Buying my First VCR

If you don't get a response here I'd seriously ask >>>/vr/ It's not video games but I bet they'd know. Be polite.

>>56318073

Thanks. Sorry for posting this on /g/. I know it's technically technology, but I didn't know where to post it.

The best VCRs available would have to be the S-VHS ones along with the tapes which are very rare and expensive. They still play conventional tapes though and have more professional outputs on them. There was also D-VHS but I don't think it went anywhere.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-VHS

>>56318293

Ok, so I want a S-VHS brand VCR, but what model do I get?

>>56318292
I think it's appropriate for /g/ I just think /vr/ would also know. They know a thing about AV equipment and capturing video specifically. They usually have CRT threads and a lot of old consoles required you to pass through VCR's, and other equipment to get picture.

>>56318307
No it's not a brand at all, it's the corresponding professional spec, similar to how Betacam SP was for Betamax tapes. The decks will be very difficult to get since the people who own them tend to hang onto them and treat them with great respect.

>>56318307
Just look for any fancy multi-system unit, those were almost never made cheaply due to the complexity involved, and you'll be able to play tapes from any region.

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>>56318340
>No it's not a brand at all, it's the corresponding professional spec, similar to how Betacam SP was for Betamax tapes

Ah, my mistake. So it was direct competition with laserdisc then? Doesn't look like it had a long run.

Does this machine look any good? It's cheaper than I thought an S-VHS machine would cost. It's also got 13 watchers which makes me think it's desirable, but I'm not sure why. Is there anything special about it?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/JVC-SR-V10U-Professional-S-VHS-VCR-HiFi-/272329515642?hash=item3f681aa27a:g:fu8AAOSwIgNXofnX

>>56318374
I used to have a JVC HR-S6970 which is the multi-system version of that machine, it was rock solid.
You can't really go wrong with JVC.

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>>56318398
I also had a Sony SVO-2000, which is possibly the best VCR I've ever seen or used.

>>56318398

When you say multi system, what do you mean by that?

Also looking at this one since it;s cheaper, but I have no idea what the difference is between the two. I'm just going by watchers.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Panasonic-Video-Cassette-Recorder-AG-1980P-Pro-Line-Desktop-Editor-/172317916624?hash=item281ef2bdd0:g:oUkAAOSw65FXvioL

>>56318419
>I also had a Sony SVO-2000, which is possibly the best VCR I've ever seen or used.

I've been told to avoid sony machines. Apparently they were made with cheap parts? Going by a guide I found.

http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/video-restore/1567-vcr-buying-guide.html

>>56318419
That fold-out control panel is some hot shit

>>56318012

http://suhastech.com/wp-content/uploads/images/Svideo-rca.JPG

any ebay >=4 heads would do it.

>>56318437
>When you say multi system, what do you mean by that?
Meaning it plays and outputs NTSC, PAL, SECAM, etc.

>I've been told to avoid sony machines. Apparently they were made with cheap parts? Going by a guide I found.
It was a decidedly high-end model, and worked for me for well over decade, the problem is that the rotary wheel broke, but it could still play. It was my main player so it saw the most abuse.

>>56318463
Yep, you felt like a god using it, while all the other plebs didn't have anywhere the level of control you had.

>>56318419

God damn, that does look good. Would match up perfectly with my Sony PVM if the thing was Grey/White. I can't figure out why that guide I linked doesn't mention sony machines. They keep talking about how important it is for an S-VHS player to have a built in TBC. Maybe sony machines didn't have those?

>>56318507

Ah ok. I only plan to play NTSC tapes on it, so that's not so important.

>>56318507
>Yep, you felt like a god using it

Anything that lights up like that with a fold out control panel makes me feel like I'm living in the 180s version of the future. Expected to see some fold out fighter Jet sticks in there too.

It's important that I post this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z4iw8Ppo1o

>>56318586

>Not a single S-VHS machine

Does that make me more autistic than him? I fucking lost it when the ghostbusters theme started playing.

>>56318545
>They keep talking about how important it is for an S-VHS player to have a built in TBC. Maybe sony machines didn't have those?
You can get an external TBC unit and for best archival quality you'd probably want one either way, it has a bigger impact than the one inside the unit. The fact that a VCR may or may not have a TBC doesn't say anything about its quality, some people have claimed that turning it on reduces quality on their models, ymmv. For what it's worth the Sony is an editing-grade machine and even comes with BNC connectors.

>>56318727

So if I buy the VCR linked here >>56318374 I would still want an external TBC?

I wish I knew more about that sony model, but I can't find any reviews or info on it.

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>>56318781
yes, like:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/276891-REG


>I wish I knew more about that sony model, but I can't find any reviews or info on it.
No one really reviewed VCRs back then, it was mostly word of mouth. You could also link two of these together and use a controller like pic related for advanced editing, it was real sci-fi level shit for a high-end consumer device.

>>56318012
Here OP: http://anarchivism.org/w/How_to_Rip_VHS#Choose_your_VCR

>>56318954

Don't buy from B&H unless you want to supprot Jews

>>56318012
read up on proc-amps too, you'll most likely run into a scenario where you'll want to adjust the levels... some proc-amps even have firewire interfaces.

>>56318977
It doesn't have to be BH specifically, it's just the first search result that popped up, most other sources are long out of stock it seems. Maybe you can get one second hand off someone.

being picky about VHS playback hardware
m8, this is VHS, any cheapass modern 6 head composite VCR will be more than good enough, VHS is terribly low quality, even for SDTV standards

>>56318307
Panasonic AG-1970, AG-1980 (make sure they were serviced)
JVC HR-S7900U, HR-S9500U, HR-S9600U, HR-S9800U, HR-S9900U, HR-S9911U, SR-V10U

all of them have TBC to reduce horizontal jitter and DNR to filter some noise.

>>56318419
>no TBC
>good

>>56320027
>VHS is terribly low quality
that is why you need very good equipment to get the last bit of quality of the tapes. Semi-pro models are known to track tapes very well.

>VCR
>$500 budget
wat


>>56318586
Came here to post this

>>56318012
Probably the best you are going to get http://www.ebay.com/itm/JVC-SR-W5U-WVHS-SVHS-VHS-VCR-/162179326471?hash=item25c2a42207:g:szQAAOSw3YNXbfeo

Can't wait for another 10 years to hear all the people going on about how they got their vintage VCR on ebay to go along with their VHS collection, and how new movies are starting to get a VHS release as well. Gotta have that superior VHS quality. It's got a warmer feel to it.

>>56323510
epic

>>56318012
/g/ is NOT your personal tech support team or personal consumer review site.