Category Archives: Community FAQs

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Sherrie Rabinowitz Search for VHS/S-VHS and Video8/Hi-8 machines

Mark Schubin requests:

Sherrie Rabinowitz, who, with her artistic and life partner Kit Galloway, pioneered telecommunications art — satellite, phone, and more — for decades, recently died after a very long illness.  I worked with them in the late 1970s and in 1980 on a project that was titled “Hole in Space,” connecting a window in New York to one in Los Angeles via satellite.  They later created Electronic Cafe International, promoting low-cost videoconferencing.

Sherrie’s illness was so long that many of their friends, colleagues, and neighbors, as Kit puts it, “only know Sherrie as the invalid lady.”  He’d like to put together something to “remind others that Sherrie was an inspiring intellect and personality that prompted her many friends to nickname her ‘Witz,’ and no one [who saw her before the illness] could forget her eye-catching beauty.”

Kit has VHS/S-VHS and Video8/Hi-8 tapes of Sherrie at their home/arts center in Santa Monica, California but nothing working on which to play them.  Can you help?  Do you have equipment that might play the tapes?  Do you have suggestions of machines that I might buy to help them out?

Any assistance you can provide will be GREATLY appreciated.  You may contact me or, if you’d rather, contact Kit directly at  [email protected].

Many thanks!

TTFN,
Mark

Sherrie Rabinowitz Search for VHS/S-VHS and Video8/Hi-8 machines

Mark Schubin requests:

Sherrie Rabinowitz, who, with her artistic and life partner Kit Galloway, pioneered telecommunications art — satellite, phone, and more — for decades, recently died after a very long illness.  I worked with them in the late 1970s and in 1980 on a project that was titled “Hole in Space,” connecting a window in New York to one in Los Angeles via satellite.  They later created Electronic Cafe International, promoting low-cost videoconferencing.

Sherrie’s illness was so long that many of their friends, colleagues, and neighbors, as Kit puts it, “only know Sherrie as the invalid lady.”  He’d like to put together something to “remind others that Sherrie was an inspiring intellect and personality that prompted her many friends to nickname her ‘Witz,’ and no one [who saw her before the illness] could forget her eye-catching beauty.”

Kit has VHS/S-VHS and Video8/Hi-8 tapes of Sherrie at their home/arts center in Santa Monica, California but nothing working on which to play them.  Can you help?  Do you have equipment that might play the tapes?  Do you have suggestions of machines that I might buy to help them out?

Any assistance you can provide will be GREATLY appreciated.  You may contact me or, if you’d rather, contact Kit directly at  [email protected].

Many thanks!

TTFN,
Mark

Tubes V xSistors: The Dauphinee Report [Updated]

Nevertheless, Fagan, Miles, Clapton, Yo-Yo and Muddy (Mobile Fidelity version of “Folk Singer”, thank you) made the cut.  We began with a Japanese collector CD featuring a piano trio, just to warm up the Tympanic cavity, and we were off to the races.  I could imagine dust shaking from the piano hammers and the rosin falling from the bass bow.  Outstanding!  We then turned to Donald Fagan’s “Mary Shut The Garden Door” that rumbles the factory-basic system of my Volkswagen CC.  The detail in the mix revealed by this extraordinary system was nothing short of breathtaking.  As a polite guest, I refrained from asking to repeat a vocal refrain that tends to make by butt melt when I hear it.  We moved on to Miles’ “Kind of Blue” and the disappointment in the fidelity begged for a small, bookshelf system, much like a 75 year old woman of great past beauty.  “Keep your clothes on, girl”.  “The Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos” presented a church of substantial depth and minimum width – not unlike the Immaculate Conception church I grew up in back in Salem.  The recording was marked by annoying intermodulation that can’t be heard on a home hi-fi.  It’s in the mic-ing.  Perhaps a Pavarotti or Bocelli recording would have better revealed the purity of the male voice.

With my pedestrian collection reduced to the trivial, my neighbor rolled out an organ recording from Lincoln, Nebraska by Felix Hell – http://www.felixhell.com/ (I can’t make this stuff up!).  The performance was recorded when the kid was 17!  After we cleared the phlegm dislodged in our chests and adjust our trouser legs from all the flapping, we shifted over to Muddy Waters.  As if inspired, Muddy appeared in the room, slide guitar and all.  Great recording and remarkable reproduction.  We finished off the audition with Clapton’s “Reptile” instrumental – a very suitable conclusion played on a hollow body Gibson that floats like a samba.

