Kodak MVS system
 

Jumping on the recent Kodak MVC threads. I have been assembling a complete system with one exception. I have the MVC460 camera/MVC5000 record deck/AC adaptor/camera cable/MVS52 video in-out adaptor (mono audio). All are working in its native video8 format in mono. The (I think) Newvicon camera is making good pix even in moderate light.

I did not go for the original docking rec/tuner combo as there is no analog to record. I have a MVS550 A/V stereo adaptor on the way which will give me what I need. It will get video and stereo audio from a digi tuner from off air in to the 550 lashed to the deck via old school RCA connections. The 5000 series has native stereo built in but the adaptor is needed to do it (not on the MVC3000). In the camcorder buildup (deck docked to the camera) it is mono only unless you use a stereo microphone (L/R connectors). And the 550 stereo adaptor does not fit in the basic docking unit or the camera. It all becomes a component system only. With this setup, I will get 16x9 letterboxed video off-air in stereo to the deck. For playback, I will play it and use the flat screen zoom to push it up full. Damn the resolution...full speed ahead.

The only missing thing is a battery. It did have a battery attachment but I do not have it. I do have some MVS60 batteries which are naked lead/acid batteries. I am wondering if they dropped in to the Kodak clip-on shell. Mine show no volts after 36 years. $200 worth of fun and history.

Very interesting system! It’s so nuts, I love it.

I found a video. https://youtu.be/AfJSNvtqGi4?si=XsAFUi-CJfOV2bNx

Nice note on my folly. I did see the Youtube vid. He has most of the parts but not the stereo adaptor and maybe a small battery charge clip. My adaptor arrives soon and I need to find a table big enough to display it's rec/play condition. He did show a carrying bag but I am not sure if this is for the kit or just the deck. Probably not a deck bag. Just make it the camcorder configuration. I did some tests outside and they were as good as VHS if not a bit better. More stable...Panasonic made it for Kodak. Sony stuck with the 8mm tape format for a while but with their own camcorders going to Hi8. Several of them around here. Screen grabs to follow. And if you need 8mm xfers, let me know. Cheap for the fans here.

I still have a few working Sony Video8 camcorders and two working Sony Video Watchman’s. Have a bunch of Video 8 movies. Please post a few photos of the Kodak system when ready.

https://visions4netjournal.com/gadgets-2/

The stereo adaptor arrived today and works fine. I used a digi player with the Tony Awards in 16x9 HD as a source in it's 480i output to the adaptor RCA inputs It recorded/played fine with some chroma noise and somewhere between VHS and Beta display in letterbox. Very stable. The adaptor and recorder both had AC inputs but I used the adaptor AC only. The adaptor has an odd stereo mixer control to vary the output from stereo to mono. Not sure why that was needed. There is another adaptor with a tuner but not stereo that I do not have yet. None of this mounts in the original recorder/tuner docking unit. I also found a character generator add-on that seems to attach to the camera as an inbetween device to add graphics to the original camera recording. Arriving soon for a test. Batteries for this are lead acid and long gone so I am not chasing them or the clip chargers.

Marshall, I have several of the Sony 8mm units also. Maybe a Hi8 unit also. Very much in the VHS-C camcorder form. Gotta look. Sony did have an early infrared night vision setting that was maybe too revealing. It does work though. Only two years of life for this format and fun to save and cheap for now.

My question is why Kodak went with a MVS tube camera from Matsushita/Panasonic when they were well on development of early CCD image chips for still cameras.

I will add pics as I can correct for the new restrictions and gather all the permutations of this unit.

Recently I transferred a bunch of 30-year old 8-mm tapes. Man, they are 120-minute, some are even 150-minute. It is a much faster process with 20-min VHS-C tapes.

“ My question is why Kodak went with a MVS tube camera from Matsushita/Panasonic when they were well on development of early CCD image chips for still cameras.”

Like RCA, Kodak suits executives were reluctant to invest in digital technology because it required long term investments and fearing it would take away from their core business and began to diversify into other chemicals businesses which all failed. They saw the handwriting on the wall and invested in digital, but it was to late, went bankrupt and began selling off patents to stem the shortfalls.

Kodak had smart people like RCA but shortsightedness caused their failures. America should have at least 51% engineers on the boards.

I remember buying a Kodak 8mm VCR and tuner-timer combo when they were closed out at US$150 for the set if I remember right. The model 5000 seems familiar; if I remember right, my setup included the stereo digital audio ability (but maybe at a less-than-CD-quality bit rate/depth?). I do remember that the video quality was poor, significantly below VHS EP/SLP or Beta III.

Later, I got a Sony 8mm camcorder (CCD-V1?), a non-zoom model with an odd physical shape but quite decent video quality, when it was available for US$400, I think. I still have all of my tapes (except maybe anything I did on the Kodak equipment).