JVC HMHDS1

[gsh]

Does anyone have any experience with this machine?
I'm looking to add a "new" svhs deck to my setup - I have a JVC HR-S7600 and a Panasonic NV-SV121EB-S in regular use.
The Pana was bought new - great machine, independent TBC + DNR. In fact I recently managed to acquire a second new one for backup.
The JVC was bought second hand and has been very good in cleaning up noisier tapes. It's been fine for a while but is now in need of some attention.
The 7600 has started to have some vertical judder/jitter playing back some tapes - tbc on or off. I was intending to have this serviced, however if I'm going to get stung for a large repair bill, maybe it's just not cost effective.
I can buy the HMHDS1 new for £360. It seems like a decent unit - SVHS with TBC + DNR. I have no need for the HDD, but there are no other SVHS units with TBC/DNR being sold new, so I don't have a lot of choice. The £220 JVC HMHDS4 rather annoyingly does not appear to have TBC or DNR.
I also have a JVC HM-DR1000 that gives a very good PQ. However it only plays back PAL so I may sell it to help finance the new deck/repairs - I do a lot of NTSC transfers so my decks need the flexibility of multi standard playback.
A lot of my business is still from transferring VHS, so I need to have a couple of good decks on hand.
Any tips/advice/first hand experience with the HMHDS1 will be appreciated.
As will any links to anywhere selling new JVC SVHS decks and/or cheaper service centres! (London/Essex area)

Cheers.

[themaster1]

Brand new quality s-vhs vcr's hmmm that might be difficult to get you better focus on d-vhs vcr's.
As for second hand vcr's i regularly see good ones on ebay germany though most are pal only.
As for a multistandard deck i'd advice french vcr's indeed as they got all the circuitry that's required.Mine can handle secam, pal & ntsc w/o much trouble quite frankly.

Regarding the JVC HMHDS1 model i have no idea but i'm perplex a vcr with a hdd i dunno if that's a good idea it might have cheap components somewhere or it would cost a pretty penny, no?

[gsh]

The HM-DR1000 is a D-VHS but alas only PAL playback or I'd definitely keep it.

[StuR]

Hi as usual no time to read properly, but think I got the jist, will read again... anyway I've got the HDS1 40G HDD/SVHS. Firstly due to the old Maxtor (there was another brand too) HDD it's noisy just like my first PC from '96 era. That's annoying but I got as it was a local SH model got for very cheap from a what looked to be a very careful retired owner - hence should be regarded as in OK order. Anyway I got for the SVHS digipure (not inc. on the 80G version which did have a DV in).
SVHS>HDD dubs are OK but the later JVC DVDRW's are better quality. Not much use anyway for DVD dubbing.
SVHS>ext DVDRW if'y indeed it should be good but only a very limited success rate. I prefer the Panasonic SVHS's TBC/3DNR, and tracking.
If the HDD is not going to be used (unless its cheap) go for a seperate JVC SVHS in my view.
The HDS1 came out around the time of the 8700 so will be similar.
Which Pan SVHS is yours? What's wrong with that?

BTW never played a NTSC tape on the HDS1? I have a multi-standard converter anyway (for the full frame TBC/sync)

[gsh]

If the HDD is not going to be used (unless its cheap) go for a seperate JVC SVHS in my view.

I wish I could find one being sold new - that is the only reason for looking at this model, as I can buy it new with warranty.

Which Pan SVHS is yours? What's wrong with that?

NV-SV121EB-S - There's nothing wrong with it - in fact I bought another BNIB as a spare not too long ago. I find the JVC DNR can clean up some noiser tapes better, so I don't need any NR in post.

BTW never played a NTSC tape on the HDS1? I have a multi-standard converter anyway (for the full frame TBC/sync)

All my decks apart from the JVC HM-DR1000 can also play back NTSC in some form, beit as PAL60 then fed through an ACE converter or as native signal on my Samsung SV4000W (which I only keep for SECAM L tapes - as soon as I can acquire a French sourced JVC w/ digipure I will sell it).
Decisions decisions...

EDIT>>turns out the DR10000 does in fact play back NTSC tapes.