My neighbor recently lost his wife, a beautiful concert pianist with perfect pitch.  She was instrumental in selecting the audio components and acoustic treatment in the home.  He proudly described how each Krell amplifer has an individual 30 amp “home run” to the breaker box with opposing phases – jacketed wiring of equal length – and $50, 1.5 foot power cords to each amp.  Bass traps in each corner behind the Dunlavy speakers compensated for standing waves and both front and back walls were “adjusted” prior to their move in to prevent parallel surfaces.  Even the glass coffee table was covered with a cotton quilt to minimize reflections.  This guy’s a perfectionist – and I adored it.

My neighbor spoke glowingly about his wife, whose photos graced the “great room” and she was a beauty.  I imagine a bit persnickety, but still beautiful.  My new-found acquaintance’s loneliness may be his incentive to reach out to me and I welcome his gestures.  Perhaps we can become friends beyond hobbyists.

Now back to the dilemma.  Sure there’s a difference.  Jeff Beck talks about the continuity of tubes as opposed to the switching nature of transistors.  Keith Richard shares that view.  When I hear tube systems, I just ask, “Can you turn up the volume?”  Most times, it can’t be done.  Like listening to Quad speakers from England.  Anything over ~92 dB SPL and they clip.  When all is said and done, I just plug in my Sennheiser ear buds and head to the gym with an eclectic playlist that gets me moving on the elliptical at a speed and heart rate that battles against the bulge in my waist.  But now, I may have found a new outlet to explore audiophile recordings and share my sonic treasures – as well as learning more about my colleague’s selections.

BTW, I’ve been following David Perrico and Pop Evolution, a band made up of some 20+ players, including 15 horns.  I’ll be interviewing David for our local cable access channel here very soon and will video record the entire 2 hour set at The Palms for b-roll to cut into the interview.  With a 6′ brunette on French horn and a Chinese electric viola player, what’s not to like?  Here’s a sample:

{youtube}Ys52YiBPwKQ{/youtube}

Fig 5.  While probably not dead-on accurate, this schematic gives an idea of how  Dunipace created a drop-in experiment by setting up a bias point on the  MOSFETs, providing necessary thermal compensation, and reducing the gain enough  to show that that the solid-state output devices performed like tubes.

Fig 5. While probably not dead-on accurate, this schematic gives an idea of how Dunipace created a drop-in experiment by setting up a bias point on the MOSFETs, providing necessary thermal compensation, and reducing the gain enough to show that that the solid-state output devices performed like tubes.

 

In an attempt to figure out why a vacuum-tube amplifier sounds different than a solid-state amplifier, Part 1 considered what we can hear, what we can discern, and some of the attributes of passive devices that affect audio design (see “‘House Of Fire’: Firebottles And Groove Tubes Versus Devices That Find Their Origins In Sand (Part 1)”).

The article discussed two extreme applications: a live performance with a guitar amplifier and one that required absolute accurate reproduction. Part 2 examines the active devices, the amplifier topologies, and, lastly, an experiment that shattered the myth that tubes sound better than transistors—all other things the same.

Active Devices: MOSFETs

There simply aren’t many MOSFETs available for linear amplifiers in the audio world. Linear MOSFETs are typically lateral devices that have no intrinsic body diode. The higher-gain MOSFETs used in switch-mode power-supply (SMPS) applications often won’t work in linear amplifiers due to hotspotting at low currents and high voltages in linear-mode operation. This was discovered at International Rectifier by a researcher named P. Spirito, and consequently named the Spirito Effect (see “The Spirito Effect Improved My Design—And I Didn’t Even Know It”).

Read the rest of the ElectronicDesign.com article at: Transistors, Tubes Sound The Same, It’s The Circuit Topologies That Differ

Part One is here: “House of Fire”: Firebottles And Groove Tubes Versus Devices That Find Their Origins in Sand (Part 1)

Basic Source-Follower Circuit Classic Emitter-Follower Circuit Typical (popular) Vacumn Tube Tube design concept Circuit for making solid state device perform like a tube.

