With the assistance of Kevin Miller Watts 8 to A-1, Ato, J to W, antenna adapter Audio Frequency of Total Media Systems (516-777-7058) AA to ZZ, AAA, BBB, 65 Response: line out: 50 and a Philips Color Analyzer we cali- Screen Size: 27 inches, to 94, 100 to 125 RESULTS Hz -20kHz + 0.4/-2.9 dB, brated the set’s color temperature. diagonally -5.4 at 20 kHz; speaker When we reviewed Toshiba’s 32-inch Remote Control: |R Horiz. Resolution: TV- 120 Hz-15 kHz CN32D90 (Feb. ’95), we discovered Speaker Size: two 2- wireless a lines; VCR-240 3/4 x 5 inch oval ines Audio S/N: 67 dB continued on page 37 Inputs: front-none; rear- Type of Tuning: fre- video, left audio, right Picture S/N in dB: VCR Total Harmonic audio playback, unweighted: Distortion: hi-fi 0.4%; linear 1.1% 28 VIDEO MARCH 1995

STOP SHOOTING ORDINARY VIDEOS. AND START CREATING EXTRAORDINARY ONES! Now, create your most dazzling videos ever! e Easy-to-master methods for achieving time-lapse All you need is a copy of Camcorder Magic, the video effects, colorization, and other special effects. guide that shows you step-by-step how to transform your videos into professional-quality productions. ° Lighting tricks the pros use to set the right mood. Developed by to: p video producers and VIDEO Magazine contributors James e How to use miniatures to add real- Caruso and Mavis Arthur, ism to your videos. Camcorder Magic will change the e Imaginative effects you can way you shoot videos. Over 190 achieve with filters, lenses, fact-packed pages and hundreds of color photos show you: and homemade masks. e How to master professional ¢ How to choose the perfect camera point-of-view. skills — from handheld moves and tripod shooting ¢ Professional techniques for to camera angles, perspec- capturing fast action. tive and depth of field. ¢ How to create smooth transi- # E; diting ideas that turn raw tions between shots. footage into masterpieces. e Simple methods for adding ¢ How ttoo rreeccoorrd your p hotos ’ titles and graphics to your pro- slides and home movies ducti.ons — no matter what onto vi; deo tape. equipment you own! e@ Secrrets of Hollywood’s5 make-up artists. ¢ How to get great results in ‘5 ( WAYS TO MAKE \\ Plus -- camcorder care, choos- low-light situations. EXCITING VIDEOS | ing the best tape, preserving ¢ The secrets of shooting fasci- JAMES R. cans MS icii@e tapes properly, and much nating candid interviews. more. It’s the ultimate guide to getting the most out of your * Homa with any camcorder. camcorder. Send for yours today! ee cr Can REND AR Ser ene het Ga suautene ne aeey ore iene oot edema oe een ot bononm linet erciticy: 1 aaa ann Oe I YES, send me CAMCORDER MAGIC! Name (please print clearly) ] I My payment of $12 plus $3 shipping and Address I I handling ($15 total per copy) is enclosed. City I i (Make check or money order payable to ! Reese Communications.) State Zip NY State residents, please add appropriate i | Para es kc $16 total. Allow upto No. Copies Payment Total $ | I I | Clip & Mail with payment to: CAMCORDER MAGIC, ] | | VIDEO Magazine, 460 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001 Ls sales anne ie ti eeee ee ee

\\. CHANNE 4-HEAD Hi-Fi MTS STEREOBO/X CCHAANNEBL LCONETROL WHS) HO. <4li>> eenae eanamnamenmunnmnunaaaaas sromnsenenmnnvsoonananennsenenentt SHARP VHS-VCR VCR settings can be programmed PRICE: $460 quickly and easily. V-RATING: VVVV By Timothy Liebe While initially setting up the VCR- BETTER —»> Not for the first time, I Plus feature can be time consuming, the find myself marveling that infrared cable box control on the front PICTURE | features that were avail- of the unit makes the extra effort able on only the best low- worthwhile for many people who wish SOUND | end industrial VCRs two or three years ago are now standard on consumer to use VCR-Plus with cable. (A number FEATURES | VCRs. A case in point is Sharp’s new of cable services require the use of VC-H925U, a VHS model priced at VALUE | $460. This mid-range, four-head deck addressable boxes, which means that comes with VCR-Plus with cable box most channels not broadcast over the 0 12345 control, a semi-universal remote capa- air require unscrambling through the ble of controlling your TV set and cable cable box. The H925’s cable box con- RATINGS ARE RELATIVE TO THOSE box as well as the VCR, hi-fi stereo trol ensures that its VCR-Plus will func- FOR OTHER VHS VCRs sound with MTS (multichannel TV tion properly, no matter which cable sound), slow-motion playback, a vari- channel you wish to record.) Also, by employing a_ technique able-speed shuttle dial, an hours/min- described in the manual, the shuttle Also on the front panel of the H925 can be used for slow-motion forward are the controls needed for basic playback, again without holding onto recording and playback, all in plain the ring. Reverse slow-motion playback sight, as well as the unit’s shuttle ring. is not possible; however, this feature is The LCD display on the front panel rarely present at this price level. defaults to tape time when a tape is If, like me, you’ve frequently found playing; however, you can easily access the “noiseless” pause feature on your clock time by pressing the display but- VCR to be anything but, you'll appreci- ton on the remote. This is a minor fea- ate how steadily the H925 holds a still ture, but a useful one. or slow-motion image. Even on tapes Among the many pleasing features recorded in EP mode, the paused or slow-advanced picture was generally about the H925’s shuttle ring is its abil- rock-steady, with no tracking lines ity to vary forward and rear search across the bottom of the image and sur- speed without requiring the user to hold onto the ring the whole time. continued on page 39 SPECS AND | Cue & Review Search: Cable Tuning Range: SP, 41.3 EP weighted Multiburst waveform shows a frequency MEASUREMENTS _ SP. 5x; EP, 15x A-8, 2 to 13, A to W, AA to video 51.7 SP, 50.5 EP, ZZ, AAA, BBB, 65 to 94, chroma AM 43.6 SP, 40.7 response typical for VHS VCRs. . Fast Forward/Rewind A-5 to A-1, 100 to 125 | EP. chroma PM 45.3 SP, utes/seconds tape counter, and front as Time: approx. 2-1/2 min. Ti: mer: 8-event/1-year IEP well as rear audio/video inputs. | for 1-120 tape In addition, small details in the H925’s design seem to have been Weight & Size (h/w/d): | Remote Control: |R Key Features: stil! Clock/Timer Battery thought through with a higher than | wirelfeorsVsCR, TV, frame, frame advance, | Backup: 20 seconds average regard for recording and play- 7,7 pounds; 3-3/4 x 15 x slow motion, speed play, back quality. For instance, the tape 11-1/2 inches cable audio dub, video dub, Audio Frequency speed default is the high-quality SP insert edit, auto rewind | Response: hi-fi 20 Hz-15 mode, rather than the long-playing, Power Use: 20 Watts Program Start | kHz, +0.1/-3 dB, down lower-quality EP mode. Thanks to the Locator/Index/Cue: RESULTS | -39.8 dB at 20 kHz; linear set-up function, accessible via the front Jacks: front-video, left | index with auto mark and | -3 dB 90 Hz-12.5 kHz SP; panel of the H925 as well as through and right audio; rear-RF in forward reverse search for the remote control’s menu key, basic up to 18 marks 75 Hz-3 kHz EP and out, video and stereo audio in and out Tape Format & ol cade Range: Speeds: VHS HQ; record |Horizontal Resolution: 71-7 08 SP, LP; play SP, LP, EP Analog Audio: linear mono; hi-fi AFM stereo | 240 lines | Linear Audio S/N: 41 dB Video/FE Heads: 4/0 Preset Method: auto | Picture S/N Ratios —_—_Audio Distortion: hi-fi with manual add/erase | (dB): unweighted video 45 | 0.3%: linear 0.9% 30 VIDEO MARCH 1995

