JVC HR-S8000U S-VHS VCR (looking for it's JVC original accessories)
 

hi, new here, just ran into this forum,
because i have one of the S-VHS VCRs mentioned in the thread this link leads to;

http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...c-s10000u.html

and was drawn here to this forum because of it.

this VCR in question is my custom mod of the classic 1988 JVC HR-S8000U;

Attachment 1428

Attachment 1429

Attachment 1430

Attachment 1431

Attachment 1432

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/l...OHN5-4-111.jpg
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/l...OHN5-4-112.jpg
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/l...HR-S8000U6.jpg
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/l...HR-S8000U7.jpg
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/l...IIsolators.jpg


as you can see, it has heavy (about 1lb. each) solid die-cast isolator feet taken from the 1987 DENON DCD-1500II CD player, and cassette slot door panel taken from the VHS-only model directly below the 8000U, the HR-D630U, which is, bizarrely enough, an HR-S8000U in it's complete entirety, save for a different overall cosmetic finish, lack of fake wood side panels and, of course S-VHS. fairly strange marketing strategy, IMO.

anyway, i bought a rare HR-D630U off EBAY for that door panel, and i never took a picture of that exceedingly rare VCR before putting it in storage, so here's the EBAY seller's pic;

Attachment 1433

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/l...U/HR-D630U.jpg

as you might have already guessed, i'm in LOVE with this ancient VCR (HR-S8000U) and i have done my level best in the last couple years i've owned my copy to hunt down as many of it's original accessories as i can find. for example;

Attachment 1434

Attachment 1435

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/l...HR-S8000U9.jpg
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/l...000USM1988.jpg

what i have here is pretty much everything that pertains to this incredible machine, SAVE for it's original shipping carton and 1987/1988 1st.Ed. JVC S-T120 S-VHS cassette.

if there is anybody out there that can possibly give me a lead on either,
i would deeply appreciate it if you could help me out there...

Hi Tasuke, welcome to the site. :)

As a quick note, see this: How to Upload/View/Download Images+Attachments. Image sharing sites like photobucket don't keep images forever, so we try to attach everything to forum posts. (I've edited the above post, to attach images.)

Anyway...

Adding your own feet to a VCR is a very wise move! If nothing else, it gives it good cooling airflow under the unit. All gear here is modified in some way, for that same reason. A common suggestion you'll find on this forum is to buy those rubber "doorknob protectors" that keep a doorknob from bashing a hole in the wall. Home Depot and Lowe's both carry various colors (like clear, white and brown), styles and sizes. Many of them come with self-adhesive tape.

You may be hard-pressed to find an old cardboard box.

And then I doubt you'll find an unused S-VHS tape from that era, given the costs. I still have blank S-VHS tapes I bought in the late 1990s, which ran a very cheap $7 each at that time. The only reason I still have those is because I over-bought.

But good luck, all the same! You never know what fellow collector (or yard sale scavenger) may find this thread with something to offer.

And definitely stick around, there's quite a few threads here related to VCRs, and many S-VHS VCR owners of various brands and eras.

Hey there. I have considered buying the JVC HR S8000U, however, I believed that there were specific design flaws with the unit. While reading old threads back from the late 1980's and early 90's, I read that this machine had an infamous hi-fi dropout problem in which the hi-fi would switch back and forth to norm while the tape was playing in the machine. Does your 8000U that you have encounter that problem? It seems to me that the construction of that machine is superb, compared to the newer JVC SVHS machines. I actually own the JVC HR S6900U SVHS VCR from 1993/1994 and like you, I have the original box for the machine and all of the original accessories for the machine as well. To be honest, I actually have two 6900U's, but sadly, one is dead and it had an ejection problem. So, I am interested in hearing more about the 8000U as it seems to be a beautiful piece of equipment, however, I just don't like what I've heard about the hi fi audio problem, which to me sounds alot better than the 6900U's infamous white streak problem.

This may be easy to repair, only requiring a new belt. :cool:

I've been reading quite a bit of JVC repair information lately, for quite a few models. I have a few VCRs here that need repair, and suffer from similar problems. From what I've seen in older manuals, the belt is often to blame for this.

yes, my copy has that "problem" only very occasionally, though.

it seems to be some sort of MUTING system that's designed to blank out audio artifacts such as the occasional brief static pop audio effect that Hi-Fi VHS VCRs can sometimes have.

my 8000U only occasionally does this, so i think the blank-out system generally works as it was intended to.

regardless, the system obviously wasn't well received, as it was apparently dropped form future JVC VCR models, as far as i know...

