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From: terryl@tekcrl.UUCP ()
Newsgroups: net.video
Subject: Re: counters on VCRS
Message-ID: <174@tekcrl.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 24-Jun-85 04:22:29 EDT
Article-I.D.: tekcrl.174
Posted: Mon Jun 24 04:22:29 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 26-Jun-85 06:37:45 EDT
References: <433@zinfandel.UUCP>, <1346@hammer.UUCP>
Lines: 21

>>I recently purchased a Fisher stereo VHS VCR.  In general, I am very happy
>>with its performance, but I've noticed the record-leng's oimer is non-linear.
>>
>>In other words, a half-hour recording at the begining of the tape is not
>>equivalent in counter-units to a half-hour recording at the middle or end
>>of the tape. (as the tape rolls, the counter units are longer with respect
>>to time).
>>
>>Is this normal?

>That's what happens when the tape counter runs off the spool drive.
>As the tape runs, the diameter of the spool of tape changes, and
>the spool rpms change.  *Real* VCRs, like the Sony SL-2700, run
>the tape counter off the signals recorded on the tape.  The tape
>counter reads in hours/minutes/seconds, and is *correct*.  I doubt
>if any VHS machines do this, since the tape has to come off the
>head for fast-wind, and you couldn't pick up the timing signals.

     Yep, that's the only way to do it, using the timing signals on the
tape. My NEC Beta Hi-Fi also has a REAL TIME COUNTER. Kinda handy to mark
time indexes on the tape to say where something starts/stops.