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Lost & Found: The TV's intuitive remote can be set to sound off if it’s been misplaced. MAGNAVOX MAGNAVOX 27- INCH TV or the dog stashed it. As simple as the Remote Locator must be to implement, By Kevin Miller PRICE: $699 from a technical standpoint, I don’t Many people feel you V-RATING: VVVV\\ know of any other manufacturer that must have at least a 27- inch TV to qualify your BETTER —P offers it. system as “home theater.” The other feature of note is an auto I agree. I wouldn't consider anything PICTURE smaller as a true centerpiece to my volume leveler, or what Magnavox calls video system. In fact, 27 inches has SOUND Smart Sound. Ever notice how much become the most popular screen size for louder commercials are than the regular use in a full-blown, living-room video FEATURES programs on any given channel? You’ve system, or as a large bedroom TV. And there are a lot of 27-inch monitors to VALUE set the volume just where you want it, choose from today at a variety of prices. you settle back into your seat with your Enter the TP-2790 from Magnavox o 1 2345 favorite beverage and—POW!-the com- with a suggested price of $699-a very mercial practically blows you and your reasonable price considering the fea- RATINGS ARE RELATIVE TO THOSE drink out of the chair. Magnavox has tures and performance the set delivers. FOR OTHER DIRECT-VIEW MONITORS. addressed this advertising ploy quite The set is 125-channel cable ready. neatly with Smart Sound. The Smart It has variable audio outputs, multiple typical feature package for sets in this Sound control, or automatic volume picture-in-picture insets with a preview price range, but the TP-2790 also offers leveler, control allows you to choose a feature and strobe with external source, two unique and highly desirable fea- particular volume level as that ceiling. tures. First, you press the Smart Sound button and a universal remote for the TV, a on the remote and “Auto-Volume” VCR and the cable box. This is a fairly The Remote Locater is a godsend appears onscreen. Then you press the for those with children or a tendency to Smart Sound button repeatedly to turn misplace things. If you can’t find your the volume level control on or off. remote, simply turn the TV’s power on While the feature does not precisely control sound levels, it gives you a more at the set, and the remote beeps long consistent, even sound level by reduc- enough (I counted 30 beeps) to give ing the peaks and valleys that occur you ample time to find where the kids during channel and program changes. SPECS AND 3x5-inch ovals External Speaker calibration; 28.8 fls after Two features the Magnavox lacks MEASUREMENTS Connectors: none calibration are a headphone jack and a front panel Broadcast Tuning input jack for convenient camcorder Brand & Model: Range: 2 to 13, 14 to 69 Key Features: remote Color Temperature: Magnavox TP-2790 locator, automatic volume 8,750 degrees Kelvin from hookup. | Cable Tuning Range: leveler, PIP factory; 6,550 K after cali- Looked at straight out of the box, W10e0igphotund&s Size: 125 channels bration Pia \\ engl RESULTS the picture on the TP-2790 was over- Remote Control: |R Audio Frequency driven and quite blue on the gray scale, Screen Size: 27 inches wireless with buttons for | Horiz. Resolution: 400 Response: variable line as is typical of many of today’s TVs. My measured diagonally TV, VCR, and cable box | out 5 Hz-1k7Hz, +0.8/-3 trusty Philips Color Analyzer measured Speaker Size: two lines | dB, -6.4 dB at 20 Hz, +8 Inputs: front-none; rear- Picture S/N in dB: video 48 at 20 kHz; speakers 50 video, left audio, right 51; chroma AM 61.5; | Hz-15 kHz, +/-10 dB audio chroma PM 61.1 | Audio S/N: 62.3 dB | Outputs: rear variable Screen Brightness: | Total Harmonic level, left and right audio 73.4 footlamberts before Distortion: 0.9% 32. VIDEO MARCH 1995

a color temperature that ranged from dow where it finally dipped to 6,380 K on ors can be and what you're missing from 8,750 degrees Kelvin on the top end the lowest IRE window, with a peak light the picture, but it’s not a set-up that of the gray scale to over 16,000 output of 28.8 footlamberts, almost most consumers can easily find or degrees Kelvin on the bottom of the exactly the reference standard. arrange. On the Magnavox, | found all the front-panel controls to be set at or gray scale, where the blue shift be- This makes the TP-2790 one of the near the middle positions. After adjust- comes much more visible on regular ment, all of the levels were set around program material. most linear, or consistent, sets I have the one-quarter mark, except for the tint ever tested. When I compared it to my control, which was set slightly higher. The set measured a peak light out- reference direct-view set, the 31-inch put of 74.3 footlamberts. This is more ProScan PS-31122, I saw an incredibly Convergence was not as good as on than double the standard, which is 30 similar image. The main difference was my ProScan, or on many other direct- footlamberts, for light output on a that the Magnavox exhibited overly sat- view sets I’ve seen. There was a severe direct-view TV. Opening up the set urated colors even after it was adjusted bend on the needle pulse pattern indi- revealed all the necessary drive and bias using Reference Recording’s A Video cating a weak power supply. Lowering controls to properly adjust the color Standard test laserdisc and the filters for the contrast helped straighten the | temperature to the industry standard of color and tint. pulse-pattern line. Most TV manufac- 6,500 degrees Kelvin. Given that the TP-2790 is a relatively inexpensive set The Magnavox, like all other TVs turers, whether direct-view or rear-pro- | not targeted toward high-end con- today, is shipped with settings that make jection, have significantly improved sumers, the presence of these controls the picture look too bright and the con- their power supplies recently. This was a pleasant surprise. Magnavox trast too high. (Believe it or not, there is allows you to get better contrast out of deserves credit for giving viewers the such a thing as a picture that’s too ability to have the set’s color tempera- bright.) The biggest drawbacks of these the set in its best operating range. I ture calibrated by qualified technicians. high settings are that you completely would say the Magnavox’s relatively lose deep blacks, because the brightness weak power supply is the set’s biggest After adjusting the set to 6,500 is too high, and you see an image with shortcoming, and one that could be eas- | degrees Kelvin from the top to the bot- excessive picture noise because the con- ily and inexpensively fixed on future trast is too high. tom of the picture, the set tracked the units. gray scale almost flawlessly, a feat of The best way to appreciate these I found the remote control to be which few consumer sets are capable. characteristics is to put a properly cali- | The high output window read 6,550 K, brated TV next to one that’s running intuitive and easy to use, and J am usu- and the set was stable, holding that num- with its factory settings. Such a compari- ally fussy about remotes. The key func- ber all the way to the lower output win- son will show how much better the col- tion buttons are larger than the rest and easy to locate, and many readers will PANASONIC PB50 Orig. PAN RAPID CHARGERS PANASONIC PB80/88 Orig.PAN. | CAMCORDER CHARGER/DISCHARGER HN SONY NP77H 2400 mah.... SONY 8mm 1500 mah... 6V, 7.2V, 9.6V runs from oe m CANON 8mm 2000 mah house or auto. |j PALMCORDER 2000 mah.. 1 hr. time for Sony, Canon, JVC GR-C9 Type C.... Panasonic, RCA/Hitachi SHARP BT 21/22 SHARP BT 70/80 2400 mah.. & most other brands RCAJHITACHI 8 mm 2400 mah. Charges 1 battery $44 Charges 2 batteries $69 pt Winter Special Sqy NEW External Power pac+ S Rapid Charger Discharger € 5 to 7 hours of recording time. Arkon BC-600 Powerpac+ includes: For most 6 volt batteries =6volt @ 10 amps Sony, Sharp, Canon, Panasonic, sealed lead acid battery. JVC, Minolta, RCA/Hitachi \"Heavy duty pouch and belt. Can use in house or car =A charger for charging at home (optional charging cord for car). Discharges and charges in one =«1A2n vadoalptto@r7aomf pysou$r95choice. $85 Ssis autom$a3t7i.c00cycle. Sh LE BATTERY TECH, INC. 800-442-4275 “em28-25 215TH PLACE, BAYSIDE, N.Y. 11360 = FAX:718-631-5117 AMEERXIPCREASNS ee) Circle 10 on Reader Service Card. MARCH VIDEO 33

