Thread View: comp.multimedia
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7 total messages
Started by Kenneth E. Mohnkern
Tue, 17 Nov 1992 05:26
Re: Computer controlled VCRs
Author: Kenneth E. Mohnkern
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 05:26
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 05:26
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Excerpts from netnews.comp.multimedia: 16-Nov-92 Computer controlled VCRs by I. Systems@tigger.jvnc.n > Controlling a VCR from a PC. > Can anyone help with how to do this? What are my options? Can I use any VCR? > Or do I need a special machine? If so where do I get it? I'm looking to be > able to perform very simple functions (play, pause, fast forward, rewind...) > on a standard home VHS machine, to the extent possible. I'm also hoping for > a fairly simple solution, to the extent possible. Can a computer read the > VHS sync track, or do i need a seperate time code on one of the audio tracks? > And as for controlling it, is there a way to do this through the infra red > remote technology already built into the VCR? > All help in this matter is greatly appreciated. > Thanks, > Jay A year ago when we were looking into this, our only option was NEC's PC-VCR. It takes commands through the serial port on our Mac, but also will work with a PC. It understands a whole mess of commands from simple play/stop to commands I could never imagine giving it. And it worked just like it should have. You have to add another synch stripe to the tape, which is put somewhere on the tape where it doesn't interfere with a current synch track or either audio track (or, obviously, the video track). The bad news is that it works like a vcr. Your program sends the Play command out to it. It plays the tape a couple seconds to read the control track, scans forward or backward to the right neighborhood (several more seconds), then plays a couple more seconds till it gets to the correct spot, pauses, then starts giving you the video. A very tedious process to sit through, especially if you're in a training session. When a user hits the "Show me the clip" button, they want to see it soon. Not 5-7 secoonds later. So it wasn't a good solution for us. We've gone to using digital video. Disclaimer: I'm not affiliated with NEC in any way, nor have I looked at the newer versions of the PC-VCR. It's likely that they've sped up the machine. You probably want to get more recent opinions.
Re: Computer controlled VCRs
Author: William Alves
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 19:13
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 19:13
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In article <Uf2EwcS00WALI1Pkd4@andrew.cmu.edu> km2a+@andrew.cmu.edu (Kenneth E. Mohnkern) writes: >Excerpts from netnews.comp.multimedia: 16-Nov-92 Computer controlled >VCRs by I. Systems@tigger.jvnc.n > >> Controlling a VCR from a PC. >> Can anyone help with how to do this? What are my options? Can I use any VCR? >A year ago when we were looking into this, our only option was NEC's >PC-VCR. I don't think it's the only option. There's the OnTrack Mac toolkit from Abbate. It controls video equipment with control L/S (Sony) or control M/P (Panasonic and compatibles) from the Mac serial port. The toolkit is a collection of HyperCard x-commands and scripts which you can customize or use with their editting stack. A SMPTE reader is also available as an option if you want. Abbate Video Consultants 83 Main Street Norfolk MA 02056 (508)520-0199 The price I have for the software is $199. Their Control L/S to Mac serial cable is $49 and their SMPTE time code enhancement is $129. Bill Alves
Re: Computer controlled VCRs
Author: John Lewis
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 00:23
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 00:23
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Sony makes two HI-8 vtrs intended for computer-controlled multimedia applications. The cheaper model is the CVD-1000- about $2000?, connects directly to the mac serial port, and has frame-accurate search; this is Sony's answer to the discontinued PC-VCR. I imagine it has Xobject control; there is also software from HSC (213) 392 6015. The other model is the EVO-9650 ($6000) has frame-accurate recording and is suitable for animation. Supposedly Quicktime will sometime support the VISCA control protocol for this deck. To my knowledge, these decks and the NEC PC-VCR are the only VCRs that are directly computer controllable. In general, consumer VCRs are usually not computer controllable. In the past, industrial VCRs were usually interfaced to a computer through a peripheral called an animation controller. The animation controller is in concept obsolete - there is no reason why the host cannot directly control the VTR - but until everything understands standard protocols they will still be used. They usually cost $2000 up and will control a various formats of VTRs starting at about $6000.
