967 lines
29 KiB
Plaintext
967 lines
29 KiB
Plaintext
_____________________________________
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ZMAGAZINE -CES SPECIAL REPORTS-
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_____________________________________
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ISSUE 55 June 5th, 1987
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_____________________________________
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PUBLISHER/EDITOR: RON KOVACS
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ASSISTANT PUBLISHER: KEN KIRCHNER
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_____________________________________
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Xx ZMAG INDEX 55
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-1- CES SUMMER 1987
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<ATARI NEWS>
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<VIDEO NEWS>
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<AUDIO NEWS>
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<CD NEWS>
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<COMPUTER NEWS>
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All this and more....
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_____________________________________
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Xx PUBLISHERS PAGE
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_____________________________________
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This is a SPECIAL Edition of Zmag.
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Our regular edition will appear on
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Monday at the regular scheduled time.
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This issue pertains to CES News and
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only that. Topics on CES are varied
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and since there really wasn't much to
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report on from ATARI, we have (as
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with the COMDEX Winter Report),
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included with the Atari News, other
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news from the Electronics mfg'rs.
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Zmag will return with Issue #56 June
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8th. Thanks for reading!!
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_____________________________________
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Xx ATARI PRESS RELEASE
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June 1, 1987
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_____________________________________
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In an effort to increase its piece of
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the US computer market, Atari Corp.
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is expected sometime this summer to
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release its first IBM PC compatible,
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a computer analysts think will be
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among the lowest-priced clones
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available.
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Jerry Brown, recently hired Atari
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vice president for US operation, has
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told Paul Freiberger of The San
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Francisco Examiner, -We operate in
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the same style as the Japanese. Most
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companies in corporate America are
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bloated. Atari operates like a
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startup.-
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Brown says he'll score in the PC-
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compatible market as Atari gradually
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builds momentum for its ST line of
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products in the United States, but
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acknowledges he will need more
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retailers.
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Colleagues agree. Says President
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Bruce Davis of Activision, -Their
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distribution has been a bit
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fragmented and constrained here in
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the US. (Atari needs) more places for
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consumers to buy their computers,
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whether it's dealers, discount stores
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or mail order.-
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Freiberger says Atari is expected to
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spend $10 million on TV ads this
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year, compared with about $2 million
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last year.
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And, while the IBM clone probably
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will grab the media attention, Brown
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also told the paper the company will
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release this summer a low-cost laser
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printer and a more powerful version
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of its ST called the Mega ST. The
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products, packaged together for about
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$3,000, are expected to court the
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desktop publishing market.
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Freiberger comments, -The question is
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whether these moves will be
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sufficient to persuade a major retail
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chain such as ComputerLand or
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Businessland to carry the Atari line.
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... Brown also said Atari could opt
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to sell the inexpensive ST nationwide
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in mass-market retail stores.-
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This article ctsy of CompuServes'
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Online Today (c) 1987 CIS
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_____________________________________
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From the Atari Booth, topped with a
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real Cessna Airplane, the word was
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-flying high with Atari-. The theme
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followed through into the exhibit
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space where Flight Simulator II
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played from a cartridge on a large
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screen monitor inside the cockpit of
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a Cessna. Atari chose to push its
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game side, and the new computer lines
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were not being shown. There was a PC
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Clone getting minimal attention but
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the absence of MEGA ST's, Laser
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printers, 1200 baud modems, Blitter
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enhanced ST's, IBM emulator,and 80
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Column Cards, left little doubt that
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this was to be a game show. Recently
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appointed Vice President and General
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Manager of US operations, J. J.
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(Jerry) Brown confirmed this in his
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press release of today stating -Atari
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intends to remain the leader in video
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game systems and to increase its
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share of the US personal computer
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market.-
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While this author's first impressions
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(as an Atari _Business_ computer
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user) were quite negative, given that
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the preceeding release, titled -ATARI
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ANNOUNCES AGGRESSIVE NEW MARKETING
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CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT VIDEO GAMES AND
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PERSONAL COMPUTERS- was
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simultaneously issued with releases
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titled -ATARI ANNOUNCES 40 NEW GAMES
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AND LICENSING AGREEMENTS WITH
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COMPUTER GAME AND ARCADE COMPANIES-
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and -ATARI TO BEGIN SHIPMENT OF NEW
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XE GAME SYSTEM BUNDLED WITH THREE
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POPULAR GAMES- and given that no
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-business- computer releases were
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made, a closer reading of the
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releases lead to some rather
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surprising hypotheses of the
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situation. (See Following Article).
