I've got a collection of dozens of VHS tapes from the 1990's, which I not only want to transfer (in the best quality possible, not including touching them up via PC) to DVD, but record vintage commercials/ads and whatnot and upload them to my PC for some YouTube'ing.


At the beginning of this year, I made several threads here asking for advice as to what's the best method and hardware to transfer VHS tapes to DVD, and was mostly told that getting a separate VHS deck and pairing it with a DVD Recorder is the best method as VHS/DVD combo units fall under the "jack of all trades, master of none" category in that they are stripped down and/or not as flexible as standalone VHS's, or standalone DVD decks for that matter. With that in mind, I went ahead and returned the Zenith VHS/DVD combo deck that I had bought, and went and started looking for a stand-alone VHS deck.


Now, about 6-7 months later, I finally stumbled upon a stand-alone VHS deck in my vicinity (that wasn't blatantly used and banged-up); a JVC HR-J692U from circa-2003-2004, pictured here on the archives of JVC's website:

http://support.jvc.com/consumer/product.jsp?archive=true&pathId=48&modelId=MODL027010

I thought that I was getting a steal, seeing as the owner of the store was selling it for $70 and sold it to me for $55; it appeared to be either be in virtually new condition. I also bought me a new Zenith two-way Tape Rewinder for $10 (or are a VCR's rewinding functions good enough?). As I further inspected the deck when I got home, I saw that it had a sticker in the back saying that "this unit has been refurbished to original factory specifications". That immediately set off a red flag for me. To further fuel my worries, I Googled this VHS deck to check for any info and reviews, and saw quite a few vintage reviews trashing it more than anything else over on Amazon. Long story short, it looks like I'm lucky that my cable provider's DVR box has long covered my TV recording needs, because this deck's tuner/recording abilities sound like they're a horrible hastle to work with.

Considering what I've just typed, am I better off trying to return this deck and invest in a new VHS/DVD combo deck instead (seeing as they're the only VHS decks that come NEW nowadays). I'm REALLY concerned about my precious, priceless (I'm talking about LOTS of vintage commercials and shows which haven't made it to DVD yet) VHS recordings being damaged or eaten up, even though this JVC VHS deck really does look like its fresh out of the box. Apart from the Coaxial cable input and outputs, I've seen nothing on this deck that I haven't seen on combo decks already.

I'd just like some feedback considering my situation and my attempt to convert my VHS library to DVD, and upload some stuff to my PC as well. Any help would be appreciated, Thanks!

I've never cared for JVC equipment, but I do have a JVC SVHS deck.

The real question is, have you tried the JVC deck, and how does it work for you? I don't think the factory refurb should be considered a red flag on something long out of production. At $55, if it works, I'd hang on to it, even if I got another deck. If you have tapes made on various machines, try several from each machine. The JVC may play some well, but not others. When converting old tapes, but without the original VCRs, it is best to have more than one deck to try.

....tuner/recording capabilities sound like they're a horrible hassle... Are you buying it to record off the air? I have no complaints with a JVC SVHS VCR that I use as backup for my dvd recorder (I record to both simultaneously--- production events such as Children's Talent Program).

I second kjb's suggestion: try it. If you want to be extra cautious, try it first on a few non-critical tapes.

Personally, I'd dump the rewinder. I had one that trashed a tape; that's what the rewind button on a vcr or vcp is for.

I've got one of those Zenith rewinders, and it always worked great for me (when I was using it - which really hasn't been in a few years now). Saved me a lot of wear and tear on my VCR's.

From my experience over the years, it's been those cheaper, off-brand ones that seem to have the most problems. I got tired of that happening, so I spent a few dollars more for the Zenith, and it performed and lasted admirably. Never once ruined one of my tapes like the cheap ones occasionally did.

I've attached pics of the Zenith Tape Rewinder and the VHS deck in case anyone wanted to see.


As for the questions:

- No, I didn't buy it to record off-the-air. My Time Warner Cable DVR already covers that.........just wanted to mention that anyways.


- How does it work for me so far??? From the little that I've had time to try, it seems like there's noticeably a little bit more tracking problems with my tapes then what I had with my brand-new combo VHS player earlier this year (which, as I've said I've since returned). I've had to alternate a lot between auto and manual tracking, and only managed to move the tracking outside of the visible screen area at most. That was just from a couple of hours of trying it out, I'll come back with more later.


Can someone really tell me the scoop on the last 10-15 years of VHS deck manufacturing, and why I keep reading that the VHS decks produced (to this day?) are of crap quality and crap-out fast??? I wonder what happened to this VHS deck to have warranted a refurbishing............the deck even came with a Refurbished Product Warranty Card..........do they even do warranties for VHS's anymore???

I wouldn't sweat the refurb issue. In fact, I typically seek out refurbs from reputable dealers only, of course, for my "new" gear. "Refurbished" usually means somebody bought it and found out it was too complicated to use, didn't fit their decor, didn't do something they should have been smart enough to know it wouldn't do in the first place.....and returned it to the retailer. The item now cannot be sold as a "new" unit, so the retailer makes sure it still works OK and all the parts are there, and they sell it at a discount.

So in a way you can look at a reburb--from that proverbial reputable dealer--as an item that's already been tested to make sure it works. I usually stick to retailers like Crutchfield who give you the new product warranty.

JVC VCRs have an anecdotal reputation for giving really nice, crisp, clear picture quality (within the limitations of the format), though if you whale on them they may not last as long as other brands. My first hi-fi VCR, ca. 1993, was a JVC, and it gave me 4 years of service before my brutal demands took their toll. The bearings wore out and it started having tracking probs. But I still felt I got my money's worth. Since then, I've purchased two new JVC units, so I can keep playing my VHS tapes for years to come. I'll vouch for the crisp, clear picture, and they have an automatic tracking adjustment to help them track tapes made on machines that may have been somewhat out of alignment. Plus, there's a manual override so you can fiddle the tracking more.

