VHS Linear Stereo?
Anshu Prasad
is recorded on VHS tape. However, I'm unsure about the details of
linear stereo. I would guess (from the name "linear") that the left
and right audio are recorded at the sides of the tape outside of the
video area, right? The left/mono channel on one side of the tape, the
right channel on the other? Do current pre-recorded tapes contain the
linear stereo recording or just mono and hifi? Do current hifi vcrs
record in linear stereo, or again is it only mono on the linear track(s)?
The reason I ask this is that some pre-recorded tapes explicity state
that they include linear stereo whereas others do not make this
distinction. As I understand it, no consumer vcrs in the last four
years have been linear stereo only; just hifi or mono.
Thanks for any information you can provide.
--
__ ___
/\ \ \ \ Anshu Prasad stud...@bnr.ca
/--\ \/_/ Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA
/_/ \_\ All opinions are my own, not my employer's, BNR Ltd
Greg L. Kimnach
> I think I have a pretty solid understanding of how hifi stereo
>is recorded on VHS tape. However, I'm unsure about the details of
>linear stereo. I would guess (from the name "linear") that the left
>and right audio are recorded at the sides of the tape outside of the
>video area, right? The left/mono channel on one side of the tape, the
>right channel on the other? Do current pre-recorded tapes contain the
>linear stereo recording or just mono and hifi? Do current hifi vcrs
Linear stereo occupies the same space as the linear mono track would. It's just
half the width, therefore much noisier--in the absence of Dolby noise reduction.
Only VHS consumer decks had this option and it was the first attempt on
Matsushita's part to fulfill the requirements of improving the experiance of
watching movies at home. Of course, Beta HiFi forced the VHS camp into finding
some kluge to get HiFi onto VHS.
>record in linear stereo, or again is it only mono on the linear track(s)?
>The reason I ask this is that some pre-recorded tapes explicity state
>that they include linear stereo whereas others do not make this
>distinction. As I understand it, no consumer vcrs in the last four
>years have been linear stereo only; just hifi or mono.
>
> Thanks for any information you can provide.
>--
> __ ___
> /\ \ \ \ Anshu Prasad stud...@bnr.ca
> /--\ \/_/ Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA
>/_/ \_\ All opinions are my own, not my employer's, BNR Ltd
>
Greg
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Doug Zolmer
|> I think I have a pretty solid understanding of how hifi stereo
|> is recorded on VHS tape. However, I'm unsure about the details of
|> linear stereo. I would guess (from the name "linear") that the left
|> and right audio are recorded at the sides of the tape outside of the
|> video area, right? The left/mono channel on one side of the tape, the
|> right channel on the other?
Actually, the left and right linear audio tracks are beside each other
at the top edge of the tape. That way, a single wide record and playback
head is used to record and play a mixed L + R (in other words, a wide
mono audio) signal onto the area where two narrower stereo tracks would
fit on those VCRs that support linear stereo.
|> Do current pre-recorded tapes contain the
|> linear stereo recording or just mono and hifi?
Some do and some don't. If there is linear stereo on a tape, must VCRs will
just output a mono L + R mix.
|>Do current hifi vcrs
|> record in linear stereo, or again is it only mono on the linear track(s)?
Mono (mixed L + R) information is recorded on a single wider linear track.
Those VCRs that have linear stereo interpret this wide track as two separate
tracks, but the information on each of those "separate" tracks is the
mixed L + R.
|> The reason I ask this is that some pre-recorded tapes explicity state
|> that they include linear stereo whereas others do not make this
|> distinction. As I understand it, no consumer vcrs in the last four
|> years have been linear stereo only; just hifi or mono.
|>
True. The Fisher VCR that I bought in 1985 included linear stereo, and it
even had Dolby B noise reduction (switchable) to reduce hiss (only on the
linear tracks)!
|> Thanks for any information you can provide.
|> --
|> __ ___
|> /\ \ \ \ Anshu Prasad stud...@bnr.ca
|> /--\ \/_/ Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA
|> /_/ \_\ All opinions are my own, not my employer's, BNR Ltd
|>
--
Doug Zolmer Internet: dw...@bnr.ca Disclaimer: My opinions only
Bell-Northern Research Ltd. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
Dept. 7N61 - Service Control Point - Routing Services Design | Conform:- Moooo!
j...@cmkrnl.com
> linear stereo. I would guess (from the name "linear") that the left
> and right audio are recorded at the sides of the tape outside of the
> video area, right?
yes.
