7 posts tagged “vcr”
Sony CV-2000
Reel to Reel Video Recorder
Link: Rewind Museum smecc.org
The time was 1965, and Sony released the world's first "domestic" reel to reel ½ inch-tape video recorder. It recorded black and white video on to ½ inch-tapes. Each tape could take about half an hour of video. It was the most compact and "portable" video tape recorder ever designed, housed in a "handy carrying case, and weighed all of 46 pounds.
You could also get the optional video camera CVC-2000, photos of which can be found both at the Rewind Museum and the Southwest Museum of Engineering, Communications and Computation (smecc), links above. Both websites contain a lot of info on the product and accessories, and you can see the brochures as well from SMECC, like this one:
Check out Lab Guy's World as well for more info.
3rd Anniversary
The time was 20 February 2006, and Dick and Leo released the world's first podcast by a man with a big moustache talking to another man on the other coast not yet seated on a blue ball: Episode 1 of the Daily Giz Wiz, Docupen.
Three years on, the big moustache is bushier, the other man is seated on a blue ball, the show is fully jinglified, the contents are searchable, and the podcast is marching towards Episode 1000, when Leo will have to devise a new naming system for the podcast's download files. Currently it's only got 3 digits for the episode number.
OEM Betamax
Dick and Leo talked about the Sony Betamax SL-7200 (and the BetaStack) in Episode 30. The Betamax may seem antique, but the CV-2000 is ancient. Dick also saw a Zenith Betamax which looked rather similar to the Sony, and discovered to his amazement that it was indeed made by Sony.
Autographed Mad: A Christmas Surprise
Marie Kovar received from her husband a copy of Mad Magazine autographed by Dick, a photo of the Giz Wiz, and some GizWizBiz gadgets, for Christmas 2008. Marie thanks Dick for contributing to her great Christmas surprise and wishes Dick and Leo and their families happiness and good health in 2009.
Valentine Gifts
Picture this. It's Valentine's Day and Leo had against his better judgement polished off all the chocolate-coated, sea-salt-dusted caramels before they reached Jennifer. Leo said to Jennifer, "Honey, our love is like this GizWizBiz ice-cube. It can't melt, because it's durable like our relationship." A kick in the groin later, Leo tried again, "Honey, our love is like this GeoBulb. It will shine forever, or 10 years, whichever comes first." Another kick in the groin later, Leo said, "Honey, I'm seeing stars."
Listening to the Stars
The time was 22 February 1892, and it was the premiere of Oscar Wilde's Lady Windermere's Fan. Lord Darlington, a charcter in the play, spoke his line, "We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars."
The time was 9 February 2009, and Dick and Leo were recording the show. Dick asked Leo to say something clever to end the show. Leo obliged. "I may be lying in the gutter, but at least I'm looking at the stars."
The time is 20 February 2009, and it's the 3rd Anniversary of the Daily Giz Wiz. We may be in the gutter, but at least we're listening to the stars.
Listen to Episode 770
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Post-770 Chat
Dick and Leo have a chat after the recording session, and they are joined by Dane Golden. They talk about the anniversary, the film Gaslight, Match Game, Gene Rayburn's mic, the Match Game theme Swingin' Safari (see also Episode 584), and much more. Watch the video.
You could also get the optional video camera CVC-2000, photos of which can be found both at the Rewind Museum and the Southwest Museum of Engineering, Communications and Computation (smecc), links above. Both websites contain a lot of info on the product and accessories, and you can see the brochures as well from SMECC, like this one:
Check out Lab Guy's World as well for more info.
3rd Anniversary
The time was 20 February 2006, and Dick and Leo released the world's first podcast by a man with a big moustache talking to another man on the other coast not yet seated on a blue ball: Episode 1 of the Daily Giz Wiz, Docupen.
Three years on, the big moustache is bushier, the other man is seated on a blue ball, the show is fully jinglified, the contents are searchable, and the podcast is marching towards Episode 1000, when Leo will have to devise a new naming system for the podcast's download files. Currently it's only got 3 digits for the episode number.