HoDtAtCLGyATwAoLoD find the Remote Locater to be quite use- thought this was a nice feature. You can also use the jog/index search +/— but- NOW offering ful. If this remote were backlit, it would tons on the remote to advance the pic- wholesale prices ture by single frames. The remote is sim- be nearly perfect. ply laid out and can be marshaled, to a to the consumer limited extent, for use as a universal The sound is stereo and average, control unit. In this way you can operate @eeeeeee2eee0e000 a number of brands of TVs, and cable about what you should expect from a boxes as well as your VCR. Call us toll free from anywhere in the moderately priced 27-inch set. For better I was surprised by the quality of the picture on the U550; it displayed a sharp (800) U9.S9. 4at-DISC sound you invariably have to invest in an image with good detail. The detail came (714) 821-7458 with a bit of extra noise, but not enough outboard system. Two 3-by-5-inch dri- to be distracting. There was a slight bleed- FROM NOW UNTIL ing of colors and a somewhat low chroma MARCH 31, 1995 vers deliver a sound that is harshwhen output, which resulted in a slightly muted RECEIVE 20% OFF picture. Overall though, a pleasing pic- ALL LASERDISCS you set the levels too much above the ture: except for the chroma output and extra noise, the U550 compared well with INCLUDING halfway mark on the onscreen graphic. the top-of-the line Sony SLV-920HE THESE HOT NEW RELEASES The Smart Sound feature was especially When it came to audio, the U550 could have performed better. Though impressive. It’s a feature many people the hi-fi dynamic range was acceptable, will use and enjoy. When I finished adjusting the set- tings, I found the picture quality to be excellent. My only quibble is the overly saturated color, mostly on flesh tones and reds. The TP-2790 delivered a crisp, clear image. If you are in the market for a 27-inch TV, this Magnavox is worth a serious look. u MITSUBISHI VGR continued from page 27 veruty POWER to record the program at the appropriate (:) INPUT Out For A Jog: time. With the One Key Program, you qo\" The Mitsubishi | | can program the VCR (in any of three languages) for timeshifting material, remote uses jog | calling up the necessary menus in sequence, and expedite recording when | buttons to per- you don’t have time to navigate menus. # form the same The jog/shuttle dial on the front panel ® functions as the serves a number of masters. Instead of MENU ENTER CANCEL jog dial on the including discrete fast forward and rewind ADJUST VOLUME deck. buttons on the front panel, Mitsubishi has AUDIO ~ wn ALEC BALDWIN eo. N78)=10) | ~~ od adowThey. “4 designed the VCR so you can trigger these @REC JOG/INOEX SEARCH px jce | | functions by turning the shuttle ring to the left or right, while in stop mode. In pause @= +\" | | PLAY mode, the shuttle ring can be used to adjust speed from slow motion up to high- speed playback, forward or reverse. In reg- ular playback, you can use it to forward or reverse the tape, but only at regular play- back speed or faster. ateMITSUBISHI In pause mode, the jog dial moves the HS-U550 tape frame by frame, and can do so in five © 1994 Universal City Studios, Inc. and Bregman/Baer Productions, Inc. All Rights speed increments in forward and reverse. Reserved.\"The Shadow” is a registered trademark of Advance Magazine Publishers Inc. At slower speeds, the advance mechanism Available 01/24/95 is not continuous, but pauses a bit every there was a major high-frequency roll- TIMECOPjean-claude van damm third or fourth frame; the result is slow motion that is not as smooth as it could be. off which we measured at a steep -37.9 |Available 02/28/ You can also use the jog to change chan- nels or adjust tracking and picture vibra- dB at 20 kHz. Anywhere in the range of Digital Hollywood Entertainment tion. Here, you push the One Key Program -3 to -7 would be considered average 6849 Via Sola Circle button and turn the jog dial until the pic- performance in this category. This char- Buena Park, CA 90620 ture is clearer, then push the button again acteristic gives the high frequency parts (800) 994-DISC (714) 821-7881 to resume auto tracking. of a recording a somewhat dull sound. FAX (714) 821-7458 With the fast forward and rewind There are two sets of RCA jacks on the back panel for stereo and mono audio Circle 11 on Reader Service Card. buttons on the remote control, you can output, one set for stereo or mono input, trigger the same functions without using the jog/shuttle on the deck. In pause and one for each video input and output. | mode, with a picture frozen on the In addition, Mitsubishi has added connec- tions for Active A/V Network, which allows this VCR to perform automated screen, each push of these buttons functions with other Mitsubishi products. increases the speed from 1/30th-second While the audio performance could slow motion up to high-speed search. I have been better, the HS-U550’s pleasing 34 VIDEO MARCH

picture quality and features, including a shutter-speed/white balance control, a versatile jog shuttle, VCR Plus, a func- fader, an iris adjustment, backlight com- pensation or LANC functions. The tional remote and a tape analysis feature, camcorder shoots automatically and plays back. That’s about it. And while enhance its performance and value as a continued from page 27 the non-feature list is long, it is deliber- timeshifting and playback deck. 2 long recording time, a good ate: This camcorder makes a statement picture—with a no-frills, point-and- about simplicity. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA shoot simplicity. You won't find any bells or whistles here. There is no electronic The CG400’s controls are few and Growth industry viewfinder, no microphone or head- simple to use. There is a power on/off phone jacks, no remote control and no switch and record button on the back of infrared remote. You also won't find a the camcorder along with an LCD dis- If you want to track your child’s growth, SPECS AND 10.8 mm) power zoom Video/FE Heads: 2/1 recorder-240 lines periodically videotape the child against MEASUREMENTS Picture S/N Ratios a fixed background. Place the cam- Minimum Focusing Cue & Review Search: (dB): unweighted video corder in the same position each time. Brand & Model: Distance: wide-angle, 6 9x/Tx 43.2, weighted video Even if you only shoot a second of tape GE CG400 inches; tele, 4 feet 48.6, chroma AM 44.4, each week, in a few years you'll have an Weight & Size (h/w/d): Fast Forward/Rewind chroma PM 43.8 irreplaceable video. |Masaaki Sawada camcorder 1.55 pounds Autofocus: none, fixed Time: 6-1/6 min. for 120 without battery or cas- min. cassette Min. Illumination: 9.2 Waterloo, Canada sette; battery 0.4 pounds; Viewfinder: through- lux for 50 IRE 4-1/8 x 3-3/4 x 7-1/4 the-lens, with diopter, Remote Control: none Approx. Battery Life Cut and paste inches LED indicators for oper focus/no zoom): Power Use: 6 VDC, 4.5 record/pause and warning Analog Audio: |inear- When videotaping objects with the inten- Watts approx. none; hi-fi AFM-mono min. Image Sensor: 1/4-inch Viewfinder Controls: tion of transferring them to a PC, shoot CCD diopter focus Titles/Graphics: none Audio Frequency Lens: F2.4-3.5; 3x (3.6- Response: 50 H2-7 kHz, them on a sheet of white paper. This Microphone: mono Key Features: fixed +0/-3 dB; -8.1 dB at 20 electret condenser focus, blank tape search, Hz; -6.3 dB at 20 kHz makes it unnecessary to “cut out” the LCD status display, bat- Hi-Fi Dynamic Range: Jacks: video out, DC tery level indicator 64 dB background on your PC before pasting the out, audio out RESULTS Audio Distortion: 0.3% object elsewhere. Hi Sawada Tape Format & Speeds: 8mm; SP Horizontal Resolution: Montréal, Canada camera-300 lines; COMPUTER VIDEO OVERNIGHT DELIVERY GUARANTEE®D24HR FAX 212¢825¢1970 ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED 1¢800°771°7466 A 3 CCD Digital Single SuperCam | COME VISITOUR Processing NEW 15,000 Sq, Ft. = 40 EXCHANGE PL. NY,NY 10005 -IN NY STATE 212-825-1823 = A 700 Lines Horizontal Az Packard INTELLIGENT MEAST Video Machine Lite -—». Resolution COMPUTER | SUPERSTORE A Edit Contoller for A/B, A/X roll and A Chroma/Dark Detail Bell ae ay= A Flair Correction Circuit CALLaudio/video split editing === = A Controls any VCR with control L FE A 200 digital effects A 2 independent video channels Intel DX4™/100MHZ FORCE 102CD A No Time Based Correctors needed 8MB RAM/1.44 MB FD LOCAL BUS VIDEO 486DX2/90Mhz , MiroVIDEO DC1 540/810MB HD + Desktop Video Editing 10.4 TFT ACTIVE ure $20898MB RAM MATRIX COLOR DISP! ig SyStem For Windows 2 PCMCIA SLOTS 1.44MB FD 14.4 S/R FAX MODEM = The video solution INTEGRATED MIC & SPEAKER (OUBLE SPEED CD ROM for real-time captur- ing and playback of 3 YR INTERNATIONAL WARRANTY 6 BIT STEREO SOUND video sequences. CARD & SPEAKERS . Includes video edit- ing and photo re- 14.4 FAX MODEM touching software KEYBOARD/2 BUTTON All-in-one Windows aS REAT MOUSE MONITOR OPTION: * FULL MOTION VIDEO * OVERLAY TEXT & GRAPHICS ON VIDEO * CAPTURE STILL/MOTION * MICROSOFT VIDEO FOR WINDOWS 29 tor Ca MA BO dT Ke it 486SX/33 Mhz 4MB RAM 1.44MB FD $899 2X CD-ROM 218MB HD 16 BIT SOUND CARD DOUBLE SPEED CD RO DIGITAL SPEAKERS HEADPHONES/MIC. 9600 FAX MODEM Circle 27 on Reader Service Card. KEYBOARD/2 BUTTON MOUSE MARCH 1995 VIDEO 35

