Boby...

eeeegah!- _@_OO-------oo http://www8.ocn.ne.jp/~bcc100/bp05/bp05.html

EDC-50 ED-Beta cam fanpage

Has anyone ever encountered a "fast" clock on a Beta? Minutes seem to last only 55 seconds on a certain troublesome SL-HFR70...

A friend of mine was once driven near insane in a day by a clock that had been correct for some odd 30 years and had all of a a sudden started running a 37-second minute. I don't know what would cause a fast clock, it's certainly an odd problem. Try un-plugging the machine long enough to clear it all and then reset the clock. That's all I can think of. I don't know if there's an adjustment for it.

That is definately a strange one... since clocks on VCR's generally work from pulses off the AC line (this is why clocks in PAL/SECAM only VCR's will generally run very fast when used in NTSC countries... (50Hz vs. 60Hz line frequencies). VCR's made for multiple systems use a crystal and divider IC to run their clocks. If a clock starts running only a little slow, perhaps it is simply not getting all the pulses through.. if fast, perhaps the pulses are distorted and the clock is seeing more than one pulse during the period...

_@_¼¼ - check the back of your beta for a 50hz/60hz switch. USA takes the 60 hz setting

_@_v - Sounds like that SL-HFR 70 need to be sent to the Olive E Thomas Memorial Home for Wayward Betamaxes for 'discipline'....

Hi....... i got a "dead Video switcher" anybody can help?, it wont detect signal presence,its digital.

thank you very muchRegards

Thanks for the help, but I'm afraid it was already on the 60hz setting. Just how much would a SL-HFR70 with a fast clock and a non-functioning tape carriage go for? $20?

*Raises his hand*

Yep, I've hit the heads with a screwdriver once after replacing the heads while I was aligning the tape path. Luckily it was a 2-head (SL-HF860D), so only around $18 for new ones. But, I learned my lesson, and bought a real aligning tool. Worth every bit of the $10, *much* less chance of slipping.

franny-- where can i find the details on JVC's exit from analog tape business?

erk.. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2920830032&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1 must be some dumb rich people. Its a DXC-1640 trinamie that they claim has "NEVER" been used. Paid over $1000 for it in 1979.. Poor old camera. How many of us think it'll still work? 23 year old trinimie tube... and "never" seen the light of day; would the image look new or would it look yucky?

eeee... sorta looks like a betamie sr. http://ebay3.ipixmedia.com/abc/M28/_EBAY_3030a34304eb086eca7a9280059246f2/i-1_B_L.JPG

I had my own experience of screwdriver shot heads... in a SL-HF1000. 360$ (CDN) for a replacement. At least, the original heads were quite worn and would have need replacement anytime soon anyways. Let me say the level of stress went quite high and lots of precautions were taken when I installed the replacement head disc !

My friend, Rich, (the LabGuy) used to work on old Quadruplex machines where the head disc spun at improbable speeds. One of them got off balance and started to shake like a washing machine. Then the head assembley exploded. Rich was unharmed but after that incident all machines were fitted with a scatter shield...

_@_v - eepers! watch slides on your tv set...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3016049545

magnavox color tv with built-in slide projector. slides are scanned on a tiny tv camera and show on the screen!

Not a TV camera... flying spot scanner. Uses a local channel as a sync source. Very oddball piece. Ever see the set with the telephone in it?

Is that the Zenith Space Commander (or something like this) ?

Zenith space command. Yes. It had a "Zoom" funcion where you could make the picuter bigger but massively overscanned.

GADZOOKS, that's what my friend had and wouldn't part with; a Zenith Space Commander. Anyway, I have a problem with one of my tapes. It's a Betacam BCT 30 that I have been recording Enterprise onto. The problem just started Tues. when I set up the deck to record Enterprise (whilst I was at work). Anyway I got home from work and shut off the timer and pressed rewind and I could hear it rewinding but the counter wasn't moving. And the tape was making a kinda squealing sound. I pressed play and saw nothing. Pressed FF and kinda saw a picture (still making that squealing sound in play and FF). Shut it off and cleaned the heads and put the tape back in. No different. Tried a different tape; a blank BCT 30 and recorded on it and played it back and everything is OK. Tried a factory tape (Toimenator) and again no probs. Also, Sunday I recorded a movie on another BCT30 and it plays back great. As for the problem tape I have 3 episodes prior to the one that is screwy and they played great. But now I can't watch them either. Any ideas?? This is on my HF 750.

