Deluxe Digital Studios: Difference between revisions
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* Alaska Video Postcards, Inc. (1995) |
* Alaska Video Postcards, Inc. (1995) |
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* AnimEigo (Urusei Yatsura: Beautiful Dreamer, co-distributed by Central Park Media) |
* AnimEigo (Urusei Yatsura: Beautiful Dreamer, co-distributed by Central Park Media) |
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* Best Film & Video Corp. (some EP mode tapes under the Marvel Video label) |
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* Buena Vista Home Entertainment (1987-1990, 1998-1999) |
* Buena Vista Home Entertainment (1987-1990, 1998-1999) |
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** ABC Video (1980, 1988-1991) (tapes co-distributed by Signal Research) |
** ABC Video (1980, 1988-1991) (tapes co-distributed by Signal Research) |
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* DK Vision |
* DK Vision |
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* Embassy Home Entertainment (some copies of Victory at Sea) |
* Embassy Home Entertainment (some copies of Victory at Sea) |
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* Feature Films for Families |
* Feature Films for Families (some tapes) |
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* Fotomat Video |
* Fotomat Video |
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* Geneon Entertainment (2000-2007) |
* Geneon Entertainment (2000-2007) |
Revision as of 02:34, 2 November 2023
Former names
- Bell & Howell Video Systems (1978-1979)
- Bell & Howell Video Services (1979)
- Bell & Howell/Paramount Pictures Video Services (1979-1982)
- Bell & Howell/Columbia Pictures/Paramount Video Services (1982-1988)
- BHCP Video (shorthand form) (1982-1988)
- Rank Video Services America (1988-1998)
- Deluxe Video Services (1998-2000)
- Deluxe Global Media Services (2000-2006)
Current names
- Deluxe Media Entertainment (2006-present)
List of Customers
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (1990-2000)
- A&M Video (tapes distributed by RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video)
- Academy Home Entertainment (1985)
- Alaska Video Postcards, Inc. (1995)
- AnimEigo (Urusei Yatsura: Beautiful Dreamer, co-distributed by Central Park Media)
- Best Film & Video Corp. (some EP mode tapes under the Marvel Video label)
- Buena Vista Home Entertainment (1987-1990, 1998-1999)
- ABC Video (1980, 1988-1991) (tapes co-distributed by Signal Research)
- Walt Disney Home Video (1987)
- Touchstone Home Video (1988-1990, 1998-1999)
- Capcom U.S.A., Inc.
- Central Park Media
- Concord Video (198?-199?)
- DK Vision
- Embassy Home Entertainment (some copies of Victory at Sea)
- Feature Films for Families (some tapes)
- Fotomat Video
- Geneon Entertainment (2000-2007)
- Golden Books Family Entertainment/ClassicMedia (1985-2005)
- Kit Parker Films (tapes distributed by Central Park Media)
- Lionsgate Home Entertainment
- Prism Entertainment (1984-1991) (including tapes distributed by Paramount Home Entertainment)
- Artisan Entertainment (1988-2000)
- Hallmark Home Entertainment
- Vista Home Video
- Vidmark Entertainment (1988-1991)
- Media Home Entertainment (some 1984 tapes)
- MGM/UA Home Video (1982) (original release of Victor/Victoria)
- Milton Bradley (1986)
- New Yorker Video
- Paramount Home Entertainment (1979-2005)
- Republic Pictures Home Video (1988-1992)
- Simon & Schuster Video
- Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (1982-2005)
- Sony Music Entertainment (1999-2005)
- Sony Wonder (1999-2005)
- Random House Home Video (1986-2005)
- Columbia House Video (1992-2005)
- Sony Wonder (1999-2005)
- Sony Music Entertainment (1999-2005)
- Sterling Entertainment Group (2003-2004)
- Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (1980-1983, 1986-present)
- VCI Home Video (some 1981 tapes)
- VideoVisa S.A. (1985-1995)
- View Master Video
- Warner Home Video (some copies of Batman)
- Allied Artists Video
- Thorn EMI/HBO Video (1981-1986)
- Zenith Electronics (1984-1992)
How to Tell
- Pre-August 1985 prints would have an orange or green sticker on the supply reel.
- Pre-September 1981 prints would have either "Q.C. WHS" or "Q.C. WHSE" on the sticker.
- Tapes duplicated in Mexicali from 1985 to 1987 would instead use a simpler white sticker, either on the supply reel or under the label in the center.
- The stickers would always have numbers on them.
- From mid-February 1986 to sometime in 1996, there was a convex sticker under the front label with a bar code, a set of 8 numbers, a six-digit code starting with M, and the tape nominal length (e.g. T-120). Such tapes have the white screen test pattern, usually for half a minute, followed by a black screen for 20 seconds before the tape ended. Since late 1986, the moaning sound played in the last few seconds.
- Around the beginning of August 1985, an early form of the rectangular sticker was introduced. It consisted of a medium-sized bar code and a set of 11 numbers.
