rp@XN.LL.MIT.EDU (Richard Pavelle) (08/05/90)
I received a blurb from DAK about a "Blur Blaster Video
Image Enhancer" for $50 . They claim it is a device
(without description) which will enhance the detail of
videos generated by connecting between two VCRs or between
the VCR & TV. I can believe the first but doubt the second.
Has anyone had experience with such a device?
--
Richard Pavelle UUCP: ...ll-xn!rp
ARPANET: rp@XN.LL.MIT.EDUbrian@ucsd.Edu (Brian Kantor) (08/06/90)
Most of the simple image-enhancers sold for video work in that price range are really just adjustable high-pass filters that tend to boost the high frequencies in a TV signal, and thus tend to sharpen edges a little. Some also move the video around, either by fiddling the black level or stretching the whites a little, thus giving an apparent increase in contrast which can appear as a sharper image. Consider that the normal parts-to-retail ratio for consumer goods is around 3 to 5 times, so figure what can be done with $10 to $20 of parts. A pretty metal cabinet with shiny knobs is going to cost around $2 to $5, even in quantity, and there's probably $1 for packaging and printing the how-to-hook-me-up sheet, so there's not a whole lot left over for clever circuitry. I don't know much about the DAK unit in particular, but I sincerely doubt that it does much more than the sharpness control on your VCR can do. At least Drew has a money-back guarantee if you're disappointed. - Brian
tuv@pmafire.UUCP (Mark Tovey) (08/06/90)
rp@XN.LL.MIT.EDU (Richard Pavelle) writes: > >I received a blurb from DAK about a "Blur Blaster Video >Image Enhancer" for $50 . They claim it is a device >(without description) which will enhance the detail of >videos generated by connecting between two VCRs or between >the VCR & TV. I can believe the first but doubt the second. >Has anyone had experience with such a device? > >-- >Richard Pavelle UUCP: ...ll-xn!rp > ARPANET: rp@XN.LL.MIT.EDU Radio Shack sells for about $25 a video/audio processor. I have one and have successfully used it to make copys of video tapes when I was unable to do so without the box. From looking at the output signal with a scope, it appears to increase the video level without changing the sync level. The recordings aren't always totally clean, but the device works adequately well in a pinch.