vCeupweeeroeetore play that indicates basic functions: bat- CG400 is not automatic, but fixed. You tery life, tape/eject, record/pause, time won't have to worry about focus-hunt- Ken Crane’s Is The Largest elapsed and warnings. Nearby, on top of ing. Everything that’s more than six Laser Disc Mail Order the camera, is a simple one-touch but- Retailer In The U.S. ton for play and camera modes. inches from the lens will be in focus, although the system needs a bit more We Stock The optical, non-electronic view- light than an automatic system to be Every Title! finder is the most noticeable feature completely effective. Combined with an when you pick up the CG400. It is sim- * Fastest Availability On New Titles! ilar to that found on Sony’s 8mm SC-5 automatic shutter speed of 1/60 of a sec- * Most Orders Shipped Same Day! Handycam Snap. The viewfinder, with ond, you have great simplicity, but with- * 20% Discount On All Titles! diopter focus, is above the lens when in a limited range of operating condi- * Free 2nd Day Air UPS Shipping looking at the front of the camcorder. tions. It’s clear, however, that GE Unlike the Snap, the CG400 has a man- designed this model for basic, not high- In The Continental U.S.A. end shooting. * Visa, Mastercard, Discover, ual 3x zoom, and the zoom’s small AMEX, Checks, And C.O.D. mechanical lever is well-placed, close to GE has included a lens cap that * $1.50 Handling Charge your shooting hand’s index finger. works quite well. With a push-and-twist Per Order Shipped. When you use the zoom, a lens moves action, it fits securely and covers both inside the viewfinder to show you the the main lens and the viewfinder lens, OFF0%NOW SAVE equivalent of what the camcorder lens and stays on better than those found on Suggested Retail On ¢ Every Pre-Ordered sees. camcorders twice the price. New Release This is a mechanical, not an elec- The playback and eject buttons are ¢ Every Title In Stock ¢ Every Back-Order tronic viewfinder/lens arrangement, but hidden under a flip-up panel on top of Through May 31st, 1995 there have been times when I’ve the camcorder. Included here is a blank Includes FREE yearned for this kind of control. It tape search function that partly com- allows you to zoom as fast or slowly as pensates for the absence of an electron- 2nd Day Air Shipping you like, and you can get a relatively ic viewfinder. In either play or camera Titles must ship between smooth zoom action once you get used mode, you can use this button to find these dates So Order Early to it. GE has also included two LED where you left off recording or playing. indicator lights in the eyepiece to indi- This saves you the chore of connecting PHONE US AT... cate record/pause and warnings. the camcorder to a monitor to find your 1-800-624-3078 starting place. 1-800-626-1768 The focus mechanism on the 1-714-892-8369 A small, Sony NP-55-type battery 9FA0X8-2O9R4D-E7R480_ fits into a compartment on the lower (Fax Number) side of the 400, opposite the handgrip. Wholesale!A gage The battery ran approximately 80 min- ForA Free Catalog 324@ The utes in uninterrupted record mode, Write Or Visit although it didn’t last nearly as long Our SuperStore ‘AMAHA* CD PLAYERS a when used in a day-to-day manner: YAMAHA* SONY CAMCORDERS on/off, start record/stop, then playback. Ken Crane’s LaserDisc RX-V10&70870.....CALL] CDC- 45 CALL] CCD TR-400 CALL As usual, it would be wise to pack more 15251 Beach Blvd. CARVER* coc- CALL] CCD TR-700 ...... CAL than one. HR-895 . CALL| CARVER Westminster, CA 92683 DENON SD/A490T . CALL ; The picture quality is slightly below AVR2500 &9000 CALL] HARMAN KARDON®* |SONY VCR'S camcorders with higher pricetags, but Circle 18 on Reader Service Card. IMAN KARDON® | TL-8400 BEST }SLVR1000 S-VHS.....USA definitely better than some, such as the Nave -3600..C.ALL] HD-7525 PRICE} SLV-920HF .. CALL Sony SC-5 Handycam Snap. There was Jvc NAD* SLV-770HF & 720HF CALL some luminance noise but the color 375} 502. TOP} EVS-7000. HI-8 .....C.ALL accuracy was quite good. We saw D| SONY LASER approximately 230 to 240 lines of reso- MDP-800 CALL lution in the recorded image. LL] PANASONIC VIDEO CALL Audio was just about average. From AV-1 OX-706 CALL |VN-760 a measurement standpoint, we noticed RECEIVER 2&3 .....CALL] PIONEER NA more high frequency roll-off than is ONKYO* CLD-0: 503 CALL Z LL normal on an 8mm camcorder of this CALL] PD-M703 CALL type. Its hi-fi dynamic range was fair STOC GRAX-70__ COLOR VIEWFINDER: and its distortion normal. There was lit- CALL] PWS VCR'S tle transport noise leakage. The on- 3; P-C745 CALL] CALL ..FOR ALL MODELS board microphone also worked quite SONY COP-ext 100 CD }HRS~ vet CAI well. TR-D 1015S CA || Me HRS-490 The CG400 has RCA mono output Bic ONKYO* ‘AI ceFEAMCORS jacks with a rubber cover to keep the ALL MODELS . NAKAMI FOR Pelle! elements out. Like the Samsung SCX904, the 400 comes without an RF BOSE* COLORVIEWEINDER output adapter; it’s available as an optional accessory. We would like to see PIONEER Si70 BESSoe this included as a matter of course, so .CALL] SONY MIN! L TWAHSaRw HIa-8 SoOOLOURAVTEE non-videophile users can connect the camcorder to all types of TV sets right ee PARATES away. CCAALLL]LGAGATFTDPA--LC4SI5505NMEKi.l A CALL] VVCMMA-HLoLsAHITiATnCOvPHeIRvsAteTEnD This camcorder was not designed atDEOVCRS 499998UP CALL]ACE-151 CCAALLLL for serious videographers, but for novice TPIAAaNRSAUaPnENRSZEERO CALL CALL MUST 3 AKlbALUSD-7I0O* t™ waeesi cGaAtL. Y|PePRAMOG-9b3aC0AEM5C0 ORDERSCALL [ita 499) (SaWARRANTY INCLUDED AWE ey CALL] Beas PSB NAD* MANY MODELS .....CALL] 4600 CALL | MeLTE ees SUBWOOFERS ALPINE**AUTOTEK NHT* iF CALL] BLAUPUNKT® CALL attCALL INSTOCK .. CALLI Leics PHASE LIN eo MILLION DOLLGR INVENTORY cud 5 YEAR WARRANTIES AVAILABLE FOR ALL IT! All produds arenewUSAMerchandciovseered bythemanufacturer's of“ABC'sexclusive lined and aebackedbyou10 DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE. MBEROFTHEBETTERBU Circle 13 on Reader Service Card.

___._... GOT QUESTIONS ABOUT ACCESSORIES? ortout wile usesibieel 1manyof re prefer to do without the bells and whis- | | tles more serious videographers love. The simple systems on the CG400 will be a boon to those who don’t like fuss- | ing with controls. At such a low price and with such great ease of use, this camcorder is a solid choice for an inex- pensive, no-worry camcorder that’s fun to use. . 27-INGH TGR continued from page 28 that set could be calibrated with the | remote control through an onscreen service menu. Though that great fea- Seige aie Peale aemodel, we were able to calibrate the WE'VE GOT THE ANSWERS e E | CV27D48 almost as easily. Call for our free accessories catalog oO The color temperature of the set 8 | straight out of the box was 12,500 | AUDIO namics een REMOTES e | — w= HAVEN degrees Kelvin, with a shift toward blue Cee AREEA INDUSTRIES ae n | TELEPHONE VIDEO GAME s on the left side of the screen and toward yellow on the right. It was much bluer s | at low signal output levels, at over | b1r6a,t0ed0:0 bdeaeugtrneiefiss.dlyHoinweeevxevre,ny tshteihlseet'G:c6al0i0-:| Noni CaEe 2950 Lake Emma Road 900 MHz WIRELESS 6e | degrees K. ake Mary, FL 32746 300-23 -003 be 11 | Good gray scale delineation and a ANTENNAS 2 | well-controlled power supply were evi- o dent. The picture showed good bright- ness. Color adjustments could not be made exactly, as there was still a slight Is your Cable Company oversaturation. All in all, the set per- formed strongly. Without calibration, Alienating You? | we recommend that the contrast be | | adjusted to its mid point or below. At | this level, colors will begin from a . ,. | bluish starting point, which is not at all N | uncommon. ; yy Say NO to unearthly . 4 The VCR in the base of the set ’ , | rental fees! | exhibited above average picture quality a‘ Owning vour cable | for the VHS format. Picture noise was ine | acceptable. It was most noticeable in \\ equipment saves you | the red and magenta areas of a color bar ’ the high cost of test pattern. There was also some bleed ! monthly equipment at the borders between colors, but at a ee pyeRROLD rental charges, and level normal for VHS. gives you control of Still frame (field) and slow motion ie ai \" sil your TV. | playback (at 1/7x and 1/15x speeds) | were excellent, and completely free of We have the Best in noise bars. Double speed playback was CORTE TCG and DESCRAMBLERS! also excellent. The deck’s rapid pic- ture search, at speeds of 5x (SP) or Everquest ¢ Panasonic ¢ Jerrold ¢ Zenith ¢ Pioneer Pa eel aes when ad ea the Scientific Atlanta « Oak *¢ Eagle ¢ Hamlin * Tocom momen Matinee i Holding them down continuously 6 y,4. 1 | 5 moves the tape even faster—at 7x or = Near| SOO 21x speeds. All VCR display indica- — Aids, | tors, including the ones for elapsed time and remaining tape, appear MD Lidionds— ee onscreen. There is no separate display | panel for the VCR (and no flashing 875 S. 72 Street © Omaha, NE 68114 National Consumer | clock display). No separate eject but- Cable Association Sa ase *aoesy ae S@J2U“/}OdPO9s|P1bAe1dId9OYS