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The first page and 3/4's of the 3
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page advertising campaign
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announcement is devoted to game
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machine promotions planned for the
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balance of this year, including
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national TV spots starting in
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September, comic book ads, in store
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hardware and software demos, and full
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repackaging of the game machines and
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XE's.
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Not until the back pages did we note
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that 4 TV ads (starting late 3rd
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quarter and running through New
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Years) and a substantial portion of
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the new advertising budget
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(quadrupled from previous levels)
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would be devoted to the ST's! (This
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as opposed to 3 new ads starting in
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September for the games). The budget
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also calls for some major print ads
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to follow and support the TV effort.
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Now the pessimist will assume that
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Atari is bent on forgetting the
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computers in favor of games. The
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more business oriented will notice
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that Atari Stock and Sales of ST's
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have been doing rather well, and that
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in the introduction of the ST's and
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MEGA the games assets of the company
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were nearly step-children. Further,
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the XE is almost in direct
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competition with the ST's and likely
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in an overstocked condition at Atari.
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The optimist will, therefore, assume
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that Atari is on a campaign to
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liquidate the old stock in new boxes,
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maintain its game market share, and
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produce the liquidity and corporate
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energies to actively continue its ST
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advantage. In assessing Atari's
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strategies, one must remember that
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the manpower of this company has
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sorely lagged it's growth in home
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computer market share, and that Atari
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had nothing to do with the
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conflicting schedules of CES and
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Comdex this year. With limited
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manpower and time to produce and to
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sell product, I am optimistic and
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feel that Atari made the right
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decisions in the face of the tough
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decision forced by The Interface
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Group's show timing. The balance of
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this quarter should tell!
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--Dave Groves (c) 1987
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_____________________________________
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Xx CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW
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Press Day
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(c) 1987 Dawn GOrdon
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_____________________________________
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After arriving in Chicago to
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unusually hot weather it was time to
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head out to the day's press
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conferences. Not thinking clearly
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due to the humid, muggy air I forgot
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to wear comfortable shoes, and even
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before the show has started my feet
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are a mess!!
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Anyway, before I even mention the
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products I saw today I should go into
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some detail about a number of unique
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products I saw the other day.
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ED Beta (for Extended Definition) was
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a pleasant surprise. Producing a
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stunning 500 lines of horizontal
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reolution by utilizing metal tape and
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moving the luminance carrier
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frequency up the band, the system is
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really capable of the best consumer
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video yet. ED Beta, like Super VHS,
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uses separate chrominance and
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luminance (Y/C) outputs, and can play
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standard Beta tapes. However, it is
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not compatible in the sense that a
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tape recording made in the ED Beta
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mode, will not play back on standard
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Beta decks. But don't expect to see
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it very soon, as its introduction has
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not been set, either here or in
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Japan.
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The first stop was Hitachi, where we
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sat through the usual -doom and
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gloom- speech regarding the state of
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affairs in the consumer electronics
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industry. The company showed a Bang
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lufsen styled one-piece system.
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The 50 Watt per channel MXW-50
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features a fully-programmable
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32-program CD player, digital AM/FM
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tuner, a dual cassette deck with
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Dolby Band high-speed dubbing. It
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will retail for $799 in the early
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fall.
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In the TV department Hitachi is
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showing a direct-view 31-inch set
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with a flatter tube, PIP and dual
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tuners (Model CT-3175) for $2299, and
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a 42-inch rear-projection set with
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the same features and a brightness of
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350 footlamberts for $2799. Two new
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50-inch models are also being shown.
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The next stop was Memtek. Aside from
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the fact that the company has
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announced Super VHS tape, Memtek has
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firmly established itself in the
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video accessory department with some
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innovative new products.
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Memorex is announcing a $129 Dolby
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Surround Sound decoder. It has a 15
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Watt per channel amplifier, three
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surround modes, an input balance
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control, and front/rear balance
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controls.