JVC parts, try partstore
 

partstore seems to have the S-VHS tape and a few other parts.

http://www.partstore.com/Model/Matsu...earchTerm=True

Good luck!!

the copies they have are the mid-late 1990's editions of JVC ST-120, unfortunately.

i'm looking for the 1987/1988 1st edition;

http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/imag...8000U111-1.jpg

NOS or used, i'll take one any way that it might come to me,
so long as it is in reasonably good shape.

thanks kindly anyway... [:)]

Hey, I just wanted to let everyone know that I won a virtually new in box JVC HR S8000U off of ebay. It came in the original box, came with all the original accessories, and the remote for $390.00!! Machine looks really nice.

It seems like a LOT of money to me, for a model of that age.

But hey, if it's what you really wanted, I'm happy for you! I know it's a great feeling when I find something I really wanted, like a rare action figure, or even a set of obscure speakers. Especially if it's complete, like new, and/or less than I expected to pay!

Enjoy the new toy. :)

Lordsmurf, I thought it was alot of money too.... but the guy had said that the VCR had never been used before. This Sunday, a new JVC HR S9500U went for $300 dollars. Also, there is a Mitsubishi HS U82 on ebay new in box right now for $1,499 dollars!!! I figured if one wanted the best playback quality out of their tapes or recording, it is best to get a machine that is new. The only question I got for everyone out there, including Lordsmurf is about those no return policies. The guy had posted in the auction that the unit was 100% working. I would believe that if the machine didn't meet the description of the auction, one could argue with ebay in order to get the money back. Has anyone had any scenarios like this before? If you don't mind, I'd like to know what happened.

i myself was eyeing that!! i was going to pick it up for the box alone, and whichever 8000U was in better overall condition
was to be my primary, and the other for backup/parts.

congrats!! you should have the seller double box it to protect the original carton from the rigors of shipping.

also once you get it, you should either take it immediately to a service shop for a standard VCR tune up, or perform that work yourself.

it is easy to lube the mechanism; just pick up a tube of WHITE LITHIUM grease at HOME DEPOT for a couple bucks,
and apply some to all the gearwork if the transport, from above AND from below. that means removing
the top bonnet and wood side panels (completely fake, hollow plastic, for SHAME, JVC!!!)
-as well as the four plastic pedestal type isolator feet and the bottom panel.

this gives you immediate access to everything that needs lubrication.

your unit MAY also need new rubber as well.

i say MAY, because my 8000U, as far as i can tell, is still running off the little original
rubber in it's mecha (two belts and a idler tire) to this day quite healthily, and yours might fare the same.

you made an excellent choice. take care of this baby, and she'll take care of you. she may not be the absolute last word
for VHS to DVD archival work, but for all other purposes, the HR-S8000U should be the best and last VCR you ever own...

it may seem a princely sum, but it's truly a penance for a prime-condition example of a VCR as majestic as this. one really has to experience it in the flesh to fully appreciate it.

as i stated above, outside of serious archival work, one simply cannot find a more well-made and classy looking VHS VCR to own.

this is JVC and it's VHS video tech at it's 1980's JPN Bubble Economy finest, and for all general,
average use, is virtually impossible to beat.

if, for instance, like me, one happens to have a rather sentimental attachment to the video format that carried them through childhood and the teenage years, and happens to not be overtly bothered by the native resolution and artifacts of the VHS format, then, like i said, this is THE VCR to own. seriously.

to my eyes and fingers, at least, it truly looks and feels like a million bucks...

Hey Tasuke,

I just found this forum a couple days ago, and I just joined a couple of minutes ago in order to answer your question here (as well as to ask a few questions about the AVT-8710 from B&H and where to find the best JVC S-VHS VCR online) ... In fact, on the advice of this forum, I ordered an ATI 600 USB card yesterday for my Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit system,
and now I need the other two pieces for my (S-)VHS-to-PC transfers ...

Anyway, back in early 1989 (I think), I bought a JVC HR-S7000U for $700+, which I now realize was the original S-VHS VCR ... I still have it -- along with the original box, packaging, accessories, etc. -- and I'd be willing to pass it on to someone who values "classic S-VHS" more than I do ...
It probably needs servicing for eject/tape-motion issues, but I'd bet that the heads (possibly dirty) and electronics are working fine -- I literally have not touched it in years ...