I paid ca. $129 for the cheaper of the two units, so for $55 bucks, I think you got a really good deal.

However, my real preference is for Mitsubishi VCRs, which I've found to have PQ almost as good as the JVCs, and they take a licking but keep on ticking. Last winter, I nabbed several on eBay for the price lunch. If you'd like to keep your bases nicely covered, adding a Mitsu to the stable would probably leave you prepared to play just about any tape you come across.

As for the rewinder, I've never had a VCR die because of excess rewinding. If the Zenith makes you feel more comfortable about preserving the service life of your JVC, for 10 bucks, you can't go wrong.

To further explain my VHS concerns, here's my deal and main concern(s):

I've got more or less about a dozen VHS tapes featuring first-run episode recordings of many shows I used to watch back in the 1990's, some of them being almost-complete series runs. I bought all of them off of an acquaintance for chump change back in late Feburary. All of the tapes appear to be either T-120 or T-180 tapes, and the recordings were all made between January to July 1995...........and most appear to have been recorded in EP mode. So yeah, each tape is chock-full of episodes, commercials, and whatnot from that time period, and are of watchable quality. Being in EP mode and far from having the original VHS deck in which they were recorded, I should've figured that I'd have some trouble with these tapes.

On this JVC deck, the first of my tapes appears to have A LOT of tracking problems that I don't recall it having with my new Zenith combo player just months earlier. The automatic tracking is pretty much inadequate in handling all of the tracking (which mostly comes from the very top of the screen), and the manual tracking is barely any better. I'm not sure if I've FUBAR'd it on this deck by having rewinded it completely on my first try (I skipped to certain spots on the tape as I "tested" the deck), if its just the nature of these EP recordings on these tapes (which on the outside look damn near pristine and in their original, circa-1995 condition.......the previous owner took good care of them)...........or is it just this deck???

Having just said that, any tips or advice as to how to properly and carefully handle dozens of tapes with hours and hours and hours of EP recordings in them, so I could transfer them to PC before they're *gulp*, gone forever?

As others have noted, being in ep is a problem. I would definitely want to do this on a DVDR with an HDD. That way, you can start one of those long 8 (or 9) hour tapes playing/transferring before you go to bed, and find it done when you get up. Then, you can edit out the commercials, and break the shows into separate titles anytime.

It might help to ask your acquaintance what make/model VCR he used to make the tapes. If you found one like it, then they might track better, but no guarantee. Or, does he still have the original VCR, and want to sell it? Apart from that, about all you can do is try different VCRs, until you find one that will track those tapes acceptably.

I honestly doubt that the original owner knows or remembers what VHS deck she originally recorded these tapes on..........the recordings are all well over 13 years old.

Are VHS EP recordings typically this fidgety and a hassle to deal with? If so, then why exactly???

Are VHS EP recordings typically this fidgety and a hassle to deal with? If so, then why exactly???

In a word, "yes". The inclusion of "EP" as a recording speed dates back to the original Beta vs. VHS time wars. VHS delivered a crushing blow to Beta when it provided the opportunity to record 6 hours on a single cassette. Unfortunately, EP recorded the information with a very narrow track width. This meant that tolerances for playback have to be very exacting. In reality, VHS machines are mechanical transports that shift in tolerance over time as parts wear and tape tension changes. In addition, videotape will stretch slightly over time in storage which also makes it more difficult to track the original recording's information. It is for this reason that SP (2-hour speed) was really the only authentic part of the VHS specification.

A lot of people attempting to transfer older EP recordings (often recorded on various machines) have found that they will get varying results testing different players. It's often a case of finding a player that produces the best of a bad lot.

I agree. With EP (or slp) it's a crap shoot. You may even find a cheaper VHS machine will produce better playback results than a top of the line 4(video) head unit.
I've been converting a few VHS slp tapes lately and found my older ($50 new at Sears) Sammy gave a petter PQ/tracking than my excellent quality Panny ES-30 combo(circa '05).
In your case I wouldn't even try something like a Symphonic or another no name VHS because they could damage your tapes. Either chew them up or crease the tape. For cheap VHS decks I've had good luck with Sammys but JVC and Mitsu probably have the potential for better "recordings". Since you're just dealing with playback a deck like a Sammy may even work better. For playback, other than the original their is truly no "best" deck. Just one that plays your tapes best, which is trial and error.
I don't think you can go wrong with your JVC, and as far as the rewinder I've used them in the past but not for 15? years. Since most don't have the optical sensor to detect the clear tape leader like all VCRs do, they do have the potential to pull the tape from the hub. In this case you need to take the VHS cassette apart and reattach it. Towards the end of my VHS usage I was using cheap VCRs for rewinders and saved my JVCs and Mitus's for recording/playback only. One time I had a $40 rewinder/ff'er with the optical sensor but I burned out several before finally giving up on rewinders.

I describe my experiences dubbing/copying difficult to track VHS tapes in this post:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=13955310#post13955310

what is this "vee ahh ess" you speak of?

Check over in the CECB sub-forum and you will find tons of people still using them -

with their $6.99 rabbit ears and their new, free to $25.00 CECB boxes hooked up to the RF inputs of their 13" CRT's.

And I'm not making a joke. Read 'em and see. Visiting that sub-forum makes you feel as if you've just been sent back in time to the Stone Age.

what is this "vee ahh ess" you speak of?