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If you're tired of tangled headphone
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cords, or you don't want your spouse
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to take you to divorce court for loud
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TV viewing during the wee hours, then
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take a look at the Memorex Infrared
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Cordless Headphone Adaptor. This
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innovative device consists of an
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infrared transmitter that can beam
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any audio source across a room to a
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special receiver module into which
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the user can connect any pair of
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mini-plug equipped headphones! The
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unit is AC powered, and plugs into a
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stereo headphone jack. The small,
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battery-operated receiver can be worn
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comfortably (via an attached clip) on
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a belt, or it can be carried in a
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pocket. It costs $69.95.
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In addition, Memorex has announced
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two MTS decoders, and 4 new headphone
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models.
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_____________________________________
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Xx CES REPORT DAY 1
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(c) 1987 by Marc Wielage
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All Rights Reserved
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_____________________________________
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Saturday, May 30th: the two biggest
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events we expected to experience at
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CES were here in full force...namely,
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S-VHS and DAT. Add to that the new
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initials CD-V, and you've got a
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veritable alphabet soup of new
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consumer electronic innovations that,
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for all the hoopla, lacked the impact
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many were expecting.
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Other manufacturers displaying S-VHS
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included Hitachi, Mitsubishi, and
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Panasonic. A few unfortunate
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manufacturers, including Canon and
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Kenwood, introduced new higher-end
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non-Super VHS decks in the $1000-1200
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price range, which seemed quite
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surprising to me. Given that S-VHS
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should all but obsolete any VCR above
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$1000, it seems to me that releasing
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any standard VCR at this price is
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marketing suicide, as of Summer '87.
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The people to whom we spoke pooh-
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poohed this argument, pointing out
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the vast array of pre-recorded
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standard VHS softwrare and the huge
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existing market of people anxious to
|
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upgrade their old VHS decks. Still,
|
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it just doesn't make a lot of sense
|
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to me. (But that figures. This IS
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the consumer electronics business,
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after all!)
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8mm maintained a very low profile
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appearance at the show, save for a
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couple of new models from Sony. One
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is a transportable, battery-operated
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deck with multi-program PCM digital
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audio (ala their other table models),
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selling for under $1000, and the
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other was a new Pro 8mm camcorder
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with a higher-density CCD pickup.
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Also seen on the top floor of the
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sprawling McCormick Hall: improved
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large-screen direct view tube
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monitors from a half-dozen
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manufacturers, including JVC,
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Hitachi, Panasonic, Sanyo, Sharp, and
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Toshiba. While some were prototypes,
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most indicated to me that while the
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overall quality of consumer monitors
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is improving remarkably in
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resolution, they still have far to go
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in the all-important areas of
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colorimetry and black level
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definition. Toshiba's new Digital FST
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31- monitors are a good case in
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point. Most of my associates at the
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show felt that Toshiba's non-
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interlaced scanning is a good enough
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idea, but that the overall picture
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quality still leaves a lot to be
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desired -- tough criticism, given the
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set's $3000+ price.
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On the other hand, this wasn't a
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problem at all with the new
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Anniversary series of audio
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components shown at the Yamaha audio
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booth: they included a $7000 CD
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player, a $3000 phono cartridge head
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amp, a $7000 true digital pre-amp,
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and a $5000 amplifier. I noted that
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this is one of the few set-ups in the
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world that would allow you to copy
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digitally from a CD to a DAT recorder
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-- except, of course, for those few
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CD's with the anti-copying flag in
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the bits.
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_____________________________________
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Xx VCR REPORT
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(c) 1987 by Marc Wielage
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_____________________________________
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NEW VCR's
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In my last report, I touched on
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Sony's new 8mm introductions, which
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included several new prototypes
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designed to show new applications of
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8mm video technology for the future.
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Most interesting of them all was
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Sony's -Personal Video- concept,
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which revolves around a combined mini
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-8mm VCR and an LCD color TV, in a
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pocket-sized package about the size
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of a paperback book. Sony also had a
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fascinating prototype, the EV-DT1,
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which combined an 8mm VCR with a more
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down-to-earth 5- color Trinton
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portable set in a single cabinet --
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perfect for desktop use by 8mm fans
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with lots of extra cash (!).
