JVC SVHS HR-S7722EK suggested, settings?
 

I’ve recently acquired one of these machines. I’ve tried searching the site and it doesn’t show up as one of the recommended (PAL) machines. It has TBC function so I’m hoping it will improve my workflow.

Does anyone here know anything about these machines? Things like common faults or settings to use for best quality.

On a slight tangent, how does one go about testing a VCR?

And if it needs work does anyone have any recommendations for places around London that will get this player back to top condition.

With this machine my workflow will be:

JVC HR-S7722EK > sVideo cable > Panasonic ES15 > sVideo cable > Roxio VHS to DVD USB capture device > 2011 MacBook Pro running Roxio software.

Is the ES15 redundant now I have a VCR with TBC built in?

I am still assessing how best to improve the capture card and computer/software parts. I’ve read the Blackmagic Anaogue to SDI might be a good option for Macs. Or the Diamond VC500MAC USB.

If anyone want to comment on either of those I’d love to hear.

Thanks :)

7722 is fine, pretty much identical to 7711, 7611, 7600. Quite a few 7x00s in PAL.
Most important model aspect is to verify it has line TBC.

Same settings as other JVCs.
- Turn off CALIBRATION, R3, SUPERIMPOSE/OVERLAY.
- Leave BEST (PICTURE MODE) to AUTO/NORM.

Post screenshots of menus if you want exacting guidance on settings.

Testing is somewhat difficult if you don't have a test bed of tapes. So you're stuck with the very basics. Use retail tape, one you don't care about (ie, you could lose it, break it), and then test full FF, REW, PLAY, and play while FF/REW. Any tracking issues require realign. Most decks are now 20-30 years old, and gravity has taken a toll on the alignment springs and screws. So non-SP tends to not track, drift easy. Head wear also a major concern, and is somewhat related to ability to align well. This is why refurb'ing decks takes me so long.

No, not Blackmagic, not sure where you read that. Terrible option there.

VC500 for Mac, maybe. The standard VC500 has AGC issues, awful card.

ES15 is redundant, yes. It has a line TBC, but the whole recorder is inferior to the built-in JVC TBC. ES15 is strong+crippled, and then has other negative side effects on image quality. Only use the ES15 when the JVC TBC chokes, usually nth gen stuff, tearing.

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I know it has a TBC button on the front so assuming that means it has ‘line TBC’. Good to know I don’t need the ES15 in the workflow unless necessary.

I’ll keep searching for a decent capture device for the Mac. I did start looking for an XP laptop which would do the job but there’s a lot of spec options out there and I haven’t quite got my head around them all yet to be confident in purchasing anything just yet.

I think it was a YouTube video where the fella had the Blackmagic Analog to SDI and then SDI converter in his workflow.

Thanks again for all your help, not just to me.

An ideal capture laptop is the Dell M6800, with the IPS display.

But you must pay attention to OS (Win7 installed), to specs (ideal combo of CPU, RAM, graphics, etc, for a capture system), and to how well it has aged. Some had OS downgrade rights, so 8/10 can be uninstalled, and the ISO acquired from Dell (not a random place, must use the Dell copy). The drivers must be updated, USB3 has issues otherwise. Some features like Bluetooth and webcam actually make it worse, so best avoided, unless disabled in BIOS and OS.

Boot from the mSATA SSD, large HDDs. Large = SMR, so quality matters.

SSD fragmentation makes those not great for large captures, drops and corruption.

Some of the IPS have burn-in, hotspot, or splotch damage, and cannot be used. Most cheap eBay units have this problem, poorly taken care of. Like certain JVC VCRs, the laptops were beat to hell by their commercial user base, so you must be very careful to find one that was taken care of.

Calibration can also be tricky, it depends on the unit, and how the screen has aged. Some are easy, some are impossible.

I have a contact for factory refurbs, and have acquired and upgraded into amazing capture machines for some members here. Fully setup for the capture card, ready to go. I quit offering system builds on the marketplace long ago, but I still get requests for it, and I make time to do it.

What you don't want is a random laptop, especially not with shiny/reflective screens that are impossible to calibrate.

I have 7600 and 7722 and I wouldn't put the DMR-ES15 on your workflow, it has its advantages but not in this case. This is the best settings for your VCR:

B.E.S.T. : OFF
PICTURE CONTROL: AUTO
O.S.D. : OFF
DIGITAL 3R: OFF
DIGITAL TBC/NR: ON