From kimp@goya.its.rpi.edu Mon Mar 14 09:27:52 EST 1994 Article: 5574 of alt.video.laserdisc Xref: economic.mess.cs.cmu.edu alt.video.laserdisc:5574 Path: cantaloupe.srv.cs.cmu.edu!fs7.ece.cmu.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!howland.reston.ans.net!noc.near.net!usenet.elf.com!rpi!kimp From: kimp@goya.its.rpi.edu (Phil Kim) Newsgroups: alt.video.laserdisc Subject: Laserdisc books and magazines Date: 12 Mar 1994 03:27:13 GMT Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY Lines: 167 Message-ID: <2lrcqh$obr@usenet.rpi.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: goya.its.rpi.edu After copying a project from a friend (just kidding) I have more time to waste on doing things like compiling this article. Keep in mind that this article is a draft so it probably contains many errors. Also, opinions featured in this article is my opinion, so if you don't like it, you can always hit 'n'. P.S. Be sure to participate on my survey. Over 3 dozen people have already responded. I will be using this information to bring more "superb" articles in the future. Laserdisc Books____________________________________________________________ The Laserdisc Film Guide: 1993-1994 Edition (a.k.a. First edition) Author Jeff Rovin Press St. Martin's Press (ISBN 0-312-08703-9) Price $16 Reviews 300 reviews (estimate) Pages 330 pages (estimate) Page size 6 by 9 inches (10-points Times Roman), 2 columns Rating system Zero to five stars (1/2 star increment) for film, video quality, and audio quality Review range 1985 to 1992 (estimate) covering films Format Introduction (4 pages) Japanese Laserdiscs (3 pages) Laserdisc reviews (315 pages) - Film synopses (1/2 to 2 pages) - Disc review (1/4 to 1 page) Glossary (5 pages) Depth of review Good Dependability Good In short Stronger in technical issues than explaining supplement. Includes "interesting" film reviews. The Laser Video Disc Companion: Updated Edition Author Douglas Pratt Press New York Zoetrope (ISBN 0918432-89-8) Price $25 Reviews 5,000 reviews (estimate) Pages 475 pages (estimate) Page size 7 by 10 inches (8-points Times Roman), 3 columns Rating system None Review range 1984 to 1990 covering films, music, and others Format Introduction (8 pages) Laserdisc reviews (419 pages) - Film synopses (1/9 to 1/3 pages) - Disc review (1/9 to 1/6 page) X-rated titles (3 pages) Appendix - Catalog numbers (32 pages) - Stores, karaoke, CD-video, addresses, bibliography, top 100 discs) (2 pages) Depth of review Fair to very good Dependability Fair In short Strong in explaining supplement. It feels somewhat outdated by today's standard. Also reviews few Japanese import laserdiscs. Laserdisc magazines/newsletters____________________________________________ The Laserdisc Newsletter Price $3.95 (free sample available by calling below) Type Monthly newsletter Annual subscription Phone: 800-551-4914 Write: P.O. Box 420 East Rockaway New York, New York 11518 Reviews 40 reviews (average) Average length 25 pages Page size 8.25 by 10.25 inches (10-points Helvetica), 3 columns Rating system None Content Laserdisc Reviews Upcoming Laserdisc Advertisement 2 per dozen pages (estimate), mostly dealers Depth of review Good to excellent Dependability Very good In short Written by Douglas Pratt of The Laser Video Disc Companion, The Laserdisc Newsletter contains in-depth reviews with excellent knowledge on upcoming laserdiscs. One gripe: it looks cheap (looks as though it was made with The Printshop). LaserViews Price $2.95 Type Bi-monthly color magazine Annual subscription $15 ($23.70 outside) Phone: 800-899-4116 Write: LaserViews 3-A Oak Road Fairfield. NJ 07004 Reviews 40 reviews (average) Average length 75 pages Page size 8.25 by 10.25 inches (10-points Helvetica), 3 columns Rating system F to A+ (with +/- system) covering films, and music Content Editor's note (short) Reader's letters Hardware reviews (short) Interviews Laserdisc reviews (based on a New laserdisc reviews (1/2 of the ma_ 2D"Tgazine) Upcoming titles (in a list form) Advertisement 1 per dozen pages (estimate), mostly software Depth of review Fair to very good Dependability Fair In short Very light on technical details, LaserViews is entertaining to read. Real treat: Includes interview with well-known filmmakers and actors. Widescreen Review Price $4 ($5.50 Canada, $7 Mexico, $10 others) Type Bi-monthly color magazine Subscription $20 ($30 Canada/Mexico; $50 outside) Write: Widescreen Review 26864 Mandelieu Drive Murrieta, CA 92562 Reviews 40 reviews (average) Average length 100 pages Page size 8.25 by 10.25 inches (10-points Helvetica), 3 columns Rating system 1 to 5 (0.5 increment) covering films Content Editor's note (long; mostly a view on industry) Reader's letters Technical articles (1/2 of the magazine) Hardware reviews (1/4 of the magazine) Software reviews (1/4 of the magazine) Advertisement 1 per dozen pages (estimate), mostly hardware Depth of review Good to very good Dependability Good In short Strong in technical details, including identifying aspect ratio and recording method. Often contains technical articles. I especially like the laserdisc reviews summary table. P.S. And of course, there is that excellent UseNet articles by Phil Kim. It includes a review on Criterion and Collector's Edition laserdiscs as well as superb review on laserdisc players. Excellent dependability. :-) -- Phil Kim Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute kimp@rpi.edu