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Other 8mm intros from Sony included
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the EV-S1 portable 8mm recorder. Also
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shown was Sony's CCD-V9 -Handycam
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Pro,-.
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As for S-VHS, VIDEO REVIEW scored a
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major coup in providing the first
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published review in the United States
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with their July issue, which was
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released at the show. VR's specs
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confirmed most of the VHS camp's
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claims, in the review of JVC's S-7000
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VCR, though the magazine confusingly
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noted that this machine did not meet
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the 60 dB video S/N ratio claimed by
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the manufacturer. This appeared to
|
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be a major faux pax, since no S/N
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specs have actually been released
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thus far, and all the information
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we've been given has indicated that
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S-VHS does virtually nothing to
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reduce the noise in the image. VR's
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review was also made on a prototype
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machine, which some industry
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observers felt was a bit misleading,
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though this was clearly mentioned in
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the review.
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Zenith showed their own version of
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JVC's S-VHS model, known as the
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VRD-700, which also features full
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4-system HQ recording (for standard
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VHS), address search, on-screen
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programming, MTS, special effects,
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and the usual features you'd expect
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to see in any top VCR.
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Mitsubishi's HS-423 is this firm's
|
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new S-VHS offering, with somewhat
|
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less features than JVC's 7000,
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including a 100-channel MTS tuner and
|
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99 index points. Amusingly,
|
|
Mitsubishi claims in their press kit
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that with their new machine, -the EP
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mode provides the exact same picture
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quality as the SP mode,- implying
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that the SP mode isn't needed, even
|
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for high-quality applications!
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Probably the most interesting non-
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S-VHS machines we saw at the show
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were Akai's new -Quick Start- series,
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which includes four models using a
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new loading system. This transport
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allows much faster response from
|
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-stop- to -play,- essentially loading
|
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the tape partially around the drum
|
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during all wind modes, mirroring
|
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Beta's U-Load technique (though not
|
|
exactly). The top of Akai's
|
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mid-priced line is the VS-M930, which
|
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features Hi-Fi, HQ, digital effects,
|
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9 index and 15 address-search cue
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points, along with a 167-channel MTS
|
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tuner, all for about $850.
|
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Unfortunately, an Akai spokesman
|
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admitted that they didn't yet have a
|
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-Quick Start- S-VHS model available,
|
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and agreed with one on-looker's
|
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opinion that their new transport was
|
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a -videophile feature in a
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non-videophile product.- Next year,
|
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maybe.
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_____________________________________
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Xx AUDIO REPORT
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_____________________________________
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AUDIO
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Over the weekend, we found tons and
|
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tons of fascinating new audio
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products, though once again, I felt
|
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that many of them reflected the
|
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ongoing yen/dollar economic
|
|
battlefield, offering far less value
|
|
than in recent years. Happily, the
|
|
manufacturers seem to be doing the
|
|
best they can to try to try to offset
|
|
this trend, which varying results. In
|
|
particular, I felt that cassette
|
|
decks and receivers seem to be
|
|
suffering from this problem, though
|
|
CD players and the new DAT decks
|
|
appear to be as solid as ever...for
|
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the moment.
|
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Sony's gotten back into high-end
|
|
audio with their new ES Digital
|
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TA-E77ESD preamp, which features a
|
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digital interface (for connection to
|
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pure-digital CD players and DAT
|
|
decks), isolated audio/video wiring
|
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(for insuring minimum interference
|
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between audio and video components),
|
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and even a Y/C jack, for connecting
|
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an S-VHS or ED Beta deck.
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Also in the A/V area, DBX showcased
|
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the $1500 CX-1 preamp, which, like
|
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the Sony, also has 9 inputs (though
|
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none are pure digital).
|
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|
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Infinity made four significant
|
|
introductions in their fine speaker
|
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line: at the tip-top is the Series V
|
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version of their world-renowned
|
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Infinity Reference System, priced at
|
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a wallet-busting $45,000. While we
|
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didn't get a chance to audition this
|
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one at CES, our impressions of
|
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previous incarnations were very
|
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positive -- and at that price, they
|
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should be!
