[Erlang]

Hi
I'm looking for some suggestions for a good quality (pro-sumer) VHS deck for allow me to transfer a lot of VHS tapes to digital.

I have a Black Magic Design Intensity Pro card fitted, but , my old Samsung player is a bit naff.

I can't afford a Pro edit deck as they still command price of between £350 - £500, but I could perhaps afford £200 for a good quality refurb or tested, something like a top line Panasonic or JVC.

Any suggestions on models so I can make an educated search on Ebay etc?

[Chris Frost]

Really good info here including machine list: http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...ing-guide.html

[Nigel Goodwin]

You mention S-VHS, assuming your tapes are normal VHS I would suggest you don't get an S-VHS player - commonly they seem poorer on normal VHS than a purely VHS machine. I always suspected it was done deliberately to make S-VHS look better?.

[Erlang]

Thanks for the info, I have read that guide now, and the best recommended ones are difficult to find and expensive, so now I'm torn with find and buy lesser vintage models or just cut to buying one of these.

Panasonic DMR-EZ49 DVD Recorder & VCR Combination
Either using the burn VHS to DVD or use my capture card to capture the HDMI or SVIDEO out.

Any views?

[Soundbox]

Originally Posted by Chris Frost

Really good info here including machine list: http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...ing-guide.html

The only problem with that site is they mainly deal with NTSC machines and the PAL versions were often quite different. Good info though - but 'read with care'.

My suggestion for a good VCR is a Panasonic from the 1990's like the NV-F77 of NV-F70 which has really nice quality and makes nice DVD's. All the good VCR's will be used now so that is another issue - do they work 100% in 2012.

[Erlang]

Yes I did a lot of reading, from the likes of "Lord Smurf" and those reservations about having found one unless bnib (even then why is it bnib) alignment and PSU capacitor health comes up several times. there is a UK based VCR specialist on Ebay, but most of his good model numbers command £200 plus and they only really come with a PAT test, no real guarantee of playback quality or longevity.

I haven't really found a good one, hence considering the Panny DMR-EZ49, I know its £240 ish but it's current, has a warranty, has SCART which I can definitely use to drive my capture card, and maybe even the HDMI out for VHS, (not too bothered about DVD capture via HDMI), and who knows it might even produce good VHS-DVD copies itself?

Anyone use a Panasonic DMR-EZ49 or series?

[Soundbox]

Erlang, it is worth sending Panasonic customer support a 'customer message' and ask:

"Does the DMR-EZ49 employ any form of internal time base correction when dubbing from VHS to DVD?"

My standalone Panasonic DVD recorder (has freeview and hard drive too) DOES have an unmentioned in the manual time base corrector on all inputs and it makes the world of difference in cleaning up shaky recordings (so the DVD copy of the VHS looks better than just playing the tape direct).

If the DMR-EZ49 does then go for it - it will do the job.

[2Bdecided]

Originally Posted by Nigel Goodwin

You mention S-VHS, assuming your tapes are normal VHS I would suggest you don't get an S-VHS player - commonly they seem poorer on normal VHS than a purely VHS machine. I always suspected it was done deliberately to make S-VHS look better?.

That's terrible advice Nigel. Integrated TBCs are only found in high-end S-VHS models, and are essential to getting the best possible transfer. Plus even VHS records the luma and chroma separately, so (depending on the luma/chroma separation in your capture device) can benefit from the S-video (separated video) connection only found on S-VHS machines.

The only alternative that comes close is a decent VHS machine, and something to pass the signal through to clean it up (e.g. a Panasonic DMR-ES10 or similar).

On a practical note, the best I've ever seen VHS look is on S-VHS decks, probably because they're the best decks I've ever used.

A Black Magic Design Intensity Pro is overkill, and not ideal, for VHS capturing. It expects perfect signals. You should be OK with a TBC, but things could be hopeless without one, depending on the quality of the tapes.

Cheers,
David.

[Nigel Goodwin]

Originally Posted by 2Bdecided

That's terrible advice Nigel. Integrated TBCs are only found in high-end S-VHS models, and are essential to getting the best possible transfer. Plus even VHS records the luma and chroma separately, so (depending on the luma/chroma separation in your capture device) can benefit from the S-video (separated video) connection only found on S-VHS machines.