Ahhhh VHS. Ramm got it but I hadn't a clue:confused: I thought it was one of those miss posted posts.:o

I for one cannot stand the sight of the JVC nametag on a vcr- I have had nothing but trouble from them for the past 25 years. As far as I'm concerned there are only two reasons to trust precious irreplaceable tapes to these flakey unreliable tape-eating monsters: one, if you know for certain your tapes were recorded on that model JVC the tracking might improve, and two, if you need a high-end specialty unit with TBC/DNR then JVC is one of only three mfrs who ever offered the feature in consumer decks.

The JVC you bought was an average model of no special distinction. If it isn't tracking the tapes you want to transfer, its worthless and could break down at any moment and destroy one of them (a JVC specialty, eating tapes at random). Return it if you can and get a refund. Since the tapes are all EP mode, the most important factor you need in a VCR is tracking ability. The fancy TBC/DNR features on the pricey DVHS and SVHS vcrs do not help much with EP mode tapes and often make them look worse. For EP, tracking is the be-all and end-all. Check eBay or Craigs List for older Panasonic or Quasar or Sharp VCRs in the $30 or less price range. Many of these are mint and barely used. Make sure the machine is hifi if the tapes are hifi, if they aren't it doesn't matter and the machine could even sell under $20. (Note hifi stereo at the EP speed rarely holds up- even if the picture tracks perfectly you'll get major static in the sound half the time- unless these tapes involve a lot of music you might prefer a non-hifi unit or switch the hifi to "normal" audio playback on a hifi deck).

If you want to cut to the chase, you could try looking for a used Mitsubishi HS-U448 vcr. These sell in mint condition for no more than $40 on average. This is a very recently discontinued deck that is extremely well-built (considering the competition) and easily found. Its picture quality is only average, but it auto-tracks very well, has a good adjustment range on manual tracking, and is mechanically about the best you can find. It is very gentle on tapes while at the same time being very quick in operation (FF or REW time for a T120 is something like 50 seconds). These four-head hifi units were still in stores in 2004 and were WAY better built than similar-vintage Panasonic and Sony and JVC models.

Avoid using an external rewinder on one-of-a-kind tapes: use a VCR instead. Tape rewinders were made primarily for video stores to counteract lazy tape renters, they are no use in the home and can damage tapes. (In the distant past, when VCRs tended to break down quite often, there was some sense in using a rewinder at home: but not today.)

I agree with all remarks, so far, that ep can be a real crapshoot, especially when playing tapes made on a different machine.

You may want to check to see if the automatic tracking has a manual mode you can trigger (may be found on some sort of up/down key). I have found this to be quite a saver when it comes to getting a decent pass of a tape for the dvd recorder. It's not bulletproof, but sometimes all it takes is to adjust it "up" or "down" a few steps, and it will play just fine (sometimes a dynamic auto tracking control can be too "smart" for its own good). ;) It comes down to a matter of doing your own tracking and having the machine just stay at that point.

I for one cannot stand the sight of the JVC nametag on a vcr- I have had nothing but trouble from them for the past 25 years.
I'd tend to trust CitiBear. He used to own a video store and he's probably seen more VHS problems than most anybody else. My JVCs were much older(well built, +25 yr. old:p) machines. Too bad they took the low road on their consumer gear, I believe their commercial machines are top shelf. I haven't really heard good things about their DVDRs either. As noted earlier I did have good luck with many Sammy VCRs in the 90's and early 00s as well as my Mitsu which I did most of my recording on from around '95 to '04.

(In the distant past, when VCRs tended to break down quite often, there was some sense in using a rewinder at home: but not today.)With that statement, I hope your not saying that the cheap, flimsy $60.00 - $100.00 VCR's of more recent times are made better than the ones of yesteryear. ;)

:D:D
I think I know what he was getting at. I loved my old(early 80's) built like a tank VCRs. Heck I was still using them before getting DVDRs. While they never died, they were like a Italian car. They needed constant tweaking. I'd guess I was opening them up at least yearly for one thing or another. They had more belts and idler pulleys than you could imagine. I used to buy them in 6 packs at MCM electronics for pennies.
So while they lasted forever if a person wasn't able to do the little maintenance required to keep them going they would indeed be breaking down all the time. The cheap garbage made towards the end of VCRs life were basically disposable. When they worked they worked. When they broke you'd throw them away and get another. I tied to look at a friends junk VCR and finally gave up after 1/2 hr. trying to get to the bottom of the unit. I think it was never meant to come apart after original assembly.
I'm not saying all the VCRs made towards the end were junk, but when you could pick it up with your pinkey there's not much inside:D People always want something for nothing, and nothing is what they got;)

With that statement, I hope your not saying that the cheap, flimsy $60.00 - $100.00 VCR's of more recent times are made better than the ones of yesteryear. ;)

Yes and no. Its relative to your point of view. The 1977-1983 machines were indeed built like tanks and weighed some 30-40 pounds. But they relied much more on purely mechanical tolerances to function well: they had enormous stress points placed on motors, belts, gearing and control buttons. They cost $600-1000 and were designed to be durable, repairable items (as all consumer electronics were up thru the mid-eighties). Later VCRs can seem flimsy by comparison because they weigh nothing and are made of plastic. However, they are controlled by much more complex and precise microprocessors and simpler mechanics, in many cases they dispense with belts altogether and the multiple motors are optimized. They were designed to sell below $100 by 1997, were expected to last a year or two, and be replaced instead of serviced.

Like many others, I bemoan the loss of "quality" feel in manufactured products such as VCRs. But the plain truth is that the flimsy tacky modern replacements perform much better: you would not want to use a $1000 RCA from 1981 to transfer most tapes to DVD. A 1994-1998 Panasonic would track the tapes much better with less visible noise and MUCH less chance of tape damage. A good comparison would be automobiles: a 1967 Mustang is w-a-y cooler than a current 2008, but the new car is generations better in engine design if not performance.

