VCR for best tracking and playback stability?

[daysaf00]

Can someone tell me what VCR's they recommend for good tracking? I need something that doesn't jump, show excessive lines, etc. I have a bunch of tapes recorded on a vcr I no longer have. I can't remember, but I think they were recorded on a jvc or toshiba...I could be wrong though. These tapes are T-120 and about 5-6 hours of recorded material.

I read in another post that Sharp is best for tracking? Can anyone confirm this? If so, what models or type of sharp do you recommend?

[zoobie]

Pros usually use high-end s-vhs machines with a TBC to work with tapes. However, if you've just a few tapes to work with, it doesn't make much sense to invest hundreds of $. You may just consider dropping them off at a lab and having them transfer the video to data discs to work with at home. People complain it's expensive - but it's a great short-cut without having to buy expensive equipment.

[orsetto]

If its only a few dodgy tapes (few meaning less than 50), and these aren't priceless personal memories but simple TV recordings, yes I'd recommend a Sharp. Pretty easy to find in good shape for under $25, at least in USA/Canada. Another excellent yet completely unknown VCR is the Panasonic industrial AG2560, mfr'd in 2001. Looks like an ordinary VCR, but very rugged and reliable tape transport with excellent tracking. These typically sell for $30-50 without remote: the dedicated remote is unnecessary except to set timer recordings, for all other functions you can use any random Panasonic remote or universal remote.

For an off-the-beaten-path budget alternative, see if you can find a JVC DR-MV5s DVD/VHS combo recorder. These tend to pop up frequently on eBay or Craigs List for under $50, much less if the remote has been lost (the remote is not necessary to operate the VCR). These 2004 units have a bad rep for unreliability, but the problems are almost entirely related to the DVD section: when switched to VCR mode they generally work very well. At one time I owned six of these that I ran simultaneously, I found the VCR section tracked extremely well (better than some hideously expensive "high end" vcrs). They do an especially good job with difficult hifi audio tracks, and slow-speed EP recordings. This contradicts the typical JVC VCR behavior, which is exactly opposite, so the VCR in these combo models must be designed differently.

[jman98]

Based on daysaf00's other posts (a cross posting - naughty naughty) I get the feeling that if it costs money, he's not interested. Geez, why else would someone spend the time to transfer 200+ piece of **** quality VHS tapes from the 90s of The Next Generation and other TV shows instead of just buying the DVDs? He just wants a cheap "magic bullet" VCR that can solve his problems quickly.

[orsetto]

Based on daysaf00's other posts (a cross posting - naughty naughty) I get the feeling that if it costs money, he's not interested. Geez, why else would someone spend the time to transfer 200+ piece of **** quality VHS tapes from the 90s of The Next Generation and other TV shows instead of just buying the DVDs? He just wants a cheap "magic bullet" VCR that can solve his problems quickly.

Yikes! I didn't see the other related posts. If these are mostly TV shows like ST:TNG and the tapes are not that good/mostly LP or EP- I'd say don't even bother. Go on eBay and buy used DVD sets one at a time as you can afford them. The quality dubbed to DVD is going to be borderline-unwatchable if the tapes are so-so, and the time investment is enormous. You would need a re-conditioned $400 vcr, a very expensive proc amp, and mad skills with PC capture / video correction to get decent results. The task would probably take the rest of your life and the results not worth the trouble.

By all means, pick up another VCR if yours is problematic. But then just watch the tapes directly: it ain't worth the transfer headaches. Buy the studio DVDs on an affordable schedule.

[daysaf00]

jman98, you insult my intelligence by suggesting that I would spend time transferring tapes containing programs available for DVD purchase. The fact that you even mentioned this makes me question YOUR intelligence.
My tapes are TOTALLY UNAVAILABLE! They were never even available on VHS for purchase. They are TV programs that aired ONCE and only ONCE and will most likely NEVER EVER be aired again OR released on any format in the near or distant future. I would love to spend thousands of dollars to restore and dub these professionally, but forgive me if I'm not rolling in cash to do so. Perhaps you could lend me a couple thousand to do so? A blank check would work too. I'm more than willing to shell out a few hundred bucks for a top end VCR and some additional equipment, but based on what others have said on here, it doesn't sound like top of the line units are worth it when it comes to EP/SLP tapes with tracking/playback issues. I've read that one can have relatively good luck with a basic model VCR. I'm asking what models are best for the issues I'm experiencing. I'm really just looking to get a watchable transfer, not some incredible HD image. I was merely asking for advice and feedback.

