The logjam of unwanted Super VHS VCRs gathering dust in warehouses should loosen up for at least one manufacturer in 1989.
Realizing that people won`t buy these higher-picture-quality VCRs unless there`s superior software to show off the technology, Hitachi has made a deal with Orion Pictures to custom-duplicate 40 S-VHS feature films and specials exclusively for buyers of Hitachi S-VHS decks and camcorders.
Up to now, prerecorded-tape purveyors have been reluctant to duplicate titles in S-VHS because of the small installed base of machines and because S- VHS software cannot be played on conventional VHS decks.
Topping the Super software list from Orion are recent hot properties
”RoboCop,” ”Colors” and ”Throw Mama from the Train,” as well as forthcoming titles ”Unbearable Lightness of Being” and ”Monkey Shines.”
The special-effects and surround-sound-delight ”Blade Runner” should prove a vivid system demonstrator for S-VHS`s supersharp (400-plus lines of horizontal resolution) image. Other action/adventure film offerings include
”Malone,” `No Man`s Land” and ”The Messenger.”
Comedy buffs will enjoy Rodney Dangerfield`s ”It`s Not Easy Being Me”
and `Nothin` Goes Right.”
Music titles in S-VHS range from ”A Chorus Line” to the Rolling Stones` ”Let`s Spend the Night Together.”
Hitachi equipment buyers may purchase as many of the 40 S-VHS titles as desired at the special $39.95 price.
Hitachi is now pushing two S-VHS VCRs: the digital-effect-laden VT-2700A
($1,400) and the just-introduced VT-3800 ($1,300), which adds a flying erase head for clean edits between tape sections. Both have hi-fi sound, stereo TV reception, picture-in-picture options.