Re: Computer controlled VCRs
Author: Jonathan Heiliger
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 07:17
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 07:17
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In article <1992Nov18.002305.9971@research.nj.nec.com> zilla@ccrl.nj.nec.com (John Lewis) writes: >The other model is the EVO-9650 ($6000) has frame-accurate recording >and is suitable for animation. Supposedly Quicktime will sometime support >the VISCA control protocol for this deck. The dealers will like to tell you that it costs $6,000. Actually you can easily find the deck for about $4,500. That is a substantial difference. I was also told that it could be directly controlled through a serial port, but that is second hand info. -- Jonathan Heiliger ........ Electric Power Research Institute Internet: -/- jonathan@rahul.net -/- flix@mecca.epri.com -/- Telephone <*> (415) 855-2888
Re: Computer controlled VCRs
Author: David M. Senseman
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 19:41
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 19:41
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In article <BxwHLJ.DDG@rahul.net> jonathan@rahul.net (Jonathan Heiliger) writes: >In article <1992Nov18.002305.9971@research.nj.nec.com> zilla@ccrl.nj.nec.com >(John Lewis) writes: > >>The other model is the EVO-9650 ($6000) has frame-accurate recording >>and is suitable for animation. Supposedly Quicktime will sometime support >>the VISCA control protocol for this deck. > > The dealers will like to tell you that it costs $6,000. Actually you can >easily find the deck for about $4,500. That is a substantial difference. I >was also told that it could be directly controlled through a serial port, but >that is second hand info. > Panasonic sells a PC Machine Control Interface Adaptor (IFP-232CJ) that lists for only $300 (street price $230?). It is designed to work with Panasonic's AG-7000 and AG-6000 series using the 34-pin protocol. These are industrial grade machines, not consummer level so they are not cheap, but less than $5,000 for the S-VHS AG-7750 editor/player. I have not had a chance to use the IFP-232CJ but I would be interested in hearing if anyone has used one. It is suppose to come with software and basic source code in addition to cables. Thanks. -- David M. Senseman, Ph.D. | A man who has never gone to school may steal (senseman@lonestar.utsa.edu) | from a freight car; but if he has a university Division of Life Sciences | education, he may steal the whole railroad. UT San Antonio | Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919)
Re: Computer controlled VCRs
Author: Stefan Hartmann
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 22:04
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 22:04
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In <1992Nov18.002305.9971@research.nj.nec.com> zilla@ccrl.nj.nec.com (John Lewis) writes: >Sony makes two HI-8 vtrs intended for computer-controlled >multimedia applications. >The cheaper model is the CVD-1000- about $2000?, connects directly to >the mac serial port, and has frame-accurate search; >this is Sony's answer to the discontinued PC-VCR. >I imagine it has Xobject control; there is also software from >HSC (213) 392 6015. >The other model is the EVO-9650 ($6000) has frame-accurate recording >and is suitable for animation. Supposedly Quicktime will sometime support >the VISCA control protocol for this deck. >To my knowledge, these decks and the NEC PC-VCR are the only VCRs >that are directly computer controllable. In general, consumer >VCRs are usually not computer controllable. In the past, industrial >VCRs were usually interfaced to a computer through a peripheral called >an animation controller. The animation controller is in concept >obsolete - there is no reason why the host cannot directly control >the VTR - but until everything understands standard protocols they >will still be used. They usually cost $2000 up and will control >a various formats of VTRs starting at about $6000. Hi, you just forgot to mention the Mitsubishi PC-VCR, which is out already in Europe PAL-standard and SVHS quality ! It has a serial port and has also a timecode generator/reader build in ! Also you can record timecode to the control track without erasing the movie or the audio-tracks ! So if you get a tape from the customer you can add timcode and cut it frame precise ! It is the best available solution in this moment for about 3000 DM over here in Germany ! Best regards, Stefan Hartmann, c/o Ingenierbuero Gatz & Hartmann. email to: leo@zelator.in-berlin.de -- ************************************************************* * Stefan Hartmann This is how to contact me: * * EMAIL: leo@zelator.in-berlin.de * * Phone : ++ 49 30 344 23 66 FAX : ++ 49 30 344 92 79 * *************************************************************
Re: Computer controlled VCRs
Author: Shel Kaphan
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 23:22
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 23:22
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So, what *are* the standard protocols for video recording devices? I have heard about "VISCA" (cf previous articles in this thread). What is it and where are the details available? Is that the most commonly used protocol, or are there others that are also important? I need an information source, please... Shel Kaphan sjk@netcom.com
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