But more to the point, way back when I first got it, I acquired a number of S-VHS tapes, both blank and pre-recorded (4 movies), as well as several high-end S-VHS head-cleaning (dry) and "perfect-picture" (adjustment) tapes ... So I just now checked my stash for the first time in years, and it looks like I have exactly ONE JVC ST-120 S-VHS tape from that era ...
(The rest are Scotch/3-M "Black Watch 5516" ST-120 S-VHS tapes) ...

The fact that I have just one "classic S-VHS" tape from JVC makes me wonder if it came with the HR-S7000U (?) or whether I just bought it at the same place (a local dealer) ... For a while there, I was getting S-VHS tapes (both blank and pre-recorded) from an outfit in California called "Super Source Video" or something like that, which is surely in
another line of business by now, if not defunct ...

Anyway. the "classic S-VHS" tape that I have looks exactly like the one in that photo above, and I'm pretty sure that it's been stored on its EDGE for 20+ years, not FLAT, because very early on, I read about the dangers of videotape-buckling over time ... What I DON'T know (yet) is whether it's ever been USED! I didn't put a label on it, or write anything on its package -- in fact, it still has the unmarred label sheet, unmarred B&W wrapper, and the original plastic case, all in near-perfect condition ... (I'm somewhat obsessive about keeping my nice stuff -- "nice") ...

In short, if it weren't for the shrink-wrap missing, I'd say it was brand-new -- BUT I'm afraid to put it into my HR-S7000U to find out whether I used it ... If I DID use it, I'd need to archive the contents of it somehow before passing it on to anyone ...

Anyway, I think this tape could be just what you're looking for ... (And if you or anyone else happens to be interested in the HR-S7000U, I would be willing to try to get it fixed/serviced at a JVC service center first -- and provide proof of that -- so that I could pass it on in "known-good" condition ... Cosmetically, it's near-perfect -- or maybe even "perfect") ...

Kevin

P.S. Ah, my memory is good! I just Google'd for "Super Source Video" and this was one of the first links:
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1...o-s-vhs-format

Its funny to read that even with JVC's backing, prerecorded DVHS content failed for the same reasons SVHS did.

The only "nice work of art" VCRs I own is a 1988 Sony SL-HF860D Betamax and a circa 1992 SLV-595HF VHS deck. High quality pieces, although only the Betamax is actually worth anything. The 595HF while "top end" at the time was nothing special and it was an unreliable machine. Sadly I don't recall Panasonic making any "masterpiece" decks during the time period. Unlike Sony and JVC, they built a tank of a VCR.

Well, I gotta admit, I am a bit concerned about you mentioning that the unit might be lubricant. I mean I checked on the original posting and the guy said that the unit was 100%. As a matter of fact, I think that the unit is brand new. Secondly, I personally wrote to the guy myself and he said that everything was perfect. I gotta admit, if this machine is new, I'd rather not go and take off the wooden side panels and top cover. Btw, does the 8000U have the same mechanics as the 7000U? My Dad actually still might have his original 7000U somewhere, but last time I checked, the keys were missing on it.

And yea, I know what you mean by getting sentimental to some of this stuff sometimes. The first machine I can remember in my house was a 6900U. The sticker on that unit always appealed to me for some reason. Also, I liked the red and blue VU meters on the VCR that they later removed on later machines. After the 6900U, he had a 9400U and I recently got one of those off ebay which I had to return, and when I looked inside of the unit, it was made of really cheap parts compared to the 6900U. So, I really hope that the 8000U is made of some good quality parts and not some cheap parts. Lastly, if a machine has no returns, and when you get the machine and if it isn't as it is described in the auction, do you guys think that one has a right to try to get a refund regardless of the no returns policy? Let me know.

