1985 KOVR stereo demo tape

I found this at a thrift store a few years ago- it's a VHS Hi-Fi tape, I THINK made for the local Handy Andy electronics stores, to demonstrate stereo sound as KOVR was the first station in Sacramento to start broadcasting in stereo in early 1985. It of course demonstrates the quality of VHS Hi-Fi more than broadcast TV stereo, but seeing that some people today STILL don't understand much about sound you have to give credit to whoever put this together.

Intro is with George Reading and Susan Blake (the local news was actually presented like this for a while, with one voice on the left and the other on the right, then they eventually stopped.) Also includes a cool on-air station promo which they had stopped airing right when we got our Hi-Fi VCR with stereo tuner- I'd hoped to get that on tape, so glad I found it here. Cool 80's commercial for Chevy Cavalier in stereo, though I don't remember hearing it on the air in stereo, and a promo for "Odyssey" which was a short-lived music channel that KOVR carried in the overnight hours for a few months. Also a few helicopter shots around Sacramento with production music; the tune at the end was used as KOVR's 30th anniversary theme that year.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• KOVR
• stereo TV
• 1980s
• Sacramento
• George Reading
• Susan Blake
• Walnut Grove

[Colortiniz]

Synthesized stereo LOL

[eyeh8nbc]

@Colortiniz All stations had a sound processor they'd turn on during mono material- there were at least 4 different ones that I remember, if you had the ability to listen to one channel at a time you could tell what type it was. KOVR used the most common one that's hard to describe without hearing it (check my videos recorded from this station like the sign-offs)- it was annoying especially during applause, and its effect was noticeable in mono too.

[zwortnik]

It gets pretty awesome at 3:34

[eyeh8nbc]

@zwortnik Yeah, that's pretty killer! Very few commercials were in stereo at first, they weren't really commonplace til after 1990.

[PortPowerAZ]

Still love that classic KOVR logo.. =)

[raymieX]

The third production music bed might be related to the station's news theme from this era.

[MattTheSaiyan]

The video is even more cool when watched and heard with headphones

[TJL31SJ]

@sygo7g My grandmother worked for Handy Andy for many years until their closing in the 1990s.

[eyeh8nbc]

@sygo7g I think they were only in CA.

[QuietSundayLibrary]

I recall watching "Odyssey" as a young child with my mother during late nights. I had terrible insomnia as a child, and would often curl up with her and watch video after video until I fell asleep in her arms. So many fond memories rekindled with that promotional spot.

Thank you for uploading....it means a great deal to me.