We're having a resurgence of obsolete formats!

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As for PCM, being a big Sanusi guy from way back, I was intrigued by their PCM units, the PC-X1 and PC-X11. These things allegedly would allow you to make a recording onto a VHS tape that was pure digital (way before CD's and DAT's). Mobile Fidelity actually sold PCM encoded VHS tapes to be used with this type of machines! (If you have their Beatles Box, in the MFSL promotional material they include is a mention of these tapes)

This thing was $1000, or in that range, so it was far beyond what I could afford. I think it was far beyond what most folks could afford considering the very narrow scope of the product. Needless to say it didn't last very long. Another high tech product for the recycle bin.

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sansui_pc-x11.jpg
 
MoFi's first VHS PCM title was Fagen's Nightfly.

There were a handful for sure, and I believe they were all created on demand, or when they were ordered. Don't think you would find these in your "Crazy Eddie"'s! :)

Here's a scan from discogs of the BetaMax version of DSOTM. And we thought we had EVERY version of this release!

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When developing the Compact Disc in the seventies, didn’t the engineers used videotape to store PCM data? Computer storage being so primitive in those days, it was a more practical solution. And it is the reason for the rather peculiar sample rate of the Compact Disc!
 
As for PCM, being a big Sanusi guy from way back, I was intrigued by their PCM units, the PC-X1 and PC-X11. These things allegedly would allow you to make a recording onto a VHS tape that was pure digital (way before CD's and DAT's). Mobile Fidelity actually sold PCM encoded VHS tapes to be used with this type of machines! (If you have their Beatles Box, in the MFSL promotional material they include is a mention of these tapes)

This thing was $1000, or in that range, so it was far beyond what I could afford. I think it was far beyond what most folks could afford considering the very narrow scope of the product. Needless to say it didn't last very long. Another high tech product for the recycle bin.

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That is pretty cool. I knew about the Sony digital adapter but Sansui is a new one to me. I wasn't that tempted by devices like that as I was quite happy with VHS-Hi-Fi that was perfect for making a high quality long running mix tape.

There are some products or technology that is supposed to be the latest greatest but somehow you just know it's only an intermediate step. CRT projection video, front or rear. I don't remember if it's mentioned in that YouTube video but the best example I can think of this was Digital VHS or D-VHS. I think its only commercial application was putting 720p or 1080i on tape. yeah really:
D_VHS 2.jpg


Very little market penetration, very few movies. Some how I just knew there had to be a better way.
 
When developing the Compact Disc in the seventies, didn’t the engineers used videotape to store PCM data? Computer storage being so primitive in those days, it was a more practical solution. And it is the reason for the rather peculiar sample rate of the Compact Disc!
Yes, the sample rates fitted with VHS format on tape.
 
There were a handful for sure, and I believe they were all created on demand, or when they were ordered. Don't think you would find these in your "Crazy Eddie"'s! :)

Here's a scan from discogs of the BetaMax version of DSOTM. And we thought we had EVERY version of this release!

View attachment 51641
Beta was cool. Never knew about this though...
 
Since Jon invoked Crazy Eddie, and it's in the high 80's in Chicago today, here's Jerry Carroll:



Linda, I bought my first CD from Crazy Eddies in Hartsdale New York and a ton of those early DiscOvision laserdiscs and also my first Compact Disc player, a crappy Toshiba that at first listed for $1K but then went swiftly down in price. As I recall it had NO stereo separation and was quickly replaced.
I also had developed friendships with Crazy Eddie employees who used to charge me a $1 each for CDs [pressed at the time in Germany/Japan] and laserdiscs. In hindsight, I didn't feel so badly as Crazy Eddie, himself, Eddie Antar, used to visit all his stores and take wads of cash out of the registers and we all know what eventually happened: Crazy Eddie declared bankruptcy and screwed ALL his vendors.

My very first all in one CRT Projector purchased used [floor model] from Crazy Eddie in Hartsdale, New York




See the source image
 
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Linda, I bought my first CD from Crazy Eddies in Hartsdale New York and a ton of those early DiscOvision laserdiscs and also my first Compact Disc player, a crappy Toshiba that at first listed for $1K but then went swiftly down in price. As I recall it had NO stereo separation and was quickly replaced.
I also had developed friendships with Crazy Eddie employees who used to charge me a $1 each for CDs [pressed at the time in Germany/Japan] and laserdiscs. In hindsight, I didn't feel so badly as Crazy Eddie, himself, Eddie Antar, used to visit all his stores and take wads of cash out of the registers and we all know what eventually happened: Crazy Eddie declared bankruptcy and screwed ALL his vendors.

My very first all in one CRT Projector purchased used [floor model] from Crazy Eddie in Hartsdale, New York




See the source image
That thing must have weighed a ton. !!
 