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Moving a little bit lower on the
|
|
price latter are Infinity's new
|
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Delta, Gamma, and Beta speakers,
|
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which sell for $4,500, $5500, and
|
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$10,000, respectively, a pair. The
|
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top Beta model boasts four 12-
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woofers, two bass-midrange drivers,
|
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one EMIM mid-range driver, two EMIT
|
|
tweeters, and one SEMIT (small EMIT)
|
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upper-treble driver. Our brief
|
|
audition of this speaker was fairly
|
|
positive, and we look forward to
|
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taking a closer listen in the near
|
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future.
|
|
|
|
In the new CD arena, one model that
|
|
impressed us was NEC's new 5300,
|
|
which uses a unique 18-bit digital
|
|
-to-analogue convertor, combined with
|
|
4-times oversampling, to achieve some
|
|
impressive specs -- and decent sound,
|
|
besides.
|
|
_____________________________________
|
|
Xx MORE CES HIGHLIGHTS
|
|
_____________________________________
|
|
NAD has finally announced an August
|
|
shipping date for its Monitor line
|
|
series of components. The flagship
|
|
receiver model 7600 will cost $1,600,
|
|
a very bold move from a company that,
|
|
in the past, has prided itself on
|
|
affordable products.
|
|
|
|
In car audio Blaupunkt had some
|
|
interesting stuff. The company's PSA
|
|
(Parametric Sound Amplifier) features
|
|
user-installable modules for 83
|
|
different cars. The modules are
|
|
designed to balance the environment
|
|
to exact interior specs for each car
|
|
interior. The PSA amp is a 4 channel
|
|
(X 20 watts) unit, and its priced at
|
|
$169.95. Each module sells for
|
|
$39.95. According to some reviewers
|
|
the idea worked in some floor cars,
|
|
and in others it didn't. Blaupunkt
|
|
also showed a unique idea for upscale
|
|
cars. Called the soundboard, the
|
|
unit is a rear deck panel replacement
|
|
with a built-in three-way component
|
|
speaker system. The drivers consist
|
|
of an 8-inch woofer, 4.5-inch
|
|
midrange and a 1-inch fabric dome
|
|
tweeter. Prices for these will range
|
|
from $799 to $1,099.
|
|
|
|
Probably the most interesting product
|
|
the company had was its MT 9000
|
|
cellular phone. The unit is
|
|
full-powered and weighs a mere 6
|
|
pounds or so.
|
|
|
|
Speaking of cellular technology, Oki
|
|
has the smallest and lightest unit
|
|
I've ever seen. Dubbed the CDL 300A,
|
|
the thing weighs a scant 26.1 ounces
|
|
with battery pack and antenna
|
|
assembly. It looks like a large
|
|
cordless model and features a lighted
|
|
dial, LCD display, last number
|
|
recall, mute, electronic scratchpad
|
|
memory, low battery warning, call in
|
|
absence indicator, and will have
|
|
enough juice for a 10 hour standby.
|
|
|
|
While we are on telephones I really
|
|
should mention the Plantronics
|
|
LightSet ($249.95). This device is a
|
|
hands-free cordless model that
|
|
incorporates an ear-mounted appliance
|
|
with an attached microphone pickup.
|
|
The rest of the electronics (keypad,
|
|
controls etc.) are housed in small
|
|
cigarette-sized box that clips on
|
|
your belt. The two are connected via
|
|
a thin wire, and communicate with a
|
|
base-station/charger for a 1000 foot
|
|
range.
|
|
|
|
In other cordless news Panasonic has
|
|
finally broken Southwestern Bell's
|
|
hold on the two-line market, and
|
|
Panasonic lowered the price
|
|
considerably. At only $179.95 model
|
|
KX-T3880 is almost half the price of
|
|
its competition.
|
|
|
|
Shure raised the price on one of its
|
|
popular products. I guess the
|
|
HTS-5000 Surround Sound Decoder was
|
|
just too popular, and now it's gonna
|
|
cost you an extra $250. The new price
|
|
is $750. However, if you think
|
|
that's a lot to spend check out the
|
|
HTS-5200. This $1000 unit adds Acra
|
|
Vector circuitry for -professional
|
|
quality- decoding, a true digital
|
|
time delay, wireless remote control,
|
|
motorized volume controls, 10 dB
|
|
improvement in signal to noise, and
|
|
an optional remote extender for
|
|
concealed installations.
