MediaCopy: Difference between revisions

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* After 1996, tapes duplicated at MediaCopy, Inc. would have an engraving on the left side that indicates the company that distributed it.
* After 1996, tapes duplicated at MediaCopy, Inc. would have an engraving on the left side that indicates the company that distributed it.
* EP/SLP tapes from this duplicator usually lack hi-fi sound.
* EP/SLP tapes from this duplicator usually lack hi-fi sound.
* Some tapes from this duplicator, that say "TMDEP" or "TMDSP" in the printings, had a few additional seconds of black screen after the blank space at the very end.
* Some tapes from this duplicator, that say "TMDEP" or "TMDSP" in the printings, had a few additional seconds of black screen (sometimes followed by the fading rainbow) after the blank space at the very end.


==Known abbreviation letter codes==
==Known abbreviation letter codes==
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===West Coast Video Duplicating===
===West Coast Video Duplicating===
<gallery>
<gallery>
File:West Coast Video Duplicating, Inc..jpg
File:West Coast Video Duplicating.jpg|The company's logo from the former name
File:Dark Ink Label (West Coast Video Duplicating) (It! The Terror from Beyond Space, 1993 MGM).jpg|An example of what the dark ink printing looks like from 1991 to 1996.
File:Dark Ink Label (West Coast Video Duplicating) (It! The Terror from Beyond Space, 1993 MGM).jpg|An example of what the dark ink printing looks like from 1991 to 1996.
File:Dark Ink Label (West Coast Video Duplicating) (Tales of Terror, 1994 Orion).jpg|Same example as picture #2, except the letters read "JLB".
File:Dark Ink Label (West Coast Video Duplicating) (Tales of Terror, 1994 Orion).jpg|Same example as picture #1, except the letters read "JLB".
File:Barney Live! in New York City.jpg
File:Barney Live! in New York City.jpg|On tapes with a different color cassette, the color and style of the printing varied. This picture shows a white cassette.
File:FX2 (1994 Orion Home Video) (100694).jpg|While most tapes by West Coast Video Duplicating didn't usually have anything in the vertical blanking interval, a few Orion Home Video tapes in EP/SLP mode had information like this in the vertical blanking interval.
</gallery>
</gallery>


===MediaCopy, Inc.===
===MediaCopy, Inc.===
<gallery>
<gallery>
File:MediaCopy.jpg
File:MediaCopy.png|The company's logo
File:Ink Label (MediaCopy, Inc.) (Attack of the Puppet People, 2000 MGM).jpg|An example of what the ink printing looks like from 1996 to 2001.
File: Ink Label (MediaCopy, Inc.) (Attack of the Puppet People, 2000 MGM).jpg|An example of what the ink printing looks like from 1996 to 2003.
File:Friends (021397).jpg
</gallery>
</gallery>


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* Juarez, Chihuahua (1998-2004)
* Juarez, Chihuahua (1998-2004)
* San Leandro, California (1995-2002)
* San Leandro, California (1995-2002)

[[Category:Anime duplicators]]
[[Category:Duplicators from California]]
[[Category:Infodisc subsidiaries]]
[[Category:Macrovision customers]]
[[Category:Otari TMD customers]]

Revision as of 02:59, 4 October 2023

History

The company's origins date back to 1987 when Media Home Entertainment, a subsidiary of Heron International, spun-off its video duplication arm. As part of the spin-off, Media Home Entertainment had a multi-year duplication contract with this company.