OEM Betamax
Dick and Leo talked about the Sony Betamax SL-7200 (and the BetaStack) in Episode 30. The Betamax may seem antique, but the CV-2000 is ancient. Dick also saw a Zenith Betamax which looked rather similar to the Sony, and discovered to his amazement that it was indeed made by Sony.
Autographed Mad: A Christmas Surprise
Marie Kovar received from her husband a copy of Mad Magazine autographed by Dick, a photo of the Giz Wiz, and some GizWizBiz gadgets, for Christmas 2008. Marie thanks Dick for contributing to her great Christmas surprise and wishes Dick and Leo and their families happiness and good health in 2009.
Valentine Gifts
Picture this. It's Valentine's Day and Leo had against his better judgement polished off all the chocolate-coated, sea-salt-dusted caramels before they reached Jennifer. Leo said to Jennifer, "Honey, our love is like this GizWizBiz ice-cube. It can't melt, because it's durable like our relationship." A kick in the groin later, Leo tried again, "Honey, our love is like this GeoBulb. It will shine forever, or 10 years, whichever comes first." Another kick in the groin later, Leo said, "Honey, I'm seeing stars."
Listening to the Stars
The time was 22 February 1892, and it was the premiere of Oscar Wilde's Lady Windermere's Fan. Lord Darlington, a charcter in the play, spoke his line, "We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars."
The time was 9 February 2009, and Dick and Leo were recording the show. Dick asked Leo to say something clever to end the show. Leo obliged. "I may be lying in the gutter, but at least I'm looking at the stars."
The time is 20 February 2009, and it's the 3rd Anniversary of the Daily Giz Wiz. We may be in the gutter, but at least we're listening to the stars.
Listen to Episode 770
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Post-770 Chat
Dick and Leo have a chat after the recording session, and they are joined by Dane Golden. They talk about the anniversary, the film Gaslight, Match Game, Gene Rayburn's mic, the Match Game theme Swingin' Safari (see also Episode 584), and much more. Watch the video.
VCR Co-Pilot
VCR Time-Recording Remote Control
Link: Joseph Enterprises
Dick's Gadget Warehouse
Inspired by the VCR Plus in Episode 560, listener Karl M. from Phoenix, Arizona saw the VCR Co-Pilot at Goodwill for $1 and bought it for Dick's Gadget Warehouse. The VCR Co-Pilot was designed to avoid having to set your timed recording on your VCR via the on-screen menu which was not always intuitive. The website is still there, and there's even a quick guide for using the Co-Pilot.
Karl is obviously interested in past gadgets. He last wrote in Episode 640 asking Dick if he had the Rabbit Video Multiplier in the Warehouse.
Make Me Mad
For his retirement fund, Dick has been storing a case each of all the Mad books he's written, kept in the Gadget Warehouse, thinking it must be a gold mine. A recent tot-up of the rent for the Gadget Warehouse for the past 20 years (currently $380 a month) makes him realise that his retirement plan doesn't quite add up. So he's selling a lot of his old Mad stuff. A recently discovered case of paperback Good Days and Mad sold out in 6 hours after Dick mentioned it on Twitter. A case of Good Days and Mad hard covers is beckoning. Over the next few months, Dick will be offering to listeners other Mad stuff such as Mad stationery and other things Bill Gaines had, on MakeMeMad.
The Day I Fell Off My Ball
Dick thinks that Leo should one day write about his life, which should make a neat little booklet. "The Day I Fell Off My Ball" maybe, thinks Leo. For previous ideas about Leo's biography or autobiography, see Episodes 320, 324 and 589.
Listen to Episode 665
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Karl is obviously interested in past gadgets. He last wrote in Episode 640 asking Dick if he had the Rabbit Video Multiplier in the Warehouse.
Make Me Mad
For his retirement fund, Dick has been storing a case each of all the Mad books he's written, kept in the Gadget Warehouse, thinking it must be a gold mine. A recent tot-up of the rent for the Gadget Warehouse for the past 20 years (currently $380 a month) makes him realise that his retirement plan doesn't quite add up. So he's selling a lot of his old Mad stuff. A recently discovered case of paperback Good Days and Mad sold out in 6 hours after Dick mentioned it on Twitter. A case of Good Days and Mad hard covers is beckoning. Over the next few months, Dick will be offering to listeners other Mad stuff such as Mad stationery and other things Bill Gaines had, on MakeMeMad.
