JVC HR-S9911U Discontinued!

[wriggley]

The JVC DVD/VCR units are easy to find, Best Buy still has them. In fact, last time I was in Best Buy, it seems ALL they had were DVD/VCR combos, almost zero DVD recorders without the VCR, except for a couple of super-cheap units from LiteOn and Cyberhome.

Not wanting to drag things further off-topic here, but I'm thinking of using one of those combo units to convert my collection of recorded programmes from VHS to MPEG-2. Would the JVC DR-MV5S have the same "TBC" and noise filtering capabilities as the other JVC units?

I'm actually planning on transferring the converted video to my PC for editing/storage/sorting and was going to get an el-cheapo converter like the ADS DVD Xpress, but from what I've read, these do very little to deal with the problems of the VHS source (e.g. there are many reports of audio going out of sync with these units). A decent hardware encoder like the Canopus MPEGPro EMR has a high initial cost and poor resale potential (at least in the Australian market), so a standalone DVD recorder with similar capabilities built-in seems to be the best option.

[gshelley61]

Not wanting to drag things further off-topic here, but I'm thinking of using one of those combo units to convert my collection of recorded programmes from VHS to MPEG-2. Would the JVC DR-MV5S have the same "TBC" and noise filtering capabilities as the other JVC units?

No, they have a standard VHS VCR in them. However, the DVD recorder has that filtering on the input side, so your VHS conversions to DVD would benefit from that.

You could also look at the SR-MV40 combo unit... it has an S-VHS VCR with the switchable TBC/DNR filters.

[FulciLives]

The ADS Instant DVD 2.0 is a most excellent USB 2.0 capture device that does hardware MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 capture. It is MUCH better than the ADS Xpress and if bought on-line can be had for around $100 USD which ain't bad. The unit can cause A/V sync loss due to overheating but you just have to keep it cool. My solution was to prop it up with make-shift legs so it was about 4 inches off of the surface of the table then I put a small fan on it (the fan was all of 6 inches or so in diameter). That solved the overheating issue.

Nice thing about the ADS Instant DVD 2.0 is that it will copy anything as it will ignore copy protection. Bad thing is lack of scheduled recording options (making it bad for TV recording). It also will only record MP2 audio when using the locked audio function so you have to demux the capture and convert the MP2 to PCM WAV then to AC-3 format.

ADS is about to release (any day now) the ADS Instant DVD + MP3 and this is another USB 2.0 capture device. The word is that the video guts are the same as the ADS Instant DVD 2.0 but the ADS Instant DVD + MP3 supports video capture with hardware encoded AC-3 audio. The dumb ass name of the product has to do with the fact that it also features audio only recording with hardware MP3 (can also do PCM WAV audio only recording).

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

P.S.
The Canopus MPEG encoder cards are WAY overpriced. Also they are hardwired for a black level of 0.0 IRE which is fine for PAL or Japanese NTSC but all other forms of NTSC (other than Japan) is 7.5 IRE so the card is totally unsuitable for the USA and/or Canada etc.

Canopus has known about this issue for a long time yet they have never fixed it. In fact they claim it can't be fixed SO you would think they would release an updated hardware unit that is fixed but they haven't. They do have a MPEG capture card with selectable IRE level input but that model is close to $1,500 whereas the models hardwired for 0.0 IRE are only about $500 give or take.

[mattso]

You could also look at the SR-MV40 combo unit... it has an S-VHS VCR with the switchable TBC/DNR filters.

Not available here in Australia! Nor is JVC M100... or any of those "prosumer" JVC VCRs, for that matter! (The SR-V10E is discontinued & impossible to find).

Cheapest S-VHS VCR with TBC/DNR (plus miniDV) is the SR-VS30E, for ~AU$2000.

[wriggley]

gshelley61, the DVD side is what I was asking about - sorry I wasn't clearer about that. As mattso pointed out, not many options here regarding S-VHS VCRs (or standalone TBCs for that matter).

FulciLives, do you know how the Instant DVD 2.0 is different internally? I thought it was basically just an Xpress with outputs added to it. One of these units would be the most convenient, but the lack of info on their filtering abilities concerns me, whereas for the decent VCR/DVD recorder combos, there at least appears to be a lot of feedback (albiet largely in Amazon.com user reviews) suggesting the DVD copies they make are at least on a par with the VHS source. In my case, the source tapes aren't too challenging (they're all under 7 years old).

