Pro Umatic and VHS haul.
 

Picked these up for $5 each at a yard sale at the local university, they were clearing out there attic storage space.

First off a JVC CR 8250U Umatic machine, mechanically it works great, not tested its recording or playback, but just watching it thread up and play and FF/RW is awesome.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7125/7...5269bd4f_b.jpg

I have some tapes but i think they are high band so i am not sure if i can record on them ( the audio meters bounced when i played one earlier )




Up second is a JVC BR 6400U pro VHS recorder.

Works well mechanically, not had time to test either of these massive machines yet for video.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8438/7...0c51e9fd_b.jpg

Just hope the wife don't spot them.

Nudies !!!!!
 

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http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8447/7...0985e731_b.jpg

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Imagine what it would cost to build something like that today! Real tanks; good buys.

I was thinking the same thing, i don't think they could build them anything like this today and make any money.

The reel motors in the U matic are huge !

Kewl !

When to people operating the sale for the university said to me that "anything not sold today gos to the landfill tomorrow " that was it.

I HAD to save them.

That's the same story they use on me and I always fall for it. :scratch2:

DoH !!!

Studio Sound Electronics has trouble liking JVCs from 1980s...
 

I did try to convince the owner, who regularly sells VCR parts online at studiosoundelectronics.com, that JVC was indeed a more-reliable manufacturer than Sharp during the 1980s, but he denies it. He thinks that Sharp made the most-reliable in everything. (Oh, go away...:thumbsdn:).

Real reliability data info published by Consumer Reports from 1980s shows that JVC was rated (#4) forth most-reliable Japanese video electronic manufacturer by reputation and fame, after Panasonic (#1), Toshiba (#2), and Sanyo (#3), while Sharp was rated more-below at #8. Funai was rated higher than Sharp at #5, surprisingly. Funai, once, had a better reputation on reliability than Sharp, and even Sony.

Other brands, such as Mitsubishi (#6), Sony (#7), Hitachi (#9), NEC (#10), Orion (#11), and Fisher (#12). NO, Sony is NOT the most-reliable brand, if you think it really is.
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All the Sony VCR's i have are quite unreliable, i had to replace one yesterday the 2nd Sony in as many weeks.

Here is the thrift store Sony on the bottom of the stack.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8303/7...aeaf06e6_b.jpg

I had a guy give me a Sony that looked a lot like that; I really thought I had something but the electronics were extremely glitchy and I gave up on it. My best experiences have been with Panasonic & Sanyo, though there is quite a lot I haven't seen.

I have the BR-6400U. Got it at a municipal auction probably 15 years ago. I remember recording the closing arguments of the OJ trial with it. A lot of people pan it because it isn’t Hi-Fi, but I like it.

The JVC U-Matic machine is REALLY clean. Amazing find.

I worked at the local community college in the late 80’s. They had a lot of U-Matic machines on carts and a back room full of even then vintage units like the JVC. They had an entire wall of Sony rack mount units for routing into rooms. I suppose all of that equipment is long gone.

I have finally got around to connecting up the BR-6400U, and with a good pre recorded tape and the audio connected to my hifi the sound is superb, and the picture quality is fantastic, i think i will install it in the family room as a talking point for visitors who think i am mad anyway.

Oh i re lamped the meters in the BR-6400U by the way.

The U-Matic is also working fine, one of the U-matic tapes is recorded with some student stuff and even tho it looks like its from the mid 80's the quality is pretty good.

I've got two of that series of Umatic deck in storage....great machines! Wish I had a use for them. Nice pickup.

I think i will invent a use for mine, i have already cleared a space for it in the man cave to amaze like minded visitors with its awesomeness.