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From: dwhitney@uok.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.consumers
Subject: Re: video tapes and VCR head cleaning
Message-ID: <20800001@uok.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 21-Dec-84 23:03:00 EST
Article-I.D.: uok.20800001
Posted: Fri Dec 21 23:03:00 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 27-Dec-84 03:55:57 EST
References: <52@mot.UUCP>
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Nf-ID: #R:mot:-5200:uok:20800001:000:1883
Nf-From: uok!dwhitney    Dec 21 22:03:00 1984


Yes, there is a distinct difference in quality of video tapes currently
available, but ask 10 different people which is best and you'll likely
get 10 different answers.  My personal favorite is Memorex Pro Series;
I have had outstanding results with this brand.  I have tried Ampex,
and their quality is significantly lower (however, I'm not sure that
Ampex even makes video tapes anymore.)  Polaroid recently started
making tapes, and my opinion is that they are, at best, marginal.
Somewhere between Memorex and Ampex.  

The big difference in picture quality I notice is in two parts:
a) the picture itself is often "fuzzy" or "grainy" in appearance,
b) the colors do not always ring true/the picture is hard to maintin
   on screen even while attempting to adjust the "tracking."  
I have noticed that cheaper tapes tend to give some type of color
"flutter" at the very top of the screen at times, with spikes at times
across the screen.

I have had virtually none of these troubles with the Memorex, and,
surprisingly enough, Sears has shown to have fairly decent quality
tapes too.  Consumer reports recently ran a test of their own and
ranked Scotch #1, so I guess you pretty much have to go by trial
and error.

On head cleaners, if I understand correctly, the main difference
between the two is that the "dry" kind uses some type of abrasive
material to clean the tapes.  People who are more familiar with the
workings of VCRs has urged me to steer clear of these as, while they
clean very well, they tend to erode the video heads rather rapidly.
Another kind is a sort of "magnetic" cleaner, just put the tape in,
play it, and a message comes on when its clean.

Anyone who has more expertise on the finer points of the cleaning
devices please correct any errors I might have made....but I think
I'm at least on the right track...

David Whitney
ctvax!uokvax!uok!dwhitney