UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum - View Single Post - Best (S)-VHS LP VCR for transferring tapes

ECS_TVM · 6th Dec 2018, 10:01 pm

I've tested over 40 SVHS decks to establish which gives the best SVHS & VHS playback. Mostly Panasonic but I've tested a few JVCs as well.

I've not specifically tested LP playback, as I almost never get LP tapes.

For JVC, I've found anything from the HRS-5* HRS-6* & HRS-7* series to be pretty average. I've never tried the highest end of the JVC machines.

Panasonic - for SP VHS playback, either of the the HS860* or HS960* are excellent and probably your best bet. The HS850 is also very good, as are the FS88, HS800 and FS200*. Most other SVHS decks are good, to be honest, the only ones I'd avoid are the H830 (probably the most common on ebay - it's not bad but not the best), HS820, HS900, HS950 and most notably the HS1000 edit machine which gives much worse playback than its little brother the HS800 (just as the FS88 gives better playback than the FS200).

* denotes machines with internal TBC.

For SVHS, the best resolution I've seen is from the FS88, better than any of the later machines, although the colour rendition on the FS88 isn't as good.

6th Dec 2018, 10:01 pm	#7
ECS_TVM Diode Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: London, UK. Posts: 4	Re: Best (S)-VHS LP VCR for transferring tapes I've tested over 40 SVHS decks to establish which gives the best SVHS & VHS playback. Mostly Panasonic but I've tested a few JVCs as well. I've not specifically tested LP playback, as I almost never get LP tapes. For JVC, I've found anything from the HRS-5* HRS-6* & HRS-7* series to be pretty average. I've never tried the highest end of the JVC machines. Panasonic - for SP VHS playback, either of the the HS860* or HS960* are excellent and probably your best bet. The HS850 is also very good, as are the FS88, HS800 and FS200. Most other SVHS decks are good, to be honest, the only ones I'd avoid are the H830 (probably the most common on ebay - it's not bad but not the best), HS820, HS900, HS950 and most notably the HS1000 edit machine which gives much worse playback than its little brother the HS800 (just as the FS88 gives better playback than the FS200). denotes machines with internal TBC. For SVHS, the best resolution I've seen is from the FS88, better than any of the later machines, although the colour rendition on the FS88 isn't as good.