[FulciLives]

FulciLives, do you know how the Instant DVD 2.0 is different internally? I thought it was basically just an Xpress with outputs added to it. One of these units would be the most convenient, but the lack of info on their filtering abilities concerns me, whereas for the decent VCR/DVD recorder combos, there at least appears to be a lot of feedback (albiet largely in Amazon.com user reviews) suggesting the DVD copies they make are at least on a par with the VHS source. In my case, the source tapes aren't too challenging (they're all under 7 years old).

The ADS Instant DVD 2.0 has a totally different chipset than the one in the ADS DVD Xpress. The chipset in the ADS Instant DVD 2.0 is better quality wise and deals better with less-than-stable VHS sources that would "choke" the ADS DVD Xpress.

Here is a link where I posted some screen shots of captures I did with the ADS Instant DVD 2.0 ---> CLICK HERE

Please note that the VHS video captures are from a used pre-record that did not play back very stable (guess it was used "hard") ... in fact I tested the same VHS video with a Hauppauge WinTV PVR 150 which had trouble capturing the image without totally distorting it whereas the ADS Instant DVD 2.0 did wonders on the capture.

Another nice thing about the ADS Instant DVD 2.0 is that you can do MPEG-2 captures at 15,000kbps CBR with "I" frames only. This makes a nice "master" capture that can be filtered with AviSynth and/or VirtualDubMod then run through a software MPEG encoder (such as CCE or TMPGEnc Plus) for standard MPEG-2 DVD spec. output.

The ADS Instant DVD 2.0 also has built-in filters for filtering during the capture process. There is a spatial filter (settings are 0 - 7) and a temporal filter (setting are 0 - 255). There are also controls for Brightness, Chroma, Contrast, Hue and Saturation. You can pick CBR or VBR bitrates and the exact bitrate you want to use and you can select the resolution you want to use such as Full D1 or Half D1 etc. Please note that although you can pick the bitrate you want to use you must pick from a drop down list of bitrates which goes in steps of 500 such as 5000kbps to 5500kbps to 6000kbps to 6500kbps etc.

In order to get an "I" frame only capture you have to edit the registry. This is simple to do and I out-line that on this link ---> CLICK HERE

The ADS Instant DVD 2.0 also features "locked audio" support. Again you have to use MP2 audio so I would use 384kbps for the bitrate (highest you can use) then convert to PCM WAV and/or AC-3 audio. Again overheating can cause A/V sync loss so watch that ... it's a great lil device but poorly constructed in regards to overheating.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[Wile_E]

Well I'm still waiting for a response from JVC support about a successor to the 9911! Still nothing, although I figured their support sucked just as much as any other company email support. I think most company's email goes to a black hole.

[lordsmurf]

You would have better luck contacting Victor in Japan, or a JVC office in Europe. Don't execpt anything to go fast from the North American offices. Not for a question like this.

[anitract]

...or any question for that matter.

/jvc jab

The silence is what kills me in this case. I don't think the successor to the 9911 would be all that much better (if any), but I'm really interested if they are beginning to ebb out their standalone VCRs.

[BrainStorm69]

IMHO there is no way that JVC (or any other company for that matter) will ever release a high end, consumer S-VHS standalone VCR again. There just isn't enough demand for them to be worthwhile. The closest we have come to that lately are DVD/VCR combo units (but even those will die out eventually), or D-VHS units that had high end analog capabilities also (and those are about gone, too, esp. with HDDVD and blu-ray around the corner).

[JAB285]

IMHO there is no way that JVC (or any other company for that matter) will ever release a high end, consumer S-VHS standalone VCR again. There just isn't enough demand for them to be worthwhile. The closest we have come to that lately are DVD/VCR combo units (but even those will die out eventually), or D-VHS units that had high end analog capabilities also (and those are about gone, too, esp. with HDDVD and blu-ray around the corner).

That's very true BrainStorm69. But it's also unfortunate. I guess when most of the market is buying vcrs for under $99, there isn't much sense in making a $500 one. I would hope that they were smart enough to still produce a pro version, but I don't know if they will. I guess it makes sense to stash one away for a rainy day.

