Best VHS vcr under $200

[Guest]

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I'm looking to archive serveral tapes which have been recorded in EP
and played too many times. I'm on a budget so I cannot afford
something like a AG-1980 or any other vcr with a TBC I assume.

I'm looking for best VHS playback.

What are the best vcrs I can get (in store or on ebay) for under $200?
I've heard mixed reviews about the hundreds of consumer panasonic
models.

 

[Guest]

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"Enrico Ng" <mail@enricong.com> wrote in message
news:f69cfc1.0409060936.7f6ee503@posting.google.com...
> I'm looking to archive serveral tapes which have been recorded in EP
> and played too many times. I'm on a budget so I cannot afford
> something like a AG-1980 or any other vcr with a TBC I assume.
>
> I'm looking for best VHS playback.
>
> What are the best vcrs I can get (in store or on ebay) for under $200?
> I've heard mixed reviews about the hundreds of consumer panasonic
> models.

Having just been through this, looking for a
"good" VCR for work, I can safely
say that most if not all sub $200 VHS VCR's
are all plastic mechanism garbage.

It won't matter whose you buy...the extra $$ you spend
say, from $100 to $200 will NOT get you an improvement
where it matters..the tape transport itself.

The extra money usually gets you some dumbass "feature"
related to programming the thing to record unattended or
automatically skip commercials during recording.

If I were you, I would take your money and either rent a
pro deck OR have your stuff transferred professionally.
It is VERY likely that any new deck will NOT be able to match
whatever tracking error was introduced by the "old" deck
your tapes were recorded on.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video,rec.video.desktop (More info?)

Enrico Ng wrote:
> I'm looking to archive serveral tapes which have been recorded in EP
> and played too many times. I'm on a budget so I cannot afford
> something like a AG-1980 or any other vcr with a TBC I assume.
>
> I'm looking for best VHS playback.
>
> What are the best vcrs I can get (in store or on ebay) for under $200?
> I've heard mixed reviews about the hundreds of consumer panasonic
> models.

If you were willing to stretch things a bit by deciding to get the cheapest
DV Camcorder at about $300 you might think of archiving everything to DV
tape. Many times smaller and easy to capture from old VCR edit and output to
Camcorder.


Cliff

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video,rec.video.desktop (More info?)

If you want s-vhs try looking for the Panasonic
AG1970
For vhs look for AG1950 or AG1960

Enrico Ng wrote:
> I'm looking to archive serveral tapes which have been recorded in EP
> and played too many times. I'm on a budget so I cannot afford
> something like a AG-1980 or any other vcr with a TBC I assume.
>
> I'm looking for best VHS playback.
>
> What are the best vcrs I can get (in store or on ebay) for under $200?
> I've heard mixed reviews about the hundreds of consumer panasonic
> models.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video,rec.video.desktop (More info?)

You might consider this SVHS camcorder:

Panasonic AG450 complete with hard case

Asking $450 Canadian plus shipping

If interested - email: liebgott@mts.net

Enrico Ng wrote:

> I'm looking to archive serveral tapes which have been recorded in EP
> and played too many times. I'm on a budget so I cannot afford
> something like a AG-1980 or any other vcr with a TBC I assume.
>
> I'm looking for best VHS playback.
>
> What are the best vcrs I can get (in store or on ebay) for under $200?
> I've heard mixed reviews about the hundreds of consumer panasonic
> models.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video,rec.video.desktop (More info?)

V Green wrote:
>
>>I'm looking to archive serveral tapes which have been recorded in EP
>>and played too many times. I'm on a budget so I cannot afford
>>something like a AG-1980 or any other vcr with a TBC I assume.
>>
>>I'm looking for best VHS playback.
>>
>>What are the best vcrs I can get (in store or on ebay) for under $200?
>>I've heard mixed reviews about the hundreds of consumer panasonic
>>models.
>
> Having just been through this, looking for a
> "good" VCR for work, I can safely
> say that most if not all sub $200 VHS VCR's
> are all plastic mechanism garbage.
>
> It won't matter whose you buy...the extra $$ you spend
> say, from $100 to $200 will NOT get you an improvement
> where it matters..the tape transport itself.
>
> The extra money usually gets you some dumbass "feature"
> related to programming the thing to record unattended or
> automatically skip commercials during recording.
>
> If I were you, I would take your money and either rent a
> pro deck OR have your stuff transferred professionally.
> It is VERY likely that any new deck will NOT be able to match
> whatever tracking error was introduced by the "old" deck
> your tapes were recorded on.

This is absolutely correct.

With VHS decks, you definitely get what you pay for.








CPJ

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video,rec.video.desktop (More info?)

