The terminator on VHS

[Dude111]

It makes me really sad when I see stuff from the 80s that is messed up!!!

The first ANALOGUE release of the terminator on VHS (Both Cinema 84 and HBO Video releases) use the PAL master and not the NTSC master! (You know what that means (Too fast ))

THE ANALOG AUDIO ON THE TERMINATOR IS AMAZINGLY GOOD but I dont like its not right speed...... I have had this tape 2 times and got rid of it both times.....

The 1991 release IS THE RIGHT SPEED but that IS NOT ANALOG and looks like crap!!


Im thankful to have this movie recorded off analog cable in the 80s.... ITS GEORGEOUS.. The audio isnt as good as the first official VHS tape but its the RIGHT SPEED....


Is there any type of machine you can use that you can play this PAL version tape in and it will OFFSET the recording so it will be right?? (In other words you will copy the cinema 84 tape TO ANOTHER VHS tape and it will be in NTSC speed (The right speed)) Only problem is the audio may drop somewhat......


Ah well.......... Just putting this out there in case someone knows..... (The NTSC videodisc of THE TERMINATOR is correct I believe)

 

[steerpike2]

This sounds very ODD !?!
If they transcode a videotape, it must play at the correct speed in the playback VCR. It would then typically have gone through a frame-rate converter, which stores-and-repeats frames or drops frames as necessary. The speed of the audio does not change; you just see occasional motion blips, and juddering of any vertical motion.

You can't just play a PAL recording faster and record it on an NTSC machine - the line structure is all wrong.

The difference between 50Hz and 60Hz playback is SO marked, nobody could ever tolerate such a mixup.

Most VCRs sold in Europe and here in S.A in the late 80s and beyond are multistandard, and will play any TV system tapes, BUT they do not transcode it, they play it at its original speed and MAYBE do colour-system transcoding, leading to odd signal structures like NTSC-443.

What you may have got hold of is a recording that has been length-adjusted for a particular broadcast slot. This was often done with frame-dropping to trim the video, but without pitch correction for the audio.

 

[Dude111]

Well when I watched it,its exactly the same as PAL movies (sped up (The video also)) so I can only assume they made a mistake and used the PAL master instead of the NTSC master..

 

[sKiZo]

A quick search comes up with a tool called Movavi Video Converter ...

Looks like that would require you to cut the video to dvd, import that to the converter, then cut it back to dvd. I suppose you could then cut it back to VHS if you so desired.

Kind of on topic ... I got a Toshiba DVR620 a year or so back that does admirable playback AND has a DVD ripper built in ... probably out of production, but I imagine there's a similar product available using the same sampling engine.

 

[Dude111]

I ordered another one today (Thorn/EMI) and all I can do is HOPE some of the first ones are correct.... (Maybe done @ another plant that had the right master (I have had MANY thorn/EMI releases and all were right (NTSC master).... I gotta assume this was a legit mistake))

I tried to find one with a gold guard but right now there isnt one..... (Gold guards usually signifies very 1st release of the series of releases (Release 1 out of 500 for example))

 

[onwardjames]

I have a copy on vhs that somehow made it to my shed outside. I'll have to see what's up.

 

[Dude111]

You have an orginal THORN/EMI release bud??

I hope ya got a good copy! -- THE ORIGINAL ANALOGUE AUDIO ON THIS MOVIE IS INSANE!!!!! (You cant really hear it all even watching over analogue cable!! (In the 80s))

 

[Dude111]

Today I got the 1 I had ordered in the mail....

It was not that good....... Video looked dark in alot of places and over-bright in others and the audio was not very warm........ LOOKED/SOUNDED DIGITALLY RECORDED!!!!!

I have had other copies of this first release that the audio was ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!!!!! (Quite warm,etc) -- This one the audio was A BIT SLOWER (Closer to what it should be) but the video WAS NOT STRAIGHT ANALOG.......

Im not upset....I knew it probably wouldnt be that good anyway as most of the first releases of this on VHS were not done right..


Ah well........... Ill keep the copy I have recorded from HBO (In the 80s)

 

[onwardjames]

oddly enough, they've been playing a truncated version of the Terminator on this crappy little local station.

What an absolute masterpiece of a film, and at the end, you see it give props to Harlan Ellison, for his short story, "Soldier".

 

[onwardjames]

I also thought I had replied that my copy was some strange "Live Entertainment" copy from 1995. It's not that great.

Tell me there's a blu ray version somewhere in glorious 16x9....

 

[Nightwisher]

I also thought I had replied that my copy was some strange "Live Entertainment" copy from 1995. It's not that great.

Tell me there's a blu ray version somewhere in glorious 16x9....

There is and it is glorious. Complete with lossless surround audio too. It's even on Netflix streaming, granted not quite as good as the Blu-ray but still worlds better than VHS.

Unless the OP only has a VHS player, the Blu-ray or Netflix version would be far superior.

 

[-reverb-]

and at the end, you see it give props to Harlan Ellison, for his short story, "Soldier".

I think there are huge parallels between Ellison's "Soldier" and "Terminator" but Cameron says there is no connection and his work was not derived or influenced by Ellison's "Soldier".

In fact, (the ever litigious) Ellison brought suit and it was the production company (Hemdale) who settled for an undisclosed sum and a credit line for "Soldier" to Ellison. Cameron never agreed to it and referred to Ellison's claim a "nuisance suit".

Seems like the only thing bigger than Cameron's movies is his ego.