[rec.video] Videotape single frame recording

sean@ukma.UUCP (12/17/86)

Single frame video tape recording...does it exist?  I'd like to try some
animation on a Commodore Amiga by generating frames and recording them
one at a time to videotape.  They will take too long to generate in real
time (ray tracing).  Almost every VCR manufacturer makes a unit that will
play back frame by frame, but how about recording frame by frame?  Perhaps
a camcorder would have this feature.

Sean
-- 
===========================================================================
Sean Casey      UUCP:  cbosgd!ukma!sean           CSNET:  sean@ms.uky.csnet
		ARPA:  ukma!sean@anl-mcs.arpa    BITNET:  sean@UKMA.BITNET

mikeb@cbmvax.cbm.UUCP (Mike Brenner SW) (12/18/86)

In article <5331@ukma.ms.uky.csnet> sean@ukma.ms.uky.csnet (Sean Casey) writes:
>
>Single frame video tape recording...does it exist?  I'd like to try some
>animation on a Commodore Amiga by generating frames and recording them
>one at a time to videotape.  They will take too long to generate in real
>time (ray tracing).  Almost every VCR manufacturer makes a unit that will
>play back frame by frame, but how about recording frame by frame?  Perhaps
>a camcorder would have this feature.
>
>Sean

While there are several professional models that provide this capability,
their price tags are high. Sony has a new SuperBeta "home" unit that has
this capability. I don't know the model# but it lists for around $1300.
Plus, it has audio capability as well allowing about 30hrs of audio from
what I hear.
Mike

carolyn@cbmvax.cbm.UUCP (Carolyn Scheppner) (12/19/86)

In article <5331@ukma.ms.uky.csnet> sean@ukma.ms.uky.csnet (Sean Casey) writes:
>
>Single frame video tape recording...does it exist?  I'd like to try some
>animation on a Commodore Amiga by generating frames and recording them
>one at a time to videotape.

   At the developer's conference, one of the videos that FAUG showed
was a lengthy animated 3-D sequence that had been created by recording
single frames of Amiga video.  I don't remember the name of the guy who
did it, but I believe Aegis just hired him.  It was impressive.

carolyn
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zhahai@gaia.UUCP (Zhahai Stewart) (12/23/86)

In article <1140@cbmvax.cbmvax.cbm.UUCP> mikeb@cbmvax.UUCP (Mike Brenner SW) writes:
>In article <5331@ukma.ms.uky.csnet> sean@ukma.ms.uky.csnet (Sean Casey) writes:
>>
>>Single frame video tape recording...does it exist?  I'd like to try some
>>animation on a Commodore Amiga by generating frames and recording them
>>one at a time to videotape.  They will take too long to generate in real
>>time (ray tracing).  Almost every VCR manufacturer makes a unit that will
>>play back frame by frame, but how about recording frame by frame?  Perhaps
>>a camcorder would have this feature.
>>Sean
>
>While there are several professional models that provide this capability,
>their price tags are high. Sony has a new SuperBeta "home" unit that has
>this capability. I don't know the model# but it lists for around $1300.
>Plus, it has audio capability as well allowing about 30hrs of audio from
>what I hear.
>Mike

I would be interested in any further information on this.  It seems that 
at minimum, a flying erase head would be needed (most consumer video uses
a full width erase head ahead of the flying (spinning) read/write heads; a
flying erase head spins with the other heads, just a bit ahead, and can
erase a track just before it is scanned).  I was not aware that Sony made a
home SuperBeta unit with this capability; some 8mm video units, including
from Sony, have this feature (flying erase), though the quality of
the recordings are not as good as Superbeta or even VHS HQ.  There is
also a VHS unit with jog/shuttle search (see Sony SLHF 750 & 900) and a
flying erase head, unfortunately not sold in the US (consumer unit, but sold
only in Japan).  I think it is by Panasonic, not sure.  I am sharing these
few meager results of my own research - what I do not know yet is whether
any of the flying erase head units can single-frame in record mode - it
does not seem to be in the manuals, nor do salespeople even know what I
mean.  If it is possible, it probably requires some digital control, like
an editing controller.  I would love to know more, for the same purposes
as the other posters.

By the way, the Sony EVR-800, which is a home 8mm video deck, has a sound
only mode (no video) which allows 6 digital soundtracks (each stereo).  If
used in slow speed (4 hrs/cassette) this would allow 24 hours of sound on one
cassette (rewinding every 4 hours).  (In video mode, you get one stereo
digital soundtrack).  Is this the "30 hr " format mentioned above, or
does Sony have something new in Beta?


-- 
Zhahai Stewart
{hao | nbires}!gaia!zhahai

citron@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu (Mark C. Citron) (12/24/86)

>Single frame video tape recording...does it exist?  

I routinely use a "record-frame-on-demand" tape recorder for my research
(vision research). It is made by a company called GYYR in Anaheim, CA.
I believe it cost ~$3,000 (4 years ago) and is aimed at the security industry 
for doing time-lapse recording. It uses standard VHS cassettes and is based
on an RCA machine. It has a TTL interface and I control it with my PDP11
computer. I would be happy to provide more information on request.

Mark C. Citron
...cit-vax!citron 
or 
...trwrb!c34!mark

warner@scubed.UUCP (Ken Warner) (12/24/86)

We here at s-cubed have a Sony U-Matic VO-5850. Its controlled by a Lyon-Lamb 
VAS IV controller. Our graphics machine is an upgraded IRIS 2400T. While the
resolution on the Sony leaves much to be desired (approx. 250 lines per inch)
it is a real sturdy machine. We are well over 100,000 cycles (frames) with no
maintainance problems. I suspect that the typical consumer VTR might not last
through all those cycles. 
Ken
warner@scubed.arpa

rab@well.UUCP (Bob Bickford) (12/25/86)

In article <168@scubed.UUCP>, warner@scubed.UUCP (Ken Warner) writes:
> We here at s-cubed have a Sony U-Matic VO-5850. Its controlled by a Lyon-Lamb 
> VAS IV controller. Our graphics machine is an upgraded IRIS 2400T. While the
> resolution on the Sony leaves much to be desired (approx. 250 lines per inch)
> it is a real sturdy machine. We are well over 100,000 cycles (frames) with no
> maintainance problems. I suspect that the typical consumer VTR might not last
> through all those cycles. 
> Ken
> warner@scubed.arpa

   Ahem.  The Sony unit you mention is a professional unit and it will
record an image with about 300 lines per picture height (which is the
standard way of expressing resolution in TV land --- specify how many
alternating lines of 0% black and 100% white can be resolved on a
horizontal line in a distance equal to the picture height.)
   I don't know where you got a spec like "250 lines per inch" but
it's totally meaningless unless you're talking about a particular
display (and then it had better be a rather small one!).  The 5850
is an excellent machine and is light-years away from VHS or Beta
as far as image quality, stability, and yes ruggedness.

-- 
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