Which Sharp VCR?

[BrainStorm69]

Anyone with experience with Sharp VCRs who can recommend a really good one (by good I mean with the best, sharpest playback)? Doesn't have to be S-VHS, as I'll potentially be using it mostly for transferring VHS to DVD. Also doesn't have to be currently available new..I'm no stranger to eBay.

Thanks,
BrainStorm

[lordsmurf]

Sharp JSJ-20451 VHS
I have 2 of these. Very nice.

[BrainStorm69]

LS, where can I get more info on this Sharp VCR? A google search provided no hits, and neither did a search of Sharp's USA site.

Also, anyone have any experience with the VC-H993U? Any good?

[lordsmurf]

It's the SHARP that was sold by MONTGOMERY WARD'S in the mid 1990s. Almost any SHARP from the mid/late 90s was a good VCR. You can also find ADMIRAL. I'll go scan eBay for you when I get time, and take a photo of mine.

[BrainStorm69]

OK, now we're getting somewhere

I can find information on the admiral vcr with that model number.

So Sharp models from the same time period (late 90s) with same features are internally the same?

Is your's actually an admiral, or does it have the Sharp brand on it? If it has the Sharp brand, I would like to see a pic. If it's the admiral, I already have.

[lordsmurf]

OK, now we're getting somewhere

I can find information on the admiral vcr with that model number.

So Sharp models from the same time period (late 90s) with same features are internally the same?

Is your's actually an admiral, or does it have the Sharp brand on it? If it has the Sharp brand, I would like to see a pic. If it's the admiral, I already have.

I have one of each. They are identical aside from the silver logo on the top left. The sticker on the back peeled off the SHARP, so the ADMIRAL is the number I gave you.

The later Sharps had a different button layout (slightly).
My friend has some of those. It had a dial like the JVC for FF/REW and only play/stop on the circular buttons. The remote for them range a bit too. Some of them had no display panel (hated those). But all played well..

Remember to turn of the AUTO ENHANCE (make grainy images from "sharpening" it)

These things TRACK tapes wonderfully. I'd be lost with them. One is a living room VCR. Other in the office. Unlike the equally-good PANASONIC models of the day, this one can have the blue-screen turn off, important for capturing bad tapes.

[BrainStorm69]

Well, I'm now the proud owner of a Admiral JSJ20455 VCR with remote. 100% functional and in good shape cosmetically. $20 shipped. The 20455 looks to be just the same as the 20451. I'll let you know how I like it after it's delivered and I get a chance to play around with it (most likely next weekend).

Here's the ebay listing link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5705802382&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT

[Marvingj]

Theres a Sharp VCS101U just got from Fry's . Its a SVHS VCR has Great picture, Fast rewind But Odd remote. Was on sale 140.99!

[BrainStorm69]

OK, lordsmurf...I took you at your word and bought an Admiral JSJ20455. Got it on ebay for $1 plus $19 shipping. I spent all of tonight cleaning it up. It came from a Pawnshop, and I can tell it was owned by someone who smoked. The remote had nicotine stains on it, and I'm pretty sure there's some on the outside of the vcr. It's a little beat up on the outside, but it actually cleaned up ok.



I took the top off and the inside didn't look too bad. I cleaned the tape path and the heads.

I have a question for you though. The bottom of the vcr is entirely plastic. Not even a thin metal shield. But it looks like there may have been one at one time. Do yours have any metal on the bottom? Maybe I need to fashion myself something to attach to the bottom of this one.



BTW...I briefly tested it out and it worked pretty good. Another question though..is there no way to manually track? I know you said the tracking on these is wonderful, but if I ever run into something I need to manually track, I haven't figured out how to, or if it's even possible.

[lordsmurf]

CHANNEL UP/DOWN on the unit is the tracking.
Some remotes have TRACKING too. There were several versions.

Turn off that AUTO_ENHANCE crap too while you're at it.
It should be called "add more grain" or "sharpen to death" instead.

Mine has a hard plastic bottom.
I rarely open it these days. I abused it, but it's still good years later.
It's easily recorded 10,000 hours.

Good luck getting that sticker off the top.