- The sticker evolved over the years. Its first major change came in late 1988: a bigger barcode with an 18-digit code. Colored sides were introduced in July 1989; red was the first. Cyan came next, in early October 1991. Then came magenta in mid-April 1992, green in mid-May 1992, and yellow in mid-June 1992. Blue was the last to show up, sometime in 1996.
- The next step in evolution, in mid-August 1991, used the same size bar code, but four sequences of numbers: a six-digit code, a single digit, another six-digit code, and a five-digit code. Only tapes before late August 1995 used the white screen test pattern.
- On some tapes from the 1980s to mid 1990s, there's a barcode without any numbers with a sticker on top of the barcode. VHS tapes with this barcode mainly have the moaning sound only at the end. Some tapes with this barcode have the white screen test pattern and full-screen static before it, such as EP/SLP mode tapes with this barcode.
- The next incarnation was in late June 1993, and a smaller bar code was used, with the following number sequence: a six-digit code, a single digit, a three-digit code, two four-digit codes, and a two-digit code. Not a single tape that utilized this sticker includes the white screen test pattern mentioned above or the moaning sound.
- The last incarnation of the sticker started in late July 1995, with a slightly smaller bar code and a more random sequence of numbers. Usually, only EP/SLP mode tapes and some carryovers from pre-1995 printings use the white screen test pattern mentioned above if you see this sticker. This sticker was not used on EP/SLP mode tapes until mid-1997.
- Sometimes the moaning sound only lasts 3-5 seconds and/or has a slightly different pitch.
- On some tapes from the late 80s to 90s, there are some dark red, green or white printings on the bottom middle side of the tape. Tapes that have these printings have the above mentioned white screen test pattern at the end.
Example 1:
X0102 T-100 P-2 25048
REPOSSESED SCR.
Example 2:
44041 T-100 P-2 13112
ROCK N ROLL HIGH
- Tapes duplicated in Mexicali would use a different set of white printings.
Example:
T-087 118G601 296 0776
V-4770 TOY STORY
- On tapes printed in Newbury Park, different white printings appear on the bottom middle side of the tape. These do not have the above mentioned white screen test pattern at the end.
Example:
KING BEE ADV CHARLE CHAN 3 01103
9/15/88 P1D#0766 WO6043 T85 RVSA
- Most 1986-1992 tapes duplicated at Rank have an ink assembly date on the bottom left side. Depending on the facility the tape was assembled in, the color of the printing may vary.
- Some 1986-1995 tapes have the white screen test pattern with the 1000 hz tone at the end; this is usually only the case with tapes that have printings on the bottom side, whether it's an assembly date or not.
- Most 1981-2006 tapes have a year-week code.
- The first number is the last number of the year the tape was printed. The last two numbers indicate the week (usually 01 through 52).
- E.G. if the code reads "PAR228", "PAR 228", "RVS 228" or "DLX 228", then depending on the age of the tape, it could mean the tape was printed on the 28th week of 1982, 1992 or 2002. Sometimes in 1989, the code is printed backwards, in which the week is the first two numbers and the year is the third and last number. If the code reads "WHV 439", it could mean the 43rd week of 1989.
- Pre-1985 prints have the code engraved on the back of the tape.
- Pre-1983 prints have the company abbreviation letters engraved next to the code in blue.
- 1983-1985 prints have the company abbreviation letters engraved on the top of the code.
- Post-1985 prints have the code engraved on the tape guard.
- Several 2003-2005 tapes, particularly those distributed by Paramount Home Entertainment, have the code engraved on the right side of the tape.
- On post-1989 tapes, if the company abbreviation letters from the year-week code on the tape did not indicate the distributor, they would always be RVS (1989-1998) or DLX (1998-2006).
- Some factory sealed copies of early-to-mid-1990s and 1998-2005 tapes have a blue or white Deluxe Laboratories "Film Reel" watermark logo on the plastic wrap, in place of the distributor watermark logo. The logo is usually on the back of the packaging.
- The first number is the last number of the year the tape was printed. The last two numbers indicate the week (usually 01 through 52).
- Tapes duplicated in Mexicali from 1987-1995 would have a visible blend sticker plastered over the back of the packaging that says "Made in Mexico." After 1995, the notation would be printed underneath the label on some sticker-label tapes.
- Tapes duplicated from 1982 to early 1986 would have a code on the left of the vertical blanking interval that begins with "B+H." From mid-1986 to very early 1987, this was moved to the right of the VBI.
- Tapes duplicated in 1987 or later would have a code on the right of the vertical blanking interval that begins with either "BHCP" (1987-early 1996), "RVSA" (late 1995-1998) or "DELUXE" (post-1998). Central Video, a spinoff of RVSA, also used the "BHCP" code until 1999.
- EP/SLP mode tapes duplicated at Deluxe (formerly Rank) from mid-1997 to 2001 (as well as SP mode tapes from the time with the white screen test pattern) have a code on the vertical-blanking interval during the first few seconds of the black screen at the beginning, consisting of the first three, four, five or six digits from the barcode on the tape (without the extra zeros in front of them) and five other digits. After those few seconds, the vertical blanking interval would change to either "RVSA" or "DELUXE" (see above). These tapes had the white screen test pattern only at the end.
