Help choosing a high-quality VHS VCR?

[jealousy91]

I own an Sony SL-HF 1000 Beta Player and the quality for the tapes played in my collection are superb and IMO is the best Betamax player for used capturing beta tapes (unless I can do better with an EDV-9500 or another Sony model) and am now currently saving up to purchase a Pioneer HLD-X0 for the rare laserdiscs I have. I also have some rare VHS tapes (for ex. some contain deleted footage that don't appear on DVD/Blu-ray) that I'd like to capture for preservation reasons but don't know which VCR to get. I've looked at the VCR buying guides here and on digitalfaq and I want to say a W-VHS player is best (but it's heavily discouraged as the parts are no longer made). For S-VHS, there's the JVC HR-S9900U and the Panasonic 1980P; plus the D-VHS Mitsubishi HS-HD2000U, but I don't know which one to get.

First off let me just say that picture quality is everything to me when using an analog media player to where money is not an issue.

[moonkrj]

I own an Sony SL-HF 1000 Beta Player and the quality for the tapes played in my collection are superb and IMO is the best Betamax player for used capturing beta tapes (unless I can do better with an EDV-9500 or another Sony model) and am now currently saving up to purchase a Pioneer HLD-X0 for the rare laserdiscs I have. I also have some rare VHS tapes (for ex. some contain deleted footage that don't appear on DVD/Blu-ray) that I'd like to capture for preservation reasons but don't know which VCR to get. I've looked at essay bot the VCR buying guides here and on digitalfaq and I want to say a W-VHS player is best (but it's heavily discouraged as the parts are no longer made). For S-VHS, there's the JVC HR-S9900U and the Panasonic 1980P; plus the D-VHS Mitsubishi HS-HD2000U, but I don't know which one to get.

First off let me just say that picture quality is everything to me when using an analog media player to where money is not an issue.

Hello,

I've just been browsing GumTree and found guys selling their W-VHS players. And the price is quite low. So, you are not considering a W-VHS anymore? Could you please give some more information about the tapes too?

Thanks

[lingyi]

Recommend you buy one of the machines lordsmurf is offering for sale. Buying from anyone else other than the regulars here (whom I've never seen offer one for sale), is asking for trouble as the likelihood of buying a machine in top quality no matter what it's advertised as is really low.

[jealousy91]

Could you please give some more information about the tapes too?

Thanks

Their basic movie tapes (not recordings). I think most of them are SP as they run 90-120 min and a few others run 120-180 min and about one or two run longer so those may be LP or SLP. I'm not sure.

[lingyi]

BTW, you should ask a mod to change your thread title as it's confusing. HQ Analog media player means nothing as media players by definition are for digital files. Not sure why you didn't use the same title you used at digitalfaq.com - Help choosing a high-quality VHS VCR?

If for some reason you're trying to hide your posting at digitalfaq.com under a different user name, be aware that many regulars here are there too and vice-versa. lordsmurf being one of them. I even replied to your thread there.

[jealousy91]

No problem.

[lingyi]

Could you please give some more information about the tapes too?

Thanks

Their basic movie tapes (not recordings). I think most of them are SP as they run 90-120 min and a few others run 120-180 min and about one or two run longer so those may be LP or SLP. I'm not sure.

The best VCR for a SP tapes often aren't the best for playing LP or SLP tapes because of different track widths and tracking issues. And I believe professional machines like the AG series won't even play anything but SP.

IIRC, the SL-HF1000 had two sets of video heads, one for Beta I/II and one for Beta III which optimized each for playback/recording at those speeds. I know the SL-HF2100 had four heads.

Edit: I'll help you and others by adding what lordsmurf asked at digitalfaq:

"What modes are the tapes?
- SP
- LP
- EP/SLP
- mix, and if so what % of each

That's the most important question. There's several important questions, but that's the main one."

Also, while there were VHS tapes capable of holding 3 hours or more at SP (T-180 to T-240), they usually weren't used for quality releases because they're thinner and more prone to breaking. Anything more than 2 hours, 40 minutes (T-140) is probably a LP or SLP recordings.

[jealousy91]

In that case, I would say 90-95% of the tapes are in SP mode.

[redwudz]

Title change at request of OP.

Moderator redwudz