Later. Pepse.

Well, I just put that tape in my oooold Utopia rewinder and it is noisy. I also rewond 3 other tapes and they aren't as noisy as the one in question. I am aware that the Utopia rewinders are cheap and noisy, but like I said the tape that I first put in is noisier than the others.

Pepse.

Hmmmm... reel brake stuck on? reel motion otherwise impeeded? tape scalloped at the edges preventing the control track from being read/written?

Charles:

Yes, I know that level of stress. In my case it was accompanied by a sailors-level of expletives.

Reel brake?? Is that in the cassette shell?? I just put that tape in the deck and FF from the beginning about maybe 8 to 10 minutes ahead and it won't play; just like before. Also, I opened the flap and noticed crinkling on the top edge of the tape, but only on the left side (as the flap is tilted away from me). Also, the counter still don't read except for about 4 seconds then it quit. I'll check back in about 8 hours to look for answers. Gotta hit the hay.

Later. Pepse.

Pepse, the tape is fine but your equipment is faulty. Just send me the SL-HF750 (with RMT-143) and I'll see it gets a nice comfortable retirement ;)

Re: Slide projector in the Magnavox. It was advertised in the back of a 1966 National Geographic issue. I showed my dad the ad but it took another long 2 years before we got a color tv. A very deprived childhood.

Yeah, a website devoted to my Chrysler K-car Factory Limo. The bottom piccy looks identical to mine.

http://www.pe.net/~goeditor/limo1.html

Mine only has a cassette deck in the back but are you guys thinking what I'm thinking? http://www.pe.net/~goeditor/tv.jpg

eeeey@@@Olive :have you got my mailly?

http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?UTC/s/0/java

Very Nift car, nnils. reminds me a caddy limo for sale around here. just a noram sedan but subtly longer with goodies in the back. If I had money I'd buy it...

_@_v - yeep got both of them....

I have for sale 40 beta tapes in excellent condition pal format.any one interested please contact me with a sensible offer these are good tapes and some have not been recorded onsony basf scotch polaride fuji so no time wasters please.thanks Graham.

If our American friends must continue with the hijack of a PAL (UK format) Beta web site, can you post messages that mean something to us mere mortals in the UK? most of the stuff has an inteligeability factor akin to teenage grafitti. At the end of the day, this is a forum for PAL Beta enthusiasts, it's as simple as that really. My opinion is, join in if you want, but do you not grasp that what li'l ol you you bought yesterday, what 'sucks', or what Radio Shack sells is of little interest to most PAL Beta enthusiasts? And that's what this site is about - PAL Beta.

_@_v~ - pblblblblt! oh lighten up!

it is turning into a place like it was before, stoopid snail things, and inane banter of all sorts . At least no flame wars have erupted, otherwise I'd be very upset if that was going on. At least its alot nicer here now. Leonard.

Hi,I visited the local tip the other day and got 21 videos,all types mainly Sony,out of them all only one dud,some good movies incl,The jigsaw man,overboard,amadeus mozart etc total cost A$2.00,regards

I have some betamax videos and was about to throw them away as my beta video recorder broke beyond repair, does anyone know if they will be worth anything for sale??

stop crying already. We're not posting snaliegrams anymore and are managing to stay relatively on topic. Anyways, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheBetamaxVideographer/files/ and click on Persuasive.swf for those of you who have Flash. it's my english project. ee hee hee.. Who was saying that newer tapes were easy on the heads? If I buy a new Beta tape (one of those awful looking sony ones that say Betamax in times new roman) will those be easier on the heads? I'm just asking because you know how you said the VHS tape has been improved to get "more" out of VeHoS, I was wondering if the beta tape had been improved, too.

ee hee... an even sneaker idea, lets start our own beta page, hee hee. we'll all chip in some $ to register the domain. :)

Jesse: I just got some Pro-X tapes that had been cleaned by a professional machine that cleans betacam tapes and that sort of stuff. It also checks the integrity, and they checked out to 100%. The machine even black-screened them! Anyway, the results of BIs with High quality (Gotta love that SL-HF-900... I think the CCIR SL-HF-950 has a similar mode...) enabled was perhaps the best I've ever seen. The new tapesin the blue and gold celophane are almost as nice as Pro-X. See if you can find the HG taes in balck and gold celophane. Tower Records stocks them but they're expensive!

