Reely Interesting | John Sanborn, Ryuichi Sakamoto - The Works of Escher Part 1 (1990 Analog HDTV 1080i HDVS Video Disc) @ReelyInteresting | Uploaded July 2023 | Updated October 2024, 1 day ago.
This is part 1 of "The Works of Escher" (00QW-9007) from a Sony-made high-definition 12" HDVS videodisc. The HDVS disc format was designed to be a highly portable 12" laserdisc-derived media format for Sony's "High-Definition Video System" or "Hi-Vision" back in the early 1990's! Back then, high definition was a little different from how it is now. It was analog (not digital) & close to but slightly different in resolution to the 1080i picture we receive over the air today as it was technically 1125i/1035i. Before the earliest high-definition media was available to the public (via satellite, MUSE Laserdisc, & W-VHS tapes), Sony and other companies began shooting footage, doing research, and, showing public displays of high-definition television. There were three main ways of storing HDTV (or HDVS) at that time: Reel-to-reel tape (HDV-1000), cartridge tape (HDV-10 "UniHi"), & 12" Laserdisc-style discs (HDL-5800 / HDL-2000). This footage came from one of the Laserdisc-style discs.
These HDVS discs could only hold a maximum of 15 minutes of video (on CLV discs, even less on CAV discs)...but it held uncompressed, raw high-definition component video! Take that, Blu-Ray!
"The Works of Escher" is a half-hour tour of selected works of M.C. Escher from the Masaharu Koga collection. It was produced in conjunction with the other Escher-themed analog HDTV recording, "Infinite Escher." According to Hiroe Ishii, a former Sony director who helped coordinate this production, Mr. Koga loaned 242 pieces of art for this production which was brought to the Animation Staff Room for imaging. These were then each carefully removed from their framing/mounting and ordered from largest to smallest. Using a motorized/computer-controlled camera rigging to allow for the smooth motion, the artwork was captured one at a time. Editing was then started in Japan and completed in New York. This whole process was under the direction of video artist John Sanborn (who is uncredited in the video). The appropriate music was scored specifically for this production by none-other than the great Ryuichi Sakamoto.
Enjoy this very special video that was never available to the public in the original HD presentation until now!
Fun fact: Look at the sides of the image. Do you see that they don't fill your TV/monitor? Since this was recorded on the original 1984 pure-analog HDVS system, it also was recorded in the original, more-square 5:3 aspect ratio that NHK & Sony chose for the original HDTV system. By 1988, the HDTV standard was standardized to the 16:9 aspect ratio that began to be used on all HDTV systems forward and that we continue to use to this day; however, the hardware took a couple more years to be updated to 16:9. Surprisingly, YouTube supports videos uploaded in 5:3 aspect ratio so dust off & plug in your favorite 16:10 monitor to see less black bars than on a 16:9 monitor!
Fun fact 2: The company this was filmed at, Animation Staff Room, is the same company that produced a number of popular animes such as Umi no Triton, Ihara Saikaku Koushoku Ichidai Otoko, & Penguin's Memory: Shiawase Monogatari.
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This was recorded off on a Sony HDL-2000 Videodisc player which outputs true analog component (1035i) video. Uploaded in upscaled 4K ProRes for extra clarity!
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Be sure to check out part 2 here: youtu.be/ScJYyfg2gKc
More of my vintage HDTV uploads can be found in this playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3eMpGbSBzjiF1cdU2MkFBAc34D6HONoC
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If you want to follow me for updates or want to help me purchase a building dedicated to my carefully curated gallery of screenshots of YouTube video comments, please click the link below:
https://linktr.ee/OpWorkshop
This is part 1 of "The Works of Escher" (00QW-9007) from a Sony-made high-definition 12" HDVS videodisc. The HDVS disc format was designed to be a highly portable 12" laserdisc-derived media format for Sony's "High-Definition Video System" or "Hi-Vision" back in the early 1990's! Back then, high definition was a little different from how it is now. It was analog (not digital) & close to but slightly different in resolution to the 1080i picture we receive over the air today as it was technically 1125i/1035i. Before the earliest high-definition media was available to the public (via satellite, MUSE Laserdisc, & W-VHS tapes), Sony and other companies began shooting footage, doing research, and, showing public displays of high-definition television. There were three main ways of storing HDTV (or HDVS) at that time: Reel-to-reel tape (HDV-1000), cartridge tape (HDV-10 "UniHi"), & 12" Laserdisc-style discs (HDL-5800 / HDL-2000). This footage came from one of the Laserdisc-style discs.
These HDVS discs could only hold a maximum of 15 minutes of video (on CLV discs, even less on CAV discs)...but it held uncompressed, raw high-definition component video! Take that, Blu-Ray!
"The Works of Escher" is a half-hour tour of selected works of M.C. Escher from the Masaharu Koga collection. It was produced in conjunction with the other Escher-themed analog HDTV recording, "Infinite Escher." According to Hiroe Ishii, a former Sony director who helped coordinate this production, Mr. Koga loaned 242 pieces of art for this production which was brought to the Animation Staff Room for imaging. These were then each carefully removed from their framing/mounting and ordered from largest to smallest. Using a motorized/computer-controlled camera rigging to allow for the smooth motion, the artwork was captured one at a time. Editing was then started in Japan and completed in New York. This whole process was under the direction of video artist John Sanborn (who is uncredited in the video). The appropriate music was scored specifically for this production by none-other than the great Ryuichi Sakamoto.
