Super VHS purchase (1 Viewer)

[Ray Kammer]

After reading several threads on this forum I've decided to replace my old VHS Deck with a new Super VHS JVC. One question I'd like answered, though. I've got a lot of purchased pre-recorded VHS movies and a lot of other stuff recorded from TV broadcasts. Will the new Super VHS player play those tapes properly? None of them are Super VHS tapes. Thanks,

 

[Michael Reuben]

SVHS machines will play (and record) standard VHS just fine.

M.

 

[Bill Will]

Ray, www.crutchfield.com has the JVC 7800 on sale for $199
The 7800 is the next to the top-of-the-line JVC S-VHS vcr & it has 2MB of memory & the picture quality is a lot better than the lower priced JVC's. See the post "COMMERCIAL ADVANCE DOES IT REALLY WORK" for more info & CR ratings of vcr's. For more vcr ratings got to www.audioreview.com From what I've seen of the picture quality on the lower priced S-VHS vcr's I don't think they are as good as the regular Sony's VHS models.

 

[Rand]

Having owned two JVC SVHS models and three Mitsubishi's I'd highly recommend that you go with a Mits. The quality is higher and I also like the features and performance better. It may or may not cost a little more but the difference is significant in my experiance.

 

[Scooter]

Ditto to Rand and I add Sony for your consideration. I have NEVER had a JVC consumer electronics piece that was worth a damn!!!!

 

[Larry Schneider]

I've owned 3 JVCs and 2 Mitsubshis - I agree that Mitsubishi performs better.

 

[Don McCune]

I too am considering an SVHS recorder. If I plan on using it primarily for playing pre-recorded/rental tapes on my 65 in. Mits. HDTV, will I see a noticable difference between SVHS machine vs VHS?

Thanks,

Don

 

[Philip Hamm]

I too am considering an SVHS recorder. If I plan on using it primarily for playing pre-recorded/rental tapes on my 65 in. Mits. HDTV, will I see a noticable difference between SVHS machine vs VHS?

You will see a huge difference on stuff you record on Super VHS compared to VHS.

I would also recommend JVC 7xxx Super VHS decks. I've had a 7600 for a couple years, it gets very rare usage. The digital processing does wonders with the quality of "regular" VHS material. So yes, with a JVC 7xxx series VCR you'll see a big difference with regular VHS, but there's nothing about Super VHS machines in general that makes regular VHS look better. Only the processing int he more expensive JVC machines.

 

[Dmitry]

I would not describe the difference when playing pre-recorded tapes as big, more like an improvement (I have a JVC 7500 which is year older than Philip's 7600, but it has the digital processing as well). Of course I was watching it on an 80" wide screen, so the quality is poor to begin with :frowning: Also it's possible that with the newer decks the digitals "cleaning up" of the picture has improved, but still the difference in quality between S-VHS and regular recording will be significantly more noticeable than any improvement on pre-recorded VHS.

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

I've owned 3 JVCs and 2 Mitsubshis - I agree that Mitsubishi performs better.

It would be nice if you guys would specify what models you’re talking about. JVC makes everything from budget to high-end S-VHS machines (and presumably Mits too).

I’ve had several top-of-the-line and second-in-line JVC S-VHS machines, and I’ve been pleased with all of them. Still own four presently, the oldest a 1997 model.

Regards,

Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Jay Blair]

I too would like to know which Mitsubishi models and which JVC models. I currently own a JVC 9500 and a 7600. Both are superb machines and make a substantial improvement in the quality of standard VHS tapes. Models below the 7000 series players are not nearly as good. VHS tapes if well-mastered can approach laserdisc quality using either of these two machines. I highly doubt anything close to the price of the JVC models in the 7500 and 9500 and newer series can top the JCV models. My 9500 gets substantial use and has been completely reliable. It will make close to an exact clone of a laserdisc, and in fact can in some cases improve on the quality of the laserdisc original due to impressive noise reduction circuitry. And I'm talking about improving the quality of the laserdisc playing from my Pioneer CLD-704 player, one of the better models out there. The video quality of the 9500 is only slightly better than the far cheaper 7600. I would give my highest recommendation to getting one of the 7800 models for only $199.

