On this page I shall concentrate on my Satellite and VHS VCR equipment.

Television and Movies are of increasing importance to me.  After a hard day's work I enjoy just relaxing in front of the TV and watching a good sci-fi movie on the DVD or Satellite.  

When it comes to home entertainment, VHS VCRs are an old favorite — millions are sold every year. Simply connect a VCR to your TV and you've got a basic home entertainment system. You can watch movies you rent or buy, or automatically record TV programs to watch at some other time when it's more convenient. As with TVs, many folks have found that a single VCR is not enough.

VCR makers have continued to roll out new models with better performance, more features, and lower prices, providing plenty of good reasons to upgrade to the latest model. In recent years, more and more people have been choosing HiFi VCRs because they provide access to the rich, wraparound home theater sound that's waiting on the tapes you bring home from the video store.

 

The SONY SLV-SE700 

 

What is a VCR?

The VCR (video cassette recorder) is one of the most popular home electronics products ever built, the VHS (Video Home System) VCR has found its way into nearly every home in the country, and many homes have more than one. Why? Because it is an increasingly inexpensive product that offers a number of valuable uses. It can play movies from VHS tape, whether those movies have been bought or rented from the local video store; it can play back movies created on video camcorders; and it can tape programs from television for later viewing. Even with all the advances in digital home theater products, the VCR will not soon be replaced in all its abilities. It is still an essential element of a well-balanced theater system.

Even though the VHS VCR belongs in any home theater system, its limitations will be very apparent once you have viewed the new digital-format DVD movies . The image quality is noticeably poor, due mainly to the format's limitations in resolution. VHS tape has a resolution of approximately 240 lines (horizontal), which is about half the resolution our TV system can display. Newer formats take advantage of higher resolutions: 500 lines for DVD and 425 lines for laserdisc. This lack of resolution appears as a softness in image details and a bleeding of adjacent colors. The tape format itself is prone to noise - disruptions in the purity of the signal - often described as "snow."

 

What You Need to Know

If you're buying a new VCR for use in a theater system, then I would recommend that you purchase a HiFi model. The HiFi feature allows for stereo playback of prerecorded tapes, as well as of Dolby Pro Logic when played through a Dolby Pro Logic processor. Also look for the NICAM logo if you want to be able to record programs in stereo.

As with any of the products in your system, quality parts mean a higher price. VCRs work in model tiers: you can get the basic four-head HiFi stereo model for a certain price, and for certain increments in price you'll get more and more features.  Once you reach the model loaded with features, the next step up is to the entry level of a new performance tier.  My advice is, stick with the fewest features on a higher-parts quality tier. That way, you get what's important: better recording and playback performance

 

 

Which VCR is right for you?
Which features should you look for in a VCR? That depends on how you use one. If you mostly watch movies and occasionally tape a show, then features like a shuttle dial, lots of one-button functions, and a remote that can work the TV, are key.

If you do a lot of taping, VCR Plus+ will simplify timer recording. Advanced versions of VCR Plus+ (Silver and Gold) program the VCR Plus+ channel map for your local area automatically, so you don't have to do it manually. Several models are also able to automatically change channels on most cable boxes or DBS satellite TV receivers.

If you own a camcorder and find that your home videos are more fun to shoot than to watch, a VCR with editing features (like a flying erase head and insert editing) helps you turn them into entertaining videos you'd be proud to show anyone. And front panel A/V inputs are convenient for hooking up a camcorder or second VCR (especially if your TV doesn't have them).

For the very best recording quality, go Super VHS. With resolution of 400+ lines (compared to 240 lines for standard VHS), S-VHS preserves the detail in high-quality sources like laserdisc and digital satellite TV. (Recordings of regular cable and broadcast shows look better, too.)   

S-VHS machines can also play back regular VHS tapes. S-VHS is a good format, particularly if you like to record movies from a source like a satellite receiver but the machines are dramatically more expensive than regular VCRs, and there are fewer models to choose from.

JVC's unique Super VHS ET technology lets you enjoy 400-line S-VHS record/playback using high-quality standard VHS tapes! And you don't need to spend an arm and a leg to get the superior performance — JVC's S-VHS models are selling now for the lowest prices ever!

 

 

Every home theater needs a HiFi VCR!
Every home theater needs at least one source of Dolby-encoded stereo sound to feed to an audio/video receiver, which decodes the stereo signals into 4 channels and sends it to your speakers.

