Luc
Stunt Coordinator
- Joined
- Sep 6, 1999
- Messages
- 227
Well, after asking a lot of questions here and reading many of the posts from the past, I'm one VCR away from replacing all regular VCR with SVHS.
I now have a JVC 7800 and a JVC 5911
My main use for them is to record from SAT TV. I've asked about how you guys connect your SVHS with all your other equipments. I end up running my SAT receiver S-video out to the SVHS and SVHS out to the TV S-Video in with all the TVs. This eliminate the need for switcher, splitter, additional cables, ect. The down side to that is I have to leave the VCR on to watch TV. I know many of you have mentioned that composite would have been fine. I might switch to that if this become inconvenient (I have to make sure to turn off the VCR when it's on the timer record-IR from SAT receiver).
After many experiments with recordings, here are my conclusion of the quality:
From the best quality to the worst.
SVHS SP > SVHS EP > SVHS ET SP > SVHS ET EP = VHS SP > VHS EP
Now it's really hard to compare the subtle differences just by watching the same recorded movie so I also turn on the direct TV on screen guide so I can see how crisp the letters are and this help tremendously. Here's how the letters appeared on my 43RPTV
True SVHS SP - can't tell the difference from the original
True SVHS EP - Slightly off but still incredible looking
SVHS ET SP - It was difficult to tell the difference in quality from the SVHS EP mode but with the on screen guide on, it's slightly inferior to SVHS ET
SVHS ET EP - words appeared fuzzy
VHS SP - I wasn't sure if it was better or worst than SVHS ET EP. It was different but I can't say it's better or not.
VHS EP - small words are almost unreadable.
Test on smaller TVs are less obviously.
Now I've concluded that because of so many recordings I do daily, I'm going with just regular VHS tapes. I buy TDK ultimate quality from Cosco which cost about 1.47/each and record them in ET (SP) mode and very satisfy with the quality I get. I will use SVHS tapes occasionally to archive movies I really like.
Can't tell the difference in recorded quality between the 5911 and the 7800. However, recorded ET mode on the 7800 can play on the 5911 but recorded ET mode on the 5911 occasionaly have problem playing on the 7800 (same movie same tape is sometime grainy on the 7800 but don't do it all the time). So it's best to have the same SVHS throughout the house. My next purchase will probably be another 7800. I wish I hadn't bought the 5911 just so all the of them would be the same.
So I like to thank all of you for helping clarify some things for me initially.
The down side (yes there's one
): my family can't stand my place. They can't neither understand how the SAT TV receiver works or why they can't borrow any of my tapes now. I tried to explain to them that when they turn channel, they have to hit the SAT button on the remote first because they're changing the channel on the receiver and not the tv. Now I have to explain to them that make sure the VCR is on to watch TV and you can't borrow any of my tapes .
I now have a JVC 7800 and a JVC 5911
My main use for them is to record from SAT TV. I've asked about how you guys connect your SVHS with all your other equipments. I end up running my SAT receiver S-video out to the SVHS and SVHS out to the TV S-Video in with all the TVs. This eliminate the need for switcher, splitter, additional cables, ect. The down side to that is I have to leave the VCR on to watch TV. I know many of you have mentioned that composite would have been fine. I might switch to that if this become inconvenient (I have to make sure to turn off the VCR when it's on the timer record-IR from SAT receiver).
After many experiments with recordings, here are my conclusion of the quality:
From the best quality to the worst.
SVHS SP > SVHS EP > SVHS ET SP > SVHS ET EP = VHS SP > VHS EP
Now it's really hard to compare the subtle differences just by watching the same recorded movie so I also turn on the direct TV on screen guide so I can see how crisp the letters are and this help tremendously. Here's how the letters appeared on my 43RPTV
True SVHS SP - can't tell the difference from the original
True SVHS EP - Slightly off but still incredible looking
SVHS ET SP - It was difficult to tell the difference in quality from the SVHS EP mode but with the on screen guide on, it's slightly inferior to SVHS ET
SVHS ET EP - words appeared fuzzy
VHS SP - I wasn't sure if it was better or worst than SVHS ET EP. It was different but I can't say it's better or not.
VHS EP - small words are almost unreadable.
Test on smaller TVs are less obviously.
Now I've concluded that because of so many recordings I do daily, I'm going with just regular VHS tapes. I buy TDK ultimate quality from Cosco which cost about 1.47/each and record them in ET (SP) mode and very satisfy with the quality I get. I will use SVHS tapes occasionally to archive movies I really like.
Can't tell the difference in recorded quality between the 5911 and the 7800. However, recorded ET mode on the 7800 can play on the 5911 but recorded ET mode on the 5911 occasionaly have problem playing on the 7800 (same movie same tape is sometime grainy on the 7800 but don't do it all the time). So it's best to have the same SVHS throughout the house. My next purchase will probably be another 7800. I wish I hadn't bought the 5911 just so all the of them would be the same.
So I like to thank all of you for helping clarify some things for me initially.
The down side (yes there's one
): my family can't stand my place. They can't neither understand how the SAT TV receiver works or why they can't borrow any of my tapes now. I tried to explain to them that when they turn channel, they have to hit the SAT button on the remote first because they're changing the channel on the receiver and not the tv. Now I have to explain to them that make sure the VCR is on to watch TV and you can't borrow any of my tapes .
