Is the JVC HRS9600 VCR best for converting old VHS tapes?

[pete]

Was just wondering if anybody could offer advice on the quality of this machine for making vhs conversions of old tapes. I dont see it on any recommended list but seems to come from a good range of vcrs.

http://www.ebay.de/itm/JVC-HR-S9600-...#ht_500wt_1205

thanks

[volksjager]

the HR-S9600 is on LordSmurfs' list at http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...ing-guide.html

it is also the very best of JVC's 9000 series VCR's

[pete]

thanks , sorry i didn't see that for some reason.

I also wanted to ask a question around the Blaupunkt Video Recorder S-VHS HiFi RTV-950 , it is listed on the best buy guide , but just wanted to know how it compares to the jvc machines as its a lot cheaper on average.

thanks

[juhok]

Panasonic FS-200 (and it's german rebrand Blaupunkt RTV-950) in good condition is a crafty tool. Tell us about your tapes and workflow and then it's easier to give recommendations. Both 9600 and FS-200 are good in their unique ways.

[lordsmurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by juhok

Both 9600 and FS-200 are good in their unique ways.

That's the best answer.

If I was only going to pick on unit, I'd go for the JVC 9600.
Since PAL only has SP and LP, the EP/SLP (6-hour 3x speed) issue in NTSC isn't as much of a concern.

[pete]

Hi guys

I have searched hi and low for a good hi end vcr (JVC 7600+) hence my questions below and i am really not having much luck , bearing in mind that it needs to play (pal I) as i am based in south africa where that was the standard used , the same as the UK and germany i think . I have looked all over for JVC compatible models , there are lots of EU models like the ones I listed earlier in the thread (without knowing they wouldnt work with my video standard) but very few EK which play the Pal (I) standard . I think im going to have to accept that its more likely ill be able to get my hands on a panasonic clone on your recommended list than one of the jvc's . Could you possibly give me some recommendations on where to get hold of one of these machines at a reasonable price .

I found the below machine , would it give me decent quality conversions compared to a jvc model or should i wait a little longer in the hope of finding one . also would this particular model play the pal (I) standard.

http://www.ebay.de/itm/BLAUPUNKT-S-V...ht_9336wt_1190


thanks , at the moment im really struggling to get a sense of what models are suitable for my purposes , available at a fair price and can be shipped to South Africa . Any advice you can give in this regard would be really appreciated.

[pete]

oh and my present equipment setup is

Hardware
PC Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU3.2GHZ
1.5gb ram
ATI RADEON 9600 128MB AIW PAL AGP VIDEO TUNER CARD
LG GC 280SW VCR or Samsung SV667l VCR
Software
Windows Xp professional version 2002 service pack 3
ati multimedia centre (mmc 8.
mpeg video wizard (womble 4.04.114)

[juhok]

200€ for FS-200 is pretty much. In auction setting they go for +- 100€.

Are you sure that you need PAL-I support for PLAYBACK? I was under the impression that this only concerns the tuner. After they're recorded to the tape, it's all the same? Not 100% sure tho and don't feel like doing a lot of research because no-one ever sends me tapes from South Africa.

[pete]

Well i got my hands on an old JVC 5950EU about a month ago and tested some tapes and it wasnt reading them . It is possible that the machine had another fault , but as far as i can tell it is a different version of the pal system .

I would appreciate anybody who can provide clarification on the topic as its quite important when making decisions over the internet about buying vcr's . There really arent many high end vcr's around in Cape Town , South Africa and as such im probably going to have to buy something over the web and import it , if im going to get that level of equipment .

Any recommendations of reliable online stores for high end pal (I) vcrs and any related info about available models worth looking at would be appreciated.

[juhok]

If you send me a demo tape I can test it with a variety of VCRs. Should be a tape with no importance so cheap airmail can be used. Send a PM if interested.

I've had good experiences with http://www.ebay.nl/sch/m.html?_ssn=c...ckslider&rt=nc - not many options at this moment tho.

[pete]

I dont mind doing that as a last resort , but im sure this issue must have come up somewhere before .

We used the same standard as the UK , so im sure someone in this forum can validate whether the pal(I) standard is only an issue for recording and not for playback . Basically should the EU or E variation models of the JVC HRS series playback pal (I) video standard or is it only the models that end with EK that will playback tapes in the pal(I) standard .

Sorry if i sound confused , i probably am a bit.

[juhok]

I just bought a few commercial VHS tapes from UK so I can test them out pretty soon.

