Best places to get JVC/Panasonic S-VHS VCRs repaired?

kpmedia · #1 07-29-2012, 03:54 PM

If your S-VHS VCRs start to have issues, or if you've purchased a used unit that does not work, do NOT throw it away! These high-end quality decks can usually be repaired for about $100 to $400, and will work like new. (And no, buying another used one is NOT a good idea, as it will likely have issues as well. Fix the one you have! When new, those VCRs cost $500 to $2k!)

Note: Don't be silly an insist on finding a "local store". In 2015, those don't exist for VCR repair. That's what UPS is for.

There are 5 solid options for repair:

TGrant Photo

Cleveland, OH area
Lodi, Ohio
(330) 391-0880
http://www.tgrantphoto.com

Jots Electronics

Dallas, Texas area
3201 E. Pioneer Pkwy #44, Arlington, Texas 76010
(817) 649-2511, (817) 652-3622
Hours: M-F 9:00 to 6:00, Thursday 9:00 to 8:00, Saturday 9:00 to 1:00
We've been using Jots since the 1980s. In fact, Jots was a customer of our family business in its earliest days. The same people who ran it then are running it now, which means their VCR techs have more than 30 years of experience. They've flawlessly repaired, serviced and cleaned quite a bit of our equipment through the years, and this is one of the very few businesses I trust completely. The rates are fair, they're honest, and you'll not be disappointed in their work. As long as they're in business, they'll be getting our business. And they should get yours, too!
Note: Don't forget to use the $10 coupon that's on the bottom of their homepage.

^ Out of business. (Retired.)

Stanton TV Repair

http://www.stantontvrepair.com

Southern Advantage

SA should be your last resort.

Thread updates:

- sanlyn suggested TGrant Photo in post#26, as did vidz_man01 in post#31.
- VideoTechMan suggested Starlit TV in post#22.
- dyfan suggested Stanton TV Repair, a general fix-it shop, in post#4.
- See post#9 for an option for repairing Panasonic AG-1980P decks, as provided by one of our own forum members.
- Some forum users have sent their units in to Southern Advantage for repair.
- Forum members recommend fellow member Quasipal for PAL decks.

Beware of eBay sellers that claim to fix VCRs! Several of them are scammers!

InvaderZim · #2 01-07-2013, 11:32 AM

Based on the information in this thread (found with a Google search), I just contacted Jots to see if they can repair a JVC HR-S7200U S-VHS VCR that refuses to eject tapes. I just got a reply telling me that, as of January 1, 2013, they no longer service VCRs because their technician retired. Bad timing on my part, since this VCR has been down for over a year but I haven't had a need for it until now.

Any additional recommendations on reliable VCR repair in 2013 would be most welcome. I'm in Austin, TX, so Arlington would have been convenient.

volksjager · #3 01-07-2013, 12:00 PM

you can try Southern Advantage or DoctorSony

Southerns website specifically says they repair the JVC-SR-S365U which has the exact same transport as a HR-S7200U

that sucks about Jots

this will be the problem going forward - the old-school techs are retiring and no one will be able to replace them.

dyfan · #4 01-07-2013, 08:34 PM

This shop (Elmsford location) can fix anything with a plug.
http://www.stantontvrepair.com/index.html

rds11 · #5 06-18-2013, 09:23 PM

I have some problem with a AG1980 deck and was looking around to see where I could send my unit for repair. I sent a request to JOTS before reading this thread...meanwhile, they responded that they have serviced many AG1980 and they could probably repair mine. So, has anybody dealed with JOTS recently ? Is the service as good as it used to be ?

volksjager · #6 06-19-2013, 07:05 AM

what is wrong with your ag-1980?

rds11 · #7 06-19-2013, 08:38 AM

When playing a VHS tape, the VCR shows sign of herringbone beat interference pattern (with both the BNC and S-Video outputs). If I play the tape long enough, the interference pattern would go away, but usually replaced by a gradually loss of focus of the video, and eventually the video would go dark (with patches of colors where the saturation is higher). I'm thinking it could be bad caps, but I don't know for sure.

I also have another AG1980p unit that works well, with a minor annoyance when the TBC is on : once in a while, it will flash a greenish spot accross the screen (only for a few frames, but long enough so it's noticeable). But with the TBC off, it plays without issue.

I've read about the herringbone beat interference issue multiple times on this forum or others, but never found anything about the TBC issue...

admin · #8 06-19-2013, 07:24 PM

We had 3 VCRs there in November. They work great now.

kpmedia · #9 11-19-2013, 02:48 PM

Forum member rumburaski can repair Panasonic AG-1980P units. In order for the 1980 decks to work again, these almost always need the capacitors replaced, or the ICs replaced. He charges -- at time of this post -- very reasonable rates of $75 (aluminum caps), $95 (the better Nichicon caps), and $55 (ICs).

We'd suggest using the better caps. In fact, those are better caps than the unit even started with. (Meaning it may not break again!)

He mentions this service in the following two posts in an AG 1980 repair thread:
- http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vcr-...html#post28977
- http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vcr-...html#post28992

If we need units repaired again, this will probably be our first choice at the moment. All the repair shops like Jots and Southern Advantage are sadly far too overbooked right now with units to repair. This will help spread the load around a bit.

moxiecat · #10 01-28-2014, 08:22 AM

Has anyone worked with Jots lately? Is anything different going on there?

I have had a few VCRs repaired there over the past few years, always done accurately with good turnaround time (a few weeks, including shipping).

