Here is a good link to hi end specs and revues..
Contents 4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PANASONIC NV-HS950, £800
This rather serious-looking, sober-suited Super VHS VCR, is aimed squarely at video movie makers. Just take a look at all that front-panel socketry, and there’s more on the back, for linking the machine to an edit controller and other items of post-production equipment. The key editing features are a timebase corrector -- used to stabilise replay of noisy, old or wonky recordings -- it has both 5-pin RMC and Control L/LANC editing terminals, the latter enabling it to control basic functions on suitably-equipped 8mm camcorders, there’s audio-dub, individual recording level controls and it has an extra flying erase head, for seamlessly inserting new sequences into existing recordings.
When it’s not being used for editing it’s equally proficient in home cinema applications with features like satellite control, a multi-brand TV remote, advanced digital noise reduction and NexTViewLink. That’s a new industry-standard control protocol (via pin 10 on SCART) that allows TVs and VCRs to communicate with each other. The HS950 uses it for a feature called Direct TV Rec, for one-button recording of whatever channel is being shown on the TV.
The HS950 has multi-speed replay, with jog/shuttle dials on the front panel and remote handset; the Super Drive deck mechanism is very agile, able to change speed and direction in a fraction of a second, with minimal on-screen disturbance.
Installation and clock setting are carried out automatically, it takes around three minutes, a little longer if it is hooked up to a satellite receiver. The remote handset and front panel look a bit fearsome; the controls are reasonably well laid out, though some buttons are on the small side and a pain to find in low room lighting. Manual timer control is very easy, with the settings shown on a LCD panel on the handset.
On-screen performances in both VHS and S-VHS recording modes were both excellent. It managed to just top 250-lines on high-grade VHS tape, with a gnats under 400-lines on S-VHS recordings. Picture noise levels were exceptionally low -- the best yet on S-VHS -- colour fidelity and registration were both beyond reproach. Noise levels on the hi-fi soundtracks were a little below average, the response is even and uncoloured.
The HS950 is sophisticated editing machine, designed principally to meet the needs of camcorder owners, but the top-notch AV performance and flexibility sits equally well with home cinema applications, a potent multi-role machine.
Panasonic UK Ltd., telephone (0990) 357357
UP CLOSE
Picture Quality 5
Sound Quality 5
Features 5
Ease of use 4
Build Quality 5
Value for Money 4
Features S-VHS, NICAM, hi-fi stereo, VideoPlus+ with PDC, auto installation and clock set, multi-speed replay, audio dub, insert edit, syncro edit, NTSC replay, multi-brand TV remote, satellite control, NexTViewLink,
Dimensions 430 x 107 x 356 mm
CRITICAL CAPTIONS
* A solid-looking design, with few cosmetic frills. It looks quite tame from the outside but lower the drawbridge to reveal the secondary controls, AV input and edit control sockets
* The remote handset looks a bit daunting -- there’s 63 buttons, count ‘em -- though the jog/shuttle is a welcome extra for sports fans and movie-makers
* It’s well connected, with a full set of audio inputs and outputs, back and front. The small DIN socket on the rear panel is for an edit controller; satellite control is via an IR wand, which plugs into the minijack below the edit socket