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From: tmkk@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Scott Coleman)
Newsgroups: comp.ivideodisc
Subject: Re: computer controlled VCR
Message-ID: <1991Feb4.183844.13097@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>
Date: 4 Feb 91 18:38:44 GMT
References: <754@anaxagoras.ils.nwu.edu> <9265@cognos.UUCP>
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Lines: 24

In article <9265@cognos.UUCP> alb@cognos.UUCP (Al Belyea) writes:
>In article <754@anaxagoras.ils.nwu.edu> luksa@cubbie.ils.nwu.edu (Frank Luksa) writes:
>>
>>If you know of any VCR models that allow connection to a serial port, 
>
>Check out the Sony VHS models 676 and 757, and their S-VHS 
>They all have what's called a Control-L plug on them. Its not a standard plug,
>but you can connect it to a serial port and control it thru the computer. 

A minor note: Connecting to a ^L port is a bit more involved than simply
wiring up the correct cable and plugging one end into an RS-232 serial port.
For one thing, the ^L port operates at TTL voltage levels (0-5VDC), not
RS-232 levels (+/- 12V or so). To control a Sony deck using an RS-232
serial port requires some sort of interface box. The FutureVideo edit 
controller can be used for this purpose (and it will control 2 VCRs) but
it's a bit pricey ($700 for the version with an RS-232 serial port). On the
plus side, it's available now (unlike the recently announced Sony box).


-- 
Scott Coleman                                                    tmkk@uiuc.edu

"Unisys has demonstrated the power of two. That's their stock price today."
       - Scott McNealy on the history of mergers in the computer industry.