Broadcast SVHS decks... any play EP/LP?

[sphinx99]

I understand that many professional units do not play any VHS or SVHS tapes other than SP. I have a Sanyo editing deck like that. However I am curious as to which ones *do* handle EP and LP tapes... especially in the JVC line but even beyond that as well (Panasonic, etc.). Any experiences one way or the other with specific models?

[edDV]

I understand that many professional units do not play any VHS or SVHS tapes other than SP. I have a Sanyo editing deck like that. However I am curious as to which ones *do* handle EP and LP tapes... especially in the JVC line but even beyond that as well (Panasonic, etc.). Any experiences one way or the other with specific models?

The reason the Pro models get better pictures and better tape interchange is because they are optimized to SP mode only. This allows the heads to be optimally designed for SP and S-VHS tape.

These were designed as production decks not as universal playback machines. You are more likely to find support for LP and EP on "pro" machines used in conference rooms or for screening S-VHS/VHS.

[gshelley61]

Look for "prosumer" type decks or high end consumer machines rather than broadcast recorder/editors. They usually have LP and EP playback capability.

[sphinx99]

I understand that. Should I interpret these replies to mean that the JVC and Panasonic broadcast decks (none of them) play EP or LP tapes?

I'm trying to get some specific answers here, after being told by someone who used to work at a studio that some of their broadcast SVHS decks DID play EP tapes because sometimes they used them as sources for EP tapes that they were receiving from, say, someone's home movie, that they wanted to edit scenes out of to broadcast as part of a story. So, I'm trying to get a feel for which models are confirmed to play (or not play) non-SP tapes... by model number if possible.

[gshelley61]

I understand that. Should I interpret these replies to mean that the JVC and Panasonic broadcast decks (none of them) play EP or LP tapes?

That's correct. The large, heavy duty broadcast machines generally are single speed (SP) only.

[deadhead_]

Some (I said SOME) of the pro-machines can play EP tapes in jog/shuttle mode when you use your jog dial and set the correct speed. Some machines can recognize the correct speed of playback. AFAIK this trick is available on some Panasonic pro-machines