However, the reason I ask is because my most recent experience with them was markedly different. Last fall I sent a JVC S9800 deck to them. It had a tape loading issue--fairly minor. They cashed my deposit check within a day of receiving the VCR. After three weeks, I still hadn't heard from them, which is strange (based on previous repairs). So I e-mailed to ask for an update. No one answered me for over a week. I e-mailed a second time to express my concern that they had my expensive VCR and so it was troubling that no one could answer my e-mail in a week's time. They finally answered, and I found out that my deck had been finished and sitting on a shelf for weeks. No one had contacted me to let me know it was done or what my final balance was.

I sent my check for the balance immediately--but 2 1/2 weeks later, it still hadn't been deposited and the machine hadn't been returned. When I e-mailed AGAIN, suddenly my check arrived "just yesterday," the process moved forward, and I got my VCR back. Now I guess I can't be sure the USPS wasn't responsible for the check's delay, but since I sent a number of bill payments out at the same time that WEREN'T delayed, it makes me wonder (especially considering all the other delays that had occurred). In the end, the repair took two months from initial shipment date to return date--which is at least twice the time a Jots repair normally takes.

I e-mailed Jots a few weeks ago to express my concerns to them and to ask if they were especially busy right now, and if that was the reason I had the experience I did. I told them they were a great company and I'd really like to send them more VCRs for repair. No one answered my e-mail. (And yes, in case you were wondering, all of my e-mails were completely cordial and professional--there was no reason for them to not answer me.)

I have many VCRs to get repaired, so this is a real bummer. Jots has always done such a good job in the past that I'd love to continue to send them units. I never had a problem before this past experience. So I was wondering if the site owner (who knows the Jots folks fairly well) or anyone else has had a recent experience with them, and if they've lost staff or had other issues.

Glad to read on this forum about other repair sources, though.

ETA - I did see the note above about repairing AG-1980s. How about other repairs, like for JVC units though? If Jots and Southern Advantage (which is shady and expensive, in my experience) are overbooked, where else can you go?

volksjager · #11 01-28-2014, 08:43 AM

also you can try Stanton TV in NY
they don't charge to look at it
i sent them 2 W5U's that they where unable to repair due to parts being unavailable
so all i had to pay was return shipping
may be worth a shot with 1980's or common JVC's that still have part available

dyfan · #12 02-03-2014, 08:55 PM

Like I already posted above, Stanton can/will fix anything with a plug...

http://www.stantontvrepair.com/index.html

volksjager · #13 02-03-2014, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dyfan

Like I already posted above, Stanton can/will fix anything with a plug...

http://www.stantontvrepair.com/index.html

except W-VHS decks

Winsordawson · #14 02-17-2014, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by volksjager

except W-VHS decks

And U-Matic decks, I just found out!

volksjager · #15 02-22-2014, 08:25 AM

i have not used them personally,
but Starlit TV in Michigan says can service most any vcr and are very experienced with the Panasonic AG's
and they also give free estimates
phone is 586-772-1900 ask for Pete.

VideoTechMan · #16 05-06-2014, 07:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by volksjager

i have not used them personally,
but Starlit TV in Michigan says can service most any vcr and are very experienced with the Panasonic AG's
and they also give free estimates
phone is 586-772-1900 ask for Pete.

I may have to give that a try since I live in Michigan. I hate I procrastinated for so long on getting one of my units worked on. I also have an AG-DS850 that works, but needs servicing.

Its going to be alot tougher to get these units repaired now since technology has gone mostly digital and most of the analog has gone the way of the do-do. I also have an 1980 which works fine but should getting it serviced too.

punker · #17 05-26-2014, 01:23 AM

can he fix my SAMSUNG SV-5000W?
it has the infamous spotting problem

lordsmurf · #18 05-26-2014, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by punker

can he fix my SAMSUNG SV-5000W?
it has the infamous spotting problem

The Samsung "worldwide" VCRs are just rebadged Panasonic decks. The SV-5000W is a Panasonic AG-W2. So anybody that can service Panasonic decks should be able to repair these two. In fact, the AG-Wx is just a VHS VCRs -- not a S-VHS VCR. So in some ways, it's easier (and thus cheaper) to repair.

Anybody recommended in this thread should work.

FYI: I have one of these too. But I almost never use it, preferring to leave PAL as PAL, with a JVC PAL S-VHS VCR. Then I convert the PAL to NTSC in Avisynth, if it really needs to have format changed.

VideoTechMan · #19 05-26-2014, 09:27 AM

Hey Lordsmurf good to see you posting again! Hope all is well!!

I had sent my DS-850 deck out to Pete at Starlit TV about a week ago and for my unit he says will be $200 (labor and parts) to repair the deck. Sounds like a really nice guy too. Haven't heard back from him yet but once I do will update the results of the repair work. These decks once serviced should last a long time with proper care.

lordsmurf · #20 05-26-2014, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VideoTechMan

Hey Lordsmurf good to see you posting again! Hope all is well!!

Thanks!

Quote:

I had sent my DS-850 deck out

I'm not familiar with a DS-850 deck. What is that?

Quote:

to Pete at Starlit TV about a week ago and for my unit he says will be $200 (labor and parts) to repair the deck. Sounds like a really nice guy too. Haven't heard back from him yet but once I do will update the results of the repair work. These decks once serviced should last a long time with proper care.

The ability to add more names top a list of known-good repairmen is the goal.