Hi,I have a Sanyo Beta hi-fi Model # VTC-M50 However, the heads need replacing. Can anyone advise if replacements are available and if so, where, and who/where I might get them installed.Also, can someone advise best head cleaners and the procedure.Thx.Jim

As i had mentioned last timeFor Rotary Head cleaning use CarbonDioxide Canister non residual cleaner

www.crcindustries.com

Warminster,PA 18974

For manuals

http://www.electronicsrepair.net/scemes.html

can't find parts ;Cannibalism is the easiest way.

this guy has 2 vidimagix up for bid. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3411271365&category=25321 I really want to see a video drum explode like the post up the page said, lol!!! Wasn't there some "emergency stop" button or something that could have been used to stop the VTR?

Jesse: the head drums that explode are Quadruplex head drums. The most basic machine costs thousands of dollars and isn't something you'd waste on exploding a drum for S#!^s and Giggles. By the time you know it's out of ballance, it's time to pull a MOnty Python and "Run Away!", not hit an emergency stop button... the thing put screws in the wall... it'd kill you if you weren't quick on the E-stop! Besides that's an EXCEEDINGLY rare failure....

As to cleaning heads, I'd take Boby'd advice... and, if you can't get a canister of stuff, use a clean piece of paper or VCR head cleaning swabs, NOT cotton swabs!!! Cotton swabs WILL desroy the heads or get matter stuck in the gaps!

Sean, the mode I'm interested in is the "Super Beta Pro" mode on the SLHF950. The machine has 3 modes, Standard, Super and Super Pro. The latter is the one for which you apparently need a special tape formulation. It seemingly shifts the colour signal up by (I think) 500Khz for processing well away from the luminance information, and then shifts it down again to recreate a composite video signal. I'd be interested to know if you have the Pro mode in any NTSC machines.

I get very good results playing standard tapes originally recorded on my SLHF100 in the Super mode on my 950, but the Pro mode doesn't make any difference on playback. After Steve's advice I am going to try TDK S-VHS tape in Beta shells.

_@_v - a fool and his money are lucky to get together in the first place...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3016624956

$224 bux for a lowly sl-2401 vcr! you could outbid 'the snail' on a hifi for that price.

According to the PALsite, the Pro mode on the SL-HF-950 uses the Pro-X tapes I mentioned above. In the US we had no specific mode to take advantage of Pro-X, the closest thing we got was a "Hi-detail" circuit in the SL-HF-900. (combining that with a turbocharge modification (Enabling BIs) produces OUTSTANDING picture quality!) I have some Pro-X tapes if you would like to try out a US type, I suppose I could ship you one for a modest fee... What's a cheap S-VHS cost across the Pond, since over here they're USD.8 or so? If my source is correct that's about 5.2 Pounds... (call it 5 for this) I'd say that's a fair price given how much I've seen Pro-X tapes go on Ebay...

In the SL-HF1000 manual, Sony recommends the use of Pro-X tapes to get the most out of B1s-SHB. So I guess we could say this mode takes advantage of Pro-X.

But, I if remember, the SL-HF-1000 can make a BIs-SHB recording on regular tape whereas the SL-HF-950 won't do a pro mode on anything but a Pro-X... someone should try it...

I have spooled TDK S-VHS tape onto Beta shells, and used it in my various beta units, a SL-HF550, SL-HFR70 and of course my SL-HF1000. I have found the video performance to be absolutely stellar, and especially with the SL-HF1000- BIII looks very good , hard to distinguish from BII. BIshb, results in recordings I can not distinguish from the original, when recording from my big Analog C-Band satellite (remember those?). They are much higher quality that MPEG2 "slushboxes" (aka Dishnetwork/DirectTV). Also DVD transfers look great on the SL-HF1000 with SVHS grade tape in BIshb or BII, even BIII. The caveat here is, the slightly more abrasive SVHS grade tape may accelerate head wear.. And heads are expensive as I have learned over the years. Leonard.

I'm not sure the S-VHS tape is gonna really nail your heads badly. the manual for my JVC HR-S5500U says you can use the S-VHS tape in a VHS machine no problem. So I can't immagine that it'll eat your heads like green tape or something. HOwever given how rare our Beta Heads are I'd advise to avoid any practive that would even slightly abrade tehm... avoid especially the type of cleaning that is done with cleaning cassettes, wet or dry. If it badly needs cleaning, have a pro do it. It's getting to the point where it's not neccessarily cost effective for cheapo VHS mchine but for our expensive, quality Betas it's worth the $20 -30. Better still, learn to do it yourself. (Oh, BTW, minor head clogs can be fixed by leaving the deck in pause for a half minute or so. Works wonders.)

don't you hate seeing one last typo just after you hit the Post Message button?

http://www.wup.jp/~poyopoyo/hf900ii.htmli had it post hadn't I.

eeee http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3016418900&category=15099looks like an alien spaceshuttle

.