|
|
|
|
There's a new player in the add-on
|
|
PIP department. Rabbit Systems, the
|
|
people who redefined the term
|
|
-multiplying-, have a new unit called
|
|
the Double-Play. Unlike the
|
|
MultiVision 3.1, this unit features a
|
|
single tuner. It's designed for use
|
|
with an external tuner, such as one
|
|
from a VCR. The inset picture is 1/8
|
|
screen size and it can be moved into
|
|
each corner of the main screen. This
|
|
$229 unit includes infrared remote
|
|
control.
|
|
|
|
Sony has demonstrated full-sized
|
|
LaserDisc players. The MDP-9 is an
|
|
unusual affair with dual disc
|
|
drawers--one for CDs and the other
|
|
for 8 and 12-inch discs. Both
|
|
assemblies are independent of each
|
|
other, so you can play -The Right
|
|
Stuff- on LV and listen to a Tina
|
|
Turner CD at the same time. Nice
|
|
idea, but no mention of CD-V
|
|
capability. The other player is a
|
|
more standard unit, and like the
|
|
MDP-9 it features a flourescent time
|
|
readout on the front panel. Sony did
|
|
show a prototype combi-player that
|
|
would play all formats including
|
|
CD-V, but it's too early to tell if
|
|
it, or any of the others will ever be
|
|
introduced.
|
|
|
|
Finally, in the computer arena we
|
|
have the new NEC MultiSpeed screen
|
|
with a super-twist backlit display.
|
|
The backlighting can be turned on or
|
|
off depending on the lighting
|
|
conditions present, and it looks
|
|
quite good. The NEC MultiSpeed
|
|
laptop with the new backlit display
|
|
will sell for $2,395 or so. But if
|
|
you can carry a little more weight
|
|
take a look at the new Sharp PC-7200.
|
|
|
|
This AC-powered, IBM PC compatible is
|
|
a very small transportable with a 20
|
|
MB hard disk, illuminated super-twist
|
|
display, 80286 processor running at
|
|
10 MHz, switchable speed down to 8
|
|
and 6 MHz, a socket for an 80287
|
|
numeric coprocessor, 640K, single
|
|
built-in expansion slot, 5-1/4-inch
|
|
drive, 102/103 full stroke keys with
|
|
12 function keys and a separate
|
|
numeric keypad, serial, parallel,
|
|
color and monochrome display ports,
|
|
and a weight of only 21 pounds.
|
|
|
|
Copyright 1987 Dawn Gordon
|
|
_____________________________________
|
|
Xx Atari RT CES Highlights
|
|
_____________________________________
|
|
[CES Gang] DARLAH> There were a
|
|
number of 3rd party vendors in the
|
|
Atari booth with some new products.
|
|
Gordon can tell you about Michtron/
|
|
Microdeal offerings (Airball looked
|
|
pretty slick!). EA was showing Music
|
|
Construction Set for the ST, written
|
|
by Intersect. Looked pretty nice.
|
|
|
|
Mindscape had some games like Plutos
|
|
(much...expanded beyond the bootleg
|
|
version showing up on BBSs) and a 3-D
|
|
pool game. MidiMaze from Hybrid Arts
|
|
is finally done... and is being copy
|
|
protected -- should ship in 2 weeks.
|
|
They added lots of new features like
|
|
observer modes, smart and done
|
|
drones, teams, and more -- great
|
|
game!
|
|
|
|
One small company had a strange
|
|
package called Easel that let you put
|
|
any DEGAS picture in place of the
|
|
desktop background, tends to slow
|
|
down the system overall, though.
|
|
|
|
Timeworks had a collection of
|
|
utilities in the form of a desk
|
|
accessories called Partner ST -- a
|
|
Thesauras is included.
|
|
|
|
Broderbund announced Printshop,
|
|
Karateka, and a combined version of
|
|
Art Director with Film Director
|
|
(yay!) -- they have committed to
|
|
attending the Santa Clara Atari show.
|
|
|
|
Looks like they're backing us in a
|
|
big way.