HiFi VCRs are by far the most popular source component in home theaters. They can play back video movies with HiFi soundtracks that you rent or buy. They can also record programs for surround sound playback, provided the program was broadcast with surround sound.

Even if you don't already have all your home theater pieces in place, a HiFi VCR is still the way to go. HiFi models offer much greater performance and versatility, and are now so affordable that there's no longer any reason to even consider a non-HiFi model.

If you don't have a home theater system, try running the sound from your VCR through your stereo receiver and speakers — it's a huge improvement over the wimpy speaker(s) in your TV.

 

Is VHS Hi-Fi sound perfect? The HiFi recording format is subject to two different problems: Head-switching noise and compression errors. 

To get perfect reproduction, the FM subcarrier waveform being played back by one audio head must perfectly match the waveform from the other head at the point of head switching if a glitch is to be avoided. If you record and then play the tape on the same VCR under exactly the same conditions, you have a reasonable chance of this working. But if the tape stretches just a bit, or you play it on another VCR whose heads are not in exactly the same position, or the tracking is off, the waveforms will no longer match exactly, and you will get a glitch in the recovered waveform every time the heads switch. This sounds like a 60 Hz buzz in the audio, which is often audible through headphones even if not through speakers. 

The same glitch will occur in the video waveform too, but since head switching always happens during vertical retrace, you won't see it. Some VCRs have azimuth correctors or Dynamic Track Following which minimize these problems (Philips V2000 and some VHS). 

The wonderful signal to noise ratio of VHS HiFi is achieved through the use of compression before recording and expansion after playback. The actual signal to noise ratio of the tape itself is about 35 dB and a 2.5:1 compressor is used to "squeeze" things to fit. Like all companders, this produces audible errors at certain places on certain signals, such as noise "tails" immediately after the end of particularly loud passages. 

Worse, compressors often have problems simply getting levels right. That is, if you record a series of tones, starting at -90 dB and working up in 1 dB increments to 0 dB, and then play them back, you will almost invariably have level errors. The trend from soft to loud will be there but the steps won't be accurate. Two or three of your tones might come out at essentially the same level, then the next one takes a big jump to catch up or even overshoot. 

For music, the result will be that the relative levels of some instruments, passages, etc. will not be accurate. 

This doesn't matter as much for movies, which tend to have steady volume level. Also, movie enjoyment is rarely hurt by these level errors. VHS and Beta HiFi is fine for reproduction of movie and tv soundtracks. They are also perfectly fine for non-critical audio applications. But VHS and Beta HiFi are not serious competitors to DAT, CD, open-reel analog tape, or even a high quality cassette deck.

How do HiFi VCRs compare to cassette recorders? DAT recorders? VHS HiFi and Beta HiFi are analog recording formats which use modulation techniques to record a video signal and a stereo audio signal on a videocassette. The audio capabilities typically surpass that of the "linear" audio tracks found on all video recorders, thus the "HiFi" designation. "HiFi" is essential for getting good sound quality on your video recordings and out of pre-recorded videos.

HiFi is also touted as an excellent audio recorder for audio-only (no picture) applications. Progress in HiFi has modern VHS HiFi equipment on par with the best analog cassette recorders and close to that of the digital formats. VHS HiFi suffers generational loss and noise, but because of the high quality of the AFM (HiFi) track, these generational losses are minimal and not as severe as those of audio cassettes. 

Many people use VHS HiFi for recording radio broadcasts, since VCRs often have built-in timers and can record for up to 9 hours. If you use a HiFi video recorder to record from an audio-only source, beware that some decks will not function properly without a video signal for synchronization. If you are interested in very good quality sound, use a deck with manual level control.

 

