More Manufacturers to Feature VCR Plus Programming Device
Among the cheering news coming out of last weekend’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas was that several more videocassette-recorder manufacturers have boarded the VCR Plus bandwagon, announcing that some of the models they’ll put out this year will be equipped with the programming device.
The VCR Plus is the most popular way to program a VCR, using codes published in weekly TV listings. The device, which resembles a standard VCR remote control unit, initially was sold separately. Then some companies--RCA in particular--began incorporating it in their higher-end machines, easing the headache of programming just a little more.
Now Panasonic and Quasar, both divisions of Matsushita, say they’ll put out VCRs with VCR Plus this year--an indication that VCRs equipped with VCR Plus may become the standard. For the consumer, this means that, in a few years, even the least expensive VCRs could come with VCR Plus.
Panasonic will introduce five models next month equipped with the VCR Plus, ranging from the PV-4314 ($329) to the PV-S4380 ($1,100). Quasar’s VH435, due in April, is priced at $400.
Other new products on view at the convention:
* Auto MiniDisc: Sony displayed its upcoming MDX-U1 Mini-Disc auto unit, selling for $980. The MiniDisc, the tiny disc that delivers near CD-quality sound, is ideal for the car. At the moment, the MD machines--play-only and play/record models--are being sold as portables, with their skip-proof technology as one of the prominent features. The Sony MD auto-unit display focused on the player’s ability to work perfectly under bumpy road conditions. Another feature is that, at the beginning of a track, the title shows on a tiny screen.
* Portable DCC: The digital compact cassette (DCC), the new digital tape format, is now available in home decks selling in the $800-$1,000 range. But DCC units will be available this year in portable form too. Panasonic’s RQ-DPT, a one-pound, one-ounce play-only unit, is due in late summer at $550. When the DCC can match the MiniDisc, portable for portable, this new digital-format war will really heat up.
* Programmable universal remote: Fox Electronics showed off the first universal remote (for the replacement-remote marketplace) that features a built-in VCR programmer. On the unit’s small screen, word prompts guide the user through the programming steps. The Fox 4 Record, which can operate up to four different components, sells for $60.
* Easy-to-use camcorders: Panasonic displayed a line of impressive, fully automatic camcorders, in the VHS-C format, that are literally “point-and-shoot” units. When the unit is turned on, the focus, iris, shutter speed and white balance are automatically set, eliminating much of the usual camcorder priming, allowing for instant use. Four camcorders, priced from $800-$1,100, are due in March.
What’s new on video: Here are some new releases:
“A Stranger Among Us” (Hollywood, $94). A twist on the 1985 Harrison Ford culture-clash thriller “Witness,” with Melanie Griffith unconvincingly portraying a tough cop who goes undercover in the Hasidic community in New York hunting a killer. She finds time for an opposites-attract affair with a Hasid (Eric Thai). No gem, but not nearly as bad as some critics charged.
“Kafka” (Miramax, $90). Director Steven Soderbergh (“sex, lies, and videotape”) stumbles in this endless, pretentious probe into the nightmarish life of tortured Czech novelist Franz Kafka, which is set in Prague. Jeremy Irons’ sharp performance in the title role is wasted.
“Othello” (Academy, 1952, $90). Legendary director Orson Welles’ restored, radically stripped-down version of Shakespeare’s tragedy is mainly of interest to film buffs and Welles fanatics. They’re more likely to overlook the horrible sound and find the artistry--which is certainly there--in this woefully low-budget production. Welles, who shot it over several years with a lightweight cast, stars as the distraught Moor.
Upcoming on video: Just announced:
“Wind,” the sailing adventure featuring Jennifer Grey and Matthew Modine, and the animated feature “Bebe’s Kids” will both be out March 10.
Also: “Man Trouble,” “3 Ninjas” and “Raising Cain” (Wednesday); “Single White Female” (Jan. 27); “Unlawful Entry” and “Mo’ Money” (Feb. 3); “The Waterdance” and “Death Becomes Her” (Feb. 10); “A League of Their Own” (Feb. 17); “Sneakers” and “Cool World” (Feb. 24); “Whispers in the Dark,” “Singles” and “Of Mice and Men” (March 3); “Mr. Saturday Night” (March 24), and “Pinocchio” (March 26).
