Al1DIO-O ELECTRONICS - continued breakthrough PHILIPS __ _T by Téchnicolor Left: Technicolor's compact video cassette, com- pared with other formats including the VHS im- f mediately behind. Below, it is pictured alongside a normal audio cassette. The two are not inter- changeable, however, the video cassette being of different mechanical design and carrying 6.25mm tape. V

Mentioned in our Technic December issue and pictured in CASsienf February, Technicolour's ultra -compact VCR may well emerge as the "dark horse" in the video cassette race. By far the smallest and lightest VCR to go into production, the Technicolour VCR is not something projected for the future. Prototypes for the Australian PAL market are already here and the first stocks are due about the time you get to read this article!

As mentioned in December, the idea A miniature helical of a video cassette similar in size to a scan system is used. compact audio cassette was first con- ceived by Akai but was later taken over system was commercially viable - it also 7cm, and weighs about 3kg complete by the Electric Trading Co of established it as a "standard". with nicad battery. For domestic use, it is Osaka, Japan. Funai made good pro- The PAL version has arrived hard simply coupled to its own mains supp- gress, but they also realised that a on the heels of NTSC and ly/RF modulator, which powers the VCR, massive injection of capital would be VHF/UHF RF modulators to suit re -charges the nicad battery in situ, and necessary if the system was to get receivers in different countries, including Australia. provides a signal for the domestic TV anywhere in a highly competitive colour receiver. market. And, in this country, the Technicolour The VCR can be used to record pro- compact video recorders are The backing and the capital they need- being grams, with the addition of a , and distributed through Dynasound Pty ed was provided by Technicolour of USA Ltd, provides a picture with 240 -line resolu- 333 Princess Highway, St Peters, who, in turn, had realised their need to 2044. tion, with definition and sound quality (Phone 02 519 5284). The price is diversify from a centred operation quoted directly comparable with standard full- as $1349 plus a that was threatened by burgeoning $1299 for high quality size domestic VCRs. colour camera with instant in-built video video technology. The fantastic thing is that it all happens playback (mono) viewing. And the Funai system offered the right on an audio -size cassette, which plays As a "angle" - a system that would appeal portable recorder the for up to 60 minutes and costs around Technicolour VCR especially to a whole new breed of non- measures 25 x 26 x $12.50! professional movie makers. They had in mind not just amateurs in the home, but business users (eg estate agents) police, utilities and local government officers, who might be attracted to video photography if it was inexpensive, ver- satile, portable and easy to use. Now, with the technology of the Funai Jr-ez system sorted out, Technicolour are moving to launch it on a world scale. An NTSC version was exposed through the media in the USA during ,r - September/October and the enormous ,w, ..,....,...b. influx of orders not onl'' showed that the

The Technicolor portable VCR is at the rear left and, alongside it the power ho unit/charger. A removeable battery pack is in front of the VCR, with a V30 cassette in foreground. Other items are for anten- 11111111:. _ na connection and switching. l

ELECTRONICS Australia, April, 1981 33