(Of course, after the introduction of DVD players in 1997 the market for VCRs went into the toilet and so did their performance: a 2001 Panasonic VCR can't hold a candle to a 1996 Panasonic.)

(a JVC specialty, eating tapes at random)

Yup. After an early '80s Zenith APC (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armoured_personnel_carrier) finally gave up the ghost, I got a JVC HR-L600U (http://cgi.ebay.es/JVC-HR-J600U-4-Head-HiFi-Stereo-VCR-Hyper-Bass-Sound_W0QQitemZ370060722626QQihZ024QQcategoryZ3318QQcmdZView Item) in the mid-90s. What was cool about this model was a feature called Random Assemble Editing, whereby you could program several in/out points then it would play them and fast forward through the cut parts while automatically pausing the other recording VCR it was connected to so as to only dub the parts you wanted to keep. For its time, it was muy starr warrs, as they used to say in Spain. Problem is the remote was among the first generation of craptastically unergonomically designed remotes that would one day come to dominate the cheapo DVD player market, and it had lousy PQ. Oh yeah, and it would occasionally feel peckish for a delicious tape.

In 2001, once Sony had definitely shaken the Beta monkey off its back, I got an SLV-N71 (http://www.amazon.com/Sony-SLV-N71-4-Head-Hi-Fi-VCR/dp/B00005I9R5). I've been very happy with it since. The PQ is tops and it tracks all my tapes exceedingly well, no matter what the machine originally used to record was, even artefacts from back when Windows (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_1.0) were what you opened to let some air into the house.

I just got word that the VHS deck in which these tapes were recorded was an RCA deck.........how does that sound???

Oh yeah, and they were already put through the ringer once in a VHS>DVD conversion, as the previous owner transferred them to DVD via a separate Magnavox DVD recorder.

RCA's were not bad at one time - at least average, if not a little better, and they were known for having pretty good PQ. But I'm not sure about in more recent years.

If the tapes were recorded on an RCA in the 1990s you have two possibilities of what the actual underlying mfr was. From 1989 thru about 1994 RCA was made by Hitachi, some of these models had stunning picture quality but their tape interchange at SLP speed was not too good. The Hitachi-made RCAs were superlative but not durable: nearly all broke down irretrievably within 2-3 years, so it is unlikely you'll find one of these second-hand in working order to use as a dubbing deck. Post-1994 or so, RCA was acquired by Phillips which presumably had Funai making VCRs for them, these machines weren't as good as the Hitachi RCAs but have better SLP tape interchange and their tapes may be easier to track. Either way you'll likely have difficulty with the HiFi audio tracks and may need to switch them off.: if the tapes are from this period then you'll definitely need a VCR with wide tracking range to play them. I think your best bet for playing these is a good recent machine such as the MGA 448 I mentioned.

Earlier this week I was once again browsing for some VHS decks and stumbled upon another store which, surprisingly was selling these two mint-condition Panasonic decks (supposedly, in his own words the owner of the store said that his store is an authorized Panasonic dealer and that he gets the hook-ups on stuff that they don't want/need anymore, like VHS decks). The two decks were:

- A Panasonic AG-3200 S-VHS deck (PRO-LINE, Flying Erase Head, ET, etc...upon surfing the 'net, this appears to be a RE-BRANDED JVC unit. I KNEW the vent fans on the side of the deck, which are similar to the aforementioned JVC deck that's the center of this thread's discusiion, were suspicious........)

- A Panasonic AG-1350 VHS deck.

The owner was selling both for $65. Seeing as they both appear to be late-gen VHS models from this decade, is it worth taking a look at either of these??? With an SVHS deck, does that mean that I can play my regular VHS tapes through S-Video cable???

Yes, it does mean that you can play your VHS tapes through the S-Vid output, and you will get a better picture for it, generally speaking. If I were you, I would take in a tape or two that you are having a hard time getting to track, and ask to play them on those two decks. If one plays them well, snap it up! If the SVHS deck wasn't really a JVC, I'd recommend getting it as a back-up, at that price. But, if it works well, it would probably be a good idea to get it, regardless.

The AG3200 is a rebadge of a consumer JVC editing deck, and not a particularly good one either (no TBC or DNR, which are the only features worth risking a JVC for). The 1350 is a "real" Panasonic of decent quality but it does not have hifi stereo audio. Put the $65 towards a more versatile alternative like the ones mentioned earlier by various posters.

Wow, that didn't take long to respond to. Looks like you're quite knowledgeable about VHS Mr.....Bear!!!

Back to my JVC deck, I also stopped by the store in which I bought it a little over three weeks ago and told the guy who sold it to me about my situation (to little avail). He said he sometimes get VCR's from all over and that I should check back in the upcoming weeks, but that I'm not able to get a refund for the deck+ Zenith rewinder that I bought, only exchange for something else in what's pretty much a dinky store. I have little over one week before the 30-day money back guarantee runs out, so I hope that his store gets in something better should I decide to exchange this, or I'd have wasted $65 altogether (a bargain though, seeing as the guy sold me the deck for $55 when the price tag says $75........yikes!) On one of his shelves however, I did notice these two used silver, VCR-looking Panasonic units (couldn't see well, I'm horribly nearsighted) with price tags of a whopping $199 on each of them..........wonder if they were S-VHS or some special surveillance camera unit.....things. Not sure.