While VHS records luma and chroma separately, it was composite before recording - so any worthwhile benefit has already been lost.

All I'm advising is not to blindly buy an S-VHS machine in the hope it will be better, in my experience for standard VHS they aren't better at all, and are commonly slightly poorer than a decent VHS machine.

[witham1]

I have a Panasonic AG-4700 with a TBC and it makes a really good job of cleaning up VHS recordings. I don’t think it’s true that they only work well on SVHS.

[Nigel Goodwin]

Originally Posted by witham1

I have a Panasonic AG-4700 with a TBC and it makes a really good job of cleaning up VHS recordings. I don’t think it’s true that they only work well on SVHS.

I don't think that was what he claimed, only that S-VHS are far more likely to have TBC,

[Soundbox]

One fact I am certain about is that a good VHS deck will play back better than a cheaply made or worn condition S-VHS deck.

Good (plain VHS) machines are easier to get than S-VHS decks (whose heads are usually worn due to the abrasive S-VHS tapes used in the past). I was watching the Olympics I had recorded today on my 1989 Panasonic NV-F70 and the picture was as good as I could hope from tape.

[Erlang]

thanks again everyone for the advice, yes it looks like the BMD Intensity issue is a poor feed, as a good analogue feed from a DV camcorder gave no problems and no dropped frames.

I bought a DMR-EZ49 in the end as I tried one out, and was happy with the DVD it produced (no dropped frames), as I have over a hundred hours of VHS to transfer and therefore it made sense not to tie up my Mac to capture. The Panny is fire and forget, and I could use it to feed BMD Intensity at alater date perhaps?

Thanks for the help.

[AidanLunn]

Supporter of older VHS machines here (as I find they generally have better picture and - for HiFi - sound quality and tracking than modern machines.)

I don't recommend the Panasonic machines recommended, simply for one thing - usage of the G Deck, which was both, in my experience, unreliable and waaaaaaaay over-complex.

The machines with the two designs of JVC deck in the mid-late 80s are the best in my experience. As they are simple, reliable, generally don't interfere with the picture (many being "pre-HQ, which I find actually degrades the picture quality), have the best tracking tolerances for "awkward" tapes.

Just one word of warning - *don't* expect a VCR to arrive in the post in one piece - generally I find that the front panel of old VCRs begins to break off this way as they generally can't handle the physical pressure of being hurled about.

HRD-725s and HRD-370s, both dating from around 1985/86 are among the best HiFi VCRs ever, are usually reliable and deliver excellent results. 725s are more common than 370s and they regularly pop up on a certain auction site.

[Nigel Goodwin]

Originally Posted by AidanLunn

I don't recommend the Panasonic machines recommended, simply for one thing - usage of the G Deck, which was both, in my experience, unreliable and waaaaaaaay over-complex.

Yes, pointlessly over-complicated mechanics, but as long as it still works it's no problem - and their performance was usually pretty decent.

As they are simple, reliable, generally don't interfere with the picture (many being "pre-HQ, which I find actually degrades the picture quality), have the best tracking tolerances for "awkward" tapes.

What was the 'HQ' crap anyway? - they dropped the quality of the machines, performance was far worse!, and they stick a label on the front saying 'HQ' - who were they trying to fool?.

[witham1]

Originally Posted by AidanLunn

Supporter of older VHS machines here (as I find they generally have better picture and - for HiFi - sound quality and tracking than modern machines.)

I don't recommend the Panasonic machines recommended, simply for one thing - usage of the G Deck, which was both, in my experience, unreliable and waaaaaaaay over-complex.

The machines with the two designs of JVC deck in the mid-late 80s are the best in my experience. As they are simple, reliable, generally don't interfere with the picture (many being "pre-HQ, which I find actually degrades the picture quality), have the best tracking tolerances for "awkward" tapes.

Just one word of warning - *don't* expect a VCR to arrive in the post in one piece - generally I find that the front panel of old VCRs begins to break off this way as they generally can't handle the physical pressure of being hurled about.

HRD-725s and HRD-370s, both dating from around 1985/86 are among the best HiFi VCRs ever, are usually reliable and deliver excellent results. 725s are more common than 370s and they regularly pop up on a certain auction site.

My Panasonic AG-4700 uses the “K” mechanism and I think it is very reliable.