That thing must have weighed a ton. !!

That it did and at the time it was a pretty nifty projector which I had coupled with a laserdisc and VHS player. In hindsight, the picture was pretty sharp considering the lower video resolutions of the time but it served me well. Only when Pioneer started to release laserdiscs manufactured in Japan did the sharpness somewhat increase and I must say, so did the audio. To think today that a 5" UHD4K disc which actually, in retrospect, costs less than a Japan pressed laserdisc blows those 400 lines of resolution 12" laserdiscs to smithereens is what I call PROGRESS!
 
My first experience with old formats was in the service with running 16 mm films in the Navy on the JAN projectors the electricians were in charge of the movie locker,but I went to a brand new ship in 73 that had a TV studio on board.They had all the berthing compartments wired for close circuit TV and used 2 Ampex VTR 1" tape machines A format.When overseas would get 30 minute TV shows shipped to us with no commercials instead they put in music videos of all the rock bands from back home way before MTV was thought of.
 
My first experience with old formats was in the service with running 16 mm films in the Navy on the JAN projectors the electricians were in charge of the movie locker,but I went to a brand new ship in 73 that had a TV studio on board.They had all the berthing compartments wired for close circuit TV and used 2 Ampex VTR 1" tape machines A format.When overseas would get 30 minute TV shows shipped to us with no commercials instead they put in music videos of all the rock bands from back home way before MTV was thought of.

Quite a story. MTV BEFORE MTV. A very progressive Navy Ship. I remember 16mm well......in high school, we were lulled to sleep by those 16mm scratched prints with deplorable audio. When I got my first 8mm Sound Projector, the studios used to put out 10 minute clips of major motion pictures and charge $15 for the privilege. Horrible prints and mono sound......but at the time, I was in heaven. Amazon now blows out UHD4K discs for under $10 with astounding resolution and dolby ATMOS soundtracks so if one wants to quibble how everything was SO cheap in the 'ole days ..... think again.


See the source image
 
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Quite a story. MTV BEFORE MTV. A very progressive Navy Ship. I remember 16mm well......in high school, we were lulled to sleep by those 16mm scratched prints with deplorable audio. When I got my first 8mm Sound Projector, the studios used to put out 10 minute clips of major motion pictures and charge $15 for the privilege. Horrible prints and mono sound......but at the time, I was in heaven. Amazon now blows out UHD4K discs for under $10 with astounding resolution and dolby ATMOS soundtracks so if one wants to quibble how everything was SO cheap in the 'ole days ..... think again.


See the source image
You are right about the cost when they started selling VHS movies for home viewing me being a sci-fi nut paid $70 for a copy of Earth vs Flying Saucers. lol
 
These things allegedly would allow you to make a recording onto a VHS tape that was pure digital (way before CD's and DAT's).

It wasn't alleged. They were full digital recordings. 20 bit, 36k or something close to that IIRC. One of the local studios had one to make digital captures of their stereo master mixes.

Edit: I must have been thinking of another unit. This one was 14 bit, 44.056k.

https://audio-database.com/SANSUI/etc/pc-x1-e.html
 
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You are right about the cost when they started selling VHS movies for home viewing me being a sci-fi nut paid $70 for a copy of Earth vs Flying Saucers. lol

A salesman at my local FYE dealer [before they closed] told me in the early days of VHS movie sales, he'd have some 'well heeled' customers come in day/date of release and plop down $100 for a new VHS movie title [not widescreen/mono low~fi sound] and sometimes walk out with three .....Now you can't give them away at a tag sale and if you did, you'd be lucky to get 25 cents! Ridiculous.
 
I really hope video stores don't come back. I can remember the first video store I went to with my Dad had VHS, Beta and Needlevision discs. I don't think Laser Disc was out yet. We had to rent a Beta VCR because they were out of VHS machines. My Dad had to write a $200 deposit to rent the VCR and 3 movies overnight! I still have a few (less than 6) VHS tapes and I don't know if the machine even works anymore. Not gonna find out in the near future either.
 
I really hope video stores don't come back. I can remember the first video store I went to with my Dad had VHS, Beta and Needlevision discs. I don't think Laser Disc was out yet. We had to rent a Beta VCR because they were out of VHS machines. My Dad had to write a $200 deposit to rent the VCR and 3 movies overnight! I still have a few (less than 6) VHS tapes and I don't know if the machine even works anymore. Not gonna find out in the near future either.

VERY doubful video stores will EVER make a comeback. If you have Amazon Prime you can just about type in ANY title and either watch for free or pay a minimum rental fee ... most of which are broadcast in 2K! And if you recall, late rental fees and BE KIND REWIND could be costly too if you didn't return it on time.
 
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