 

[Ray Kammer]

Thanks for all the feedback to my original question, guys. I guess there are camps for Mitsus, Sonys, and JVC which is to be expected. Since I still have the first VCR I ever purchased in 1983 and it's a JVC, and it still works great......guess what camp I'll be joining? We all have to stay with what works for each of us. Thanks again,

 

[Jon Cielo]

I ended up going with the 7800 from Crutchfield to add to my 3400. I assume you'll buy yours from there too. I used a coupon; details are found here:
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...610#post462157

 

[Philip Hamm]

Models below the 7000 series players are not nearly as good. VHS tapes if well-mastered can approach laserdisc quality using either of these two machines.

Are you joking? Even the best VHS played on my 7600 with all digital cleanup options turned on doesn't even approach LaserDisc quality. Even Sony LaserDisc quality is far better. 240 lines is 240 lines, no amount of digital cleanup can double the resolution.

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

I think he just made a goof there, Philip. It should be obvious he’s talking about S-VHS recordings, since the discussion is about S-VHS VCRs. Did you read the whole post?

VHS tapes.

(Emphases added.)
Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Phil Nichols]

Ray,

Do you have to have a new deck?

If not, skip the poorly engineered new decks and get one of the best in the world, used, for $350-$450 on eBay: The Sony SLV-R1000 Super-VHS deck. Many eBay dealers have the Sony in like new condition. It uses licensed Faroudja digital sine filter circuitry, has Adaptive Picture Control, a great remote, and a bonus - very high quality ultr-low noise stereo sound extraction from VHS and S-VHS tapes. Rock solid picture with no jitter - just like a DVD player in steadiness.

I bought a JVC9800 and returned if after a week because it's image on my Elite 58" RPTV couldn't compare to Sony's.

 

[Ray Kammer]

Over the past several days while absorbing all your valuable feedback, I've narrowed down my choices to either the JVC HR-S7800 on closeout from Crutchfield for $199, or a refurb JVC HR-7900 from Ebay for about $180. I bought my Onkyo 595 as a refurb and had a good exoerience so I'm not afraid to go refurb but I'd appreciate some input from you folks re: the 7800 vs the 7900. Thanks,

 

[Jon Cielo]

I, too, typically do not mind refurbs. I was looking all around (onecall, ubid, spyder, etc.) for sources that would possibly give a better price than Crutchfield with similar advantages. In the end, it can down to Crutchfield. The 7800 was very close in price, beit the scratch and dent or the new one, to the 7900s on eBay, plus I get the 30-day satisfaction guarantee and comfort in knowing I purchased from an authorized seller with receipt, which would assure warranty service if needed. Perhaps you should check to see if sellers on eBay provide a receipt. But, you only need to worry about this if something goes wrong, which no one can fortell.
Unfortunately, I can't tell you which is better, but if you're interested in doing what I am, heres the scratch and dent and a stock and you can do a search for the coupon. Hopefully someone can chime in between the two. Good luck.

 

[Jay Blair]

Nope, no mistake, I'm saying and will be glad to demonstrate, the JVC 9500 will take a well-mastered VHS tape (such as Nic Roegs' "Castaway" mastered digitally from the early 90's, and "Mad Song"--a feature film recently completed by one of my roommates and being released soon in LA) and make it approach the quality of an average laserdisc. Note though that I say this is true for my system, using some not so average equipment in addition to the JCV to boost the picture quality, such as a Crystal Vision comb filter with added edge enhancement, and an Elite Video processor that adds about 10% to VHS tape resolution, and higher end S-video cables. etc. Of course these items also boost the quality of laserdisc, but not by the same degree they boost VHS tape, which puts the two formats much closer together for video resolution and color saturation (and the color saturation gives a perceived increase in resolution) and noise levels. The JVC also specs at close to 270 lines of resolution for standard VHS and 420 lines for S-VHS, higher than the normal 240 and 407 for most players (these figures are from a review of the JVCs I read, not from any tests I did myself, but they seem inline), and 425 lines for laserdisc.

 

[Philip Hamm]

Sorry I can't come and witness the "magic". Can you get blood from a stone, too? Make gold from iron?
Interesting that you comparing a "well mastered" VHS tape with an "average" LaserDisc. How about making both "average" or "well mastered"?
I have a LaserDisc player. My LaserDisc Player is a friend of mine. My JVC 7600 SuperVHS Machine is no LaserDisc player.