The Day I Fell Off My Ball
Dick thinks that Leo should one day write about his life, which should make a neat little booklet. "The Day I Fell Off My Ball" maybe, thinks Leo. For previous ideas about Leo's biography or autobiography, see Episodes 320, 324 and 589.
Listen to Episode 665
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Samsung DVD-VR375
Combo DVD-VHS Recorder
Link: Samsung
The DVD-VR375 is a combo DVD and VHS player/recorder, with a slot for DVD and another for VHS. It plays and records all forms of DVD discs, and VHS tapes. The DVD player supports Digital Dolby Surround Sound, progressive scan and 1080p up-conversion. Outputs include HDMI Out, Component Video Out, and Composite Video Out. Input is Composite In only. You can also transfer your old VHS tapes on to DVD directly within the machine. Note that it does not have a built-in TV tuner.
Another Cheeky Supplier
Dick emailed Samsung for a loaner review unit. The reply was positive with an offer of a loaner unit for 28 days, but Dick would have to sign a loaner agreement with the condition that if Dick should fail to return it by then, he would have to pay $199.99, when the highest price on the internet was only $179.99.
Fortunately Dick didn't have to sign the loaner agreement after all. For a more outrageous story of a cheeky supplier, check out Episode 9.
Dick's Luncheon
When Dick was working on To Tell The Truth at the Ed Sullivan Theater, he used to go to what is now the Hello Deli (as seen on the David Letterman Show).
The Spirit of Trinidad
Dick confessed in Episode 594 that has been known to confuse the gadget website VAT19 with the whiskey VAT 69. Marlin Belgrave of Brooklyn, a listener from Episode 1 onwards, who is originally from Trinidad of the West Indies, tells Dick that in fact Vat 19 is also a liquor. It's a famous rum made by distilleries in Trinidad owned or acquired by Angostura.
WC Fields
Dick and Leo get on to the subject of WC Fields, and some of his films including The Dentist, The Bank Dick and Six Of A Kind (with the character Honest John). Here's a clip from the film in which Honest John explains how he got the name.
Listen to Episode 618
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Another Cheeky Supplier
Dick emailed Samsung for a loaner review unit. The reply was positive with an offer of a loaner unit for 28 days, but Dick would have to sign a loaner agreement with the condition that if Dick should fail to return it by then, he would have to pay $199.99, when the highest price on the internet was only $179.99.
Fortunately Dick didn't have to sign the loaner agreement after all. For a more outrageous story of a cheeky supplier, check out Episode 9.
Dick's Luncheon
When Dick was working on To Tell The Truth at the Ed Sullivan Theater, he used to go to what is now the Hello Deli (as seen on the David Letterman Show).
The Spirit of Trinidad
Dick confessed in Episode 594 that has been known to confuse the gadget website VAT19 with the whiskey VAT 69. Marlin Belgrave of Brooklyn, a listener from Episode 1 onwards, who is originally from Trinidad of the West Indies, tells Dick that in fact Vat 19 is also a liquor. It's a famous rum made by distilleries in Trinidad owned or acquired by Angostura.
WC Fields
Dick and Leo get on to the subject of WC Fields, and some of his films including The Dentist, The Bank Dick and Six Of A Kind (with the character Honest John). Here's a clip from the film in which Honest John explains how he got the name.
Listen to Episode 618
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
VCR Plus
TV Programme Code for VCR
Link: VCR Plus
Dick's Gadget Warehouse
VCR Plus, started by Henry Yuen of Gemstar, was a system of codes for recording individual TV programmes on your VCR. Each programme had its own code, so that you could just enter the code into the VCRPlus-supported VCR machine or remote control, and your VCR would start recording the appropriate channel at the right time. Watch this TV commercial from 1987.
Audible Jingle
Geoff Smith has made an "Audible Pick of the Week" jingle for TWiT. Check out his ringtones on thegeoffsmith.com/.
Keyboard Cleaning
Mike of Eagle River, Alaska took Leo's advice to heart and put his keyboard into the dishwasher, let it dry for a few days, and even put it in the oven. The result upon reconnection? Sparks flew.