Tubes V xSistors: The Dauphinee Report [Updated]

Nevertheless, Fagan, Miles, Clapton, Yo-Yo and Muddy (Mobile Fidelity version of “Folk Singer”, thank you) made the cut.  We began with a Japanese collector CD featuring a piano trio, just to warm up the Tympanic cavity, and we were off to the races.  I could imagine dust shaking from the piano hammers and the rosin falling from the bass bow.  Outstanding!  We then turned to Donald Fagan’s “Mary Shut The Garden Door” that rumbles the factory-basic system of my Volkswagen CC.  The detail in the mix revealed by this extraordinary system was nothing short of breathtaking.  As a polite guest, I refrained from asking to repeat a vocal refrain that tends to make by butt melt when I hear it.  We moved on to Miles’ “Kind of Blue” and the disappointment in the fidelity begged for a small, bookshelf system, much like a 75 year old woman of great past beauty.  “Keep your clothes on, girl”.  “The Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos” presented a church of substantial depth and minimum width – not unlike the Immaculate Conception church I grew up in back in Salem.  The recording was marked by annoying intermodulation that can’t be heard on a home hi-fi.  It’s in the mic-ing.  Perhaps a Pavarotti or Bocelli recording would have better revealed the purity of the male voice.

With my pedestrian collection reduced to the trivial, my neighbor rolled out an organ recording from Lincoln, Nebraska by Felix Hell – http://www.felixhell.com/ (I can’t make this stuff up!).  The performance was recorded when the kid was 17!  After we cleared the phlegm dislodged in our chests and adjust our trouser legs from all the flapping, we shifted over to Muddy Waters.  As if inspired, Muddy appeared in the room, slide guitar and all.  Great recording and remarkable reproduction.  We finished off the audition with Clapton’s “Reptile” instrumental – a very suitable conclusion played on a hollow body Gibson that floats like a samba.

My neighbor recently lost his wife, a beautiful concert pianist with perfect pitch.  She was instrumental in selecting the audio components and acoustic treatment in the home.  He proudly described how each Krell amplifer has an individual 30 amp “home run” to the breaker box with opposing phases – jacketed wiring of equal length – and $50, 1.5 foot power cords to each amp.  Bass traps in each corner behind the Dunlavy speakers compensated for standing waves and both front and back walls were “adjusted” prior to their move in to prevent parallel surfaces.  Even the glass coffee table was covered with a cotton quilt to minimize reflections.  This guy’s a perfectionist – and I adored it.

My neighbor spoke glowingly about his wife, whose photos graced the “great room” and she was a beauty.  I imagine a bit persnickety, but still beautiful.  My new-found acquaintance’s loneliness may be his incentive to reach out to me and I welcome his gestures.  Perhaps we can become friends beyond hobbyists.

Now back to the dilemma.  Sure there’s a difference.  Jeff Beck talks about the continuity of tubes as opposed to the switching nature of transistors.  Keith Richard shares that view.  When I hear tube systems, I just ask, “Can you turn up the volume?”  Most times, it can’t be done.  Like listening to Quad speakers from England.  Anything over ~92 dB SPL and they clip.  When all is said and done, I just plug in my Sennheiser ear buds and head to the gym with an eclectic playlist that gets me moving on the elliptical at a speed and heart rate that battles against the bulge in my waist.  But now, I may have found a new outlet to explore audiophile recordings and share my sonic treasures – as well as learning more about my colleague’s selections.

BTW, I’ve been following David Perrico and Pop Evolution, a band made up of some 20+ players, including 15 horns.  I’ll be interviewing David for our local cable access channel here very soon and will video record the entire 2 hour set at The Palms for b-roll to cut into the interview.  With a 6′ brunette on French horn and a Chinese electric viola player, what’s not to like?  Here’s a sample:

{youtube}Ys52YiBPwKQ{/youtube}

Fig 5.  While probably not dead-on accurate, this schematic gives an idea of how  Dunipace created a drop-in experiment by setting up a bias point on the  MOSFETs, providing necessary thermal compensation, and reducing the gain enough  to show that that the solid-state output devices performed like tubes.

Fig 5. While probably not dead-on accurate, this schematic gives an idea of how Dunipace created a drop-in experiment by setting up a bias point on the MOSFETs, providing necessary thermal compensation, and reducing the gain enough to show that that the solid-state output devices performed like tubes.

 

In an attempt to figure out why a vacuum-tube amplifier sounds different than a solid-state amplifier, Part 1 considered what we can hear, what we can discern, and some of the attributes of passive devices that affect audio design (see “‘House Of Fire’: Firebottles And Groove Tubes Versus Devices That Find Their Origins In Sand (Part 1)”).

The article discussed two extreme applications: a live performance with a guitar amplifier and one that required absolute accurate reproduction. Part 2 examines the active devices, the amplifier topologies, and, lastly, an experiment that shattered the myth that tubes sound better than transistors—all other things the same.