Right now however I'm still trying out my collection of tapes in this deck, and trying to tweak this deck to play them as best as possible. If I may, I'm going to list the internal functions that this deck has, and hope to get some suggestions from you guys as to what to switch on/off (perhaps the playback/tracking quality will improve, at least a little bit?):

- Picture Control ("Normal", "Edit", "Soft" & "Sharp" settings, have it on "Normal")
- Auto Timer (irrelevant seeing as I'm not planning on doing any timer recording, have it OFF)
- Superimpose (helpful display of various info i.e running/counter time, clock, tape speed etc; have it ON)
- Auto SP>EP Timer (same reason as "Auto Timer", have it OFF)
- Video Stabilizer (described as correcting vertical vibrations on recorded VHS's from another VCR, have it OFF currently)
- 2nd Audio Record (same reason as "Auto Timer", have it OFF)
- Audio Monitor (allows to switch between "Normal" and various forms of Hi-Fi audio, or mixes them both. I don't think that these recordings (or the shows recorded on them) are in stereo, so I have it at "Normal")

If they were surveillance or time-laps units, personally I'd stay clear. Most have 1000's of hours use and in my experience they don't record or play that particularly good, although most are built like a tank.
As far as your settings I'd leave them as you currently have them set, maybe turning the video stabilizer ON, espically if you have problems with tape jitter.
I used to think commercial VCRs would have better PQ than their consumer counter parts. While the commercial units aren't junk like lots of later consumer offerings, I think basically their just built to last longer, not necessarily record better.
As many of us have found, sometimes even the cheaper VCRs will playback tapes better. It's kind of hit and miss and best to have a variety of players for any dubbing project.

I have used JVC 9500, 9600, and 9911 as players for dubbing tapes to DVD.

- Picture Control ("Normal", "Edit", "Soft" & "Sharp" settings, have it on "Normal")
Use Edit when dubbing. I find it gives noticeably better PQ. I even use it for just playback.

- Superimpose (helpful display of various info i.e running/counter time, clock, tape speed etc; have it ON)
Unless you want this info to show up on your dubs, turn it OFF

- Audio Monitor (allows to switch between "Normal" and various forms of Hi-Fi audio, or mixes them both. I don't think that these recordings (or the shows recorded on them) are in stereo, so I have it at "Normal")
I find the audio to be richer when set at Hi-Fi.

John

More info about my VHS recordings:

- Yeah, I think I can confirm at this point that all of the recordings are in EP. The tapes are packed to the brim, and well..........the VCR's OSD tells me itself!

- Most, if not all of the recordings have monoural sound, I see no indications of Stereo/Hi-Fi from the VCR's OSD and the sound either doesn't noticeably budge or gets worse when switching the VCR's sound monitor to any of its "Hi-Fi" variants.

- Some of the content on these tapes appear to have been recorded off of cable networks, such as MTV, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network. I've heard that VHS recordings done off of cable channels can also be wonky. Anyone care to elaborate if that's true???

- Some of the content on these tapes appear to have been recorded off of cable networks, such as MTV, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network. I've heard that VHS recordings done off of cable channels can also be wonky. Anyone care to elaborate if that's true???

Well, it all depends on how good a cable signal they were getting when the tapes were recorded. In olden days :D cable was often "wonky," not as good a signal as we get today. And, twice a year, it would burst into solar spots, as the satellite lined up with the sun. :eek:

Well, the recordings were definitely from circa-1995 onwards, so I don't think its THAT far back as far as cable technology goes. At that time I recall owning that boxy, black General Instrument cable boxes, and their reception was barely any different than today's Digital Cable boxes (the Composite/S-Video ones that is).

I had just heard some blurb about recordings done off cable signals (i.e coaxial cable) being finicky. Meh.

My cable was still pretty crappy back in '95. It didn't get good until fiber optics came in. Before that, you could almost count on a buzzing audio track, if you tried to use stereo, not to mention many video glitches that were common. But, I've dubbed plenty of discs from cable signals, no problems.

We have a little more info from you now about the tapes, which changes things up a bit. If, as you stated, you are sure the tapes are not hifi and/or don't care about the hifi issue, AND you are sorta stuck making exchanges in this one store, I would make the exchange for the Panasonic AG1350 you spotted. The AG1350 is by no means top of the line, but its a damn sight better than the other options this store is offering right now. It has good mechanicals about on par with the Mitsubishi 448 I recommended. Its only drawback is lack of hifi audio circuits, which you apparently don't need for this set of tapes. Under the circumstances, I'd lean toward the 1350 if the JVC is still not tracking these tapes well.

Regarding issues with tapes recorded from cable, its entirely possible the remarks you saw somewhere online were from me, since I haven't seen anyone else comment on this (maybe I'm just lucky:(). In my case, tapes I recorded from analog cable in the 1990s have "invisible" distortion components that become horribly visible when the tapes are encoded by certain DVD recorders or PC capture cards. Originally I was using circa-2003-2004 JVC and Pioneer standalones and a cheap PC card of the period: all of these encoded cable-sourced tapes with nasty grainy wavy distorted results. External TBCs and processors didn't help, but eventually I found that obscenely expensive SVHS or DVHS vcrs with built-in field TBC and noise reduction would clean this up. These sometimes cause their own problems "cleaning" the image too much, resulting in softness, so I kept buying and reselling hardware on eBay in search of other solutions.

By trial and error I finally discovered this "sensitivity" to cable-tv and other VHS distortions was identified and fixed by most DVD recorder mfrs by 2005-2006. If your DVD recorder has a label on its rear panel dated 2005 or later, odds are very good that you won't have any severe problems transferring those tapes using a Panasonic AG1350 or any other decent-quality standard vcr. If your DVD recorder was made before 2004 or for whatever reason is producing noticeably *terrible* DVDs, I'd recommend trying a new Panasonic, Pioneer or Phillips/Magnavox recorder as the most cost-effective solution. The trick here is to know your tapes: any dub from EP tapes is going to be sub-par, grainy and soft. A professional post production house can make them look better for $200 an hour, but hobbyists at home cannot perform miracles with consumer hardware. When I refer to "terrible" distortions, I mean literally unwatchable (it seems as if you're viewing the tapes thru wavy glass). If the DVDs look fairly stable and are a decent approximation of the tapes, thats usually the best you can expect with EP and your DVD recorder and VCR are okay.

