Xref: utzoo comp.graphics:2801 rec.video:3788 sci.electronics:3331 Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-lcc!ames!pacbell!att!alberta!calgary!amc-vlsi!dale From: dale@amc-vlsi.UUCP (Dale Wlasitz) Newsgroups: comp.graphics,rec.video,sci.electronics Subject: VCRs for animation/editing/single frame operation Message-ID: <531@amc-vlsi.UUCP> Date: 15 Jul 88 15:24:19 GMT Organization: Alberta Microelectronic Centre, Calgary, AB. Lines: 27 >.......What are the best VCRs for >single-frame record and playback, for applications such as animation >recording and video analysis? Which machines are capable of reliable >frame-by-frame read, with minutes of holding time per frame, without >tape damage? ....... Most decent video equipment today will produce a good quality still frame. Perhaps not as good as the SONY broadcast 3/4 inch machines but it is still reasonable. The "minutes of holding time per frame" while in the still frame mode is a function of the tape that you are using. I worked in the industry some time back and one of the tests we performed was a "Tape Quality" test. Simply by leaving a machine in pause we measured the time for dropouts to begin showing up on the image. We even left the unit until the image disappeared due to oxide shredding. Amazing results, some brands of tape would last less than six minutes......on the best tape we terminated the test after more than 9 hours. If you want to do animation you'll want to digitize and store the frame in memory so it can be modified. This is expensive, a single frame will eat about 1/2 a Meg of RAM. A Time Base Corrector will provide the store capability, now you need the software and computer interface to massage the image. Good Luck, Dale