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Old 10th Aug 2018, 2:54 pm   #1
backintime
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Default PAL and NTSC 1980s VCRs

Hi everyone,

I wondered if anyone could recommend any multi region 1980s VCRs (preferably top loading) that were sold in the UK? I want one to go with my Mitsubishi CT-2027BM, and can only find late 90s ones.

Also, is it true all of the JVC ones would end in TR?

Many thanks for your time!

Will
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Old 11th Aug 2018, 2:59 am   #2
dj_fivos_sak
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Default Re: PAL and NTSC 1980s VCRs

Hi. I have some multi system VCRs from the late 70s - early 90s. Most of them are NTSC 4.43.
VHS list:
National NV-390-EM
National NV-7500-EM top loading
JVC HR-3330TR top loading
Panasonic NV-FS200 S-VHS
Betamax list:
Sony SL-T30ME
Sony SL-T50ME (also plays and records NTSC 3.58)
Sanyo VTC 9455 top loading.
The only issue is, these were not UK models and are relatively hard to find. The later JVC multi systems end with "MS" like the HR-7600MS or the HR-D120MS.

Fivos

Last edited by dj_fivos_sak; 11th Aug 2018 at 3:06 am.
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Old 11th Aug 2018, 11:00 am   #3
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Default Re: PAL and NTSC 1980s VCRs

Domestic multistandard VHS machines were extremely rare in the UK, and NTSC support was even rarer, as you needed a multistandard TV with NTSC support to use one and these were almost unknown in the domestic market. You did see PAL/SECAM/MESECAM models sold in specialist London outlets, presumably for the large immigrant and expatriate Arab communities there, but these weren't on general sale across the country.
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Old 11th Aug 2018, 11:47 am   #4
backintime
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Default Re: PAL and NTSC 1980s VCRs

Thanks for the replies Fivos and Paul! I'm going to try and source one, or maybe fork out for getting a vintage top loading US Magnavox and an NTSC to PAL U/VHF converter. Apologies if this is a silly question, but if I hooked up whatever non PAL VCR to my TV via a video cable (such as BNC, RCA / Composite) would I still need a modulator?
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Old 11th Aug 2018, 1:33 pm   #5
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Default Re: PAL and NTSC 1980s VCRs

No, a modulator is only required if your TV has no direct audio and video inputs. It converts the video amd audio signal to the same type of RF signal that would have come from a broadscast transmitter, for the benefit of sets with only an RF input.
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Old 11th Aug 2018, 2:09 pm   #6
paulsherwin
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Default Re: PAL and NTSC 1980s VCRs

You cannot connect a true NTSC signal to a standard PAL TV as the frame rate is different (amongst other things). Some PAL TVs made in the last 20 years or so will sort-of handle NTSC video but usually with limitations.

See the Wikipedia NTSC article for lots of info on the variants and compatibility issues.

Why do you actually want to handle NTSC in London? Do you have some American tapes you want to play?
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Old 11th Aug 2018, 2:56 pm   #7
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Default Re: PAL and NTSC 1980s VCRs

Hi Will. I forgot to add the National NV-8600-EM to the list, which looks very similar to the Magnavox you attached. It was Panasonic's first multi system VHS machine. It has an "AUTO-NTSC" switch next to the tracking control, instead of the SP-LP switch of the US models.

Fivos
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Old 11th Aug 2018, 5:05 pm   #8
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Default Re: PAL and NTSC 1980s VCRs

Hi,
I think one of the HItachi multistandard VHS recorders only has a modulator for the Us system and VHF one at that.
which doesn't help connecting to a non US set, unless you use the video and audio connections.
I know I have a lot to learn about the multistandardness of the various recorders..
I have managed to get confused with secam and mesecam, despite reading some well written articles !
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Old 12th Aug 2018, 9:09 am   #9
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Default Re: PAL and NTSC 1980s VCRs

I remember Ferguson making a big play, no pun intended, about their TX series of TV's having NTSC 4.3 compatability. The correct picture height when playing NTSC tapes seemed to have been a further selling point. Phillips having introduced a range of chips designed to handle world TV formats.

The video was of course delivered through the French designed peritel or, as also known, scart socket.

Chris
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Old 12th Aug 2018, 10:18 am   #10
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Default Re: PAL and NTSC 1980s VCRs

NTSC 4.3 isn't 'real' NTSC though, and it isn't a broadcast standard. It was specifically developed to allow NTSC VHS playback using a PAL VCR and TV with suitable modifications.
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Old 12th Aug 2018, 1:06 pm   #11
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Default Re: PAL and NTSC 1980s VCRs

The only time I saw multi-standard VCRs on sale was in a shop called AZAT, which was in a street just off the Tottenham Court Road in London. I bought my first camcorder there in the late 1990's. When I went past it a couple of months later, the shop was closed: according to a notice on the door, they had gone bankrupt.
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Old 12th Aug 2018, 3:41 pm   #12
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Default Re: PAL and NTSC 1980s VCRs

