Re: pixelvision concept

["Brent Buescher, Jr." <buesch@snake.srv.net>]

>>>>> "Alexander" == Alexander the Great <kanaris@bode.usc.edu> writes:



    Alexander> You can modify a cassette recorder to run at higher

    Alexander> speeds by changing the "gear" ratio for the capstan

    Alexander> motor to the capstan, which is almost always belt

    Alexander> driven. So you need to change the diameter of the gears

    Alexander> involved.  Make sure the take up spool can keep up,

    Alexander> although this is probably taken care automatically if

    Alexander> it is driven through a clutch and gear from the

    Alexander> capstan.



Interesting.  Is this how the pxl does it?  My guess would have been

it used the cassette mech in "fast forward mode".



    Alexander> I don't think there exists a VALID patent for a concept

    Alexander> so trivial.  Who cares about patent numbers? I bet the

    Alexander> patents wouldn't add anything we don't already know,

    Alexander> and they wouldn't hold up in court because the idea is

    Alexander> so trivial. Thus, in theory, it cannot be patented.



A "device that allows video to be recorded on ordinary cassette tape"

is not trivial (or else we'd all have built our own pixelvisions) and

is certainly patentable.  I recall some mention of the patent on the

Discover channel web page---the context was some discussion about the

patent mentioning that the design could be easily extended to provide

color.



I am fully aware that a patent is nothing more than a "license to sue"

for infringement, with all that does and does not imply.  I wouldn't

hesitate to build my own "pixel-box" following the patent or

Fisher-Price's schematics.



Does anyone know where to get schematics for the pixelvision?



[off-the-cuff speculative reverse engineering of the pxl electronics

deleted]



    Alexander> I am sorry but I cannot offer schematics, parts

    Alexander> selection and design advice because it would take me

    Alexander> some time to put these things together and right now I

    Alexander> have none.



Which is why I would hesitate to call such a project "trivial".  My

time is valuable too---if I were to start in on something like this I

would try to get things like the Fisher-Price schematics and the

patent before I started throwing things on a breadboard.



Brent