VHS VIDEO Key Features Audio dubbing An editing convenience which lets you record a new soundtrack, while keeping the existing video portion of the tape as it is. (Only the linear mono audio track can be replaced — the HiFi soundtrack can't be re-recorded without erasing the existing video.) Super VHS VCRs deliver much sharper recordings than standard VHS, and S-VHS prices have dropped significantly from a few years ago. Auto channel set Quickly programs your channel lineup, usually skipping unused or unavailable channels. Auto clock set Automatically sets the time and date once the VCR is plugged in and the antenna/cable is hooked up. Clock and date information is based on a signal from your local PBS station (available almost everywhere). This feature is typically able to reset the time and date after power outages, and for Daylight Savings Time. Auto picture control Picture-optimizing circuitry that automatically monitors the grade and level of wear of each videotape and adjusts the VCR's electronics to provide the best possible video signal in both playback and record modes. It also optimizes video head life by adjusting the signal current to compensate for the amount of wear on the heads. Manufacturers have different names for this type of circuitry: "Auto Picture," "APC II," etc. Auto speed-switching Some VCRs can automatically switch timer-recording speeds, from SP to EP, if the VCR determines that the recording time exceeds the amount of remaining tape. You get the improved picture quality of SP recording, without worrying about running out of tape before the program is done. Cable box controller Allows a VCR to change channels on most cable boxes via an infrared emitter that mimics the commands from your cable box remote control. If you use a cable box, this feature is needed make unattended timer recordings from different channels. You can also change cable box channels with your VCR's remote during regular viewing. Many VCRs with this feature can also change channels on a digital satellite receiver. Commercial Advance® A record/playback feature that lets you watch recorded programs without commercial interruptions. When you engage Commercial Advance during recording, the VCR inserts electronic markers on the tape at the beginning and end of each station break. During playback, the VCR detects the markers and automatically fast-forwards through the commercials. Flying erase head A recommended feature for editing tapes. The flying erase head is mounted on the head drum at the same angle as the video record heads. It erases a portion of the tape a fraction of a second before a new image is recorded. Scene transitions and recording stops and starts are almost undetectable, with no glitches or "rainbow" effects. Four-head design with crystal-clear special effects 4-head VCRs have separate playback and record heads for both the SP (2 hour) and EP (6 hour) tape speeds. This design results in better picture quality in EP mode, plus clear playback effects (slow motion, still frame, etc.) with little or no video noise, at both tape speeds. HiFi stereo with MTS stereo TV reception VHS HiFi stereo sound provides full-range stereo audio playback and recording, with frequency response of 20-20,000 Hz. HiFi stereo is a necessity for any VCR used in a home theater system. The HiFi stereo soundtracks on videos and many MTS stereo TV broadcasts are encoded with Dolby® Surround. Your Dolby® Pro Logic receiver converts these stereo signals into multichannel surround sound. All of our VCRs are HiFi models. Indexing The ability to place electronic "bookmarks" on a tape, making it easier to find the beginnings of taped segments. Automatic indexing means that every time you start recording, the VCR places an index mark. Manual indexing lets you insert a marker at any time during recording. Insert editing This feature lets you record new video to a tape while keeping the existing linear mono soundtrack. (See also audio dubbing.) Jog and Shuttle functions May take the form of a large dial, button, or joystick control. This convenient all-in-one control usually provides most or all tape playback modes including play, stop and pause, as well as fast forward, rewind, slow motion and frame by frame. The Shuttle function lets you move through the tape rapidly, but it's not precise enough to stop at an exact point. For that, some VCRs also include a Jog function which is able to advance the tape one frame at a time. Memory backup Maintains clock, channel setting, and timer recording information during power outages (or if you need to unplug the VCR briefly to move it). Movie Advance Automatically fast-forwards through any trailers or ads on the pre-recorded videos that you rent or buy and goes directly to the main feature. Recording Speed Lets you determine the speed used in recording. With a typical 2-hour tape, SP will give you a 2-hour recording, LP will give you a 4-hour recording, and EP will give you a 6-hour recording. Skip search Press this button to fast-scan through recorded TV commercials. Each tap of the button usually moves the tape ahead 30 or 60 seconds, depending on the make and model of VCR. Super VHS (S-VHS) A high quality videotape format offering up to 60% higher horizontal resolution than standard VHS. An S-VHS tape looks identical to a standard VHS tape, but the tape formulation is very different. Some JVC VCRs feature a format known as S-VHS ET, which gives you true 400-line S-VHS recording and playback using high-quality standard VHS tapes! (For the absolute best performance with these decks, S-VHS tapes are recommended.) Timer Events The number of separate recording sessions you can program. Timer Weeks The number of weeks in the future your VCR will let you program. VCR Plus+ Easy taping! Simply enter the show's "PlusCode" (found beside its title in most TV listings) and the VCR is automatically set for the channel, date and times. With VCR Plus+ you can do programming from the remote, and with the TV off. VCR Plus+ Silver makes initial VCR Plus+ setup even easier by performing Auto Channel Mapping — matching the channels in your TV listings to those of your local cable TV provider. All you need to do is punch in your zip code! VCR Plus+ Gold completes the package with VCR timer control for compatible cable/DBS boxes. Video Heads The number of video record/playback heads on the rotary tape head drum. The more video heads, the better the picture quality.

Mick Evans 1999-2001

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