RCA VPT-695HF. Would this be good?

[mo418]

Hi all! I started converting 8mm and VHS years ago then stopped. And yesterday I saw all the cassettes still laying and decided to jump again.

I often see the recommendation of S-VHS or a player with a TBC as a pass through. I’m not very experienced with video material.

I’ve found a SVHS (I think) on Craigslist’s which is not really expensive.

It’s a RCA VPT-695HF

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...9798805139987/

Would this be good gear or I’m totally off the track!?

Thanks in advance

[latreche34]

That's not S-VHS, It's a basic low end VCR will work fine with SP tapes and a good capture device but EP and LP tapes will probably be problematic. What's RCA VPT-695HF, the link is for Qasar VCR.

[mo418]

Sorry. It was late!

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...9296279197911/

[latreche34]

It's an early model of S-VHS before the creation of Digital TBC/DNR, The problem with those early 80's models is the head wear and the availability of parts or donor decks. Unless you have the skills and a way to go see it and test it don't gamble with your money unless you don't mind risking $55.

[RobustReviews]

Purely out of interest, who made these RCA machines? We didn't have them in PAL land, I doubt RCA were 'rolling their own' though. Were these (decent) rebadge efforts as we had with Granada over here?

[mo418]

Quote:

Originally Posted by latreche34

It's an early model of S-VHS before the creation of Digital TBC/DNR, The problem with those early 80's models is the head wear and the availability of parts or donor decks. Unless you have the skills and a way to go see it and test it don't gamble with your money unless you don't mind risking $55.

Awesome info. Thanks a lot. I'll pass and be more patient then. I do not know much about video gear and it's hard to determine whether a model has TBC or not.

Thanks again

[dpalomaki]

Early RCA VCR may have been made for RCA by Panasonic and later by Hitachi - the break point may have been 1983 or so. Shortly there after RCA consumer electronics were bought by GE, then by Thompson Consumer Electronics in the late 1980s.

The company made many good products in its glory years, developing cutting edge technologies, but that pretty much ended in the late 1970/early 1980s as the US lost its manufacturing edge to Japan and now China. Today I suspect that it is a legacy trademark licensed by various companies for their products. And even that may end as the people who recognize the brand from its hay day ride into their sunsets.

[mo418]

Hi again. My setup is a 8mm tape camcorder, attached to an Ati capture card on PC. I’m using virtualdub to capture.

I recently discovered about TBC. From some researches, I saw that a Panasonic DMR-ES15 would almost act as a TBC.

I’ve found one for 30$ (CAD). Should I buy this, would it improve capture quality?

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...4056804053459/

Thanks in advance

[latreche34]

What problems you have that you want to address? A capture sample would help.

[mo418]

Hum it’s been a while since I captured. I just want to optimise my gear before starting again.

From my readings, seemed like a TBC would improve capture and ease editing. That’s why I’m looking for something beforehand.

I’ll try to find some old posts I made here few years ago but I remember there was some ghosting and chroma bleeding (all from memory).

Thanks.

[latreche34]

External TBC fixes timing, it should not affect the quality of the video, If your camcorder built in line TBC turn it on and capture first, If you see problems seek the solution if not don't worry about it, The more gear you add to the chain the less quality you get.

[mo418]

Ok thanks. I bought it anyway because it was cheap. I’ll make some tests.

Some videos on YouTube for this item seem to show it improve overall quality (?) and not just sync.

As said, I’ll give it a shot! It’s worth the try thanks again