[net.video] Level meters on HiFi portable VCR's

albert@ucbvax.ARPA (Anthony Albert) (04/07/85)

I was looking at HiFi portables, (specifically the RCA 950),
and I noticed that the audio level meters were on the tuner.
This means that if you use the recorder with a battery, you don't get
to use the meters! Are all HiFi portables done this way, and if so,
why?

brown@nic_vax.UUCP (04/09/85)

> I was looking at HiFi portables, (specifically the RCA 950),
> and I noticed that the audio level meters were on the tuner.
> This means that if you use the recorder with a battery, you don't get
> to use the meters! Are all HiFi portables done this way, and if so,
> why?

As far as I can tell, the only reason most, not all, portable Hi-Fi
decks do not have level meters and adjustment pots is that it takes
up too much space.  But, if you look hard enough you will find a unit
that does have them.  When I end up replacing by portable Dolby Stereo
unit with a Hi-Fi unit, it will have pots.  I do not like AGC.

Mr. Video

les@vaxwaller.UUCP (Les Dittert) (04/16/85)

> I was looking at HiFi portables, (specifically the RCA 950),
> and I noticed that the audio level meters were on the tuner.
> This means that if you use the recorder with a battery, you don't get
> to use the meters! Are all HiFi portables done this way, and if so,
> why?

Most Hi Fi portable decks can not record Hi Fi with the recorder part
alone. The Hi Fi stuff is in the tuner box, hence the meters are also
on the tuner.

bobr@zeus.UUCP (Robert Reed) (04/18/85)

> > I was looking at HiFi portables, (specifically the RCA 950),
> > and I noticed that the audio level meters were on the tuner.
> > Are all HiFi portables done this way, and if so, why?
> 
> Most Hi Fi portable decks can not record Hi Fi with the recorder part
> alone. The Hi Fi stuff is in the tuner box, hence the meters are also
> on the tuner.

Close, but not quite.  It is true that Beta Hifi records can be constructed
in this fashion (since the Hifi signal is injected into the video bandwidth)
and so manufacturers could reduce the size of the portable part by putting
this stuff in the base unit, but VHS Hifi, because of the nature of Hifi
recording, MUST have components in the recorder to handle Hifi (an extra set
of heads at the proper azimuth alignment).  My Canon VCR, for example, can
record Hifi without the base unit.  However, it has only an AVC, so neither
recording level controls nor meters appear either on the recorder or the
base unit.

-- 
Robert Reed, CAE Systems Division, tektronix!teklds!bobr