|
|
|
|
Microprose is finishing up Gunship
|
|
and one of their other games (maybe
|
|
F-15??) Atari has shipped a few of
|
|
the Arrakis educational programs like
|
|
Biology, Algebra, and some others,
|
|
aimed at middle school students.
|
|
|
|
Psygnosis has a hot new game called
|
|
Barbarian-- a fully graphic fantasy
|
|
role-playing game -- point at an
|
|
object and get a window with a list
|
|
of things to do or describe.
|
|
|
|
Eidersoft had a sound digitizer
|
|
called Pro Sound Designer.
|
|
|
|
A company called the Robot Factory
|
|
had a really neat gimmick -- a fuzzy
|
|
doll robot that was hooked up to the
|
|
ST through MIDI and was playing the
|
|
keyboard in time with a piano roll
|
|
program from QRS. Its mouth moved in
|
|
time with the voice of the announcer
|
|
through a microphone -- this one got
|
|
filmed by MTV News.
|
|
|
|
There were some other ST things too
|
|
that were talked about, we'll have to
|
|
post these to the ST RT as we dig
|
|
through our notes. On the game side,
|
|
We had the new XE Game System on
|
|
display along with a finished version
|
|
of Flight Simulator II on a 256K ROM
|
|
cart (includes the program and the
|
|
scenery disk). There were 8 or 10
|
|
new titles for both the 7800 and the
|
|
2600. One-on-One for the 7800 is
|
|
done and is *great* (I am undefeated
|
|
in the last year, it must be great!)
|
|
and Desert Falcon is also done and
|
|
into production.
|
|
|
|
Even the new 2600 games were pretty
|
|
impressive. And Activision and Epyx
|
|
announced that they're doing their
|
|
own titles for the 2600, and Atari
|
|
Explorer and ANALOG will begin video
|
|
game coverage on a limited basis.
|
|
|
|
Atari will have their own booth at
|
|
NAMM (National Association of Music
|
|
Merchants) late in June, making us
|
|
the first computer manufacturer to
|
|
ever exhibit there. We want to OWN
|
|
the MIDI market.
|
|
|
|
That's about it for now, lets open
|
|
the floor to chaos now.
|
|
|
|
<[MichTron] GORDON> before we do that
|
|
we will let John Symes from Microdeal
|
|
tell you about all the new stuff
|
|
Microdeal showed at CES.
|
|
|
|
<MICROD> i saw a 3d game player from
|
|
sega today....pretty good, We were
|
|
demoing Airball, a marble madness
|
|
type game but with rooms nearly 300
|
|
rooms and after 4days of the show we
|
|
are all still playing you cannot put
|
|
this down...shipping june 8th we also
|
|
had replay our sound digitiser this
|
|
really does digitize great and has
|
|
code for gfa as well we also showed
|
|
digi drum the drum kit sequencer.
|
|
|
|
MichTron was showing a demo version
|
|
of a new GFA Product called GFA
|
|
Object. Its similar to Antic's Cad 3D
|
|
but much easier to use and you can
|
|
take the pictures an use them in
|
|
BASIC, Vector and GFa DRAFT PLUS.
|
|
_____________________________________
|
|
Xx CES WINTER 87
|
|
_____________________________________
|
|
Atari Announces New Products at CES
|
|
-----------------------------------
|
|
Las Vegas, NV, Jan. 8 -- In a
|
|
dramatic press conference held this
|
|
morning at the Consumer Electronics
|
|
Show, spokesmen for the Atari
|
|
Corporation introduced a panoply of
|
|
new products for 1987. Highlights
|
|
included three significant new
|
|
additions to Atari's flagship ST line
|
|
of high-performance personal
|
|
computers, a revolutionary low-cost
|
|
laser printer, and an IBM
|
|
PC-compatible personal computer of
|
|
radically new design.
