Short Video Editing Encyclopedia (page 2)

Sony Corporation saw the distinct disadvantages of the infrared remote protocol and decided to improve it. Sony created the wired, Control-S protocol. This protocol is similar to the IR protocol in that it is one way, but you don't have to worry about precisely placing your IR emitter to transmit the signal. Sony felt that a wired system would give the consumer more flexibility. Unfortunately, unlike the IR remote, which can be used by a wide range of equipment, only a few Sony edit controllers and editing decks use the Control-S protocol. This restricts its use to a small list of equipment and makes it incompatible with the rest of the market. Because of this incompatibility issue, Sony later abandoned Control-S in favor of another one of its protocols, Control-L.

Control-L (also known as LANC) is Sony's first two-way editing protocol designed to work with both 8mm and Hi8 devices. This protocol, because it is two-way, can tell the edit controller the status of the tape, including its location, whether it's playing or if it's paused, stopped or ejected (see Figure 3). If the decks or camcorder support time code, the Control-L protocol is also capable of reporting precise time information. Using time code and its built-in efficiency, this protocol is accurate and its one of the best consumer protocols on the market. A system with time-code capability and that uses Control-L, is accurate within a few frames.
When Control-L was first introduced by Sony, it used a 5-pin connector and it was supported only by members of the 8mm family. Now, the Control-L protocol uses a stereo 3-pin connector, which a number of Sony VHS and S-VHS VCRs, as well as several JVC camcorders use. Most edit controllers, whether stand alone or computer based, now support Control-L.

When Panasonic saw the success of the Control-L protocol, it decided to weigh in with one of its own. The Control-M or Panasonic 5-pin uses a special 5-pin connector that handles most of the same duties of the Control-L protocol. This two-way system sends equipment status information to the edit controller and allows all of the same functions as the Control-L protocol with the exception of one major function: internal time code. This reduces the editing accuracy.
Like the Sony system, this protocol is proprietary and is only supported by Panasonic equipment. Unlike the Sony system, however, Panasonic decided not to include it with its lower-priced consumer equipment. So you have to make sure that the Panasonic deck or camcorder you are buying has a 5-pin Control-M connector, otherwise it probably only has an IR Remote or worse, nothing. Although Control-M is only found on Panasonic's prosumer equipment, a number of stand-alone and computer-based edit controllers support this protocol.

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