Need a VCR to accompany ADVC-110 with PAL tapes

[ha9981]

I need to convert VHS pal tapes into digital format. I was looking into VCR's with a TBC built in. I came across ag-1980 but I am not sure if it will take pal in and output in pal. Also are there any other cheaper recommended VCRs that I can find nowadays on ebay with TBC and pal in, pal out? If someone could please mention some models that are under $180. Also some ag-1980 models on ebay are quite cheap, from what I am reading it is because they are quite used and that makes them drop in quality playback. Is that correct?

Has anyone bought one recently?

[edDV]

You would need a PAL spec VCR (as sold in PAL countries). A US model ag-1980 won't play PAL VHS.

There are small volume multi-standard models but that would clear in the specs.

[jman98]

How many tapes do you need to convert? If it's only a small number, say 5 or fewer, it might actually be cheaper to pay a video shop to do this for you. Many are able to do exactly this kind of conversion.

If you are converting commercial videotapes of movies, note that they may be encoded with Macrovision and you will need some method of dealing with that like a TBC. Finally, if there aren't many and it's a commercial videotape, you might just check and see if it's available on DVD as that might also be cheaper than paying for a VCR and doing it yourself. However, if this is, say, a dozen home movies, you're basically stuck and it's cheaper to do it yourself than to pay a shop to do it for you.

[lordsmurf]

I need to convert VHS pal tapes into digital format. I was looking into VCR's with a TBC built in.

PAL VHS to PAL DVD is smart. (Converting PAL to NTSC loses quality.)

I came across ag-1980 but I am not sure if it will take pal in and output in pal.

No.

Also are there any other cheaper recommended VCRs that I can find nowadays on ebay with TBC and pal in, pal out? If someone could please mention some models that are under $180.

Budget too low. PAL equipment is always more expensive than NTSC equipment, and good condition NTSC VCR with TBC can easily fetch $200+ -- PAL decks for $300+

For example, I have a Panasonic AG-2 / Samsung 5000W PAL VCR that I'd sell for no less than $200 plus shipping. No TBC, but it plays PAL, SECAM and NTSC, and converts the PAL/SECAM to NTSC in hardware. I'd not use it to play NTSC tapes, or necessarily suggest the conversion, but it plays PAL and SECAM tapes pretty well. About the same age as AG-1980.

also some ag-1980 models on ebay are quite cheap, from what I am reading it is because they are quite used and that makes them drop in quality playback. Is that correct?

Correct. Cheap units like that are often full of problems, including eating tapes.

Has anyone bought one recently?

What would you consider recently?