|
|
|
|
The new ST computers, dubbed -Mega
|
|
STs 1, 2, and 4- incorporate one,
|
|
two, and four megabytes of RAM,
|
|
respectively. Encased in a newly-
|
|
designed system unit with integral
|
|
800K microfloppy drive and
|
|
detachable, ergonomic keyboard, the
|
|
new machines are visibly different
|
|
from Atari's current 520ST and 1040ST
|
|
models, while remaining 100%
|
|
compatible with them. Additional
|
|
enhancements to the Mega machines
|
|
include a battery-backed realtime
|
|
clock, internal mounting space for an
|
|
additional circuit board, and full
|
|
external routing of the 68000 bus,
|
|
making their architecture -wide open-
|
|
for further enhancements. -We took
|
|
all our customer's suggestions on how
|
|
we could improve the ST, and
|
|
incorporated them in this series,-
|
|
said Neil Harris, Atari's Director of
|
|
Marketing Communications. Delivery of
|
|
the new machines, via computer
|
|
specialty stores, is expected to
|
|
begin shortly at a price-point of
|
|
-about $1000.-
|
|
|
|
The new Atari laser printer, shown in
|
|
a prototype version, will match or
|
|
exceed the performance of present
|
|
laser printer systems while costing
|
|
only about half as much -- about
|
|
$1500.
|
|
|
|
Atari has accomplished this enormous
|
|
cost-saving by exploiting the power
|
|
inherent in their ST computers.
|
|
Coupled with a 2- or 4-megabyte Mega
|
|
ST, the laser printer will form the
|
|
output stage of a desktop publishing
|
|
system costing less than $3000 total.
|
|
|
|
Atari's new IBM PC-compatible
|
|
machine, the Atari PC, is a radical
|
|
departure from present -PC clone-
|
|
designs, offering top-of-the-line
|
|
compatibility and features at a
|
|
record-breaking price of under $500.
|
|
Housed in a system unit similar to
|
|
the Mega ST with integral 5-1/4-
|
|
floppy drive and detachable XT-style
|
|
keyboard, the PC/XT compatible Atari
|
|
PC sports 512K RAM standard
|
|
(expandable to 640K on the
|
|
motherboard), an additional 256K of
|
|
graphics-dedicated RAM, a custom
|
|
graphics chip providing enhanced EGA,
|
|
CGA, IBM Monochrome, and Hercules
|
|
graphics capabilities, and a
|
|
Microsoft compatible mouse. It
|
|
operates at the IBM standard 4.77 Mhz
|
|
or at a high-speed 8 Mhz -turbo
|
|
mode,- and provides for the addition
|
|
of an 8087 math coprocessor at either
|
|
speed. A monochrome monitor designed
|
|
for use with the Atari PC was also
|
|
announced. Costing under $200, the
|
|
monitor supports all Atari PC
|
|
graphics modes, including the high-
|
|
resolution, multicolor EGA mode in
|
|
grey-scale. Shipments of the Atari PC
|
|
will begin in March.
|
|
|
|
The new products -- perceived by some
|
|
as the fulfillment of promises made
|
|
over a year ago by Atari CEO Jack
|
|
Tramiel -- are universally hailed as
|
|
milestones for the Atari Corporation.
|
|
One informed onlooker commented:
|
|
-It's as if Atari, in one fell swoop,
|
|
had stepped to the leading edge in
|
|
three markets: high-performance
|
|
workstations, desktop publishing
|
|
systems, and the lucrative PC-
|
|
compatible game. They're going to be
|
|
the company to watch in 1987.-
|
|
|
|
With somewhat less fanfare, Atari
|
|
also announced a new slimline 20-
|
|
megabyte Winchester drive for its ST
|
|
line, incorporating an extra port for
|
|
daisy-chaining with other DMA-
|
|
compatible peripherals, such as the
|
|
new laser printer. At the same time,
|
|
Atari announced price reductions on
|
|
existing ST models. A 520ST CPU will
|
|
now be available for under $300
|
|
retail, a 1040ST with monochrome
|
|
monitor for around $899, and a 1040ST
|
|
with color monitor for a 1500.
|
|
_____________________________________
|
|
ZMAGAZINE ISSUE 55 SPECIAL EDITION
|
|
_____________________________________
|
|
ATARI is a registered trademark of
|
|
Atari Corporation.
|
|
|
|
ZMAGAZINE is in no way affiliated
|
|
with Atari.
|
|
|
|
Some of the articles here are copy-
|
|
righted by the authors. Permission
|
|
to reprint these copyrighted items
|
|
must come from the authors.
|
|
|
|
Zmagazine ISSUE 55 (c)1987 Ron Kovacs
|
|
_____________________________________
|