I have a Sony SL-T9 that needs a new home if you are interested?
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Old 12th Aug 2018, 5:38 pm   #13
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Default Re: PAL and NTSC 1980s VCRs

Quote:
Originally Posted by paulsherwin View Post
You cannot connect a true NTSC signal to a standard PAL TV as the frame rate is different (amongst other things). Some PAL TVs made in the last 20 years or so will sort-of handle NTSC video but usually with limitations.
Well, you obviously can connect it. The difference in the frame rate can be solved by adjusting the vertical hold control, though the picture height will be reduced and there will be no colour.
Later sets with no hold control will usually lock automatically though again no colour.
Just about all sets made in the last 20 years will handle NTSC automatically through their scart sockets and in colour. Originally Roku boxes only outputted NTSC and no one had problems that I know of. Very few sets though will handle NTSC through their aerial sockets.
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Old 12th Aug 2018, 5:48 pm   #14
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Default Re: PAL and NTSC 1980s VCRs

Quote:
Originally Posted by dragonser View Post
I have managed to get confused with secam and mesecam, despite reading some well written articles !
Secam is the colour system developed by France and used there and some of the Middle East and Eastern Europe.
Secam VCRs used in France and its colonies were designed to record and playback Secam properly.
In the Middle East there was a requirement to operate in both PAL and Secam so PAL VCR's were modified to handle Secam as well, but did not handle Secam as well as a proper (French) style VCR. This type of VCR was labelled MeSecam, Secam DDR, Special Secam etc depending upon it's destination. Mesecam is not a colour standard but a VCR recording format.
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Old 12th Aug 2018, 6:04 pm   #15
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Default Re: PAL and NTSC 1980s VCRs

I have a Panasonic NV-W1E from the early 90s. It's a front loader (sorry) and has an internal Standards Converter. It will take any VHS tape (including S-VHS) recorded to any standard and play it back to any standard. It will also transcode in record mode.
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Old 15th Aug 2018, 11:04 am   #16
backintime
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Default Re: PAL and NTSC 1980s VCRs

Thanks for all the replies everyone!

Paul, I have loads of NTSC tapes from trips to the US. I wanted a VCR that'd look contemporary with the 80s Mitsubishi! I hooked up a new PAL VCR via coax with NTSC playback but the picture kept rolling. I can't tweak the H Hold pots in the tv so thought maybe a multi standard VCR contemporary with the TV might do the trick. Has anyone had this problem? Has there ever been an external H-Hold resistor you could run a signal through before entering the tv? Apologies if this is a naive question.

Fivos, thanks for the suggestion! The NV-8600-EM is precisely what I'm looking for!

Steptoe, if you were in London, I'd definitely given it a home - it's a beautiful piece of kit.

Ian, I think I may get the NV-W1E whilst tracking down the NV-8600-EM. Hopefully the internal standards converter would mean the frame rate would be more on par with my old telly.
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Old 15th Aug 2018, 7:26 pm   #17
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Default Re: PAL and NTSC 1980s VCRs

Just snapped some pics of my 8600. It's a gorgeous machine. Mine was manufactured in November of 1979. I recently replaced the pinch roller and capstan belt and works fine on PAL and MESECAM tapes but the capstan speed is slow in NTSC. Probably needs some servo adjustment. If you look for one, be sure that it's the "EM" version and has the NTSC switch as shown.

Fivos
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Old 22nd Aug 2018, 12:40 pm   #18
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Default Re: PAL and NTSC 1980s VCRs

Howabout the Panasonic NV-J35? That is from late 80's and has excellent NTSC playback. My first VCR fix also!
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Old 22nd Aug 2018, 6:55 pm   #19
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Default Re: PAL and NTSC 1980s VCRs

Certainly the 1990s Daewoo/Goodmans 28" set we used to have could be selected to play a NTSC DVD with the correct scan.

With 525-lines the scanning lines were more prominent of course.

From what I recall but please correct me if I'm wrong, multistandard VCRs only function with TV sets with the same feature.
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Old 22nd Aug 2018, 10:37 pm   #20
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Default Re: PAL and NTSC 1980s VCRs

One thing is multistandard or multisystem VCRs, another is standards conversion.

The earliest one I had was a JVC HR -7600 PAL/SECAM /NTSC. I think I passed it on to another forum member, not sure.

I currently have a Hitachi VT-M598EM which handles the three main colour systems, handles speeds sp, lp, ep and whose modulator outputs on system I, G, K and NTSC. I also have a similar Sharp model and a French Sony Secam L and PAL I/B/G unit that also plays NTSC.

None of these converts standards. I do have a standalone Pal-NTSC box which does though. Otherwise you need a TV that can sync to the NTSC frame rate - many prior to the advanced chipsets in the 1990s will not in my experience, especially if they have only composite inputs.

At uni, they had a Samsung 5000 beast that was 'worldwide standards converting', thanks to digital circuitry. That could be used on any TV.
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