Listen to Episode 560
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Audible Jingle
Geoff Smith has made an "Audible Pick of the Week" jingle for TWiT. Check out his ringtones on thegeoffsmith.com/.
Keyboard Cleaning
Mike of Eagle River, Alaska took Leo's advice to heart and put his keyboard into the dishwasher, let it dry for a few days, and even put it in the oven. The result upon reconnection? Sparks flew.
Listen to Episode 560
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Neuros OSD Media Centre
Video Recorder/Converter
Link: Neuros
It makes use of the analogue hole to transfer the input video into digital form, on to your choice of external storage (such as a USB hdd, flash drive, memory cards or NAS). Hook up the Neuros OSD between your video source and the TV (using RCA jacks), connect your storage to the Neuros OSD, and start recording into MPEG4. You have a choice of 2 resolutions: 320x240 at 30fps for playback on portable devices, and 640x480 at 30fps for playback on TV and PC.
It is also a very capable playback device for audio, video and still photo, supporting many media formats, including mpeg4, mov, wmv, flv, avi (including Dvix and Xvid), mp3, ogg vorbis, wma, flac, jpg, bmp and gif. You can choose your playback source from an USB-connected storage, or any memory card in the built-in card reader (supporting most major memory cards), or from any networked source via the ethernet port (such as your NAS or even the internet).
Its firmware is upgradable, and the software includes built-in automatic software update capability. Because the device is based on open source software, Neuros also encourages open development of additional features for the OSD. Comes with a remote control, an IR Blaster, and RCA cables (European models include SCART adapters).
Automatic Podcast Generator
Dick and Leo lament the missed opportunity of getting a push-button automatic podcast generator, while Leo was away in Tasmania, from Ludwik Trammer, DGW's official statistician, database compiler, RSS feeder, general factotum and all-round nice guy.
Missing Feature
Girl Geek Myra Joyce (who wrote in in Episode 495) referred to the letter read in Episode 526 about the Canon Pixma iP4300. To her disappointment, the CD-label printing capability is enabled only in models shipped outside of the US (which could be enabled for US models but only with some dismantling and reassembly of the printer).
The Ultimate Toaster
Leo has come up with an idea for the ultimate toaster. It can print any image you want on your toast. A toast before it's even made and one destined for the Gadget Warehouse.
Listen to Episode 546
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Smart Strip
Energy-Saving Power Strip (with Auto-Switching On/Off)
Link: Bits Ltd
Plug your computer to the "Control" outlet, and your computer peripherals to the "Switched" outlets. When turn off the computer, the power goes off on the peripherals on the switched outlets within 30 seconds. There are other "constant on" outlets on the strip as well for your other appliances. A range of models to choose from.
Hugh Hefner
Hugh Hefner of Playboy used to have an audio-visual room where he would have every TV show recorded on VCR in case he missed a show he wanted to watch.
Howard Hughes
Before the days of VCR, shows on a TV station in Las Vegas owned by Howard Hughes would suddenly get "rewound" to an earlier part, apparently for Howard Hughes to watch the part missed by Howard Hughes.
Hotel Mini Bars
Listener Toyota Boy was in Vegas recently. In response to Episode 366, he points out that there is
a time allowance and if you put the items back in the mini bar soon
enough, you will not be charged.
RCA VFP 170
Portable VHS Cassette Recorder
Link: cedmagic
Dick's Gadget Warehouse
From 1981, the RCA VFP 170 was a "convertible" VHS cassette deck that could also be connected to camera to record home videos. It was very "portable", weighing only 11 pounds, at $1,400. The colour camera CC010 was an optional accessory, at $1,050.
The VCR as the Boston Strangler
Jack Valenti, President of the Motion Picture Association in 1982, went before Congress and declared, "I say to you, that the VCR is to the American film producer and the American public, as the Boston Strangler is to women home alone." Then as now, Hollywood never looks on the bright side.
World Views
Samuel Bates finds Dick and Leo's respect for each other's world views refreshing. Samuel has his own small warehouse and the Gadget
Warehouse reminds him of the importance of keeping old technology.
[Update: Samuel Bates is to display part of his collection of gadgets one Halloween. See Episode 450.]