PMed ya. thanks kindly...

not to worry. i've been all over inside my 8000U, and i can assure you, it is ANYTHING but cheap. in fact, the fake oak side-panels were the ONLY thing that JVC cheaped out on. this VCR, for all intents and purposes, is a TANK, through and through.

for instance, the cassette loading cage is assembled of HEAVY GAUGE STEEL, not the thin, flexible pressed sheet metal
that VCR loading mechanisms are usually made of.

that my friend, is just the start. you are in for a serious treat, this baby exudes quality. trust me on this.

finally, i strongly recommend that you lube the mechanism when you receive this beauty. i'll tell you why;

this machine is, as it goes without saying, an electromechanical device, with the big emphasis on "mechanical"

that said, this unit may have not seen use for many years. indeed, if it truly is "new old stock" than it has seen
LITTLE to NO use in it's 21+ years of existence.

complex mechanics need lubrication. indeed, they need something to allow the many moving parts to gel and flow through their travel with minimum friction and maximum ease. they also need occasional exercise, lest they may seize up.

what this all means for your coming 8000U is, quite possibly, many years, perhaps even a machine's lifetime worth
of idle non-usage, and that will mean that your machine will surely NEED a fresh overall lube of it's transport in order
to function at it's full nominal optimum capability.

just remember, this is an OLD VCR. a little preventative maintenance will go a long way. lubricate, overside and under, then insert a disposable cassette that you won't mind if it by chance ends up getting ruined, and exercise the VCR through it's operation modes, LOAD/EJECT about 10 cycles, and about the same for PLAY/STOP and FF/REW.

that should "wake up" the VCR's mechanism, and distribute the fresh lube evenly throughout the travel of the mechanism that you just lubed.

i would also recommend lubing the tracks that the guide arms that pull the tape around the video drum travel along during LOAD-PLAY/UNLOAD-EJECT, but i'd ONLY recommend that you did that yourself if you were certain that you had steady hands, to ease a STANDARD screwdriver loaded with a bead of grease down to those tracks WITHOUT touching the Video drum.

that is IMPORTANT, as the drum contains VERY DELICATE video heads. the drum must be touched/cleaned properly, or the heads can very easily be destroyed.

if you are certain that you can get grease to those tracks WITHOUT touching that drum, then i heartily recommend
that you do so when you receive your 8000U. otherwise, leave it to a professional.

outside of that, lubing the mech. couldn't be easier, and is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED for a VCR of this vintage, with this much of a possibility of long-term non-use...

First request a refund.
Then if that goes ignored, you may need to demand one.
eBay protects you, supposedly, from this sort of BS. Read up on eBay return policies.

Another option is to request a partial refund, to cover repair costs.

"As is" is fine if it's being sold as broken, unknown condition, etc. But if it's stated to be in working condition, and it's not, then there are supposed to be consequences. (This assumes it's really the fault of the item, too, and not user error.)

I've not had to deal with something like this in a long, long time. But I know others who have. I'll email one of them, and see if she'll be kind enough to post her experience here.

I just made my first 2 eBay purchases over the weekend -- an SR-V10U and a CTB-100 -- and both are supposedly covered "automatically" (i.e., no cost) by "eBay Buyer Protection":
http://pages.ebay.com/coverage/index.html

Kevin

P.S. Both of those listings had stated return times, though, so I don't know whether this particular eBay "protection" coverage also applies to items listed with "no returns" ... Look for the multi-colored eBay "shield" in the listing ...

P.P.S. Also, both of those listings were for "Buy Now" items ...

Here ya go from LordSmurf's "person who has dealt with this." :)

It's always good to deal only with sellers who WILL accept returns. It shows a level of good customer service. However, many sellers are gun-shy about this, and there are as many sellers who have gotten burnt by buyers as the reverse. So I've noticed a lot of them have become "no returns."

HOWEVER--that doesn't really matter, as far as eBay is concerned. As eBay states on virtually every item page, they will cover your purchase price in case of a problem. It's called a "not as described" claim. Basically, if you receive a VCR and it's "not as described" in the original ad, you can open a dispute. eBay will LIKELY rule in your favor and you will receive a refund.

In these situations, I've found that the best thing to do is to contact the seller as soon as you receive the item and find a problem. Don't be confrontational. Just say, "We may have a small problem...the fast-forward button is missing (or whatever). Your ad described the VCR as being in perfect condition and did not mention this flaw. Is there a way we can resolve this?"

You will probably need to take photos of the problem, or maybe even a short video (if it's a playback issue, for example).

See what the seller says and the vibe you get. If he seems willing to work with you, ask him if he would be open to a partial refund to cover the repair cost for the problem. (You may or may not get enough money for the actual repair.)

If he replies and says "Sorry--not my problem--the ad was 'no returns,'" then you'll have to make a decision. You can file a claim with eBay, and if eBay rules in your favor, you will need to send the item back and will receive a refund.

If you want to keep the unit, however, you're stuck, as eBay's policy does not include partial refunds. Partial refunds are something that are informally negotiated between seller and buyer. It enables the buyer to keep the flawed item for a lower price, while the seller can still receive good feedback.