[orsetto]

A JVC VCR is the world's best example of "angel on one shoulder, devil on the other". When these machines are new-ish, and working properly, they rock like no other. Unfortunately when they crap out (and they do: always), they are a royal pain to get serviced up to snuff again. I can speak only from USA - NTSC experience, the models in Europe may be somewhat different, but in 25 years of using JVCs I have never, NOT ONCE, been able to get one repaired properly once it starts acting up. I always end by discarding or reselling them. There are many, many other members here who claim to have easily serviced/refurbished their JVCs: I tip my hat to them but my own experience leaves me wary: my JVCs are never the same once they start breaking down, and repairs last only days or weeks at best.

As you've noted, JVC has a near-exclusive on certain image processing circuits, which is the only reason we even bother trying to keep them functional. If you are using them professionally you may be able to justify the outrageous repair costs you've been quoted, or amortize the purchase of an HMHDS1. However, be sure you get a strong return/replace warranty on an HMHDS1: all the JVC recorders with hard drives are more trouble-prone than the VCR-only units. Repairing your existing JVCs may be the better option if the service facility backs up their pricey work with a guarantee of some sort.

[StuR]

Right, now I'll answer if your still looking that is......
Looked at manual (it's somewhere on the net if you look) HMHDS1 mines a UK PAL version
- does playback NTSC tapes (I think SECAM too) but could find if the TBC works for them. It usually says in the TBC/NR section -at the end in smaller text, will not work for NTSC tapes etc. but it doesn't say so may do. But That would need to be checked.

NV-SV121EB-S - There's nothing wrong with it - in fact I bought another BNIB as a spare not too long ago. I find the JVC DNR can clean up some noiser tapes better, so I don't need any NR in post.

I've got a feeling that this model has the TBC, 3DNR but not the picture controls. That allows a chose of Sharp/Auto/Soft picture. The Soft option+TBC+NR=is better than the JVC TBC/NR for me.
There's only a few with picture controls HS860/960/930 as far as I've been able to find, all UK/euro models no US equiv

[gsh]

Right, now I'll answer if your still looking that is......
Looked at manual (it's somewhere on the net if you look) HMHDS1 mines a UK PAL version
- does playback NTSC tapes (I think SECAM too) but could find if the TBC works for them. It usually says in the TBC/NR section -at the end in smaller text, will not work for NTSC tapes etc. but it doesn't say so may do. But That would need to be checked.

I just checked a couple of models on the tbc/dnr issue - the 7600 and 9600 make no mention of it not working on particular formats but the 8600 and 9700 state it doesn't work on MeSECAM tapes, same as in the HMHDS1 manual (I don't think this model made it to an MS version)

I've got a feeling that this model has the TBC, 3DNR but not the picture controls. That allows a chose of Sharp/Auto/Soft picture. The Soft option+TBC+NR=is better than the JVC TBC/NR for me.
There's only a few with picture controls HS860/960/930 as far as I've been able to find, all UK/euro models no US equiv

You're right about that - there's no picture controls, which is annoying. It's still a good deck though, and one that gets used a lot.

My 7600 doesn't have a problem like I first thought - because a couple of tapes had slight jitter I assumed it was on it;s way out. However, every tape I've played since those two has been fine, so those tapes in particular are just not JVC friendly.
I'm still contemplating picking up an HMHDS1. I guess I shouldn't leave it too long or they will all be gone.

Thanks for everyone's input.

[StuR]

gsh - if you fancy one then its up to you, but remember the noisy HDD's if it's for a room you want some peace in when in use. I find it's only happy to give a good picture if the tape is not old worn or stretched, hence not much good for me. The panasonic seems to always work. Hard to say if it's my particular unit. I imagine the HDD was used more than the video due to obvious reasons so I can't say it would be down to wear and tear.

Have you looked at this forum there's a bit on the HDS1
http://www.cippico.com/bbs/index.php

[gsh]

Yes thanks - I found that site when first doing research.

[themaster1]

My vcr the jvc hr-S8600ms has pictures controls see snapshots below:
01*02*03*04

include digital tbc/nr & digital 3R
playback pal/secam/mesecam/ntsc vhs
transcoding to pal possible

The manual state the tbc don't work with secam/mesecam vhs

Like many of you, i have experienced dificulties with a couple of tapes with the tbc "on"