[comp.ivideodisc] storage/retrieval of short video segments

bulick@comanche.USWest.COM (12/22/88)

I am interested in recording short video sequences (2-10 minutes) for
later retrieval on demand, which means, of course, that whatever
technology I use needs some kind of accurate registration system.  I'd
like to be able to store several hours of material if possible. In
addition, the recorder/player must be remotely controllable via an
rs232 port.

The obvious choice (to a video novice like me, anyway) is some sort of
videodisc system. Since Write-Many-Read-Many technology has been
promised for years but has yet to make it out of anyone's lab, it looks
like some sort of WORM technology is the answer. I have a spec sheet
for Panasonic's TQ-3031F optical disc recorder which promises up to an
hour of motion video on 2 sides of a 12 inch disc with information
retrievable on track boundaries. Estimated cost is $18K for a
recorder/player and $3-4K for a player only. To store hours of material
I would need a recorder/player and at least another player, possibly
2. I would also have to migrate discs as they fill up. I have been
told by a dealer's rep (an admittedly biased source) that the Panasonic
unit is the only one which meets my needs.

I have also heard that Beta VCR might offer accurate enough
registration for my purpose with, of course, greatly increased access
time. However, for substantially reduced cost I could live with slow
retrieval.

My questions (finally):

Is the Panasonic unit the only choice for what I want?

Is beta a realistic alternative?

Are there any other alternatives?

As I said, I am a video novice looking for information. Any help
would be appreciated.

			Steve Bulick
			US WEST Advanced Technologies

mail addresses in order of decreasing probability of successful
delivery:

			bulick@uswest.com
			bulick%uswest@boulder.colorado.edu
			uswat!bulick
			uswat!bulick@boulder.edu
			uswat!bulick@boulder.colorado.edu

mark@cygnet.CYGNETSYSTEMS (Mark Quattrocchi) (12/23/88)

In article <1261@uswat.UUCP> bulick@comanche.USWest.COM () writes:
>I am interested in recording short video sequences (2-10 minutes) for
>later retrieval on demand, which means, of course, that whatever
>technology I use needs some kind of accurate registration system.  I'd
>like to be able to store several hours of material if possible. In
>addition, the recorder/player must be remotely controllable via an
>rs232 port.
>
>The obvious choice (to a video novice like me, anyway) is some sort of
>videodisc system. Since Write-Many-Read-Many technology has been
>promised for years but has yet to make it out of anyone's lab, it looks
>like some sort of WORM technology is the answer. I have a spec sheet

Not true you can get 5 1/4 inch erasable optical now from at least 2
manufacters. Though data transfer rate would be a problem for real time
video.

>for Panasonic's TQ-3031F optical disc recorder which promises up to an
>hour of motion video on 2 sides of a 12 inch disc with information
>retrievable on track boundaries. Estimated cost is $18K for a
>recorder/player and $3-4K for a player only. To store hours of material
>I would need a recorder/player and at least another player, possibly
>2. I would also have to migrate discs as they fill up. I have been
>told by a dealer's rep (an admittedly biased source) that the Panasonic
>unit is the only one which meets my needs.
>
>I have also heard that Beta VCR might offer accurate enough
>registration for my purpose with, of course, greatly increased access
>time. However, for substantially reduced cost I could live with slow
>retrieval.
>
>My questions (finally):
>
>Is the Panasonic unit the only choice for what I want?
>
>Is beta a realistic alternative?
>
>Are there any other alternatives?
>
>As I said, I am a video novice looking for information. Any help
>would be appreciated.
>
>			Steve Bulick
>			US WEST Advanced Technologies
>
Both Pioneer and Sony make write once laser disk mastering systems for
about the same price as the Panasonic.

king@client2.dciem.dnd.ca (Stephen King) (12/28/88)

In article <1216@cygnet.CYGNETSYSTEMS> mark@cygnet.UUCP (Mark Quattrocchi) writes:
>In article <1261@uswat.UUCP> bulick@comanche.USWest.COM () writes:
>>The obvious choice (to a video novice like me, anyway) is some sort of
>>videodisc system. Since Write-Many-Read-Many technology has been
>> [...]
>Both Pioneer and Sony make write once laser disk mastering systems for
>about the same price as the Panasonic.

McDonnell-Douglas make a write-once system called 'Laserfilm'. The media is
flexible 12" photographic material, and apparently low cost. I seem to
remember a system by Teac/Tascam (or perhaps Toshiba) that also did
write-once video. However, few of these systems are compatible with each
other.

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  Stephen J King   =-=   DCIEM Human Factors Division   =-=   (416) 635-2149