Advice Needed VCRs - remember those?

Captain Jack

Burnt out human
Joined
Oct 21, 2006
Messages
11,797
Reaction score
7,980
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
See signature
My Location
North Somerset
Hi all,

I have a collection of some rather old VHS tapes scattered around my parents' house, which I'd like to digitise in the best possible quality. My mum's VCR isn't the best and quite old so I think I would be best to find a better make/model (hers is some Panasonic with a rotary knob on the front - OK but seen better days).

What I am wondering is whether I would benefit much from getting an S-VHS deck, which will have an S-Video output, which can potentially improve quality. I don't have any S-VHS tapes, just normal VHS ones, so I won't get higher resolution but maybe colour separation will be better?

Any potential makes/models to look out for? And if anyone has one gathering dust in the loft, I will happily take it off your hands on a temporary basis :)

Cheers
CJ
 

Vipersan

Emmett Browns Ghost
Joined
Jun 29, 2009
Messages
10,918
Reaction score
6,663
Points
113
Age
66
My Satellite Setup
IP9000HD +
TD110 Dish and TD88 Dish in Tandem
66°East to 60°West.
AZbox PrmHD + OpnbxS9HD + Skybox + DrHD F15
2x VboxII AZ-EL
2 m+ Alcoa PF + BSC421 C-Band lnbf...
+SS2/TwHnS2-3200 pci/TBS6925 pci
1.5 Fortec Star -Gbox - HtoH Ku/Ka/C
My Location
UK
Really pleased with the one I bought 2nd hand from Ebay ..
It is Ex BBC ..and is SVHS ..plus has sync stabilization ..
I'll nip home and get the model number ..
I use mine to do VHS to DVD for customers who require it..
It wasn't cheap mind ..but has already paid for itself ..
rgds
VS
Panasonic
NV-HS950

Panasonic NV-HS950 S-VHS Video Recorder | eBay
 
Last edited:

Captain Jack

Burnt out human
Joined
Oct 21, 2006
Messages
11,797
Reaction score
7,980
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
See signature
My Location
North Somerset
Thanks Evan!

A 'spensive 'un...
 

Vipersan

Emmett Browns Ghost
Joined
Jun 29, 2009
Messages
10,918
Reaction score
6,663
Points
113
Age
66
My Satellite Setup
IP9000HD +
TD110 Dish and TD88 Dish in Tandem
66°East to 60°West.
AZbox PrmHD + OpnbxS9HD + Skybox + DrHD F15
2x VboxII AZ-EL
2 m+ Alcoa PF + BSC421 C-Band lnbf...
+SS2/TwHnS2-3200 pci/TBS6925 pci
1.5 Fortec Star -Gbox - HtoH Ku/Ka/C
My Location
UK
Thanks Evan!

A 'spensive 'un...
Yep ...
if memory serves I paid £95 for mine ...but no handset ..
I had to source one seperately...
But oh ..the picture quality..
I think they were close to a grand when new..
 

Captain Jack

Burnt out human
Joined
Oct 21, 2006
Messages
11,797
Reaction score
7,980
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
See signature
My Location
North Somerset
Will keep an eye out for one. £150 is pushing it a little and this one seems collection only (though I am sure I could persuade the seller to post).
 

Vipersan

Emmett Browns Ghost
Joined
Jun 29, 2009
Messages
10,918
Reaction score
6,663
Points
113
Age
66
My Satellite Setup
IP9000HD +
TD110 Dish and TD88 Dish in Tandem
66°East to 60°West.
AZbox PrmHD + OpnbxS9HD + Skybox + DrHD F15
2x VboxII AZ-EL
2 m+ Alcoa PF + BSC421 C-Band lnbf...
+SS2/TwHnS2-3200 pci/TBS6925 pci
1.5 Fortec Star -Gbox - HtoH Ku/Ka/C
My Location
UK
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
 

Captain Jack

Burnt out human
Joined
Oct 21, 2006
Messages
11,797
Reaction score
7,980
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
See signature
My Location
North Somerset
Interesting page and reviews. There's one for £75 but apparently the eject mechanism isn't working. Any idea on how easy it would be to fix that?
 

Vipersan

Emmett Browns Ghost
Joined
Jun 29, 2009
Messages
10,918
Reaction score
6,663
Points
113
Age
66
My Satellite Setup
IP9000HD +
TD110 Dish and TD88 Dish in Tandem
66°East to 60°West.
AZbox PrmHD + OpnbxS9HD + Skybox + DrHD F15
2x VboxII AZ-EL
2 m+ Alcoa PF + BSC421 C-Band lnbf...
+SS2/TwHnS2-3200 pci/TBS6925 pci
1.5 Fortec Star -Gbox - HtoH Ku/Ka/C
My Location
UK
Interesting page and reviews. There's one for £75 but apparently the eject mechanism isn't working. Any idea on how easy it would be to fix that?
Anything of that era can be repaired buddy ..
The issue I suspect is going to be parts availability..
A non worker is therefore a gamble.
 