Blockbuster Hit of 1994 due ton is provided-it’s the same as the ple antenna. Channel setup is very Late April on LaserDiss .... stop button. easy and flexible, and there’s a Tom The inclusion of both MTS stereo parental lockout feature. There are Hanks ;, sound and VHS hi-fi provide the no special editing features, other than Forrest TVCR with a strong audio depart- a set of rear-panel A/V line input @ Gump ment. Toshiba rates amplifier power jacks for watching laserdiscs or for at three-watts per channel; and each working with a camcorder. There is single-element speaker is 2.75 by 5 no video output jack, and only one inches. Considering the power levels antenna input. and the size of the speakers, the audio A wonderful circular clock display is quite good, especially for a TVCR, appears on the screen for setting the although lacking in the bottom end. I clock. A rotary adjust knob makes cranked the volume all the way up to clicking noises, similar to an old fash- its maximum level, and the sound was ioned clock-radio for setting it. But loud and surprisingly distortion free. you can only set the clock at the TV, An audio submenu provides bass, not by remote, and you cannot set the treble and balance controls, as well as program timer this way. Toshiba calls Other Top a switch to turn the speakers off. A set the feature Analog Clock. A conve- LIeaseecraBtiisees RITVHEER of variable level audio output jacks nient Daylight Savings Time adjust- are provided, for hookup to a stereo ment quickly advances or retards the system, but there’s no headphone time by one hour. Two clock faces appear on the titles... WILD jack. The MTS button on the remote See eGeA TE also chooses between listening to the screen for one-touch recording. But, hi-fi or mono track. as with the clock, setup is not avail- HARRISON FORD One great audio feature is that able from the remote, and it’s confus- FHM 2. when tapes play at double speed, you ingly labelled. The first thing you wANS® True Lies hear the sound, although at a high must touch is the clock-radio style pitch. This is a feature that’s useful knob. There is no one-touch record SPHM for tape cuing. button as such. The sleep timer is Tuner sensitivity appeared good, labelled Timer, instead of Sleep. After JURASSICPARK judging by subjective tests with a sim- pressing it, you must enter one, two or three numbers to set the three-digit shut-off time. Entering the numbers Shadow CLITHEENT tLightning< 06, for example, sets the sleep timer for 60 minutes. gies WOLF MOWMNwygy, Vo ts The six-event program timer doesn’t tell you to set the clock before a iAVERICK Natural Born Replacement Batteries... setting the timer. You must already Killers have a tape in the VCR to program * All camcorder batteries in stock! the timer, but the instructions don’t Mention this Ad and get a 20% discount make this clear. If you make this mis- off the Suggested Retail Price on the Titles * All cellular phone accessories in stock! take, as I did, you end up frustrated. After setting all the timer program listed above, (Offer expires 5/31/1995) * Computer back up batteries! information, the onscreen display Memory Free batteries to fit: tells you “no timer programming.” Call for our FREE Monthly Laserdisc (There is no VCR Plus capability.) Catalog! Hundreds of New and Recent Canon - Chinon - GE - Hitachi JC Penny - JVC - Releases. All, at least, 15% OFF S.R.P.! Magnavox -Memorex Minolta - Nikon -Olympus- The remote-control is very well Panasonic Pentax-Quasar -Radio Shack-RCA - designed—especially the VCR buttons, PLUS... Ricoh -Samsung- Sears-Sharp-Sony-Zenith which are clearly separated in the middle. A repeat function, rare in OVERNIGHT and all others, FROM $27.97! DELIVERY TVCRs, automatically rewinds the Chargers & Reconditioners.. tape and replays it 10 times. This is a feature that owners with commercial Overnight Delivery Only $2.75 per Order+! HNDLAAAVAQAAuTAiNckchaArge/ReconAdition in one........ $49.97 uses, like store displays and waiting 1 or 100 discs - you pay only $2.75! *Orders 3Same as above for two batteries........ $69.97 can include “Pre-orders” and “Back-orders!” 7Z Also available for 12V batteries........... $79.97 (Continental U.S. shipments only - certain New Battery Belts... areas and shipments over 5-Ibs. may require Z 6V ..6.5A.Hour..3 Ibs. Memory-Free..$59.977nSAAnnnnnrnnononmnsn,owonmwaebyal8fgignyadnnvnennrnywwnu°snewfeualh.uennneanwieannwnn The CV27D48 has good picture an extra business day) MZ 6OVO..N10Y A. Hour.:.5 Ibs...Memory-Free..$79. 97 / SZSS12V..6.5 A.Hour.Memory-Free.... and sound quality, a big screen, very Every Laserdisc title available at up to 40% OFF! sf Laserdisc Fan Club, Inc. Z3SSS51592V..13A.Hour.Memory-Free good special effects and stylistic sim- ~N 1058 E. 230th St. * Dept. V35 eOlfiears12V..13 A.Hour...Memory-Free... plicity. Novices using the more advanced timer functions may find it = Carson, CA 90745 a bit confusing at first. This television (800) 801-DISC(3472) tries hard to offer an extra measure of <n user convenience, though its imple- é w2e 4 FAX (310) 952-3000 s¢ FA N C L y B Open Mond-Saatuyrday For your FREE Laserdisc Catalog, please mentation is quirky. For simple movie complete and mail the coupon below: We're #1 for all your battery needs! playback, or same-time over-the-air Name: recording, or basic dubbing tasks, the iy 800 -ASK -BTRY set’s a breeze to use. Overall, it pro- Address: MN2zMN7N4NIMQNWNiM.AANN3MA8YAtAhCVAAOSATAR.AAN#VO2AN0UV3VTDWNSN eIwDYEorTk,HENY US.(21 F3A)X7(62812-)7756885-75957AONANNNANANMAwvAiiAdtAeDhsAANgNoqAuoNiAdAtNeNsNpAeaccicaelpteafbflecets.quality along 10018 # City, State, Zip Code: ZZReturns in 30 days. Shipping, insurance,return shi Bese 7Z Zrefundable. Prices subject to change. COD Z Zrefundable. Prices subjectto change.) CODE: V35 7 38 VIDEO MARCH 1995 Circle 12 on Reader Service Card. Circle 16 on Reader Service Card.

SHARP VGR the fast forward and rewind search continued from page 30 functions. The result is a light, well- prisingly little degradation of image balanced and easy to use VCR remote quality. This is due in large part to the unit’s superb digital tracking capability, (although I would have liked a mute which was automatically able to “clean up” the tracking, even on older rental button somewhere). videos. The picture quality is very good, Since the H925’s infrared remote although there is a slight amount of can control not only the VCR, but most chrominance bleed with bright reds. brands of TV and cable box as well, it could have very easily been designed Given the nature of VHS, and the with more bells and whistles than Deep Space Nine’s Ops Center. However, deck’s otherwise sharp, clear picture Sharp has come up with an intelligent, if not perfect, solution to the complicat- Sense Of Balance: and good color quality, this is probably ed problem of balancing features and Sharp’s remote ergonomics. Sharp has put only basic displays basic an inevitable trade-off. Linear audio is features (power, play, pause, fast for- features and ward, rewind, volume and channel con- conceals advanced excellent, but hi-fi audio loses some of features under a trols, and buttons for each machine the sliding panel at the tops of the highs. This is not an remote can operate) on the face of the the base. issue if you’re listening through your remote; hidden advanced features, S| including record, behind a sliding panel; monitor’s speakers, but you may be a and dispensed with a duplicate of the shuttle wheel that appears on the front bit disappointed if you hook this of the VCR. Instead, the remote includes a slow play control to augment VCR’s audio up through your stereo system. Given its price and intended mar- ket, Sharp’s VC-H925U is a well- thought out, well-designed VCR. While a number of other VCRs offer most, if not all, of the features, few succeed so well in their attention to such details as an easily accessible clock during tape playback, a remote that’s neither clumsy nor daunting, and a genuinely noiseless pause. It’s this attention to detail that makes me happy to recommend this VCR. 2 «ae i So that when you're shooting long distance (up to 300 feet) you can record your subject’s voice with crystal-clear VHF clarity. System features: ¢2 Switchable VHF frequencies, to get interference-free sound. ¢The miniature transmitter with belt-clip, K comes with two plug-in microphones: handheld and lavalier. The receiver, smaller than a pack of cigarettes, plugs into the camera’s ext mic jack, attaches to the camcorder with the supplied shoe mount or velcro. °|eatherette storage pouch. One year limited warranty. SPECIAL OFFER: When you buy an Azden WMS-PRO from 2/1/95-4/30/95 receive FREE, an EX-8 boom microphone. Send us proof of purchase and completed warranty. AJAZDEN’ Circle 17 on Reader Service Card. 147 New Hyde Park Road, Franklyn Square, NY 11010 (516) 328-7500 FAX: (516) 328-7506 MARCH 1995 - VIDEO

