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