Why do you even bother commenting if you're just going to be rude and condescending? I've noticed (based on other snarky comments you've left) you act like this a lot on this forum, which is sad.

Not EVERYONE works with video for a living, and some of us are beginners who are still learning the ins and outs, and are merely looking for assistance from video gurus who do this for a living and/or hobby. Why do you even waste your time trolling through these forums if everyone here is beneath you? Obviously someone of your brilliance and experience has better things to do than give assistance to us video handicapped commoners.

I never once said I was unwilling to spend money or time, but I definitely don't want to WASTE TIME AND MONEY ON EQUIPMENT THAT ISN'T GOING TO HELP MY PLAYBACK PROBLEMS...hence why I'm looking for feedback from others who have experienced similar issues, and am interested in finding out what did and didn't work for them. I find it incredibly disenchanting that you'd even take the time to type up a response like that. Seems like you need to take a break from cruising this forum and spew your misery elsewhere. Take up a new hobby, perhaps something that will bring you some happiness (if that's at all possible), because you've clearly mastered this one.

Thanks to others who have given legitimate, non-satirical and honest feedback. Much appreciated!

[sanlyn]

Ouch, two stiff posts in a row. Chill, gang. . .daysaf00, I know where you come from with those once-in-a-lifetime-tapes. I have a few hundred hours myself. I happened to have my vcr going on NY NBC channel 4 when the first plane crashed into the WTC, two vcr's going nonstop during 4 days of Katrina, and I caught Cronkite's interview with Eisenhower cruising on a small boat in the waters off Omaha Beach on the 50th Anniversary of D-Day, 1992. Not likely to find any of that on DVD (or retail VHS, either). Aging, noisy tape. Best I could do is some oldie vcr's from eBay, 4 out of 7 purchases were disasters -- not all that costly, but disasters nonetheless. No $1000 to $1500 on hand for an AG-1980. But the $50 used vcr's play a clean image (forget built-in tbc, I'm using used/refurbished DVD recorders as pass-thru for that. It works, too!). Now in the 8th year of learning the obscure magic words and mouse-clicks that will make Avisynth and NeatVideo tidy-up these noisy, color-faded, spotty, busted-frame captures.

Yet I will confess to the following: (a) I bought a DVD of a movie I liked that I had recorded in 1991 on cheap VHS tape, and (b) I spent 3 months restoring the tape anyway.

[themaster1]

JVS SR-TS1U that's what i use for Lp tapes it play these better compared to my jvc hr-s8600ms
This vcr has a video stabilizer feature, quote from the manual:
Video Stabilizer:

Video Stabilizer
By activating the Video Stabilizer you can correct vertical
vibrations in the picture when playing back unstable EP
recordings that were made on another VCR. When this function
is set to "ON", vertical vibration will be automatically corrected.
*The default setting is "OFF".

Try to find a vcr with this feature

[oldfart13]

JVS SR-TS1U that's what i use for Lp tapes it play these better compared to my jvs hr-s8600ms
This vcr has a video stabilizer feature, quote from the manual:
Video Stabilizer:

Video Stabilizer
By activating the Video Stabilizer you can correct vertical
vibrations in the picture when playing back unstable EP
recordings that were made on another VCR. When this function
is set to "ON", vertical vibration will be automatically corrected.
*The default setting is "OFF".

Try to find a vcr with this feature

I have that feature on my JVC HR-S3800U but it's hit or miss. Sometimes it works very well, other times, no effect. It's always best to play the tapes back on the machine that made them for best compatability. Barring that, you may have to check the problematic tapes on several machines until you find one that will play it back with good results for transferring to DVD.

Good luck!