The official "I still use VHS" thread

[The Doctor]

The battered, beaten and bruised yet still working JVC BR1500U. Found upside down in a pile of dirt, I took it home expecting it to be fried, however this machine refuses to die. And it has possibly the niftiest remote I've ever seen.



Click here fore some other pictures

I've got three other cheap VCR's but I love the old JVC. I've got no clue to the age but from what I can figure from the dates on back it's about 25+ years old.

[Barry777]

Yes, I use a couple VHS camcorders, except that I installed BNC jacks and standard DC power jacks so that I can use them as cameras only. Then I run the cables to my VCR's. I do this because I need to record time code in order to sync the video to my ADAT machines for multitrack (24 track) audio capability. Poor man's production studio.

[soundman2]

They knew how to make VCR's back then - built like a tank

[Dude111]

Yup!!

The VCRs made in the 80s WERE THE BEST!!!!!!

Beautfiul picture The Doctor

[Jeffhs]

I had a Panasonic-built GE top-loading VCR in 1984. I'd probably still have it today if the heads had not worn out after six years. Today, 26 years and several VCRs of various makes later, I have another Panny VCR, model PV-4022, which hasn't given me five minutes' worth of trouble and still works amazingly well for its age (eight years), except that it makes a loud screeching noise in rewind or fast forward -- but not in forward or reverse search mode. I also had a Panny VCR with VCR Plus (my current VCR's predecessor), but I had to trash that one when it ate a cassette. I nearly had to wreck the VCR to get the tape out.

BTW, speaking of VCR Plus, whatever happened to it? I think that was one of the best things to happen to VCRs since the machines first came on the market. I think as well that this feature would be useful with today's DVRs, as it would allow viewers to set the machines for recording simply by entering a three- to five-digit code, as VCR Plus for VHS worked. Some local newspapers, such as the Cleveland Plain Dealer, had VCR Plus codes in their TV listings as late as the 1990s.

[fifties]

We bought our first two Beta-Maxes, one new and one used, in 1978.

One of 'em (I think it was a Zenith) had metal piano keys on top.

We must still have hundreds of Beta tapes, and I bought a Sony Super Beta Max off Flea-bay to watch 'em a few years back, but it gets little use, since I am always on the internet, and the wife likes to channel-surf, lol.

We also have two VHS machines, each bought -I dunno, within the last 15 years- that as well get little use, a Panasonic and a Sharp.

Beta always had the superior picture though.

[Dude111]

Originally Posted by Jeffhs

I had a Panasonic-built GE top-loading VCR in 1984. I'd probably still have it today if the heads had not worn out after six years.

Wow im sorry... That wasnt common back then i dont think for stuff to give out so soon

[Ed in Tx]

Not really that uncommon to wear out heads. Those old mechanisms would go many more hours than the heads might last. I used to replace a lot of VCR head assemblies back in the heyday. Ordered a lot of them from a company called ASTI Magnetics (which surprizingly is still in business) aftermarket at a fraction of the OEM price so the repair cost would be affordable, and performance as good or better than original.

[Dude111]

Yes i imagine it would be if better stuff was put in

[waltchan]

Originally Posted by The Doctor

The battered, beaten and bruised yet still working JVC BR1500U. Found upside down in a pile of dirt, I took it home expecting it to be fried, however this machine refuses to die. And it has possibly the niftiest remote I've ever seen.

I've got three other cheap VCR's but I love the old JVC. I've got no clue to the age but from what I can figure from the dates on back it's about 25+ years old.

This one was made in 1984, so 27 years old when 2011 hits.

[Trance88]

I still use VHS but I'm starting to have second thoughts. The machines I get always turn to crap on me or were crap to begin with. Then, when I go to try to fix them, I only make them worse.

I once had an 1984 JVC top loader that had major problems. I only got it to play a tape once before it popped fuses and got a tape stuck in it. I then got an early 90's RCA VCR that lasted a couple of years and then something broke inside, I opened it up and it literally crumbled in my hands. I then got a free from craigslist late 80's Hitachi made Sears branded VCR. It worked great and had a great picture to boot. A couple months back I decided to give it a head clean so I popped in my cleaning cassette and it nearly ruined the picture quality. I used Q-tips and some rubbing alcohol to bring it back to how it was before. A second Q-tip cleaning later on killed it.

Now, I just have a late 90's Philips Magnavox VCR that has some quirks of its own. It displays a pretty grainy picture, most likely from a previous attempt to clean it with Q-tips and alcohol but at least it records and plays tapes!!!

[dieseljeep]

I still believe in my VCR's . I can buy brand new blank tapes 3 for a buck at the thrifts. I don't fool around with any Funai built units. The 2000 or newer units that seem the best are Sanyo, Sony and RCA/GE. Pre 2000 Panasonic with the cast aluminum decks are the only ones that seem to hold up well.

[waltchan]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

I still believe in my VCR's . I can buy brand new blank tapes 3 for a buck at the thrifts. I don't fool around with any Funai built units. The 2000 or newer units that seem the best are Sanyo, Sony and RCA/GE. Pre 2000 Panasonic with the cast aluminum decks are the only ones that seem to hold up well.

None of these I can recommend. The Sanyo would be made by LG, Sony would be made by Samsung, and RCA/GE would be made by Daewoo or Samsung. In my opinion, the best and most reliable VCR made in the new era is the 2002 and newer Mitsubishi units, such as HS-U449, HS-U749, HS-HD1100U, and HS-HD2000U.

[jbivy]

Well unfortunately my old sony top loader died and it was beyond my means to fix it and the repair shop guy just laughed at such an old beast. So I picked up a pair of modern modern ones. Another sony and a phillips-magnavox. Well it keeps me from having to rebuy all my movies on dvd and well, i get a bit nostalgic for popping in a tape, rather than a dvd.

Just recently bought a front loader sony super hi-fi betamax player for reasons even i dont understand. Though now im searching on ebay for tapes, to actually test it.

But id like to keep these old babies working for as long as possible. If for any other reason, it was interesting to see my 6 year old nephew wonder over the vhs tapes. Its odd to know that he has never seen them before.

[Dude111]

This page tells the truth about DVD and VHS quality audio/video (Which i think is much better)

http://www.adequacy.org/stories/2001...12921.289.html