So make sure you read every ad carefully. If the seller never actually says that the unit works (plays, ejects, etc.) then you might be screwed. "Not as described" literally means: when you receive the unit, does it match the description in the ad? If not, then yes, you have recourse with eBay. Just try to work with the seller first.

I just wanted to say yesterday that I got the JVC HR S8000U. The machine came in its original box and looked wonderful. There was not one scratch on the unit and the remote even had the original plastics on it. I tried the unit and all of the transport functions seemed to produce a picture. The VHS playback of the unit was excellent, and I am very impressed with the flip down control panel of the unit. However, I am very unimpressed with the Super VHS playback. I did a test timer recording with the Doctor Oz show today. When I played back the tape, the unit had the infamous white streaks. I am completely mortified. I looked all over the internet and no where did anyone say anything about this unit having a white streak problem. Just to describe it to everyone, they are these little comets that show up in various places on the image, only in Super VHS playback. The problem looks the same as my JVC HR S6900U. Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do? I've been thinking about it, and I might complain to ebay about this, as this unit apparently isn't in 100% working order as the guy described.

This is actually what the auction had said. I believe that if I can't solve this white streak problem, I have reason to demand a refund of this unit. The unit is immaculate in every other way though, and it looks better than any other machine that I bought off ebay. The unit is also very heavy, and although those wood side panels are fake, they look alot better than my JVC HR S6900U. So, what do you guys think I should do. Just to recap, the unit rewinds and fastforwards ok, VHS playback is great, but Super VHS playback produces white streaks. I have tried a handful of tapes already as well and all except part of one had produced white streaks. One other thing, this unit doesn't like tapes recorded on other VCR's, I have to adjust the tracking for virtually every tape except prerecorded VHS tapes. Tasuke, have you had any problems like this?

i don't believe so, i've made about a half-dozen S-VHS recordings on mine, without obvious issue.

could be a problem with your S-VHS cassette. have you tried other cassettes with it?

if you have only one S-VHS cassette, you could always take a HIGH-GRADE VHS and X-ACTO an S-VHS trigger hole into the bottom of the VHS cassette, enabling S-VHS recording on it.

that was a favorite Videophile trick back in the 80's and 90's, a way to save on the cost of S-VHS by getting most of S-VHS' benefits onto a standard high-quality VHS cassette.

for your purposes, however, this should serve well to rule in or out whether your VCR is at fault, or your S-VHS cassette...

I've having problems with eBay, too. I have a TBC that did not work correctly, as well a "complete" speaker setup that was missing parts and has a power problem. I've given the sellers two options: Partial refund (like 75% of price), or full return/refund. It's not good gear that they can resell anyway -- it's crap in need of repair. I don't know if it was incompetence or simply an issue of lying. Either way, neither item was "excellent working condition" as described. Neither works properly -- it works marginally and with serious issues.

I compare it to a being sold a puppy, and getting a two-year-old dog with a missing leg, blind in one eye, and a temper issue. It's sort of what you want in a vague way, but that's as close as it gets.

The "comet" issue exists on the Panasonic AG-1980P, too, when the tapes are really crappy recordings. It will track the tape perfectly, but has comets. The JVC won't track the tape, and has no comets. These are also known as "magnetic dropouts", and we now have working solutions for how to correct this in software. (I'm writing the guide next week. I spent several days this week putting together the before/after example clips, software setting images, etc.)

If you bought this for S-VHS playback, and it doesn't work, then a refund is not out of line. That is, of course, assuming your tapes are not at fault.

Tasuke, I have tried over a dozen SVHS tapes and they all have the white streak problem. I also tried the same tapes in my DT100U and my V101US and they don't have this problem. I have done thorough research on this machine and nobody has said they had a white streak problem with this machine. Could it be that the machine is out of alignment on SVHS? Should I try to contact the seller at all? I really think the deck looks to be in new condition, but having another machine with a white streak problem really irks me. Can any 8000U users help me out with this?

