how to view old 3/4" video

[newsshari]

I am a former reporter, and I have a lot of my work archived on the old 3/4 inch video tapes. Wondering what's the cheapest way to view these tapes. I can't find any place that rents 3/4" play decks in the SF Bay Area, so I'm looking to buy on Ebay or some other website. Found the Sony Umatic 3/4” play/record decks... think those will work. Also found a Sony SVO 9600 SVHS player and a Sony SVO-9500MD Hi-Fi S-VHS for a lot less money. Will either cheaper model play 3/4"? Trying to find the cheapest option. Thanks for your help.

[Cornucopia]

Machines would be too expensive (to make worthwhile) to buy (or ebay or wherever). It's not just the buying of the machine, but the maintenance/repair (this need WILL occur) and any support systems (like genlock/blackburst sync source, etc).
No self-respecting post/xfer house is going to "Rent" to a non-extablished-tech user a temperamental piece of equipment like U-matic (aka 3/4").
Your best option is just take ALL your 3/4 tapes and get them transferred by a reputable and knowledgeable company that still has U-matic machines. Transfer them to a good SD digital master (with optional copies as DV or DVD).

To clarify: ONLY U-matic (whether normal or SP) machines will play U-matic tapes. And U-matic really stopped being used at production/post/news places at the end of the '90s, so it is now becoming a "RARE" format, not be have remain only on archive (if you really want to be able to view it later).

Scott

[TBoneit]

S-VHS is a variant of the VHS 1/2' tape and it will not handle your 3/4" U-matic tapes