 
|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
|
|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
I am looking to buy a new VCR at around US$200. I don't need fancy features, and reliability is the most important issue. Can anyone give some suggestions? And please comment on what features are useful and what they means eg. S-Video in/out, G-Code. I have no idea what they are.Thanks alot.
Follow Ups:
JVC bought the rights from the American inventors of video tape technology, so everybody who makes VCRs has to pay JVC (though most of the patents have since expired). that doesn't mean somebody couldn't improve upon the JVC products, it just means it will cost you more and likely get you less.I own three JVC VCRs. My favorite was bought in 1986, a JVC HRD 470U. It front-loads the tape on end and duplicates every remote function on the faceplace--which is great for editing. Never had a problem with it. Yea, it's 15 years old, and I use it all the time.
My second favorite is the very rare HRD 630U, bought in 1988. It has a beautiful bronze case--the most beautiful VCR ever made. I use it for the digital effects--a superb dubbing deck. It has way too many features and all the remote buttons are the same--if you're not crazy, you'd be crazy to use a machine like this. I use it every day.
I'm taping the digital satelite feed of Le Tour de France on the HR S9800U. With S-VHS tape, the picture rivals DVD. This is a cheap machine with a flimsy case in a hideous "color" (what's wrong with black?). The motor is a monster--you can FF or rewind a 120 min. tape in seconds--to the exact spot you want. I'm not kidding--if you hit rewind at the end of the tape you'd better leave the room--the speed of this machine is frightening! It sounds like a FAZER on overload.
All the useful controls are on the remote, which makes it almost worthless for editing and dubbing unless you use the data port and hook it up to your PC. The remote has more features than any sane person could possibly want, and yet they had the sense to make the buttons different sizes, colors, and shapes, and put the most-used buttons where you can get them with your thumb.
This "last generation" VHS machine has features on top of features, and a manual that only an obsessive-compulsive would love. It's just about right for the inmates of this website. If you can think of a VHS tape/programing trick you'd like to do, this machine can do it. On mine, the display flashes "12:00" every second. I have no idea how to make it stop--the owner's manual is over 5000 pages, all written in Japanese translated to Korean translated to French translated to English-- so I put a piece of black vinyl tape over it.
It's nice.
But you sir, are a sensible man, and know that for under $200 you can get a HI-FI, multi-head VCR that is far superior to the best machines of only a few years ago.
I recommend JVC as the finest and most relyable VCRs made. All you really need to look for is a remote that you can work in the dark with one hand. Relyability and features are not important. If it works out of the box, it will work for a decade. By the time you learn how to use all the features on even a basic model, you'll be too senile to remember where you put the remote.
Get Hi-Fi VCR. Might as well go with the company that started the VCR, JVC. I've had mine for 8 years without any problem. That's the best component JVC makes anyway, the VCR. Note, I like a VCR with S-video and a set of inputs in the front of the VCR so I can connect a camcorder to record to VHS.
makes the most reliable VCRs. Beware RCA.
And beware of JVC also.Note that the quality of tuners in recorders can vary a lot. Panasonic is the only breed I have found where the tuner section levels with the best. I had a stand alone Sony tuner and the Panasonic gave an identical picture.
Note however that the circuitry in all of the cheaper ranges in all brands has been cut to the core so you get what you pay for. Just see the weight of the latest recorders compared to those 20 odd years ago.
We make better recordings on standard tape with Panasonic S-video recorders than we can get from the standard units (we have a few in this house!!!).
Good hunting
John
Peace at AA
I don't have much personal experience in this area - FWIW I've had a mid-market Akai VCR for 3 years, and it has some picture interference problems for some time now (I don't know any better way to describe a kind of visual noise in the upper left corner). Well, this is just my personal experience, but I for one am not going to buy Akai next time.
I was recommended Panasonic (no specific model) by a technical advisor at my work - which BTW is a television broadcasting comp. - so I might go for this brand.Best,
Thom P
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:
Top of Page ]
[ Contact Us ]
[ Support/Wish List ]
[ Copyright © 2025, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