ABET) continued from page 16 title, start and stop times for each clip, are ADVERTISER stored in a tape library. Once you've col- ments, VideoDirector controls your video lected enough clips to make your produc- VEYA amOrolo) ol-yawaNlebCoyAVA(ol-leW.Xee\\-tiey(e1) play and record decks, which are con- tion, you're ready to edit. Supervisor at JVC, discusses video nected to each other as they would be for Tobinbelem Coyanelcmolcleptenelcya a normal editing session. The program At this point, you drag and drop supports several varieties of edit control, clips from your library to an event list, What features and benefits but some require additional hardware. which can be viewed as text or in a sto- should a beginning videograph- Using a LANC-compatible source and ryboard fashion. If you have the appro- er look for in a video editor? infrared control for the record deck is the priate additional hardware (an audio or A beginning videographer should simplest, most common combination. video card), you can add computer-gen- look for a video editor that’s as erated or stored sounds and video to simple to use as possible. The editor Software drivers are supplied for a your production by adding them to the should be intuitive, immediately allow- wide variety of VCRs. Alternatively, event list. With an additional serial port ing the user to do the most important you can use the VCR’s remote to pro- and a null-modem cable, you can trigger and basic type of editing (which is cut- gram your computer to recognize an scene transitions on a Video Toaster. ting unnecessary scenes) quickly and unlisted VCR. Installation is simple and Once you're satisfied with your event easily. The unit should also have com- straightforward. Connect the cam- list, just click the onscreen make-tape patibility to work with various brands corder’s video and audio outputs to the button to start the final production. of camcorders and VCRs. inputs of the VCR, making sure you’ve The computer will prompt you when a set the proper input. Then connect the tape change is called for. Is it better to buy a video editor LANC cable, and place the IR trans- made by the same manufactur- mitter in sight of the VCR’s front panel. Don’t expect frame-accurate editing er as your camcorder or VCR? with LANC, but you should be able to The primary equipment of a Using VideoDirector involves three hit your points within five to 10 frames. beginning videographer is still a steps: log, edit and make-tape. To log, you RC time code will get you within one or camcorder and VCR. Therefore, the use your PC to control the camcorder to two. LANC accuracy depends very video editor should be flexible enough play tapes and mark scenes that you may much on the amount of searching you do to work with most brands and formats want to keep. Tape names, as well as the between scenes: The less the better. The of camcorders currently available. accuracy of both LANC and RC ASK ABOUT OUR FREE depends on how accurately you calibrate | Does JVC offer a video editor J LUE BLOCKER *** the VCR preroll through VideoDirector. with this kind of ease of use and S16] NIC]ANSTO)to ©)alali | “universal” application? WE CARRY ALL MAJOR BRAND Overall, I found VideoDirector 2.0 | The JVC JX-ED11 is a new video NAME CABLE TV CONVERTERS easy to use and the interface intuitive. It editor that combines these fea- * YOUR SATISFACTION IS OUR #1 PRIORITY! takes some patience, though, to calibrate tures and benefits. It has been * 30 DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE ! your tapes by finding easily identifiable designed to cut unnecessary scenes quickly and easily. The most exciting * 1 YEAR WARRANTY! WE SHIP C.O.D. ! frames, and to set the software to com- feature of the JX-ED11 is that it oper- * OUR UNITS ARE GUARANTEED TO WORK !! pensate for the delays (preroll) inherent in ates without wire hook up, making it your video hardware. But for anyone with the easiest-to-use editor available. Its PLEASE HAVE THE BRAND NAME & MODEL a 386 or better PC with Windows, and the universal/learning capability make it NUMBER OF YOUR CABLE COMPANIES compatible with most brands of cam- CONVERTER, BEFORE CALLING. tight video hardware, VideoDirector is a corders and VCRs regardless of format. WE WILL MEET OR BEAT ANY VALID PRICE QUOTE. great way to edit video. -Larry White UNLIKE SOME OF OUR COMPETITORS, WE ARE HAPPY TO What are some tips for better SPEND THE TIME TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS HOME THEATER video editing? CONCERNING THE PURCHASING OF OUR EQUIPMENT. Keep production short and sim- continued from page 18 ple. Follow the basics of good VFIOSRUACLATCAOLMOGMUNOIRCAINTFIOORNMSATIIONNC. videography such as avoiding exces- CALL 1-718-229-2358 satellites represent a significant advance | sive zooming. With editing in mind, in surround speaker technology. A remember to slightly overshoot scenes weet SORRY NO NEW YORK SALES **** “bipolar dipole,” the RVSS front and to allow for in and out points. The bet- rear tweeters are wired out of phase to ter the material, the easier it will be to ** FOR ORDERS ONLY **FRIENDLY - PROFESSIONAL - SERVICE- SINCE 1975 produce a dipole radiation pattern at get a great finished video. You can 1-800-GO-CABLE higher frequencies, while the woofers always upgrade with more sophisti- are kept in-phase to achieve bipolar cated processors and titlers later. 20-04 UTOPIA PARKWAY SUITE 236 WHITESTONE, NY 11357 bass coupling, extending the system’s BY PURCHASING CABLE EQUIPMENT FROM VISUAL COMM. THE CUSTOMER low frequency response. AGREES TO COMPLY WITH THE FEDERAL LAWS REGARDING PRIVATE OWNERSHIP OF CABLE TV EQUIPMENT, IF YOU ARE UNSURE OF THESE LAWS The unusual shape of the RVSS CHECK WITH YOUR LOCAL OFFICIALS. ANYONE IMPLYING THEFT OF SERVICE places the front and rear driver baffles at WILL BE DENIED SALE OF EQUIPMENT. oblique angles to each other, which min- imizes boundary reflections and yields an Circle 19 on Reader Service Card. exceptionally room-friendly loudspeaker. Indeed, I mounted the satellites on stands, walls and book cases, at various distances from the listening position, and although I eventually chose final resting places for the surround channels, my results suggest that the RVSS offers remarkable placement latitude. Ultimately, the goal of an effects chan- nel speaker is to draw the viewer into the 40 VIDEO MARCH 1995

environment created by a movie's direc- With U.S. Savings Bonds, the more you give, tor, and in this the RVSS excelled. The surround satellites provided a deep, themore you receive. enveloping soundspace and added a sense of weight and authority to both musical Giving U.S. Savings scoring and special effects without ever Bonds passes an important calling attention to themselves. What lesson on to the future more could one ask of a surround speaker? generation. Bonds can teach our children how to save, While $1,600 isn’t cheap, the how interest grows and how a Energy Reference Video System is com- small investment can help petitive with the best and most expen- make their dreams come true. sive home theater speaker packages, and should be considered a bargain. So share the tradition of Anyone shopping for a high-end sur- U.S. Savings Bonds. They’re round system should seek out a dealer. the gift that gives back more The system is highly recommended. than you’ve given. continued from page 20 It may seem like I am contradicting myself by saying, on the one hand, that it is necessary to come up with a look that has meaning, then that the viewer often makes his or her own interpretation. But both approaches have merit—and you should use the approach with which | you're most comfortable. The crucial step is to sit back and watch and listen to the elements you have put together. Ask friends to watch your rough edit and tell you what they think. Try to get an overall sense of how your tape is coming across, and be open to the way it is being inter- HITACHI VM-H39A preted, even if it’s not what you original- ly intended. Rarely do my own tapes read the way I intend. You may or may not decide to incorporate others’ suggestions, but they are always worth considering. After watching your finished produc- CAMCSOORNYDERS tion, viewers may feel that you have pro- duced a work that is only superficial in its beauty, rather than a video that has pro- Berger Bros. Camera and Video Exchange Specializes in both Photographic and Video foundly explored the world around us in Equipment. We carry the Largest Selection of Camcorders and Accessories in stock and at the your own voice. That’s alright. At least lowest prices. We'll help you make the right choice over the phone, that’s why we can offer a you got someone to watch the whole full money back guarantee. We could list all of our Equipment in our ads like everyone else...but tape. And isn’t that the point? a we call that our 192-page Catalog. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALA 1-800-262-4160 Going to ground We Compete With Any Legitimate Price & We Ship Anywhere Before attempting to ground your cable When Tomorrow Won't Do. Call Us Today. system with a separate rod to improve reception, check with your local build- (516)-264-4160 ° FAX (516)-264-1007 ing codes office. Since there could be a 209 BROADWAY (ROUTE 110) AMITYVILLE, N.Y. 11701 difference in ground potential between the house electrical system and the cable system, this method may not meet current electrical regulations and may cause more problems than it cures. Peter Tellone Hamilton Square, New Jersey

