CED Digest Vol. 1 No. 5

CED Digest Vol. 1 No. 5 • 12/14/1996
Date: Sun, 8 Dec 1996 09:44:17 -0500 (EST)
From: Pure Death
To: ceds@teleport.com
Subject: Japanese games on CED/VHD

AFAIK and am aware, the Japanese gaming industry never really picked up 
on the CED as a viable alternative to laserdisc gaming.  Remember that by 
the time of the first laserdisc games (Dragon's Lair, circa 1983) LD 
systems were getting pretty entrenched in Japanese households, much more 
so than CED players.  The only links to video gaming that I know the CED 
has are the Midway arcade game (name unremembered) that used a CED of 
football plays (check the VAPS arcade list, it's listed erroneously as a 
LD game) and the ill-fated Colecovision/CED interface mentioned in the 
ColecoVision FAQ.  
BTW, as far as home LD gaming goes, it's been tried and tried- I'm aware 
of at least one somewhat decent system from <>1985; attached to an MSX 
home computer, you could play Cobra Command/Thunderstorm FX, Bega's 
Battles, Vroom!, Xevious, some gambling games, etc.  Japanese only, of 
course.  :)

------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Zach D."
To: ceds@teleport.com (Tom Howe)
Date: Sat, 7 Dec 1996 21:46:46 -0500
Subject: Re: CED Digest Vol. 1 No. 4

---Ced Add for CED Digest---

Hi, I have been working on a want list of CED titles I am looking 
for.   I am posting it here, and if you have any email me and maybe 
we can work out a deal.  I have quite a few to trade and will send 
the list on request.  Also if you want to see my trade list, it's also 
a for-sale as well.                                

Ok here is my want-list so far:

Higher Priority-
Apocolypse Now
Barry Lyndon??
Clockwork Orange??
Empire Strikes Back
Lolita
Paths of Glory
Raiders of the Lost Arc
Return of the Jedi
Starwars
Other Stanley Kubrick (The Killing, Full Metal Jacket?)
Woody Allen Films?
Fellini Films - 8 1/2 La Dolce Vita?
Foreign Films?

Middle -
The Terminator
Tron
Dr Zhivago
First Blood
The Deerhunter

Lower-
Klute
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
The Invasion of the Body Snatchers
The Last Starfighter
ttyl
ZD
 ------------------------------Cut Along Dotted Lines----------------------
The Net's Best Virtual Flea Market: http://www.hub.ofthe.net/~zachd/flea1.htm
 - 19 Dealers and growing!  All used goods, all low prices!  Visit NOW. -

------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: (Neil Wagner)
To: ceds@teleport.com
Subject: WTB: Stereo CED Player
Date: Mon, 09 Dec 1996 03:06:25 GMT

I'm still looking for a CED player with stereo and video line outs.
The RCA SGT250 ought to do it.  Anyone have one they'd be willing to
part with?

Neil - nw@ix.netcom.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: (Neil Wagner)
To: ceds@teleport.com
Subject: Re: The Kids Are Alright
Date: Mon, 09 Dec 1996 04:23:08 GMT

On Wed, 4 Dec 1996, (David Potochick)
wrote:

>>From: (Neil Wagner)
>>Subject: WTB: The Kids Are Alright CED
>>Probably next to impossible to find this one.  I'm hoping someone
>>has it and would be willing to sell.

>I do have this CED but I'm not willing to part with it..... I love it.....

I, too, love this movie.  And now, thanks to several alert readers, I
have one copy in my hands that's never been played (!), and I have a
deal in the making on another for my everyday use.

On a side note, someone told me "The Kids Are Alright" was the first
stereo CED to be released.  Can anyone confirm?

Neil - nw@ix.netcom.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: (Neil Wagner)
To: ceds@teleport.com
Subject: Videodisc History, Part 2
Date: Mon, 09 Dec 1996 04:23:10 GMT

More quotes from my old Popular Science magazines:

