[comp.ivideodisc] Pioneer LD-V4200/8000 incompatability

marquet@bohra.cpg.oz (John Marquet) (07/20/90)

G'day!

We have a product called POSSUM (Pictures of Standard Syndromes and
Undiagnosed Malformations) which runs on PC-compatibles and videodisc
players from Sony, Pioneer and Philips.

Recently Pioneer introduced a high end player, the LD-V8000, onto the NTSC
market (we're PAL-D in Australia) that was supposed to be fully upward
compatible with the LD-V4200.

This posting is to warn prospective users that it isn't.  Specifically,
the command sequence "PASF" (pause, then step) will make the LD-V8000
step, but will only make the LD-V4200 enable its video for the current
frame.  If you're writing code for Pioneer equipment, I suggest you avoid
the PA command entirely - it's evidently not meant for CAV applications.

Pioneer is not alone in this kind of problem, by the way.  The Sony LDP1200
is not entirely the same as the LDP1500, either, but the difference is less
critical.

Naturally, the manufacturers have wildly different command protocols.  Anybody
know of a body that's trying to arrive at a standard - or is it the "last
man standing" that will win?

John Marquet
Manager, POSSUM project
Computer Power Group
613 St. Kilda Road
Melbourne 3004
Australia

D