Enjoy this very special video that was never available to the public in the original HD presentation until now!
Fun fact: Look at the sides of the image. Do you see that they don't fill your TV/monitor? Since this was recorded on the original 1984 pure-analog HDVS system, it also was recorded in the original, more-square 5:3 aspect ratio that NHK & Sony chose for the original HDTV system. By 1988, the HDTV standard was standardized to the 16:9 aspect ratio that began to be used on all HDTV systems forward and that we continue to use to this day; however, the hardware took a couple more years to be updated to 16:9. Surprisingly, YouTube supports videos uploaded in 5:3 aspect ratio so dust off & plug in your favorite 16:10 monitor to see less black bars than on a 16:9 monitor!
Fun fact 2: The company this was filmed at, Animation Staff Room, is the same company that produced a number of popular animes such as Umi no Triton, Ihara Saikaku Koushoku Ichidai Otoko, & Penguin's Memory: Shiawase Monogatari.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
This was recorded off on a Sony HDL-2000 Videodisc player which outputs true analog component (1035i) video. Uploaded in upscaled 4K ProRes for extra clarity!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Be sure to check out part 2 here: youtu.be/ScJYyfg2gKc
More of my vintage HDTV uploads can be found in this playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3eMpGbSBzjiF1cdU2MkFBAc34D6HONoC
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
If you want to follow me for updates or want to help me purchase a building dedicated to my carefully curated gallery of screenshots of YouTube video comments, please click the link below:
https://linktr.ee/OpWorkshop
![HDVS Business Applications [August 1988 Ver.] (Analog HDTV 1080i HDVS Video Demonstration Disc)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ozFFLg4Gp5k/hqdefault.jpg "HDVS Business Applications [August 1988 Ver.] (Analog HDTV 1080i HDVS Video Demonstration Disc)
This is HDVS Business Applications [August 1988 Version] (HD-102) from a Sony-made high-definition 12 HDVS videodisc. The HDVS disc format was designed to be a highly portable 12 laserdisc-derived media format for Sonys High-Definition Video System or Hi-Vision back in the early 1990s! Back then, high definition was a little different from how it is now. It was analog (not digital) & close to but slightly different in resolution to the 1080i picture we receive over the air today as it was technically 1125i/1035i. Before the earliest high-definition media was available to the public (via satellite, MUSE Laserdisc, & W-VHS tapes), Sony and other companies began shooting footage, doing research, and, showing public displays of high-definition television. There were three main ways of storing HDTV (or HDVS) at that time: Reel-to-reel tape (HDV-1000), cartridge tape (HDV-10 UniHi), & 12 Laserdisc-style discs (HDL-5800 / HDL-2000). This footage came from one of the Laserdisc-style discs.
These HDVS discs could only hold a maximum of 15 minutes of video (on CLV discs, even less on CAV discs)...but it held uncompressed, raw high-definition component video! Take that, Blu-Ray!
HDVS Business Applications [August 1988 Version] appears to be the first HDVS disc with the intention of public sales/trade show use to show the potential applications of the nascent HDTV system, particularly Sony HDVS hardware. With a low catalog number and early production date, it is likely one of the first HDVS discs to be produced. The video first begins with a series of still images, perhaps to cycle through before a presentation would begin. Then the video proceeds to focus on various applications of the HDVS system & breaks the presentation down into five parts, each focusing on a specific application. Some of the footage is very familiar (Hills Of The Seasons: Summer), while others are expanded versions from footage found on other demonstration tapes Partial Goods segments can be found in HD on the the HDL-2000 Demonstration Disc and in SD on the ED Beta Demonstration Tape, while other segments appear completely unique to this disc (i.e. The Event fashion show).
Enjoy this very special video that was never available to the public in the original HD presentation until now!
Fun fact: Look at the sides of the image. Do you see that they dont fill your TV/monitor? Since this was recorded on the original 1984 pure-analog HDVS system, it also was recorded in the original, more-square 5:3 aspect ratio that NHK & Sony chose for the original HDTV system. By 1988, the HDTV standard was standardized to the 16:9 aspect ratio that began to be used on all HDTV systems forward and that we continue to use to this day; however, the hardware took a couple more years to be updated to 16:9. Surprisingly, YouTube supports videos uploaded in 5:3 aspect ratio so dust off & plug in your favorite 16:10 monitor to see less black bars than on a 16:9 monitor!
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Chapters:
00:00 - Goods (???)
02:05 - Scenery (Hills of The Seasons: Summer)
03:49 - Commercial (Sony ProFeel Pro Trinitron)
04:25 - Event (Fashion Show)
06:01 - Science (Microscope Videography)
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This was recorded off on a Sony HDL-2000 Videodisc player which outputs analog component (1035i) video. Uploaded in the upscaled 4K ProRes for extra clarity!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
More of my vintage HDTV uploads can be found in this playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3eMpGbSBzjiF1cdU2MkFBAc34D6HONoC
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
If you want to follow me for updates or want to help me finally purchase a low poly CG fighter jet to throw around during boring business meetings, please click the link below:
https://linktr.ee/OpWorkshop")
