NEW WORLD - NEW VCR - BUT COST $$$ 

You never suspected that the falling of the Berlin Wall would affect your pocketbook, did you? Let me enlighten your day. With the restructuring, both politically and economically of Eastern Europe, along with the unification of the European Community in 1992, global and socially evolutionary changes of historic proportions are taking place even as you read this. It will affect you. Let me point out just one piece of technology that many in North America and elsewhere will find in their homes in the 1990s -- the Universal Videocassette Recorder. In the beginning there was television. In North American homes we have universal 60 cycle, 110 volt electrical power. Our video is shot and projected at 30 frames per second. It has 525 lines of resolution. This makes for great black and white compatibility but not that great a picture quality. This system is called NTSC (National Television Standards Council). The NTSC system is used in the United States, Canada, Japan, Central America and parts of South America. In Western Europe and some Asian countries 50 cycle, 220 volt power is more popular. European video is projected at 25 frames per second and has 625 scanning lines. This system, is called PAL. It is compatible with black and white but uses fairly complex circuitry. But it produces a clearer picture. The difference is quite noticeable. SECAM the third system, also utilizes 625 line scanning at 50 cycles (or Hz.) also with 25 frames per second. This system is also black and white compatible, contains less complicated circuitry and projects a picture slightly inferior to PAL but still clearer than NTSC. SECAM is found in France, the Soviet Union, most of Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

All this is to show that not only are people around the world different, their systems are too. Along comes Matsushita Electric, the largest electronic company in the world. They started the VHS VCR style. With 90 percent of the 270 million VCRs in the world using VHS it pays Matsushita to pay attention to the marketplace. Now they have purchased the U.S. MGM movie studios and their huge inventory of movies, television shows and sport specials and must simplify the market to get true global domination they need VCRs that handle all varieties of videotapes from all countries. Why? Because the concept of a "borderless society" is now becoming a reality. "World citizens" are already here. They operate as though there are no borders ... a reality foreseeable shortly for all. As worldwide communications become a fact of life for everyone, but especially for the business community, one unit to handle everything was bound to be born. It's the new Panasonic AG-W1 Universal VCR. Panasonic is Matsushita. The front of the machine tells all. A layout of the globe allows selection of command. This machine can play or record from any system to any other system. Consequently, as satellites start broadcasting, or if you are in other countries or receive tapes from relatives, friends or business associates abroad, just toss them into this machine and the technical variances disappear. Prior to this innovation such obstacles could only be overcome at great cost, much effort and a lot of damn nuisance. I know, I've been living through it.

There's more. Video has long since meant more than just recording from television or playing back pre-recorded cassettes. The new video camcorder is revolutionizing the way people express themselves. Images and sounds not words, are the dominant factor in communications today. This is the "new language". And the trend is definitly up. Matsushita, leading as always, is again looking ahead. If it's VHS and made on this planet, the Panasonic AG-W1 universal machine will play it. Introductory price: $3300.

More information: Harris M. Kirshenbaum, Manager, Training & Merchandising Audio Video Systems Group, Matsushita Electric of Canada Ltd., 5770 Ambler Drive, Mississauga, Ont. L4W 2T3. Phone: 416/238-2277. Fax: 416/238-2362. CompuServe ID 73157, 3155.

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