Former names

  • West Coast Video Duplicating (1987-1996)

List of Customers

  • Anime Village
  • Central Park Media
  • Columbia House Video (1987-2002)
  • HIT Entertainment (2001-2002) (Bob the Builder and Kipper tapes)
    • Lyrick Studios (1993-1995, 2001) (in 2001, only for Bob the Builder and Kipper tapes)
  • Live Entertainment (some copies of Paula Abdul: Get Up and Dance and The Substitute)
  • MCA Music Video
  • MGM Home Entertainment (1990-2004)
    • Orion Home Video (1987-1998)
    • Fries Home Video (1987-1989)
  • MPI Home Video (1991-????)
  • Pacific Arts Video
  • Pioneer Entertainment (1994-2000)
  • PolyGram Video
  • Prism Entertainment
  • Shapiro Glickenhaus Entertainment
  • Simon Marketing (1991-1992) (The Berenstain Bears and The Star Wars Trilogy Animated Collection tapes)
  • SyberVision
  • Video Treasures (1994)
    • Strand Home Video (1992-1994)
    • Media Home Entertainment (1987-1993)
  • Vidmark Entertainment
  • Viz Video
  • Warner Home Video (some copies of Batman and Batman Returns)
    • Turner Home Entertainment (1987-1997)
      • Hanna-Barbera Home Video (1992)
    • New Line Home Video (1991-1997)
      • Nelson Entertainment (1987-1991)

How to Tell

  • By around 1989, VHS tapes duplicated by West Coast Video Duplicating (later MediaCopy, Inc.) have visible ink information on the bottom middle side of the tape that is printed in a couple of different colors, but sometimes the color of the printings is invisible, like dark purple, for example.
    • The information on the tape includes the print date and time on the right. Next to the print date and time are letters that say "WCV" (1989-1991), "WCVD" (1991-1996) or MCI (post-1996). On tapes with a different color cassette, the color and style of the printing varied.
      • For example, if the print date/time is numbered "020795 1358", then that means the specific VHS tape was printed on February 7, 1995 at 1:58 PM.
      • On tapes distributed in Canada by Orion Home Video through J.L. Bowerbank & Associates, the letters would say "JLB".
  • On tapes distributed by Fries Home Video prior to 1989, the front tape label would say "WCV" (1988-1989) or "WCVD" (1989) on the bottom right.
  • In addition, tapes duplicated at this company also have two different length codes on the left of the information: on pre-1996 tapes, the nominal length is above the record tab (usually broken off), while on post-1996 tapes, it is on the bottom label portion with a side label digit on the middle.
  • After 1996, tapes duplicated at MediaCopy, Inc. would have an engraving on the left side that indicates the company that distributed it.
  • EP/SLP tapes from this duplicator usually lack hi-fi sound.
  • Some tapes from this duplicator, that say "TMDEP" or "TMDSP" in the printings, had a few additional seconds of black screen (sometimes followed by the fading rainbow) after the blank space at the very end.

Known abbreviation letter codes

  • 131 - tapes sold through Columbia House Video
  • MGM/UA - pre-1999 tapes released under the MGM/UA Home Video label
  • MGM - post-1999 tapes released under the MGM Home Entertainment label
  • WHV - 1997 tapes released under the respective subsidiaries of Warner Home Video

Known lot number prefix codes

  • WCVD - tapes printed between 1990 and 1996
  • MCI - tapes printed between 1996 and 2001
  • INFO - tapes printed after 2001
  • JLB - tapes released by J.L. Bowerbank & Associates in Canada

Gallery

West Coast Video Duplicating

  • The company's logo from the former name

    The company's logo from the former name

  • An example of what the dark ink printing looks like from 1991 to 1996.

    An example of what the dark ink printing looks like from 1991 to 1996.

  • Same example as picture #1, except the letters read "JLB".

    Same example as picture #1, except the letters read "JLB".

  • On tapes with a different color cassette, the color and style of the printing varied. This picture shows a white cassette.

    On tapes with a different color cassette, the color and style of the printing varied. This picture shows a white cassette.

MediaCopy, Inc.

  • The company's logo

    The company's logo

  • An example of what the ink printing looks like from 1996 to 2003.

    An example of what the ink printing looks like from 1996 to 2003.

Locations

  • Brisbane, California (1987-1995)
  • Culver City, California (1987-199?) (acquired from Media Home Entertainment)
  • El Paso, Texas (1998-2004)
  • Juarez, Chihuahua (1998-2004)
  • San Leandro, California (1995-2002)
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