Well, some good news and bad news for my situation:

Bad news: I was informed by the guy at the store from where I bought this JVC deck from that the 30-day guarantee is applicable to ONLY defective products that warrant a return/exchange. Seeing as I've already stopped by the store numerous times (checking for other decks) and have yapped off about my situation to the guy who sold it to me, I couldn't even come up with a a false excuse about the deck being defective as I unintentionally blew up my own spot. So, for better or worse I'm stuck with this JVC deck and the Zenith tape rewinder. Yet another harsh lesson learned; impulse buying and being fooled by slick-looking exterior= bad.

Good news: I managed to borrow an Optimus (which was/should be a Radio Shack spin-off brand a la "Realistic") VHS deck from a relative to see how well it could play my tapes compared to this JVC deck. The deck was inundated in a thick layer of dust all over (from being unused), and it took 30-45 minutes, a damp cloth, water and ammonia to get most of it off. Also (and not surprisingly) it didn't come with a remote. I searched on-line to find some info on this deck, and it didn't take me long to stumble upon a PDF copy of its manual which listed its following features:

- It's from circa-1998.

26-Micron Record/Play Head - enhances the picture quality at the SLP
(Super Long Play) playback speed.

Four Double-Azimuth Video Heads - provide superior picture quality and
special effects compared with standard
single-azimuth four-head VCRs.

AI (Artificial Intelligence) Video Noise Reduction System - reduces noise on the screen when playing back a worn or partially damaged tape.

Commercial Advance - automatically detects and skips over
(Model 65 Only) most commercials when you play back a
tape.

Movie Advance (Model 65 Only) - lets you go directly to the start of a
movie or select which preview to view on
a purchased or rented tape.

Auto Tracking System - automatically adjusts tracking when you
start playback.

Time Stamp - the VCR displays useful recording
information (such as date, start time,
and channel) for the first 7 seconds
during playback.

Auto Repeat Playback - automatically rewinds the tape for
repeat playback when the tape reaches
the end of the recording during playback

Easy-to-Use Immediate Recording - lets you start a recording immediately
and have the VCR automatically stop
recording after a length of time you
select.

1-Month, 8-Event Digital Timer - lets you program the VCR to make up to
eight unattended recordings (daily,
weekly, or one-time).

Automatic Playback/Rewind/Eject - automatically plays, rewinds, and ejects
a tape.

Fast-Response System - positions the tape next to the playback/
record head for immediate playback or
recording.

Real-Time Counter with Zero - displays the actual length of time a
Back tape plays or records, and allows you to
mark and return to a location on the
tape.

Tuning

179-Channel, Digital PLL, - lets you tune to up to 68 VHF and UHF
Compatible Tuner channels, and up to 125 cable channels.

Tuner Memory Programming - automatically stores all the active
channels in your area into memory.

Channel Caption - lets you assign call letters to a
channel so the call letters appear on
the TV screen with the channel number
when you select the channel.

Tape Control

One-Minute Skip (Model 64 Only) - lets you fast-forward the tape for
exactly 1 minute to let you easily skip
over commercials.

Index Search - lets you quickly locate the beginning of
a specific recording. Also, you can have
the VCR play the first 10 seconds of
each recording so you can locate the one
you want.

Program Index - lets you select and search for a
specific program after timer recording.

Fast-Forward/Rewind with Visual Search

Freeze-Frame/Frame Advance/Slow-Motion

Automatic Rewind

Other Features

Multichannel Television Sound - decodes stereo broadcasts for listening
(MTS) or recording. This VCR can also receive
and record special audio programs (SAP)
that accompany some MTS broadcasts.

Front & Rear Audio/Video Input - lets you quickly connect an audio/video
Jacks device, such as a camcorder, to the VCR
without disconnecting other devices.

Trilingual On-Screen - provides helpful instructions on the TV
Programming screen for setting the clock and timers.
You can select English, French, or
Spanish instructions.

Universal Remote Control - lets you control your VCR, as well as
TVs, cable boxes, and direct-to-home
satellite systems produced by other
manufacturers.

Memory Sentinel - protects clock settings, tuner
programming information, and timer
memory settings in case of a power loss.
The VCR holds the current time for 1
minute, and tuner programming
information and timer memory settings
are kept for up to 24 hours.

Automatic/Manual Clock Setting - lets you set the VCR to automatically
update its clock using EDS (Extended
Data Service) signals sent by some TV
stations. You can also manually set the
clock.

Note: EDS is provided by some broadcasters and includes various types of
information, including the current time. If no broadcasters in your
area transmit EDS signals, you must manually set the clock.

Automatic DST (Daylight Saving - lets you set the VCR to automatically
Time) Adjustment adjust the displayed time for Daylight
Saving Time.

Alert Tone - the VCR alerts you whenever you enter
invalid information or do an incomplete
operation. You can turn the alert tone
on or off.

VCR Lock - lets you set the VCR to help prevent
young children from operating it.

So guys, how do those specs sound? Anything I should know? :cool:

I'm beginning to try out my tapes with this deck as I speak, and I'm glad to say that I'm having little, if any tracking problems so far, and haven't had to mess with the manual tracking as of yet. The picture quality is a bit worse than the JVC, and I'm now starting to see (mostly negligable) instances of ghosting and lines (akin to what you see from an RF/Coaxial cable connection) on the recordings but so far its tracking abilities beat the friggin' pants off of my JVC deck.