No, that's not an alignment issue. That's a head issue -- often from head wear, though it can be related to magnetics and other issues centering around the heads themselves. It's not alignment, that much I can say for certain.

kpmedia, I've tested all of the transport functions of the unit, and they all seem to work perfectly. The fast forward and rewind in play mode works perfectly while the fast forward and rewind works perfectly out of play mode as well. The playback of a pre recorded VHS tape looks perfect. Even the playback of a VHS recording made off my Direct TV box looks perfect as well. However, as far as the Super VHS playback goes, there are tons of white streaks going across the screen. It looks the same as my JVC HR S6900U. I did all sorts of research on the internet, and the white streak problem only began with the HR S4900U/S6900U/S5100U/S7100U models. Could it be that the heads for Super VHS playback are worn? If that if the case, then this seller obviously isn't truthful saying that the machine was new. If you read my previous posting, although he said that under returns on ebay he said no returns accepted, he stated that it was never used but 100% working. What does everyone think I should do? The machine does look new, and everything else works ok, but I just can't stand that white streak problem on Super VHS playback. Just to let everyone know, if it is a problem with the heads like kpmedia had suggested, www.jvcservice.com sells the upper drum model PDM2083A for $127.87. I mean, personally, I really think that $390 is alot of money for a seller to rip me off with a supposedly brand new machine. Well, at least I didn't go for one of those new Panasonic AG 1980 machines which supposedly have the white streak problem as well.

I got my partial refunds. :)

Had 66% returned for one, and 50% returned on the other. The 66% was enough return that I can resell without loss, or use for parts. The 50% was fair, because I can use it for parts to repair another one. The 50% was refunded, with an apology, no questions asked. The 66% was a haggle, but not by much. So give that a try -- if they sent you $hit, then hit them up for some $ back! It might work. That assumes you're willing to keep it, and pay something for it.

The AG-1980P doesn't have a "white streak problem" as much as that VCR doesn't work well with really crummy SLP VHS tapes. That VCR plays SLP better than most VCRs (including JVC), but at the same time, at some point, it can get worse instead.

Just remember that no VCR is perfect. If it plays VHS perfectly, appreciate it for what it can do. Find another VCR to shore up the weaknesses in your hardware setup. There's a reason businesses and serious hobbyists own a big stack of VCRs -- it's not by choice, it's by need.

I'd request some $$$ back, accept that it's a VHS VCR you like, and then add something else for S-VHS playback, with the money that was returned. Maybe it's not what you had wanted ideally, but I have to be honest with you -- I don't think that ideal existed anyway. (It certainly never has for me, and I've been doing this for well over a decade now.)

just picked two of these up, one to open, the other to keep sealed, exactly what i've been looking for!!


http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/atta...st-12019871jpg

http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/atta...st-12019872jpg

the seller, as of 7-16-11, has four copies left available;

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-JVC-ST-120-S...item4aacda13fe

http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/imag...VHSST120-1.jpg


just received the cassettes today!

a word of warning, and a likely explanation
for why 1980's JVC VHS and S-VHS cassette blanks are so hard to find; BAD LEADER STOCK.

yep, i have and old early 1980's JVC DYNAREC VHS, as well as these 1987
1st ed. S cassettes, and there is one thing they share in common; weak LEADER tape,
that snaps when FF or REWing all the way through to either end.

i'd be most upset about this myself, but fortunately, i have a box of MAXELL's PROFESSIONAL/INDUSTRIAL
ST-120 blanks, so i was able to successfully transplant the MAXELL S grade tape to the JVC
cassette shell.

it's, of course, regrettable that i couldn't keep the JVC cassette original,
but i'd much rather have a fully functional cassette than a non-functional broken one.
besides, my second JVC ST-120 is to remain sealed, and, naturally, original.

like i said, i have three early JVC DYNARECs that suffer this same issue,
so i was very much expecting this problem to show itself in these early S cassettes as well.

it's just too bad that JVC didn't catch on to this defect sooner...

Weak leaders were a problem with my last big capture project. The tapes were... JVC "Premium Standard" from the mid-late 80s. I had to do a few repairs from that batch due to detached leaders. The tapes were surprisingly crappy, almost as bad as the unlicensed "Made in Hong Kong" tapes my grandfather used to buy. The rollers would squeal, and it seems that someone used a rewinder on them that didn't treat them well. Thankfully all that video has been backed up.

it would seem that JVC videocassette blanks, at least of 1980's production,
have a reputation for weak leader tape.

i have a set of 17 1984/1985 MAXELL HGX GOLD Hi-Fi blanks,
and, of the copies that i have opened and recorded to,
EVERY ONE has operated as brand new, and not a single one
has snapped when passed through my bidirectional wall-powered KINYO cassette winder...


http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/imag...x1752113-1.jpg

http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/imag...x1752111-1.jpg


also, that JVC HR DYNAREC that you see up in the top left corner of that first photo?
that cassette is a EURO PAL/SECAM edition, bought from a seller in Vilnius, Lithuania.
and it has actually been successfully passed through my winder, without the leader on either end snapping.
it was made in GERMANY too, rather than JAPAN, like the U.S. market ones were.

evidently, whatever Japanese factory JVC was employing to make their cassette blanks,
had SERIOUS issues with their transparent Leader tape stocks...