[JAB285]

........ I have a nearly new prosumer SR-MV50 (which is a DVD recorder/S-VHS combo unit) and the tape playback PQ looks just as good as the SR-V10U I have on hand.

gshelly61,

What's the difference between the SR-MV50 and the SR-MV40? I'm asking because of the $496 difference in their list price.

[gshelley61]

The MV50 has an RS-232 port for computer controlled operation. Other than that, I think they are pretty much the same.

I got mine cheap in a lucky open box deal on eBay.

[JAB285]

The MV50 has an RS-232 port for computer controlled operation. Other than that, I think they are pretty much the same.

I got mine cheap in a lucky open box deal on eBay.

Thanks gshelly61. I thought they might be pretty much the same. The ability of these decks to tape two different programs simultaneously is very intriguing. If the dvd side is comparable to a M100S and the vcr side is comparable to a V101S, then this is a decent deck IMHO. Especially at the $389.99 retail price of the MV40.

You do seem to find those open box deals a lot , don't you?

[gshelley61]

You do seem to find those open box deals a lot , don't you?

Yes, but I do do get some broken and defective units, too. In fact, I bought the SR-MV50 listed as being broken. The facepiece was loose and the DVD did not work according to the seller. It turned out all that was wrong with it was that the DVD flip-down door had a broken hinge on one side, preventing it from opening. I removed the bad hinge, re-seated the unit's facepiece and it works just fine now. Other than the DVD door only being attached on one side, it's like a brand new machine.

Deals like that are rare, though.

[anitract]

Deals like that are rare, though.

UNLESS you monitor eBay like a hawk, right gshelley61?

[gshelley61]

If you spend enough time and energy scouring eBay, you can definitely score some great units for a fraction of their original cost. Patience and persistence, avoiding emotional bidding, and understanding that used gear won at auction may have problems... that's what it takes. It's very helpful if you are handy with basic electronics repair, too.

[davideck]

I stumbled onto a JVC 7600 that was a Buy It Now for $39.99 but was listed in some obscure category that had nothing to do with VCRs. I think I searched on "jvc vcr" and it popped up. The unit was in excellent condition and is my best deal on EBay to date.

[quicksilverg4]

If anyone is interested, I can get ahold of a HR-S9911U in excellent shape with remote. Cost would be ~$300 plus shipping. PM me if you're interested.

[50eggs]

You are in breach of the forum rules and are being issued with a formal warning. No advertising please. Use ebay or something else.
/ Moderator Baldrick

[gshelley61]

If anyone is interested, I can get ahold of a HR-S9911U in excellent shape with remote. Cost would be ~$300 plus shipping. PM me if you're interested.

Friends-

I have a new JVC HR-S9911U. We purchased it about a year or two ago, intending to have a small edit suite here - but we outsource all of our editing and I have never used this machine. So - it is brand new and best offer gets it. We guarantee that it will be operational, of course.

-Mary

You are not supposed to advertise or mention items you have for sale on this forum.

[jesse217]

http://cgi.ebay.com/http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-80s-SMURF-feeding-BABY-SPOON-nib_W0QQi...QQcmdZViewItem

You are in breach of the forum rules and are being issued with a formal warning. --no advertising
/ Moderator BJ_M

[FulciLives]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-80s-SMURF-

You are in breach of the forum rules and are being issued with a formal warning. --no advertising
/ Moderator BJ_M

heh

That was funny ... kinda sorta

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

P.S.
Wonders if BJ_M went to see the item on auction?

[lordsmurf]

That auction used to be for a JVC VCR.
Nice spoon.

[PrivacyManagement]

My research also showed that this JVC HR-S9911U was one of the premiere units on the market... and it looks like it is confirmed here on this forum as well.

I previously obtained one of the now-discontinued JVC HR-S9911U Super VHS ET Hi-Fi Stereo Video Cassette Recorder + remote control... but NEVER used it.

NEW and still in the original box and packaging... It may be the last one on the planet in this condition.

... I guess I made a good choice!

[theaveng]

it would probably be cheaper to buy an S-VHS VCR and a second used MiniDV camcorder just for playback purposes than it would be to acquire the combo unit.

I have a 7500 VCR. What would you recommend for a good but inexpensive miniDV cam for doing external TBC duties? thanks


My best deal on ebay was a D-VHS unit for $90. The seller advertised it as "DH4000" which meant nobody else saw it. I was the only bidder.