Question re Panasonic NV-HD680B - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

coopern · 17th Oct 2016, 11:44 am

Have old but working Pan VCR NV-HD680B. Am looking to transfer old tapes to DVD, have made some recordings using normal SCART leads but the picture is poor quality. I want to try my DVD recorder's S-Video input. Have looked in the manual but its not clear whether the VCR AV1 and AV2 scart outputs are capable of sending component video, does anyone know please? Thanks.

yesnaby · 17th Oct 2016, 12:33 pm

There is no NV-HD680B on Panasonic's web site. But there is an NV-HD860B!

Both SCARTS AV1 and AV2 are listed there as supporting S-video out. Not the same as component video though.

coopern · 17th Oct 2016, 1:52 pm

Thanks, but where did you see that exactly?

My VCR is definitely an HD680, 1998, standard VHS recorder.

yesnaby · 17th Oct 2016, 2:18 pm

Have a look in

http://www.panasonic.com/uk/

Then under support, downloads, there is a drop-down list of model numbers.

There are two models NV-HD680 (without the 'B') but both give the instruction manual in Hungarian!

Bit of a mystery.

Tester. · 17th Oct 2016, 3:12 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by coopern

... I want to try my DVD recorder's S-Video input... its not clear whether the VCR... outputs are capable of sending component video.

The NV-HD680 being a "plain" VHS unit, it has no S-Video out; much less «component video» output.

IanNVJ35 · 19th Oct 2016, 11:47 am

The 1998 HD680 was a refresh of the 1996 HD660 - but suffered by the removal of the soft / sharp controller and switchable CVC which the HD660 had. CVC 'enhances' the picture far too much leading to patterning, grain and edge enhancement. Why they thought the removal of those adjustment features was a good thing I don't know, perhaps they were saving some pennies in the VCR price wars that were in full swing then, also the sharpness wars - the sharper the picture the better the unit was rated in reviews.

So to answer you question, the HD680 is not really very good for transfers as it was meant for viewing on a CRT TV only. If you can get a Panasonic S-VHS model like the FS200, HS1000 or HS900 that will be noticeably better as they were designed with such tasks as dubbing in mind.

ben · 20th Oct 2016, 2:44 pm

I have this model as a bedroom unit. It has no component video output, just composite. Standard VHS, so no S-video here either!

When you say the picture quality is poor, what do you mean exactly?
Were the tapes recorded on this VCR?

I find that putting a Panasonic digital AV mixer between VCR and DVD helps enormously, as digital recorders are far less forgiving of sync and other picture disturbances.

dj_fivos_sak · 20th Oct 2016, 7:37 pm

I have the NV-FS200. Great unit for transfers. I highly recommend it!

Fivos

17th Oct 2016, 11:44 am	#1
coopern Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Birmingham, UK. Posts: 2	Question re Panasonic NV-HD680B Have old but working Pan VCR NV-HD680B. Am looking to transfer old tapes to DVD, have made some recordings using normal SCART leads but the picture is poor quality. I want to try my DVD recorder's S-Video input. Have looked in the manual but its not clear whether the VCR AV1 and AV2 scart outputs are capable of sending component video, does anyone know please? Thanks.

17th Oct 2016, 12:33 pm	#2
yesnaby Octode Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Newport, Gwent, UK. Posts: 1,623	Re: Question re Panasonic NV-HD680B There is no NV-HD680B on Panasonic's web site. But there is an NV-HD860B! Both SCARTS AV1 and AV2 are listed there as supporting S-video out. Not the same as component video though.

17th Oct 2016, 1:52 pm	#3
coopern Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Birmingham, UK. Posts: 2	Re: Question re Panasonic NV-HD680B Thanks, but where did you see that exactly? My VCR is definitely an HD680, 1998, standard VHS recorder.

17th Oct 2016, 2:18 pm	#4
yesnaby Octode Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Newport, Gwent, UK. Posts: 1,623	Re: Question re Panasonic NV-HD680B Have a look in http://www.panasonic.com/uk/ Then under support, downloads, there is a drop-down list of model numbers. There are two models NV-HD680 (without the 'B') but both give the instruction manual in Hungarian! Bit of a mystery.

19th Oct 2016, 11:47 am	#6
IanNVJ35 Heptode Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK. Posts: 848	Re: Question re Panasonic NV-HD680B The 1998 HD680 was a refresh of the 1996 HD660 - but suffered by the removal of the soft / sharp controller and switchable CVC which the HD660 had. CVC 'enhances' the picture far too much leading to patterning, grain and edge enhancement. Why they thought the removal of those adjustment features was a good thing I don't know, perhaps they were saving some pennies in the VCR price wars that were in full swing then, also the sharpness wars - the sharper the picture the better the unit was rated in reviews. So to answer you question, the HD680 is not really very good for transfers as it was meant for viewing on a CRT TV only. If you can get a Panasonic S-VHS model like the FS200, HS1000 or HS900 that will be noticeably better as they were designed with such tasks as dubbing in mind.

20th Oct 2016, 2:44 pm	#7
ben Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK Posts: 7,498	Re: Question re Panasonic NV-HD680B I have this model as a bedroom unit. It has no component video output, just composite. Standard VHS, so no S-video here either! When you say the picture quality is poor, what do you mean exactly? Were the tapes recorded on this VCR? I find that putting a Panasonic digital AV mixer between VCR and DVD helps enormously, as digital recorders are far less forgiving of sync and other picture disturbances. __________________ Regards, Ben.

20th Oct 2016, 7:37 pm	#8
dj_fivos_sak Heptode Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Lefkada, Greece Posts: 969	Re: Question re Panasonic NV-HD680B I have the NV-FS200. Great unit for transfers. I highly recommend it! Fivos