Active Devices: MOSFETs

There simply aren’t many MOSFETs available for linear amplifiers in the audio world. Linear MOSFETs are typically lateral devices that have no intrinsic body diode. The higher-gain MOSFETs used in switch-mode power-supply (SMPS) applications often won’t work in linear amplifiers due to hotspotting at low currents and high voltages in linear-mode operation. This was discovered at International Rectifier by a researcher named P. Spirito, and consequently named the Spirito Effect (see “The Spirito Effect Improved My Design—And I Didn’t Even Know It”).

Read the rest of the ElectronicDesign.com article at: Transistors, Tubes Sound The Same, It’s The Circuit Topologies That Differ

Part One is here: “House of Fire”: Firebottles And Groove Tubes Versus Devices That Find Their Origins in Sand (Part 1)

Basic Source-Follower Circuit Classic Emitter-Follower Circuit Typical (popular) Vacumn Tube Tube design concept Circuit for making solid state device perform like a tube.

Photography — Fun

OK; So, he is my nephew. OK; So it is not digital cinema. Still…for fun…

ZEN

ZEN

Silver Halide C-Print

Limited Edition of 450 + 10 Artist Proofs

This is the first 4-to-1 ratio image to my Limited Edition Collection.  I wanted to make an image that had this long compositional shape, and found the perfect foundation in this film.  Captured with a Linhof Technorama, a specialized panoramic camera, the film is 6x17cm and allows for excellent image quality to the largest of sizes.

This shape piece can work well in problematic wall spots in your home that require long and skinny compositions, or in those most popular spots above sofas, beds, fireplace mantles, dining room walls and even hallways.  

The image draws you in to explore closer.  The eye wants to explore the scene, the falling water and misty rocks and moss.  The piece can work as a tool for meditation, or simply an element of design – introducing a peaceful water element to a space.  The colors aren’t so bold as to conflict with surrounding colors, but strong enough to be visually stunning.

Now, for the Sizing and Pricing:

See it at his site:

ASC – American Society of Cinematographers

Since we are studying within the realm of technology, we will begin by researching the first moviemaking group who perform their magic using technology. This group was the first group who constantly and consistently asserted the concept that quality must be a primary issue in the transition to Digital Cinema. This group is known as The ASC—The American Society of Cinematographers

There was a lot of early excitement for dcinema, which culminated in the showing Episode II of StarWars, the first release with a big push to get many screens showing the movie. As exciting as it all was, the ASC was making certain that everyone had their eye on the future. Their belief was that the current level of technology hadn’t even reached the “good enough” stage. They kept pushing their contacts at the studios to insist that the standards would be set higher.

 

And they were right. The projectors at the time could barely light up a medium sized screen. And people in row 10 could see a jaggedly formed circle instead of a smooth path.

 

Go to the ASC website here: http://www.theasc.com/

 

Notice the tone of the site, who they are talking to, how education has a primary position in many the things they do. Read the first 3 paragraphs of The History of the ASC. Notice, in particular, the purpose in the 3rd paragraph. Now read the last paragraph.

 

Go to the website of the article named The Color Space Conundrum–Part One: Seeking Standards. You don’t have to read this article now, but we want to download it. So, the first thing to do is create a folder of your own on your computer, then create a folder inside that named DCinema Articles. Inside that folder, create a folder named ASC. Save this page of the article in that folder. 

 

There is a quote in this article that should be pointed out: “Video engineers, who are not cinematographers, “assist” the images in getting from point A to point B. However, a video engineer is a middleman who is human and therefore subjective. This fact led Arthur Miller, ASC (see image) to pen the following diatribe for the May 1952 issue of AC: “Much of the poor quality of video films as observed on home receivers is due to faulty electronic systems of the telecaster, to poor judgment of the engineer handling the monitor controls in the station, or both…. In short, much of the trouble still exists because of the lack of standardization in the television industry. Perhaps the strongest point here is the fact that a new factor enters into the telecasting of motion pictures: the privilege vested in the network’s engineering staff to control contrast and shading as TV films are being broadcast.””

 

You now hold the same responsible position as the engineers who Arthur Miller was deriding in 1952. The point of the training course is: Don’t get into the position that this will ever be said about you or your compatriots in the projection booth. Remember that you are entrusted with the material begun by the people with the ASC designation as the credits of a movie go by name.

 
This is the first section of the first course of the DCinemaCompliance Projectionists Course