A shelf full of Robotech and Macross. Nice. :)

I spy a VF-1J on display on top of the stereo unit. I have a Matchbox VF-1S on top of a VCR. And then a mix of Takatoku, Bandai, Hasbro and crappy Toynami Valkyries on a shelf. The smurfy blue VF-1J Max is my favorite, a 1/60 strike valkyrie from the early 2000s. Do you also own an original copy of Robotech the Movie: The Untold Story? I have one, along with an original movie poster, and the Art III book signed by Carl Macek. The movie was one of the first DVDs I made, because of how rare it was -- I needed a backup in perfect quality.

Oh boy -- Geek City ^^^^^^ ;)

Actually, I have a life-size molded-rubber version of Watto (the hovering blue junk-dealer from the newer Star Wars movies) on display in my loft, suspended from a 6'-high metal stand ... I won it in 1999 at a Southeast grocery store chain (Publix), each of whose stores had one on display to be awarded in a drawing at that store -- about 400 stores (and Watto's) in all ... It had a declared value of $300 for tax purposes, but I was told at the time that it was selling for $900 on eBay, no doubt because of all the hype about the 1999 Star Wars movie ...

Biggest thing I've ever won -- literally ... :D

no, the old ROBOTECH movie is the one thing i DONT have, and have NEVER seen.

you a member of MACROSS WORLD? i am. go by "Shaorin" over there...

I stumbled on this old thread because I just purchased one of the JVC 8000U units under discussion. Once it arrives and I test it, I will post my findings and impressions. I am hoping it will still be in working condition. The advice posted in this thread about lubricating the unit prior to use makes a lot of sense, and I will follow that before I begin testing. Thanks everyone.

Yeah, I ended up getting one of those JVC 8000U units, too, as well as two additional JVC 7000U units ... But I haven't had time to do anything with 'em yet -- in fact, (at least) one of 'em is still in its shipping box ... :rolleyes:

Definitely do that! I look forward to reading it. :cool:

Might you have any other JVC S-VHS VCRs to compare it with? That would make for a great read, too.

Yep, we've got some great members here. :thumb:

Now I don't feel so bad about having a photo printer still in a box ... for 6 months. :o

I think I'm a member -- yes, maybe -- but it's honestly been about 6 years since I was at that site. Mostly because I can't afford to buy anything...

... and seeing discussions for $100+ Valkyries is a form of torture that the UN Spacy outlawed. :P

oh, but the glorious self-torture that you are missing out on!! haven't you a masochistic bone in you?

let's just put it this way; the latest, cutting edge YAMATO brand MACROSS products (1/60 perfect transformation VF-19kai and VF-19F/S, both from the 1995 "MACROSS-7" series) are running in between $250/slightly over $300 after shipping these days.

the poor U.S. dollar/JPN yen value these days is mostly to blame. even so, there are a goodly number of hardcore western fans willing to shell out the hideous sums these amazing bleeding-edge scale replicas are commanding.

one thing's sadly certain though, these inflating prices are rapidly separating the men from the boys, so to speak, and turning the western MACROSS fan community into a small, elitist club...

JVC HR-S8000U S-VHS VCR Initial Impressions
 

I appreciate the responses by lordsmurf to my first post on this forum. The JVC HR-S8000U that I had purchased has since arrived after 14 days in transit. Fortunately, it arrived safely and in good condition. Its condition is actually astonishing. It still has the plastic film over the flourescent display, and everything about it looks new. The remote looks hardly to have been used. And it came with a good copy of the user manual.

I hooked it up just to make sure it worked. But then the sound and picture quality were so good, I couldn't tear myself away from watching a bit of the Three Tenors VHS tape from 1990. I adjusted the sharpness control on the front panel, which worked brilliantly. The picture easily surpassed that of the Sony SLV-700HF unit I had been using, which iself surpassed any of the lightweight Sony or Toshiba VCR's I had used in the past. The sound quality was magnificent, every bit the equal of the Sony.