[pete]

Great , cause i just found this vcr below which is an EU model .

Once you've tested the tape wouldn't mind your opinion on this model as these guys do ship to South Africa it seems.

http://www.ebay.de/itm/JVC-HR-S7600E...ht_2435wt_1102

[juhok]

No experience with JVC 7000 series. Their prices seem also quite high.

[lordsmurf]

The JVC HR-S7600EU is an excellent model -- I have the HR-S7965EK -- and €175 is a very fair price for a top-condition unit. If you want a good VCR, and have the budget to get it, buy it. Average price of a JVC S-VHS VCR in good condition in North America is $150-250, which is the same range as €175 (euros). It's rarer to find anything less than that, especially at this time of year.

PAL-I refers to the variance in broadcast specs. There is only "PAL" for the tape format -- excluding PAL-M, which is actually a mix of NTSC and PAL.

- The same is true of NTSC -- there's only one "NTSC" for videotapes, tyhough several NTSC variations exist (TV specs for IRE).
- And also with SECAM -- excluding the special French SECAM-L.

In my own personal collection, I own quite a few Australian and New Zealand PAL VHS tapes, due to the cartoons that were released there but not in North America or Europe (in English). At the same time, I own a number of rare PAL VHS tapes from UK. If you're following along, that means I'm able to play tapes from zones marked as PAL-I, PAL-G, and PAL-B on the often-confusing PAL charts found on sites like Wikipedia. And yes, I use the same VCR for playing all of them.

The "E", "EU" and "EK" extensions on the models refer more to marketing and manufacturing than to anything technical. Several of these are explained in the VCR buyer's guide here on the site. See more here: http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...ing-guide.html

[juhok]

Every VCR in eBay is "top condition" if you ask the seller. Last HR-S7600 sold for 99€. From the past about few dozen VCRs I've bought from eBay.de, both private and business sellers, only 1 or 2 were really top condition in the true meaning of the word. In my opinion it's better return of investment if you buy 2 VCRs instead of one (if they cost the same and you do not need it immediatly).

[lordsmurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by juhok

Every VCR in eBay is "top condition" if you ask the seller. Last HR-S7600 sold for 99€. From the past about few dozen VCRs I've bought from eBay.de, both private and business sellers, only 1 or 2 were really top condition in the true meaning of the word. In my opinion it's better return of investment if you buy 2 VCRs instead of one (if they cost the same and you do not need it immediatly).

Also true.

[pete]

thanks guys , okay that clears up a few misperceptions on my part. Im really wanting to get my hands on a good vcr to start converting properly but there seems to be quite a bit of risk in the whole process associated with buying a vcr over the internet and hence im feeling a bit cautious .

Im going to send out a few emails to sellers and vendors in the hopes of getting a clearer idea of what is being offered and condition and then i think im going to pull the trigger , but any good ones you see on the web i would much appreciate forwarding of the links .

Also one last question is it better to go with more established vcr vendors on the web like http://www.vcr-shop.nl/ or some more established vcr vendors on ebay.de than specific individuals or smaller sellers , is it less risky.

thanks

[juhok]

Difficult to say. The link I gave earlier is the only (VHS) vendor I feel good about. Some other eBay business vendors never even answered my questions beforehand. How should I then trust their warranty policy etc? Of course I don't have multiple experiences with every seller so this is very anecdotal. If you use PayPal and item is not as described you can file a claim and there's a chance of getting your money back.

[admin]

At some point you just have to have a little faith that a majority of eBay sellers are simply trying to honestly sell (1) extra or unnecessary items, (2) something with value because he/she needs money, or (3) because it's turned into an excellent additional marketplace. I've been buying and selling online since the 1990s, and less than 1% of all transactions have ever been problematic.

When it comes to video hardware specifically, I've maybe fared a bit worse than 1%, but sellers were generally amicable to a partial or full refunds in those cases. I'd say it's still well below 5% of all transactions.

Even more narrowly, looking only at S-VHS VCRs, the biggest issue tends to be how knowledgeable the seller is. In most cases, sellers are not videographers, and have no clue if the output is to proper specs, or if all features are functioning. However, even facing that unknown, most JVC VCRs work perfectly fine. It's the Panasonic hardware that can be more touchy and prone to arriving non-functional (or functional with issues).

I don't worry much about JVC VCRs, when the person has at least tried to play a tape and sees a quality picture on a TV.