I’m on a nostalgic video store kick, lately, and I was wondering if anyone could help me ID a peculiar little setup I remember from when I was a kid.
My local video store (approximately some time between 1990 and 94) had, at one point, an interesting little setup. A TV, mounted in a kiosk (the one I remember had chasing carnival lights mounted around it), displaying onscreen the poster and name/description of a variety of movies now available to rent. (With a catchy little tune playing in the background, which sounded like a MIDI file)
I don’t recall if there was any way of cycling through the roster of movies being showcased, but pressing a button (I can’t recall if it was a touchscreen, but I’m thinking it wasn’t) would start playing the trailer for the movie who’s poster was on the screen. After it was done playing, it would go back to the menu screen.
Obviously a promotional item, of some kind. And by the level of interactivity and the time frame, I’d guess was laserdisk based.
Unfortunately, my searches for who the machine’s manufacturer, what it’s name was (it had to have SOME kind of catchy brand name, right?), or any of the technical details of how to operated have come to naught. Doubtless not helped by my hazy recollection and a hazier description.
But I know I can count on the good folks here—'probably not only know what I’m talking about, but the Taiwanese factory it was built in, and the VIN of the truck that delivered it. Can anyone help me out?