Problem with this deck is that I'm obviously lacking the original remote, and am using my cable box's universal remote to operate the deck's basic functions. I'm not sure if I'll need to mess around with the deck's menu, but I'd like to be able to if need be. Any suggestions guys? I'm not too familiar (hint: don't have a clue) with universal remotes, which are good/bad, which will let me access menus etc.

Also, can anyone direct me to a good tape head cleaner?? Never know if I may need it for this dusty deck.

That's a lot of features. If the deck was that dusty on the outside, it is probably rather dusty on the inside. I'd take the cover off, and blow it off, gently. The outputs might be a bit cruddy, you should try swabbing them off with a q-tip dipped in carbon tet. That might improve the picture. Also, make sure you are using a good patch cord, not something left over, that could be a bit oxidized. I used Scotch brand head cleaning tapes, but doubt they are available any more. The ammonia wasn't a good idea, it can damage electronic components. Hope none got inside.

Now that I've gone back and checked, it wasn't ammonia that I cleaned the deck with, but some strong spot cleaner/degreaser, which explicitly says "NO ACIDS, NO AMMONIA" on the front. I only cleaned the exterior of the deck with this, making sure not to soak the sensitive parts with it.

As far as the aforementioned features go, I listed all of the Optimus deck's features just in case, but highlighted the ones that might matter for my situation in hopes of some feedback from you guys. I bet that all of the other listed features have been standard in even the most basic of VCR's made in the last 10-15 years.

I'm a bit weary at the thought of opening up this deck, but trying out my tapes so far has given me no problems, and the tracking is good. Do they still sell cleaning tapes anywhere???

Oh, and a small note: I find it funny how my JVC deck is quite a bit wider horizontally (the Optimus deck is a bit wider vertically) and makes you think at first glance that it is a tank of a VCR, but when you try and lift it it BARELY weighs anything. What the hell were they doing with all of that space??? This JVC deck is more than half as wide as some of the smallest VCR/DVD combo decks I've seen out there!

I'd try a place like Radio Shack or even Walmart for a VHS tape cleaner. As long as it's working good and not creasing your tapes I'd just run the cleaning tape through it and be done. After all if the PQ looks good what more can you ask for. Remember if you get a tape that doesn't track well try it in your JVC, it may work better for that tape. With VCRs their is truly no "one size fits all" deck.

What's the difference between "wet" and "dry" head cleaning tapes???

I've only used the dry. For cleaning my old audio reel-to-reel tape deck, I did it wet. But, I'm not sure how wet works with VHS.

I've never used the dry cleaning tapes, but with the wet ones they usually have a small hole to squirt a few drops of cleaning solution (usually supplied) into. The best method is to take the machine apart and use chamois or foam cleaning swabs but for the most part I think wet cleaning tapes seem to go a decent job and don't have the possibility of breaking the delicate video heads. NEVER use a up and down motion to clean the helical scan video heads. You stand a good chance of breaking them, which renders the machine basically useless.
Note if you buy one of the wet cleaning tapes and don't want to use the wet method just simply do not use the solution. Then you basically have a dry cleaning kit.
When it comes to the cleaning solution I personally don't think you can use too much. They may say just a few drops but I like to give the bottle a good squirt and have even been known to squirt a little directly on the white cleaning tape. The cleaning solution dries very quickly and doesn't leave any residue.

It is my understanding that dry cleaning tapes rely on a very fine abrasive
to clean the oxide build-up on the heads.
I tend to use wet cleaners because, I believe though they may take longer,
they are easier on the heads.
...but I have, on occasion, used the dry tapes on
particularly stubborn head clogs.

I went ahead and got me a cheap TDK Wet Cleaning Tape for $5, so problem solved as far as that goes. My only question left for you guys I guess is..........that I'm still searching for a remote that'll allow me to access this Optimus deck's menu (predictably, this deck's original remote has long disappeared). I don't think that it has much in the way of functions compared to my JVC deck and that it is literally bare-bones, but the deck being permanently set at SLP bothers me, even if it automatically switches modes. I was looking at several Sony & Philips universal remotes earlier this weekend but hesistated on buying them, not sure if they'd allow me to access VCR menus. The two universal remotes, albeit more stripped-down then dedicated universal remotes, that I currently own (for my Scientific Atlanta DVR and my Sharp TV) only let me control this deck's basic functions at most.

Your Optimus VCR is a typical mid-range model of the period, Radio Shack never sold anything super-high-end. Most likely the unit was mfr'd by Funai or LG, they took any names that weren't already being made by Panasonic. The inexpensive Phillips remotes tend to have quite a bit of functions crammed into them and are worth a try at $10-15. When programming the VCR buttons, you may want to try other similar brand codes such as Sylvania, Emerson, Symphonic, Realistic, Sanyo, Wards and Signature in addition to Optimus. This will up your chances of getting access to the menu system.

Yeah, on the back of the deck it mentions that it was "Manufactured In Japan for RadioShack Corporation".

Your Optimus VCR is a typical mid-range model of the period, Radio Shack never sold anything super-high-end. Most likely the unit was mfr'd by Funai or LG, they took any names that weren't already being made by Panasonic. The inexpensive Phillips remotes tend to have quite a bit of functions crammed into them and are worth a try at $10-15. When programming the VCR buttons, you may want to try other similar brand codes such as Sylvania, Emerson, Symphonic, Realistic, Sanyo, Wards and Signature in addition to Optimus. This will up your chances of getting access to the menu system.Since this unit was made in Japan, I'm wondering if it's a rebadged Panasonic; I thought that most other manufacturers had already left Japan by then and that Panasonic was one of the last hold-outs. In addition, several of the features (e.g. time stamp, channel caption) correspond to those on my circa-2000 Panasonic PV-V4640-K. It might be worthwhile comparing the Optimus manual with the older VCR manuals that can be downloaded as PDF files from the Panasonic web site.