BY RON GOLDBERG Pian Your. W..: makes\\a _ great home theater? A giant screen? A killer movie library? A sexy custom installation? None of the above, really, The best home the- ater system, a sub- ject we debate con- stantly here at Video Magazine, is the one that gives you-the audience—exactly the experience you bought it for. 42 VIDEO MARCH 1995

Everyone’s taste is a bit different, A Room of One’s Own and everyone uses home entertainment in different ways. Some keep the tube or BY LANCELOT BRAITHWAITE the music system going all day long, lending a background ambience to their Home theaters come in all shapes and sizes, and I could no more specify a sys- time around the house. Others rarely tem for someone I’ve never met than prescribe glasses. But | can design a home watch TV, using their home theater theater to suit my own tastes, and if that task were to begin with a 32-inch TV, chiefly for a lights-off, theatrical experi- I would choose the Sony KV-32XBR95S because of its pleasing flesh tones. For ence. Some enjoy the stereo while they audio, I’d choose the Counterpoint Home Theater speaker system, selected by read or exercise. Others will dim the Video Magazine as one of 1994’s best products, and powered by the Yamaha RX- V1070 receiver and the Definitive Technology PowerField 1800 subwoofer. The lights, nestle into the sweet spot and combination yields accurate, powerful sound. My preferred signal source is lose themselves for hours. Pioneer’s CLD-703 laservision player, which offers quality equal to more expen- sive players at a fraction of their cost. The audio system may be a bit costlier and If you’re about to get serious about more powerful than some would expect, but nothing can ruin the illusion of an your home theater, it’s important to excellent picture as easily as poor sound. I’ve tested and used all the recom- know what kind of audience you are mended components, but I would understand if anyone were to look for substi- before you start making home theater tutions. For example, if you feel the audio system is a bit pricey or too powerful purchases. While a good system will do for the video in the room, I’d suggest keeping the receiver but switching to everything well, it’s important to choose Atlantic Technology System 250 speakers and subwoofer. If you wished to sub- components that best lend themselves stitute a VCR, my choice would be the JVC HR-S690, and so on. The point is to your own viewing and listening not to obey some arbitrary standard, but to please yourself and meet your needs. habits. Screen To help with the process, we asked Sony KV-32XBR96S 32-inch our editors to design half a dozen home monitor/receiver theaters using different starting points, Suggested Price: $2,599 from direct-view TVs to front projec- Video Sources tors, from small rooms to big spaces, Pioneer CLD-703 combi player from a passion for movies to a prefer- Suggested Price: $1,200 ence for music. The systems described JVC HR-S6900 S-VHS VCR in the following pages range in suggest- Suggested Price: $1,000 ed price from about $5,000 to $50,000. Each system represents a combination Speakers of desire and pragmatism. And each sys- Five Counterpoint Home tem also illustrates a different path Cinema Speakers toward achieving a satisfying video and Suggested Price: $2,600 audio environment. They’ll all deliver Definitive Technology Power- Field 1800 subwoofer top-notch entertainment, and we think Suggested Price: $1,599 they’ll also help you think about your A/V Receiver home theater goals in useful ways. Yamaha RX-V1070 Suggested Price: $1,349 Your starting point should be to ask System Cost: $10,347 yourself questions about the type of home theater you really want. For QM rronveen example, what’s more important to you, movies or music? A good system will Pioneer’s CLD-D703 Combi Player show flying colors with both. But a sys- tem based around a pair of high-end ping process. Do you need a lot of dub- an issue? That would affect your choice audiophile speakers complemented by bing capabilities? If not, maybe you in speakers. And most important, if surround sound components is going to would be better served by better-sound- you’re upgrading one component at a perform differently than a matched sys- ing separate components than by a fea- tem of five identical speakers. Or what’s ture-laden audio/video receiver. How time, where’s the best place to start? more important to you, the size of your big is your room? That'll determine the Assembling a system can get pretty video picture or its clarity? Projection best kind of monitor and the degree of amplifier power you'll need. Is the decor confusing, and the only correct answers TV is the best way to go for the former, are the ones that work for you and your but many videophiles feel that smaller budget. So in choosing home theater direct-view sets still provide the sharpest pictures. Unless of course, money is no object. Other technical and lifestyle questions pepper the shop- MARCH 1995 VIDEO

HOME THEATER gear and putting together the dream monitor will be between a quarter and a system, you should be asking yourself third of this distance. Let’s say, your sofa some questions. There are so many fine products on the market that choosing is 10 feet, or 120 inches, from the mon- good ones becomes easy. But choosing the right ones means making a few deci- itor: You'll want a screen that measures sions in advance. between 30 and 40 inches, diagonally. Anything smaller is going to compro- STARTING WITH A SCREEN mise the big-screen experience. The most obvious decision is what Anything substantially bigger will prob- ably induce viewing fatigue. kind of monitor is best for you? Direct- view, rear-projection and front-projec- Even if you have the distance for a tors all have advantages. But in the bigger screen, whether rear or front-pro- wrong room under the wrong condi- jection, size isn’t everything. For one tions, they’ll also all have drawbacks. thing, a front-projection system is only You can narrow the field a bit by using a at its best in a darkened room. That simple formula. Measure the distance might be fine for tonight’s feature enter- between your primary seating area and the spot where you want the monitor to tainment, but do you want the theater go. The best size for your new video room dark all day, even for casual TV or the kids’ videogames? A rear-projection TV is an excellent compromise between size and livability, but is there enough 3RENT BUTTERWORTH nd @ et who| _ The idea that you can’t do home theater in a small apartment is way wrong. In fact, small rooms save you money, since you can use a smaller TV, speakers and with you and you'll find that your entire system can be amps. In the system below, I like the color rendition of ProScan’s P$27153, and had for a substantial discount. the Sony VCR and Pioneer combi player give it good signals to work with. The affordable Rotel electronics sound smoother than any receiver I’ve tried. The Screen Energy subwoofer is the best I’ve tried in its price range. The tiny NHT Pioneer Elite Pro-107 55-inch SuperZeros sound terrific, and they sound even better if you take off the grilles, rear-projection TV and place them upside-down on 24-inch stands. Suggested Price: $5,500 Screen ProScan 27-Inch PS27153 TV Video Source ProScan P$27153 27-inch TV Rotel RB-956AX Six-Channel Amp Pioneer Elite CLD-53 Suggested Price: $1,099 combi player Suggested Price: $950 Video Sources Sony SLV-920HF S-VHS VCR Speakers Suggested Price: $649 Energy RVS speaker system Pioneer CLD-S201 combi player Suggested Price: $1,600 Suggested Price: $535 Energy AS-180 subwoofer Speakers Suggested Price: $750 Five NHT SuperZeros Suggested Price: $775 Electronics Energy AS-90 subwoofer Lexicon CP-1 Plus Suggested Price: $550 preamp/decoder Suggested Price: $1,595 Electronics Rotel RSP-960 surround processor Adcom GFA-6000 5-channel amp Suggested Price: $600 Suggested Price: $850 Rotel RB-956AX six-channel amp In Addition Suggested Price: $500 MITerminator2 speaker cable Suggested Price: $240/8-foot pair In Addition Target SP60 24-inch stands Interconnect Suggested Price: $70/pair Suggested Price: $130/1-meter pair System Cost: $4,848 System Cost: 11,245 + cables 44 VIDEO MARCH 1995

