VIDEO FLOPPY DISC HOLDS FIFTY SLIDES 

(Editor's note: In the beginning computers could only communicate in capital letters. This is one of 20 columns from Dr. Tomorrow's original series, included here to indicate change as well as describe it. Those columns also hold another story, that change is swift and offers both disaster and opportunity.)

IF ANY SINGLE OBSERVATION CAN BE MADE ABOUT THE COMMUNICATIONS AGE, IT IS THAT MOST THINGS ARE GETTING SMALLER!

NOW THE LATEST! MANY OF US HAVE COLOR SLIDES MADE FROM PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM. THE COLOR IS TERRIFIC, THE PROCESSING EXCELLENT AND THE REPRODUCTION SUPERB. BUT WHEN YOU GET 50 SLIDES IN A CARROUSEL, THEY START TO GET BULKY. NOW YOU CAN HAVE UP TO 50 COLOR STILLS ON A SINGLE TINY TWO-BY-2.5-INCH (5.5-BY-SIX CENTIMETRES) FLOPPY DISK -- ONLY SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN A SINGLE 35MM SLIDE!

PICTURED HERE (SEE "ILLUSTRATIONS") IS TODAY'S ELECTRONIC MARVEL -THIS TIME FROM PANASONIC. IT OPERATES IN A MACHINE CALLED THE AG800 VIDEO FLOPPY RECORDER (VFR) AND WORKS WITH ANY TELEVISION SET OR MONITOR TO PROVIDE HIGH, 350-LINE RESOLUTION COLOR PICTURES THAT CAN BE EASILY DUPLICATED OR PROJECTED ON A LARGE SCREEN.

THE PICTURES FOR THE DIMINUTIVE DISK CAN BE PROVIDED FROM ANY NORMAL VIDEO SIGNAL. THAT MEANS VIDEO CAMERA, VCR, CABLE OR BROADCAST TV SIGNAL. IT EVEN HANDLES COMPUTER GRAPHICS AND PICTURES FROM VIDEO GAMES. I JUST CONVERTED 50 OF MY 35MM COLOR SLIDES TO TOP QUALITY VIDEO FLOPPY DISC (VFD) BY PROJECTING SLIDES ONTO A WHITE BOARD AND FREEZE-GRABBING THEM VIA VIDEO CAMERA. THEY LOOK GREAT!

THE HOME AND SCHOOL EDUCATIONAL POSSIBILITIES ARE UNLIMITED.

INFORMATION, SO EASY TO RECORD, IS NOW JUST AS EASY TO UPDATE. MUSEUMS, EXHIBITION HALLS, TRAVEL OFFICES, HOSPITALS, RETAIL STORES AND MALLS CAN USE THIS NEW MEDIUM TO CONVERT PRINTED MATTER AND PHOTOS INTO PROGRAMS FOR VIEWER, PATIENT OR CONSUMER EDUCATION AND GUIDANCE.

EXPECT TO SEE THESE UNITS IN A WIDE RANGE OF BUSINESS SHOWROOMS RUNNING FROM REAL ESTATE TO AUTOMOBILES. FOR PRESENTING ANY TRAVEL LOCATION, IT'S A NATURAL. ONE PICTURE CAN BE EASILY EXCHANGED FOR ANOTHER WHILE STILL ON A DISK. IN FACT, USING ONE OF THE VFR CAPABILITIES, IT IS EVEN POSSIBLE TO REPLACE ONE PICTURE WITH TWO! DUPLICATION OF A VIDEO FLOPPY DISC CAN BE DONE EASILY WITH TWO VFR UNITS.

THIS ITEM AND MANY OTHER NEW ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS ARE NOW BEING DISPLAYED AT ELECTRONIC TRADE SHOWS ACROSS NORTH AMERICA. TO KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST IN THIS EXPLODING FIELD, ASK YOUR FAVORITE ELECTRONICS DEALER TO TAKE YOU TO THE NEXT TRADE SHOW IN YOUR TOWN.

MORE INFORMATION:

YOUR LOCAL ELECTRONICS DEALER, OR

HARRIS M. KIRSHENBAUM, ASSISTANT MARKETING MANAGER, PANASONIC/MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC, 5770 AMBLER DRIVE, MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO L4W 2T3.

TEL 416/238-2277. FAX 416/624-9714.

(PLEASE SEE ILLUSTRATION NUMBER 5)

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