Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, October 10, 1995 TAG: 9510100112
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DAVID BUTLER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
A: If you haven't test driven a new VCR lately, you're in for a surprise! In recent years, product designers have focused on overcoming the sometimes-deserved scorn heaped upon the VCR. Believe it or not, some of the latest bells and whistles actually make life simpler rather than more complicated.
Some enhancements have been incremental. Today's remote controls are better organized, relying on fewer buttons. On-screen menus, standard fare for most VCRs, are more forgiving. The VCR is more likely to catch your mistakes, giving you an opportunity to make corrections.
Other improvements have been revolutionary. Most remarkable has been the wholesale adoption of VCR Plus. First introduced in 1991 as a stand-alone remote, VCR Plus takes the hassle out of time shifting (taping a show for later viewing). All you have to do is enter a special program ID number (published along with most TV listings). Virtually all manufacturers now incorporate this technology into some or all of their VCRs.
Sometimes even an experienced time-shifter can fumble the ball - for example, when taping a sporting event that runs long, or when taping a show that follows a sporting event that runs long. To handle this problem, some Plus-compatible VCRs let the user override a show's scheduled end-time.
New on-screen electronic program guides offer an even better solution: The basic concept, ``point-and-record,'' is possibly the easiest and most reliable way to program a VCR. Guides that receive real-time updates (via a special data channel within the video signal) automatically adjust start and stop times to allow for unanticipated programming delays or last-minute schedule changes.
And then there's the cable box dilemma. What if you want to record programs on two different cable channels - and both are scrambled? A growing number of VCRs handle this by taking control of the cable box (or satellite receiver). This is accomplished with a tiny infrared emitter.
Otherwise, you can opt for a universal remote with a built-in clock, calendar and scheduling function. With prices as low as $40, this offers an inexpensive solution to the cable box problem. You can also use a programmable remote to time-shift your favorite radio programs!
Two new VCR features make life easier when you sit down to enjoy what you've recorded:
Index Plus: Each time you make a recording, the VCR automatically stores the program title and other information in memory (taken from off-air data). It also creates a table of contents at the beginning of each video tape. Instead of endlessly shuttling through tapes, you can quickly locate a misplaced show by looking up the tape number in an on-screen catalog. Once you insert the tape, the table of contents appears. Simply click on the desired program and the VCR does the rest!
Commercial Advance: After a show is recorded, the VCR scans the tape and electronically marks the beginning and end of each group of commercials (with better than 90 percent accuracy, according to the manufacturers). When you replay the tape, the VCR will quickly zip through commercials while displaying a blue screen. Or you can override the feature and watch the commercials. Right.
To receive my Video Time-Shifter's Resource List, please send $1.50 (please don't send cash) and a self-addressed envelope to David Butler F-533, Department TWN, 14713 Pleasant Hill Road, Charlotte, N.C. 28278-7927. The list includes manufacturers of the VCRs and peripherals that incorporate the latest time-shift features along with phone numbers and a summary of each company's products.
TechTalk: Extended Data Services (XDS) is a new standard for broadcasters to encode digital information within the video signal. Defined fields include program name, description, network affiliation and station ID. XDS evolved from the same technology used to transmit closed captions.
by CNB