>From the July 1978 "Look and Listen" -
  Video-disc recorder
      When will you be seeing pictures on your home TV from a video-
      disc system?  The latest predictions are the fall of '79.  But
      skeptics (usually makers of video-tape equipment) are already
      pointing out the disc's drawback:  It's for playback only.
      Although I don't see that as much of a problem, there is an
      answer:  a new video-disc player with record capability.  David
      Scott, PS European Editor, picks up the story in Darmstadt, West
      Germany:
          "A new laser-beam video-disc unit has been developed here by
      Robert Bosch GmbH.  It is both a a player and disc recorder.
          "The recording mechanism is below the disc.  During record,
      a radially tracking laser gun melts a spiral sequence of
      microscopic holes in an ultra-thin metal film that is vapor-
      deposited on the 12.6-inch-diameter Plexiglas disc.  Recording
      is done in real time and requires no additional processing.
          "For playback, a swinging optical pickup is linked to the
      underside mechanism and moves across the record much like a tone
      arm on a standard audio record player.  A photo diode mounted in
      the arm senses the fluctuations in light passing through the
      transparent disc from a laser underneath.  Each of the 30,000
      color pictures recorded has its own individual address, and any
      part of a disc can be selected with coarse or fine search modes.
      There is also a freeze facility for still viewing.
          "The disc spins at 1500 rom, protected from dust by a jet of
      filtered air.  Playing time is just 20 minutes, but the five-MHz
      video bandwidth means exceptional picture resolution.  The
      audio, recorded using PCM (pulse code modulation), is also quite
      good:  40 Hz to 15 kHz.
          "Although it has the advantages of a disc system - no
      physical contact with the record (so no wear), fast random
      access to a particular picture, and extended frequency response
      - its higher potential cost (not yet known) and low, 20-minute
      playing time make it less of a threat to the video-tape machine
      market.  And, unfortunately, it is not compatible with the
      future MCA/Philips design to come."
  Accompanying the article is a photo of a prototype unit, somewhat
  larger than a VCR, with a round clear lid set into the top (shown
  open), and inside, what essentially looks like a standard turntable
  with platter, tone-arm and cartridge.  A three position slider swith
  is on the left side of the top at the front of the unit, and a 1-1/2
  inch diameter knob is on the right side of the top at the front.

Neil - nw@ix.netcom.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 09 Dec 1996 03:54:49 -0800
From: Tom Howe
To: ceds@teleport.com
Subject: FORWARDED TO CED DIGEST FROM REC.VIDEO.MARKETPLACE

Video Discs For Sale  -  Only $2.00 U.S. each plus shipping!

1. Ordinary People
2. Starting Over
3. Heartaches
4. Whose Life Is It Anyway?
5. Ice Castles
6. Brubaker

Dave
tunedin@arcos.org

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Date: Mon, 09 Dec 1996 09:27:21 -0600
From: David Potochick
To: ceds@teleport.com
Subject:  Blondie CED

I would like to find a live in concert CED by the rock group "Blondie". The
only place that I ever saw this CED was at Disneyworld after the Space
Mountain Ride in the early 80's.... It was an exhibit for the world of
tommorow and a teenage girl was sitting on a bed with CED's all around
her and Blondie was playing on a big screen T.V...... If anyone would
want to sell this CED, please let me know.... 

-Maintenance of CED's-

I found that washing my CED's with simple dish wahing detergent and
water really improves picture lines and skipping. I used to work for a
radio station and we would just wash records with soap and water to
clean them... So, one day I tried doing the same with my "Benji" CED that
always skipped at the end..... Well, now the picture looks a lot better and
it doesn't skip... By washing it I probably removed all of that lubricant to
protect the needle but my needle on my RCA Selectavision hasn't given
out yet..... So, if you have a stubborn CED, give it a try...... 

I also have a Sears CED player.... If anyone has the schematic or a
needle for a Sears CED player, please let me know.... I have one But I
can't get it to play any disc other than Benji.... Tom Howe said it might be
the needle but the needle looks okay as far as I can see with magnifying
it and whatever else I've tried.... So, I'm looking for other possibilities......
If anyone can help me, please let me know....

Later, 

Dave.

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Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 09:25:38 -0600
From: David Potochick
To: ceds@teleport.com
Subject:  Looking For European Vacation.....

I'm looking for the Movie European Vacation starring Chevy Chase.... If
anyone could sell it to me for a reasonable price.... Please let me know....

I am also looking for old Discovision discs from the early days of the
Laserdisc. If anyone has these please let me know.... I am especially
looking for the Magnavox Laserdisc Player Demonstration Disc hosted by
Leonard Nimoy...... 