- It is not yet known for certain how to differentiate tapes duplicated at Northbrook, Garden Grove, El Segundo, and North Little Rock.
Fun Facts
- Paramount Pictures acquired the first 30% of Bell & Howell's duplication arm in 1979.
- Bell & Howell sold the other 30% of its duplication arm to Columbia Pictures in 1982. Shortly after, the arm was merged with Columbia Pictures' duplication arm, forming Bell & Howell/Columbia Pictures/Paramount Video Services.
- All three companies mentioned above sold the arm's El Segundo operations to Andrew McIntyre Enterprises (which was eventually merged with All Post) and their shares in the arm itself to Rank Organization in March 1988. Shortly after, the arm was renamed from Bell & Howell/Columbia Pictures/Paramount Video Services to Rank Video Services America.
- In 1990, Rank Organization bought out Deluxe Laboratories from 20th Century Fox Film Corporation.
- A promotional tape for Street Fighter II Turbo used a unique cassette design RVSA never used again.
Known abbreviation letter codes
- CHC - tapes sold through Columbia House Video
- CTV - post-1992 tapes released under the Columbia TriStar Home Video label and its subsidiaries
- DLX - tapes duplicated following the name change from Rank Video Services America to Deluxe Video Services
- MCA - pre-1997 tapes released under the MCA/Universal Home Video (formerly MCA Home Video) label
- PAR - tapes released by Paramount Home Entertainment (formerly Paramount Home Video)
- RCA - 1988-1992 tapes released under the RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video label and its subsidiaries
- RCP - pre-1988 tapes released under the RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video label and its subsidiaries
- RVS - tapes released by 20th Century-Fox Home Entertainment, Central Park Media (only on Software Sculptors titles), and Artisan Entertainment, and their respective subsidiaries
- TEV - tapes released under the Thorn EMI/HBO Video (formerly Thorn EMI Video) label
- UHV - tapes released under the Universal Studios Home Video label
- VV - tapes released by VideoVisa
- WHV - select tapes released by Warner Home Video, most notably Batman
Gallery
Bell & Howell
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An example of the pre-August 1985 sticker sans the letters.
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Same example as picture #1.
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Same example as pictures #1 and #2.
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An example of the simpler white sticker found on tapes printed from 1985 to 1987.
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A year-week code etched on the back of a tape. The engraving on the tape shown in the above picture reads "PAR140," which means it was printed on the 40th week of 1981. Around this time, this was only found on tapes released by Paramount Home Video and MCA Videocassette Inc.
Rank Video Services America
Deluxe Video Services
VBIs
Bell & Howell
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An example of the VBI code on tapes from 1982 to early 1986. The number at the end varied by tape.
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An example of the VBI code on tapes from 1987 to early 1996. Once again, the number at the end varied by tape.
Rank Video Services America
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An example of the VBI code used on tapes from late 1995 to 1998.
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Example #1 of the VBI that was used mostly on EP/SLP mode tapes from mid-1997 to 2001.
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Example #2 of the VBI that was used mostly on EP/SLP mode tapes from mid-1997 to 2001.
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Example #3 of the VBI that was used mostly on EP/SLP mode tapes from mid-1997 to 2001.
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Example #4 of the VBI that was used mostly on EP/SLP mode tapes from mid-1997 to 2001.
Deluxe Video Services
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An example of the VBI code used on tapes from 1998 to 2005.
Locations
- Calexico, California (1991-1995) (co-owned with Videovisa S.A., spun off as Central Video)
- Elk Grove Village, Illinois (1981-1982) (acquired from Columbia and ultimately consolidated into B&H's Northbrook operations)
- Garden Grove, California (1987-1995) (spun off as Central Video)
- Los Angeles, California (1988) (acquired from Republic and ultimately consolidated into Rank's Garden Grove operations)
- Mexicali, Baja California (1981-1991) (co-owned with Videovisa S.A., moved to Calexico)
- Newbury Park, California (1988-1989) (acquired from IVE and ultimately consolidated into Rank's Garden Grove operations)
- North Little Rock, Arkansas (1995-2009) (ultimately sold to Caterpillar, currently used for motor grader assembly)
- Northbrook, Illinois (1978-present)
- El Segundo, California (19??-1988) (ultimately sold to Andrew McIntyre Enterprises)
Trivia
- Some tapes with either the company's RVS initialism engraved on the left or right side of the tape and/or its RNK or RK initialisms on the printing on the tape spine were instead duplicated at Technicolor Video Services.
- Some tapes with the company's DLX initialism on the printing on the left side of the tape were instead duplicated at Premiere Video.
- Some tapes with the company's name "DELUXE MEDIA" on the sticker on the right side of the tape, specifically Paramount Home Entertainment and DreamWorks Home Entertainment demo tapes from 2007-2008, were instead duplicated at Crest National.