> The left/mono channel on one side of the tape, the
> right channel on the other?
no. The track width that in a mono VCR would be used for the single audio
track is simply divided down the middle, into two adjacent tracks. This way if
it's played on mono VCR, the sound head (which on mono VCRs is as wide as the
two stereo tracks together) picks up "mono" by picking up both channels at the
same time, just like when you play a stereo audio cassette on a mono player.
> Do current pre-recorded tapes contain the
> linear stereo recording or just mono and hifi?
I imagine that it's some of each.
> Do current hifi vcrs
> record in linear stereo, or again is it only mono on the linear track(s)?
> The reason I ask this is that some pre-recorded tapes explicity state
> that they include linear stereo whereas others do not make this
> distinction.
There is certainly nothing to prevent a HiFi VCR from being built with
either mono or stereo heads & circuitry for the linear audio track. However
for most consumer purposes there's little point in doing stereo on the linear
tracks.
> As I understand it, no consumer vcrs in the last four
> years have been linear stereo only; just hifi or mono.
For quite a while there were "stereo VCRs" that were non HiFi. These have
pretty much disappeared as they were confusing for the average consumer (and
for the average salesperson for that matter).
--- Jamie Hanrahan, Kernel Mode Systems, San Diego CA
Internet: j...@cmkrnl.com Uucp: uunet!cmkrnl!jeh CIS: 74140,2055
Vidiot
<
< I think I have a pretty solid understanding of how hifi stereo
<is recorded on VHS tape. However, I'm unsure about the details of
<linear stereo. I would guess (from the name "linear") that the left
<and right audio are recorded at the sides of the tape outside of the
<video area, right? The left/mono channel on one side of the tape, the
<right channel on the other? Do current pre-recorded tapes contain the
<linear stereo recording or just mono and hifi? Do current hifi vcrs
<record in linear stereo, or again is it only mono on the linear track(s)?
<The reason I ask this is that some pre-recorded tapes explicity state
<that they include linear stereo whereas others do not make this
<distinction. As I understand it, no consumer vcrs in the last four
<years have been linear stereo only; just hifi or mono.
Your linear theory is off base. Like the audio cassette, the mono track is
split into thirds, with the outside thirds the two channels and the middle
third a guard band. For mono compatability, the stereo tracks are in the
same area as the mono track.
Pre-recorded material, from the name-brand companies, are linear and Hi-Fi
stereo, with the linear tracks also having Dolby-B noise reduction.
You are correct in that it is very tough to find a consumer VCR that has
linear stereo, as well as Hi-Fi stereo.
--
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Vidiot ucbvax!uwvax!astroatc!vidiot!brown
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br...@wi.extrel.com
jack hudgions
Subject: VHS Linear Stereo?
| I would guess (from the name "linear") that the left and right audio
| are recorded at the sides of the tape outside of the video area,
| right? The left/mono channel on one side of the tape, the right
| channel on the other?
Linear stereo is simply the original mono track split in two, with a
small space between the tracks. I believe the left channel lies along
the edge of the tape, but I wouldn't swear to it. At any rate, the
linear stereo tracks occupy the same space allocated to the original
mono track.
It's exactly the same thing that was done with audio cassettes. When
played back on a mono machine, you'll pick up both tracks.
BTW, you mention VHS, but there *was* a linear stereo beta machine. It
was offered by Marantz shortly before Sony introduced Beta Hi-Fi, so it
didn't catch on. I think that one machine was the only one to ever use
it.
| Do current pre-recorded tapes contain the linear stereo recording or
| just mono and hifi?
Many still have linear stereo, but the number seems to be shrinking.
| Do current hifi vcrs record in linear stereo, or again is it only mono
| on the linear track(s)?
Almost all of the Hi-Fi VCRs ever sold record and play only mono linear
sound.
| As I understand it, no consumer vcrs in the last four years have been
| linear stereo only; just hifi or mono.
That's probably correct. I had an NEC 961U which would play back but
not record linear stereo. I think it came out in late '85, and I can't
recall seeing another Hi-Fi since with any sort of linear stereo.
---
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Matthias Hanft
>BTW, you mention VHS, but there *was* a linear stereo beta machine. It
>was offered by Marantz shortly before Sony introduced Beta Hi-Fi, so it
>didn't catch on. I think that one machine was the only one to ever use
>it.
Even Sony had a linear stereo beta machine (at least, speaking for Europe):
The SL-C9ES. (I still have it.) But as good as the picture is, as bad is
the sound. (Especially the right channel - strange :-)
Matt
anthu...@googlemail.com
The HiFi VHS Stereo system developed by JVC (and adopted by many manufacturers), sounds much much better as it is multiplex depth recorded in the vision portion of the video recording layer and is clearer and more expansive with better fidelity of the recorded audio and crystal clear trebles.