real estate in the room, visually and in the type of speakers you choose terms of space you may need to keep will have as much effect on the your components properly ventilated? sound as the screen does for your sight. More than any other consideration, the screen determines the character of CHOOSING -Sugges‘ptreodj Pric your home theater. And since the entire TO UPGRADE family uses the video screen, there are a oS lot of factors to take into account. Will When upgrading your sys- Denon LA you trust your children to use an expen- tem, there’s a general hierarchy Suggested Price: $1,200 sive line-doubled projection set when of improvement that ranges RCA VR721HEF S-VHS VCR they want to watch Sesame Street or from subtle to dramatic. Suggested Price: $749 Saturday morning cartoons, when you Assuming that you already have Audio Source might still be asleep? Will they be able a monitor you're happy with, the Rotel RCD-965BX CD player to figure out the remotes? And are you Suggested Price: $599 willing to keep up with the mainte- most obvious way to improve Speakers nance needs of a projection monitor? NHT 3.3 loudspeakers your picture is to improve your (left and right channels) Even after a professional has per- video sources—the laserdisc play- Suggested Price: $4,000 er and the VCR. If you’re happy NHT VT-1C center channel speaker formed the initial setup, you'll still need with your existing decks, the Suggested Price: $320 to make regular convergence adjust- NHT HDP-1 surround speakers ments. It’s not a lot of work. Some even next step in improving the pic- Suggested Price: $380 enjoy doing it, but not everyone. ture is better cables. Low-loss, Electronics Maybe you'd just rather slip in a tape low-noise wiring can make an Lexicon CP-3 surround decoder and relax? appreciable difference for a rela- Suggested Price: $3,200 tively small investment. Some- Three Marantz MA-500 mono amplifiers Sound considerations also depend times even the way you route Suggested Price: $299 each on the size of your room, and on your your signal cables-keeping them McCormack ALD-1 stereo preamp taste. Obviously, it takes more sound clear of AC wires and RF Suggested Price: $1,745 power to fill up a large space than a cables—can mean the difference Aragon 4004 MkII stereo amplifier small one. But the volume (and some- between a good and a superb Suggested Price: $1,850 times the shape) of your room also de- Meridian 563 D-A converter: $1,350 termines things like how big your speak- picture. In Addition ers can be, or where they need to be When it comes to sound, the Cables by Straight Wire and MIT placed. Is there room somewhere for a subwoofer to live without uglifying the most dramatic changes are made System Cost: $20,790 + cables by changing speakers. Many room? people who add center and sur- RCA’S VR721HF S-VHS VCR round speakers to an existing If so, you can think about smaller stereo pair find that the new satellite speakers. Is the video monitor equipment so outshines the old going to be against the front wall? Some that they end up changing all speakers work well in this position. their components, and _that’s Others are designed to be placed further where you begin to make deci- sions about speaker design. If out into the room. the speakers are already satisfac- Even the design of the speakers will tory, a better surround decoder can also make a dramatic have different effects in different rooms. improvement, as will more pow- THxX-approved speakers, which are all erful amps and, of course, the designed with specific tonal and spatial qualities, are an exception. Properly set wiring. up and mated with THX electronics, they'll perform to the THX spec. But a Be aware though, that some- cone-type dynamic speaker will sound times slight (and free!) adjust- different than a ribbon speaker, which ments to your existing gear can will sound different than a bipolar yield appreciable results. For design, which will sound different than an electrostatic model. example, good surround sound relies on achieving a critical bal- What's the effect that’s most impor- ance between volume level and tant to you? Impact? Transparency? timing. In addition to setting Smoothness? What do you listen to be- surround sound levels, make sides movies? Classical? Rock? Since sure that your three front speak- music applications are more demanding than movies, except for dynamic range, ers are more or less equidistant from the seating area. Inches, MARCH 1995 VIDEO 45

HOME THEATER ine Sony VPH-1252 front projector ) diagonally. Whil set-up Suggested Price: $14,910| an certainly offer quality music listening Da-Lite Tensioned Cosmopolitan | ness and a bowl of popcorn. Electrol Screen Suggested Price: $1,630 Screen _ Mitsubishi VS-1750 Font projector Video Source Suggested Price: $7,900 Pioneer CLD-97 combi player Suggested Price: $2,500 Stewart Studiotek fixed 130 gain screen Speakers Suggested Price: $800 Fosgate-Audionics Home Theater System 8.0T, which includes the Video Source Fosgate 3A surround processor, Pioneer CLD-D703 combi player three 4200 multichannel amps, Suggested Price: $1,200 three MC220 speakers for left, center and right channels, Speakers Mitsubishi VS-1250 Front Projector two SD180 dipole surround Counterpoint Home Cinema System sound speakers, and two FS400 18-inch subwoofers with 2 subwoofers Suggested Price: $15,999 Suggested Price: $3,300 Electronics Electronics Faroudja Line doubler Dwin LD2 line doubler Suggested Price: $15,000 Suggested Price: $3,500 System Cost: $50,039 Two Acurus 100X3 3-channel amps Suggested Price: $899 each Fosgate-Audionics Home Theater System Acurus A250 stereo amp for the subs Suggested Price: $995 Fosgate Four processor Suggested Price: $999 System Cost: $20,492 Acurus 100X3 3-Channel Amplifier even fractions of an inch, can be sur- you've had for years. prisingly telling. More than anything else, your home Whether they affect sight or sound, theater should be a reflection of your these kinds of decisions-compromises lifestyle. Some people will listen to 20 between your desires, your budget and records for every movie that they your pragmatic concerns—are what will watch. For them, a system optimized for lead you to the right home theater gear. music makes more sense. Some viewers Most great home theaters aren’t built in want the full movie theater experience. a day. They’re the product of intelligent upgrades spread out over time. You For them, the focus should be the mon- might put in a new A/V receiver, only to itor and the laserdisc player. But we find that the cleaner sound opens your guarantee, if you ask the right ques- ears to the fact that your speakers are tions, the right system will follow. 5 now the weak link in the chain. You might one day upgrade to better speak- For the phone numbers of manufacturers ers, and realize that you want a better recommended in this story, please turn to sounding Dolby decoder than the one “Home Theater Component Finder” on page 78.

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___ BY JONATHAN TAKIFF | Tiny televisions are a paradox. The screens can be frustratingly small, batteries can fade faster than your attention span, and reception can be iffy. Yet, when you need one, there’s nothing more comforting or useful than a hand-held, battery-operat- ed small TV. In times of calamity and tabloid-induced curi- ousity, hand-held TVs are our lifeline to the outside world, whether what we want to know is which roads are still open or whether a war has broken out. “A TV is much more reas- suring than radio,” suggests Pat Ruggieri, Sony’s national mar- keting manager for Pniciinantemniaaene personal television and Watchman. For sports fans, soap opera buffs and news junkies, to- day’s tiny TVs, <a Rina ais i which all come with earphone jacks, let you quietly keep up with what’s happen- ing while you’re on the job, lounging in the yard or cruising down a_ highway (with a recommend- ed external antenna kit). “I couldn’t get enough during the World Cup,” says —gony’s water-resistant FDL-KB300. Andrew. Carrillo, national account executive of CBM of America, which im- ports Citizen video products. In fact, lately, Citizen has been doing exceedingly well with its “Trial Size TV” promotion, which is keyed to appeal to the O.J. Simpson fan ‘n’ foe club. (Yes, O.J. has sold a lot of small TVs.) Serious videophiles likewise prize mini-monitors, with or without a TV tuner, as a useful tool for following or instantly replaying their taping sessions in the field. When snapped in- to an accessory shoe or bracketed to a camcorder’s tripod mount, a tiny monitor looks mighty big compared to a viewfinder. These days, it also lets shooters assemble a home- made version of an LCD viewscreen camcorder like the Sharp ViewCam, and at a lower cost. Sony’s synergistic FDL-K400 and FDL-X600 monitors even take their power from the cam- corder’s battery. For all these reasons, small TVs and monitors, with screen sizes less than six inches continue to thrive. We’ve includ- ed details about nearly three dozen of them in the accom- panying chart. They range from 1.8 to 5.9 inches in screen size, and from $120 to nearly $1,500 in suggested price. | } » They come in color and black-and-white, with liquid M crystal displays (LCDs) and cathode ray tubes (CRTs). Most are truly pocketable models, weighing as little as halfapound with batteries. (“When we say pocket TV, we’re talking shirt pocket not rear pants pocket,” stresses Carrillo, underscoring the delicate na- ture of these products.) We’ve also included a few more rugged, multipurpose TV/VCR/AM/FM/audio cassette- equipped models that weigh upwards of 10 pounds. Run- | ning on larger D-cell or nickel-cadmium rechargeables, they offer extended play time and versatility as portable entertainment centers for the van, kitchen or bed table. To maintain their svelte physiques, most hand-held TVs utilize a color LCD that electronically fires individual picture elements on a screen. LCDs come in two types, pas- sive-matrix and active-matrix. First harnessed in the early 1970s for calculator and watch displays, passive-matrix (also Ready for 0.J.: Casio's TV-7800 TV, a color LCD screen and digital tuning. 48 VIDEO MARCH 1995