Video to Go (part 3):

A riddle for today boys and girls.

What does the "camcorder” have in common with Microsoft and Intel? How about transistors and pixels? Sportscasts and Sitcoms? Televangelists appearing in docudramas and simulcasts of telethons? Does Cineplex, Multiplex, Motel or Discothèque help? How about Smog in Texarkana?

Give up? OK, here's one last hint.

Perhaps you would like to have Brunch with J-Lo or A-Rod?

If you haven't figured it out yet and are still wondering what this "crank" writer is referring to, here's the answer:

Camcorder, like the other hint words, is a blended word meaning camera and recorder. Called a portmanteau (port-man-toe), it is a word formed by combining two or more words. (For the origin of the others you will have to endure this essay and read through to the end. Sorry!)

A video camcorder combines the actual video recorder with the camera in one simple easy-to-use device. Prior to the invention of the camcorder, a two-piece system, called a porta-pack, which contained a separate camera attached to a portable VCR, was the only method to capture personal mobile home videos. (See part 2)

At the 1982 Consumer Electronics show in Chicago, (as Yogi Berra once said): "it was deja vu all over again." when Sony and JVC embarked in the Video War of the Worlds, Part II. They introduced rival formats of the camcorder. (Haven't we seen this movie before?)

JVC debuted its miniature VHS-C, while Sony, still refusing to surrender, introduced its Betamovie, an all-in-one Betamax and camera, and promoted it with the ad "Inside This Camera is a VCR." In 1983, the Betamovie BMC-100 (not to be confused with Betacam) was the first combined camera and recorder on the market. But while this showed that Sony continued to champion its Betamax format, this breakthrough had one weakness -- it could only record, not play back. Recordings could of course be played back on a standard Betamax home VCR, but the BMC-100 could not play back its own recordings on the spot! Since instant playback is a cornerstone of video recording, it seemed pretty odd to leave it out. A little like building a house without a bathroom!

No matter, though, because JVC was about to blow the Betamovie house down. In 1983, JVC introduced a shoulder frame that allowed a portable VHS-C recorder and camera to be docked together. While a bit clumsy, this nonetheless resulted in a practical camcorder whose videos could easily be played back through the viewfinder, and also viewed on a home VHS deck with the use of an adapter. Soon thereafter, JVC introduced the GR-C1 camcorder, which became an overnight sensation when “Doc" immortalized it in the movie “Back to the Future” by declaring:

"This is truly amazing--a portable television studio. No wonder your president has to be an actor. He's got to look good on television."

So it was on to the future for JVC and back to the drawing board for Sony.

But as Yogi also said, “it ain't over 'til the fat lady sings!” Sony found its voice, and the lyrics too, in 1985, when they followed the lead of Kodak's Kodavision 2000 and introduced their 8mm camcorder called the CCD-V8.

The initials “CCD” were key. They stood for "charge coupled device", which refers to a solid-state chip which replaces the glass cathode ray tube as a receptor or reader of images. CCDs are more durable than tubes, cannot be burned out by overexposure, eliminate smeared images, give better resolution, take up less space and use a fraction of the power of the tube; they also don't need time to "warm up", work in much dimmer light, and aren't damaged if the camera is accidentally pointed at the sun!

With the introduction of the 8mm camcorder, the lineup of analog camcorder formats was set and major enhancements were soon to follow. The VHS-C format improved to the higher resolution S-VHS-C (Super VHS-C) and manufacturers of 8mm models followed with their improved Hi8 format as well.

Throughout the rest of the 80s and into the 90s, camcorders steadily improved, offering more features at lower prices. Their size was dramatically reduced as well. Camcorders shrank from bulky shoulder-mounts to handycams to palmcorders.

Today, we have several digital format camcorders as well. The Mini DV format remains the most popular but tapeless DVD Camcorders are beginning to gain in popularity and offer play back on home DVD players as well as on PCs.

Well, thanks to all you prosumers for enduring my infomercial. Now please fire up your modems, go out into cyberspace, and order some camcorder tapes, some diskettes, and maybe a Betacam or DVCam from Total Media's fantabulous internet website.

Next time: Maxell's "Chair Man” He'll blow you away.

As promised (or threatened) here are the origins of the portmanteau words noted above.

Microsoft - Microprocessor and Software
Intel - Integrated (Intelligent) and Electronics
Transistor - Transfer and Resistor
Pixel - Picture and element
Sportscast - Sports and Broadcast
Sitcoms - Situation and comedy
Televangelist - Television and Evangelist
Docudrama - Documentary and Drama
Simulcast - Simultaneous and Broadcast
Telethon - Television and Marathon
Cineplex - Cinema and Complex (building)
Multiplex - Multiple and Cineplex
Motels - Motor and Hotel
Discothèque - Disc and Bibliotheque (library)
Smog - Smoke and Fog
Texarkana - Texas and Arkansas (border town)
Brunch - Breakfast and Lunch
J-LO - Jennifer Lopez (Actress)
A-Rod - Alex Rodriquez (Yankee's 3rd baseman)
Handycam - Handheld Camcorder
Palmcorder - Palm Sized Camcorder
Prosumers - Professionals and Consumers
Infomercial - Information and Commercial
Modem - Modulator and Demodulator
Cyberspace - Cybernetics and Space
Diskette - Disk and Cassette
Betacam - Betamax and Camera
DVCam - DV and Camera
Fantabulous - Fantastic and Fabulous (oh brother!)
Internet - International/Interglobal/Interchanged and network
Website - World Wide Web and Site
And finally.....
"Crank" - Cheers, Regards and Thanks!