Tony

I went ahead and got me a cheap TDK Wet Cleaning Tape for $5, so problem solved as far as that goes. My only question left for you guys I guess is..........that I'm still searching for a remote that'll allow me to access this Optimus deck's menu (predictably, this deck's original remote has long disappeared). I don't think that it has much in the way of functions compared to my JVC deck and that it is literally bare-bones, but the deck being permanently set at SLP bothers me, even if it automatically switches modes.
You didn't list the model number so I couldn't search myself, but go here http://www.partstore.com/ and enter the brand name and model number and see what you can find. There is an Optoma brand in the drop down menu, perhaps a descendant of Optimus?

tony said
Since this unit was made in Japan, I'm wondering if it's a rebadged Panasonic; I thought that most other manufacturers had already left Japan by then and that Panasonic was one of the last hold-outs. In addition, several of the features (e.g. time stamp, channel caption) correspond to those on my circa-2000 Panasonic PV-V4640-K.
My Panasonic PV9450 has a similar time stamp feature, perhaps it is somehow related to Panasonic. You might want to trry a few Panny codes too.

This Optimus deck is a "Model 65", as listed in front of the deck under the logo.

This Optimus deck is a "Model 65", as listed in front of the deck under the logo.I took a look at the PDF manual from the Radio Shack website and I'm more and more convinced that this unit was made by Panasonic. (For example, I've only ever seen "Time Stamp" and "Program Index Search" features on Panasonic VCRs.) The manual itself appears to be a cheapjack production by Radio Shack; it doesn't even have a diagram of the remote control buttons.

Since your VCR was originally sold by Radio Shack, your best bet might be to buy a universal remote from there. Looking at the PDF manual for their "4-in-1 Family Favorites Remote Control", fourteen different codes for Optimus VCRs are listed (several of which match those for Panasonic).

Tony

I see thanks.

Interesting...........a re-branded Panasonic (possibly) huh??? Wish that JVC that I bought was a re-branded Panasonic.........a good one that is.

Back to CitiBear's talk about cable TV recorded VHS's acting wonky with some DVD Recorders and Capture Cards, I've been trying to hook up this Optimus deck to my "new" (circa-2005 really) laptop's AverMedia M102 TV Tuner (via this card's Composite input) to of course test its recording ability and compatibility..........and I got no image whatsoever. Only a blank screen, or when switching to "CATV" mode (this tuner has three video "sources", CATV, Composite (both of these two are shared by the same Composite input jack), and S-Video (S-Video input jack)) ,no image w/lots of noise and a brief pick-up of some TV station's sound......or something.

It appears that I can't get a picture with anything, be it this VHS deck or my Time Warner DVR box, from this tuner's Composite input, while I connected that same DVR box to ithe card's S-Video input and got a picture, a very good one I may add.

Any of you guys know if certain Capture Cards and/or TV Tuners feature recording protection against VHS, DVD and cable boxes, or something of the sort? Or could the aforementioned problem either have to do with the card itself (faulty Composite input?) or the phenomenon (heh) that CitiBear explained a couple of pages back???

I might just try the Coaxial Cable-to-Composite adapter that came with this whole package, and see if I get a picture using the VHS deck's Coaxial Out.........not that its the ideal connection by far.

Dammit, so many setbacks in trying to transfer and record my stuff to a PC, much less to DVD!

I have personally had nothing but headaches trying to pull analog video into a PC. Connect a MiniDV digital camera via FireWire? No problem. Connect a VHS or other analog source? Sends me to the liquor cabinet. Laptops double the potential for issues. More than likely your capture card either has a faulty composite connection, or the software that runs it has gone corrupt and is not recognizing that connection. Perhaps it is just "stuck" on the S-video connection, is there some obscure setting in the software that might let you switch to composite? The difficulties I described with some types of cable recordings would not give you this problem: you're not getting any picture at all. When I had issues, there was a picture but it was heavily distorted. In your case I think the composite input is just not active for some reason.

Most capture cards and standalone DVD recorders do recognize copy protection from commercial tapes, but this normally would not interfere with tapes you recorded yourself from TV. There are rare occasions when a capture card mistakes a really poor-quality tape signal as "copy protected", but here again you would see some sort of alert appear on screen. You are seeing nothing, which implies a hardware/software glitch.

The card's viewing software allows me to switch between the three aforementioned Video Sources (CATV, Composite, S-Video). It's S-Video input works just fine based on the clear picture that I got when I connected my DVR box to it.

I'll definitely try to re-install the software and see what's up..........if only this laptop's DVD drive wasn't DEAD. You see, yet another setback!!! If it isn't the software, then it's the card itself and I'll obviously have to look for another method of getting my stuff to PC and ultimately to DVD.

Hi,

Have you considered some product like the
ION VCR2PC VHS CONVERTER? It can be found at Radio Shack for about 200$. It has a vcr player with a USB plug, and some software so you can convert your analog stuff directly into digital.

Yikes! That's just way too much for me. Sorry.

Based on what I've told you guys so far on my TV Tuner's problems, do you think that one of those Composite-to-S-Video adapters would allow me to connect my deck to the Tuner and be able to see it? Like I said, the S-Video input works just fine.

Just how do those adapters would anyways? I saw one of them at RadioShack.........going for $25. Yikes! Can any of you refer to me to a cheaper one?