Vipersan

Emmett Browns Ghost
Joined
Jun 29, 2009
Messages
10,918
Reaction score
6,663
Points
113
Age
66
My Satellite Setup
IP9000HD +
TD110 Dish and TD88 Dish in Tandem
66°East to 60°West.
AZbox PrmHD + OpnbxS9HD + Skybox + DrHD F15
2x VboxII AZ-EL
2 m+ Alcoa PF + BSC421 C-Band lnbf...
+SS2/TwHnS2-3200 pci/TBS6925 pci
1.5 Fortec Star -Gbox - HtoH Ku/Ka/C
My Location
UK
Looks like a plastic tumbler thing that breaks. Not sure it's worth the effort - https://www.avforums.com/threads/problems-load-eject-tape-on-s-vhs-panasonic-nv-hs950.1592340/
Might be worth a punt Alex..
Just checked at Donberg ..and they still have the part in stock ..
and cheap too ..
but I'd contact them first to be sure ..

Dönberg Electronics - Search Results: VDP1434


In fact should you decide to take it on ..order 2 ..
I might need one at some point ..
lol
 

Captain Jack

Burnt out human
Joined
Oct 21, 2006
Messages
11,797
Reaction score
7,980
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
See signature
My Location
North Somerset
I saw that but it's 20 Euros minimum order for less than a Euro part. Plus VAT. Plus post... It's Venture parts all over again!
 

Vipersan

Emmett Browns Ghost
Joined
Jun 29, 2009
Messages
10,918
Reaction score
6,663
Points
113
Age
66
My Satellite Setup
IP9000HD +
TD110 Dish and TD88 Dish in Tandem
66°East to 60°West.
AZbox PrmHD + OpnbxS9HD + Skybox + DrHD F15
2x VboxII AZ-EL
2 m+ Alcoa PF + BSC421 C-Band lnbf...
+SS2/TwHnS2-3200 pci/TBS6925 pci
1.5 Fortec Star -Gbox - HtoH Ku/Ka/C
My Location
UK
I saw that but it's 20 Euros minimum order for less than a Euro part. Plus VAT. Plus post... It's Venture parts all over again!
Ouch ...
I'll ask on my TV group forum for you ..
perhaps someone has old stock ..
but dont get your hopes up..
 

Captain Jack

Burnt out human
Joined
Oct 21, 2006
Messages
11,797
Reaction score
7,980
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
See signature
My Location
North Somerset
It looks like something you could easily recreate with your liquid plastic!
 

scopus

Specialist Contributor
Joined
Mar 25, 2005
Messages
3,174
Reaction score
3,807
Points
113
Age
59
My Satellite Setup
Primesat/Famaval 1.8 PF C/ku/Ka, Octagon SX8HD1, SX88, Openbox S3 Mini HD-V8S Freesat V7 HD-V8 Finder, Amiko A4K Combo, Satlook Colour HD Spectrum, Sansui A909 Amp and BOSE Acoustimass speakers for the audio.
My Location
Staffs UK

Vipersan

Emmett Browns Ghost
Joined
Jun 29, 2009
Messages
10,918
Reaction score
6,663
Points
113
Age
66
My Satellite Setup
IP9000HD +
TD110 Dish and TD88 Dish in Tandem
66°East to 60°West.
AZbox PrmHD + OpnbxS9HD + Skybox + DrHD F15
2x VboxII AZ-EL
2 m+ Alcoa PF + BSC421 C-Band lnbf...
+SS2/TwHnS2-3200 pci/TBS6925 pci
1.5 Fortec Star -Gbox - HtoH Ku/Ka/C
My Location
UK
It looks like something you could easily recreate with your liquid plastic!
Possibly ..but the parts made in liquid plastic aren't durable like nylon ..which the panny link will be..
 
A

Archive7

Guest
It would be a pity to buy a VCR player just for the conversion.
Perhaps you can find a shop that rent such machines for say a week?
If your collection where recorded on a mono and not HI-FI stereo then you should be OK with a mono machine.
 

Captain Jack

Burnt out human
Joined
Oct 21, 2006
Messages
11,797
Reaction score
7,980
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
See signature
My Location
North Somerset
Understood. But if these go for that much, I am sure I can sell it for just as much :)
 

Vipersan

Emmett Browns Ghost
Joined
Jun 29, 2009
Messages
10,918
Reaction score
6,663
Points
113
Age
66
My Satellite Setup
IP9000HD +
TD110 Dish and TD88 Dish in Tandem
66°East to 60°West.
AZbox PrmHD + OpnbxS9HD + Skybox + DrHD F15
2x VboxII AZ-EL
2 m+ Alcoa PF + BSC421 C-Band lnbf...
+SS2/TwHnS2-3200 pci/TBS6925 pci
1.5 Fortec Star -Gbox - HtoH Ku/Ka/C
My Location
UK
Ok ..
One of My TV buddies is putting one in the post for me..
So ..
If you want to take a punt Alex ?
 

Captain Jack

Burnt out human
Joined
Oct 21, 2006
Messages
11,797
Reaction score
7,980
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
See signature
My Location
North Somerset
Let me email the guy and see if he's willing to post it first.
 
Top