The first made-for-television miniseries to be issued in videocassette form before it reaches television goes on sale and rental nationwide today in an experiment designed to help pay producton costs.

The direct-to-cassette production reverses the traditional direction of miniseries production, which is telecast first and release as a video later, as in the case of "Lonesome Dove" and eventually "Scarlett."The new show is "Texas," based on James Michener's epic novel. The four-hour dramatization will be telecast by ABC after it has been in video stores for 90 days, part of the network's agreement with its home video partners who originated the project.

A spokesman for ABC said it would be telecast sometime after February.

The straight-to-video concept originated with Blockbuster Entertainment, which owns Spelling Television, maker of the film, and Republic Pictures Home Video, the distributor.

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Blockbuster and Republic went to ABC and persuaded the network to help finance "Texas," whose $12 million production cost would be offset by profits from cassette sales and rentals.

The cost of "Texas" is in line with the size and scope of Michener's historical novel covering a hunk of Texas' colorful history in the manner of his other behemoth novels including "Hawaii," "Alaska," and "Mexico."

The film begins in 1821 and includes the battle of the Alamo and the struggle for independence from Mexico.

The shelf price of the videocassette at Blockbuster stores is $49.98 and the rental is $4.

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