After this initial test, I closely followed the instructions from Tasuke earlier in this thread and lubricated the JVC. I was just a bit stumped for a second how to get the plastic side panels off. Then I discovered you have to slide them forward after removing the screws so they "unlock" before you can take them off. I put lithium grease on all the gears I found top and bottom, and used a whittled down chopstick to apply grease to the tracks on either side of the drum, careful not to come anywhere near to the drum itself. All of this took about 45 minutes. Then the unit was back together and ready for further use.

We played the rest of the Three Tenors tape with much enjoyment. The sharpness and clarity of the picture from this unit are really not too far behind a DVD, that is, when using a high-quality standard VHS tape. I do not own any Super-VHS tapes, nor have I ever seen one. So I cannot comment on what further improvement might accrue with those.

I did notice just a slight amount of video hash popping up occasionally along the very bottom of the screen when playing the Three Tenors tape. When switching to a lower quality pre-recorded tape, this got noticably worse, and then seemed to improve the longer I played that tape. I am not sure if the video heads need cleaning or if this is the fault of the tapes. I have some brand new, high-quality pre-recorded tapes I have not played yet. I will try to figure this out by playing those. In any case, the video hash is not a major distraction.

I briefly experimented with the digital effects this VCR can produce, such as strobe, solarization, zoom, etc. I can't imagine using any of those on a regular basis. The zoom might be useful with a high-quality tape or a Super-VHS tape. But the low-quality tape I was playing offered only a very grainy image to the zoom.

In sum, I have just begun to get acquainted with this unit. However, I am already blown away by its build quality, and absolutely wonderful sound and picture. It's a great piece of video equipment history. I love gear which takes it to the max and really shows what is possible for that type of kit. This JVC really does that and inspires real respect for the designers. Too bad so little store-bought gear does that anymore.

I will post further impressions once I've had a few dozen hours of more experience with the unit.

Thanks to every one for keeping this interesting thead alive and going!

that's wonderful to know, i'm happy for you!

indeed, that "Hash" is likely just the drum being a little dirty,
or the mechanism just needing some exercise after a long period of dormancy,
either of which will be corrected after playing another tape or two all the way through.

also, it pays to LOAD/EJECT 10/20 cycles, in order to well-distribute all that fresh lube.

further, did you remove the BOTTOM panel and lube the exposed cam/gearwork in there as well?

anyway, my copy is still in top form to this day. i finally now have EVERYTHING for this beauty,
as i have recently come across someone that had a complete 8000U, including original box,
and was willing to sell just the box to me;

http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/imag...IPCARTON-1.jpg


also, after picking up a copy of this remote unit from a lower-range model in the same production era
as the 8000U, (HR-D430U) i found that i actually prefer it to the 8000U's remote,
so i now use it with the 8000U;

http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/imag...8000U113-1.jpg


(note the vibrancy and detail in this S-VHS recording of the 2000 Anime (Japanimation) "Hand Maid May")

(also, note that i have since stepped up to a 40" HD LCD monitor, and these recordings actually hold up
just as well on it as they do on this late-nineties TOSHIBA 32" CRT.)

http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/imag...IGITALFX-1.jpg

http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/imag...GITALFX2-1.jpg

http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/imag...GITALFX4-1.jpg

http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/imag...GITALFX5-1.jpg


(even better is the detail shown in this S-VHS of the legendary 1984 classic "MACROSS; Do You Remember Love?")

http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/imag...YRL67102-1.jpg

Best Super VHS blank tapes
 

Tasuke, those are excellent images you just posted, thanks. And thanks for replying to my previous post. Yes, I did remove the bottom plate and lubed the gears there, as well as the 2 tracks I found that already had some grease along them (but not much). I put the VCR through about 10 cycles of play/stop/eject and a few cycles of FF/RW. I hope the video hash does disappear as you predict.

I decided to buy some Super VHS tapes to record on. Hastily, I just purchased some JVC XG 120 blank Super VHS tapes, not really knowing what I was doing. Then I read your remarks about the bad leader tape in the early JVC Super VHS tapes. I think the ones I bought are of much later vintage, so hopefully they corrected the problem by then.

Does anybody use these and have comments on them? What about the Fuji brand Super VHS tapes? Would they be as good or better? All of these seem to be in somewhat short supply. I suppose nobody actually manufactures them anymore. More information would be appreciated.

Thanks.