"V Green" <vanceg@nowhere.net> wrote in message
news:1094497688.934172@nnrp2.phx1.gblx.net...
> Having just been through this, looking for a
> "good" VCR for work, I can safely
> say that most if not all sub $200 VHS VCR's
> are all plastic mechanism garbage.
>
> It won't matter whose you buy...the extra $$ you spend
> say, from $100 to $200 will NOT get you an improvement
> where it matters..the tape transport itself.

so I'm better off getting a cheapo $20 vcr than going up to even $200

> If I were you, I would take your money and either rent a
> pro deck OR have your stuff transferred professionally.
> It is VERY likely that any new deck will NOT be able to match
> whatever tracking error was introduced by the "old" deck
> your tapes were recorded on.

These were actually recorded fairly recently, I'm not sure what my friend
was using. She's just watched it too many times. I don't wish to spend too
much since I will only be using this occasionally for capturing videos to my
computer. or maybe recording something for convenience, but the main
purpose will be for playback.
Renting doesnt sound right either, because if I do this each time and only
occasionally, the cost will add up and it would have been cheaper for me to
buy it.

but anyways, from what I'm seeing here, I'm better off just getting the
cheapest vcr I can find. (or spending the extra money for a AG-1980)

 

[Guest]

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"Liebgott" <liebgott@mts.net> wrote in message
news:VJ7%c.1547$296.9359@news1.mts.net...
> If you want s-vhs try looking for the Panasonic
> AG1970
> For vhs look for AG1950 or AG1960
>

Are these similar to the AG1980?
I read that the 1960 produces "grainy" video from vhs tapes, but I don't
know if this is still better than what you'd get from a reglar VHS deck.
I'm only going to be playing used VHS tapes recorded in EP mode, not SVHS
tapes

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video,rec.video.desktop (More info?)

manitou910 wrote:
>
> This is absolutely correct.
>
> With VHS decks, you definitely get what you pay for.

Is the AG-1980 the best deck for transferring videos?

 

[Deke]

Archived from groups: rec.video,rec.video.desktop (More info?)

"Enrico Ng" <mail@enricong.com> wrote in message
news:f69cfc1.0409060936.7f6ee503@posting.google.com...
> I'm looking to archive serveral tapes which have been recorded in EP
> and played too many times. I'm on a budget so I cannot afford
> something like a AG-1980 or any other vcr with a TBC I assume.
>
> I'm looking for best VHS playback.
>
> What are the best vcrs I can get (in store or on ebay) for under $200?
> I've heard mixed reviews about the hundreds of consumer panasonic
> models.


Spend less than $150, and get a s-vhs machine,
like the JVC HR-S3900. You get all the nice features, editing controls for
playback picture sharpness, and you get superior performance for anything
you tape in the future (svhs quality on regular tapes using ET fuction, auto
tape bias adjustment, video stabilizer).
I used mine to transfer some tapes made in the late 70's on a top load
Quasar. The JVC took care of the vertical jitter, tracking, and using the
editing control I took out most of the grain.
This model number is about 2 years old, mine has worked perfectly. JVC
invented VHS, Panasonic didnt.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video,rec.video.desktop (More info?)

I have used the AG1960 & AG1950 for editing with
satisfactory results.
I am presently using the VHS AG1950 with good results.
These are industrial grade units and will give long
reliable life.

Enrico Ng wrote:
> "Liebgott" <liebgott@mts.net> wrote in message
> news:VJ7%c.1547$296.9359@news1.mts.net...
>
>>If you want s-vhs try looking for the Panasonic
>>AG1970
>>For vhs look for AG1950 or AG1960
>>
>
>
> Are these similar to the AG1980?
> I read that the 1960 produces "grainy" video from vhs tapes, but I don't
> know if this is still better than what you'd get from a reglar VHS deck.
> I'm only going to be playing used VHS tapes recorded in EP mode, not SVHS
> tapes
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video,rec.video.desktop (More info?)

"Liebgott" <liebgott@mts.net> wrote in message
news:O7l%c.1673$296.10868@news1.mts.net...
>I have used the AG1960 & AG1950 for editing with
> satisfactory results.
> I am presently using the VHS AG1950 with good results.
> These are industrial grade units and will give long
> reliable life.
>

so a AG1960 or AG1950 will produce better picture quality from a VHS EP tape
than a regular consumer vcr?
Oh, and are these similar to the JVC HRS series vcrs?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video,rec.video.desktop (More info?)

It would be cheapest (and more sane) to go to your local lab and let them do
the job for you.It's not so simple to connect two VCRs not of the same
generation to copy tape(s).I have tried and failed.

--
Dimitris Tzortzakakis,Iraklion Crete,Greece
major in electrical engineering
freelance electrician
dimtzort AT otenet DOT gr
? "Enrico Ng" <mail@enricong.com> ?????? ??? ??????
news:f69cfc1.0409060936.7f6ee503@posting.google.com...
> I'm looking to archive serveral tapes which have been recorded in EP
> and played too many times. I'm on a budget so I cannot afford
> something like a AG-1980 or any other vcr with a TBC I assume.
>
> I'm looking for best VHS playback.
>
> What are the best vcrs I can get (in store or on ebay) for under $200?
> I've heard mixed reviews about the hundreds of consumer panasonic
> models.