JVC SR-S365U SVHS unit

[barkingcat]

Still shopping for a deal on an SVHS unit. Does anyone know if this one is worth getting? New it sells for over $1000 but I know price isn't always an indicator.

[bendixG15]

Well, it selling on Ebay for a "Buy it Now" price of around $50.00 shipped from a guy with good feedback.

B&H Photo says its discontinued.

He who hesitates is lost.

[orsetto]

Absolutely AVOID this model, especially at the typical staggering retail price. It does NOT have the TBC/DNR circuits of the recommended JVC models. It can't even use a wireless remote! I speak from experience because I purchased a couple of these at a surplus sale for $250 each a few years ago when I was still a tape guy. These are decent editing recorders with flying erase heads but they are based on a VERY old chassis design from the late 1980s with a none-too-reliable transport. The reason it occasionally pops up on eBay very cheaply is because JVC cut a deal with a number of volume buyers some years back to supply these as surveillance recorders. The ones with very low asking price have likely logged many many hours of continuous use (you can check for this using a menu readout on the front panel).

One has to do a lot of research on some of these Panasonic, JVC and Sony "pro" model SVHS machines before buying: they are often inferior to the consumer decks for digital transfer work. They are intended for professional editing bays with external TBCs, etc., and their high price tends to reflect obscure pro features of no use whatsoever in performing VHS to DVD conversions. For example, this JVC SR-S365U is so pricey because it is the only relatively compact SVHS unit with built-in high-end timecode sync reader, which is a hideously expensive external option on most pro VHS decks. This JVC also has the high end professional edit controller interface for studio use.

All that money basically gets you a very ordinary SVHS recorder with extraordinary connectivity options that let it interface with full-scale pro edit bays. Truly a niche product, but not at all useful for the work most of us are doing. You would be much better off with a JVC or Mitsubishi consumer DVHS deck: both have all the desirable built-in TBC, DNR and stabilizing features recommended by senior forum members, and both are available new for under $400 or below half of that second-hand.

[themaster1]

I have seen one good for you (on ebay germany):
http://cgi.ebay.fr/JVC-HR-S7711-7700-S-VHS-ET-TBC-3DNR_W0QQitemZ270208507637QQihZ017QQ...sid=p1638.m122

I have never used the precise model but it look fine to me i just don't know if it's pal or ntsc (pal i believe). You gotta ask the seller
and the price seems decent depending on how old it is

[barkingcat]

Thank you all again for the feedback - I will check out the unit themaster1 recommended. And I will pass on this one