I seem to remember another format of Laserdisc when I was younger.
The discs were gold instead of silver and the squares on the discs
seemed a lot bigger than on the CAV laserdiscs. You could also see the
discs spinning inside of the player through a clear plastic window. Does
anyone know of what format I'm talking about??? It came out at about the
same time as Discovision and the CED..... Early 1980 maybe???......

Other things I am looking for........

A Color Reel to Reel video 1/2 inch tape recorder. Sony had a B/W and a
Color version.

The Old Sanyo Model videocassette player/recorder. I found some tapes
and would like to see what is on them. If anyone can help me play these,
please let me know.......

A 1 inch Video Tape Recorder.... or someone that would like to buy a
bunch of 1 inch 3M tape and 1 inch reels. 

more later.....

Dave.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: MELBANEW
Date: Thu, 12 Dec 1996 13:14:08 -0500
To: ceds@teleport.com
Subject: Re: CED Digest  

Notice the price drop from last weeks offering.

I have 1200 different CEDs in my regular collection plus 750 duplicates, plus
200 extra discs.  I have at least 10 players, plus many extra parts and
items.  

Will sell everything for $4,500.00. and will consider taking laser discs on
trade.  

Billy F. New
1155 Edith Drive
Daytona Beach, Fl 32117

PH#: 904 252-1783

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 14 Dec 1996 22:21:07 -0800
From: Tom Howe
To: ceds@teleport.com
Subject: LaserFilm Players Available (NOT CED-compatible)

Hello:

I'm forwarding this posting from Dead Media to CED Digest since some of the
people on this list are interested in other VideoDisc formats besides CED. Note
that even though the LaserFilm players use a caddy-housed disc, the system is
not compatible with CED. If anyone knows where to find any LaserFilm discs, I'd
like to get just one to be able to demonstrate this unit.

--Tom Howe

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Dead Medium: McDonnell Douglas Laserfilm VideoDisc Player

From: (Tom Howe) 

Source:  LASERFILM VideoDisc Player LFS-4400 Operating 
Instructions, 1986
McDonnell Douglas Electronics Co., Box 426, St. Charles, 
Missouri 63301

Recently, 700 of these Laserfilm VideoDisc players turned 
up at a surplus firm for $39 each, postpaid in the 
continental US.  These are new-in-the-box units that this 
firm is planning on stripping down for parts, if the units 
don't sell intact.  The units don't include any software 
(two empty caddies are included), and I don't know where 
to find even a single disc to use for playback 
demonstration; but these units may be of interest to 
collectors of dead VideoDisc formats.

      I purchased one and the following notes reflect my 
observations. The URL for the surplus firm's page is:

http://www.i1.net/~mega/viddsk.html

The McDonnell Douglas Laserfilm VideoDisc Player

This was the last and shortest-lived of the competing 
VideoDisc formats that emerged in the 1980's.  It had the 
distinction of using ordinary photographic film as the 
playback medium.  The film was cut in the shape of a 12" 
disc which was loaded into the player with a caddy, much 
like the RCA CED System. Data was recorded on the disc as 
a spiral track of dots, which interrupted the laser beam 
as it was projected through the disc.  Thus Laserfilm is a 
transmissive system rather than reflective, which is 
characteristic of the popular LaserDisc format.

     The first unit was available in 1984, and the last 
was made in 1986, as this format was apparently never 
marketed successfully outside of McDonnell Douglas. All of 
the players were very well-constructed industrial units, 
and featured an RS-232 port for external computer control. 
McDonnell Douglas used multiple units running in unison 
for flight simulation.

     The commercial failure of this format is somewhat 
surprising, since with the use of photographic film, disc 
mastering and replication was supposed to be much simpler 
than competing VideoDisc formats.  Indeed, the duplicate 
discs were merely photographic inverses of the masters. 
The masters used dark dots on a transparent background, 
whereas the replicas used transparent dots on a black 
background.

      The players were unique in being able to play either 
a replica or the original master, although to play the 
master it had to be loaded in the caddy with the label 
side facing down.  The playback time was limited to 18 
minutes of full motion video per disc, and perhaps this 
was its major downfall.  Competing formats were capable of 
60 minutes of video per side, or 120 minutes total per 
disc.  

      The discs were recorded in CAV format, and could 
produce 33,200 still frames, 42 hours of compressed audio, 
or 36 hours of Still-with-Sound (assuming 28.6 seconds of 
compressed sound per frame).

Tom Howe
www.teleport.com/~ceds
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