_@_¼¼¼ - don't i know it...

FOR SALE - PAL BETA HIFI AND PCM - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3017217526

EEPROM

http://www.aa.wakwak.com/~handf/sopsa37001.jpg

could be use for duplicating Eprom inside BETACAM playermight be some betamax also.....mmmm

I think i've been posting too many best URLheuheuheueue

Some guys/girls must've change way of posting

I'd stay away from a SLV-R1000. It has the looks and feel of the newer disposable crap decks. Worse yet, it has a backlit LCD display a la Timex Indiglo. Now that looks cheap !

As for performance, I never bothered to try one out anyways. Even though they're plagued with their formats, there are better SVHS decks out there.

I have some programs taped on Betamax tapes that I'd like to transfer over to VHS tapes. Before I borrow a Betamax machine from a friend, I'd like to know if I will be able to hook it up to one of my VCR's......I have a JVC, a Hitachi, and a Panasonic VCR, so I figure one of them will work??????????

There should be no technical problem with transfering ßeta tapes to VHS, however, you will have generational losses, plus the quality losses associated with VHS. I strongly suggest that if you are going to do this, use ONLY VHS SP (2 hour) mode. Otherwise, your tapes will come out looking a bit like a very bad MPEG file..

Sean, I've mailed you separately about the tapes. I was surprised that you never had the PRO mode in the US, because I had thought that our 950 and your 750 were clones. Could it be that dropping the function was the price of your multiple speeds, which of course we never had in Europe?

Yeah the two units vary quite a bit... I think there is a comparison here...

http://www.betainfoguide.com/Pix3.htmScroll down the bottom... you guys actually won out on features over the US deck but we have the three speeds but that's life, I guess... does VHS have multiple speeds in the UK???

Very interesting, Sean. A case of "the same but quite different"! The 15th anniversary machine looks something else, and I didn't realise you had ED in the US. I am extremely envious, as to the best of my knowledge there were no PAL ED machines.

All PAL VHS machines now have dual speeds. There is detectable degradation on the LP setting on my Panasonics. Incidentally, you might be interested to know that all current VCRs on sale in France are dual-standard - PAL B/G as well as SECAM L, to deal with cable and satellite. This annoys me somewhat. I do terrestrial TVDX, and get good reception from Northern France across Belgium and Holland into Germany when the ionosphere is behaving right. While I get SECAM in colour on my multistandard TV, I can only record it in B/W. Since consumer electronics are still more expensive here than in France despite the European Union, I feel like I have actually paid the makers to REMOVE a facility from their machines!

The slower speed will of course degrade notably. I have, almsot never used the slow speeds on any VCR I've owned. I use Beta I and II, Rarely III should I need a long recording. VHS is OK at SP, bad at LP, and awful, at SLP/EP/whatever...

eeeeee i want one of those big C-band sat dishes!!!!! lol, that has the little red lightning logo on it!

Refresh my memory, Jesse, were you going to send me the SL-HF-300 and then bill me for shipping, or were you going to calculate shipping and have me send it?

Leonard, wow another C-Bander, great. I suppose you've had one since the good old days of "everything was free?" and an LNA feedhorn?? I've only had one for 6 years. Can't beat the pix quality or package price vs mini dish. Anyway, for those of you that remember my video tape problem from last Tues., I just recorded on a diff tape this evening and everthing is fine. No crinkles at the top of the tape and the recording is really good. Could've been better but because my excellent C-Band copy is on the tape that went goofy I had to resort to over the air so-so quality. Still can't figure out what happened.

On another thing, I came across an old issue of Video Review, May '87, and there is an article on "Blue Ribbon VCRs" of which they picked the best VCRs for the previous year. Sadly there was only one Beta, the SL-HF 750, which even tho there were 2 decks better (the HF 1000 and a Panacronic AG-1950) the HF 750 is better because of dollar value and features (only $1300 USD) Also, in the mag is an article on the the Samsung 4MM camcorder. Started reading it and found it interesting. It was suppose to compete with the vhs-C and 8MM units of the time. Used DAT audio tapes and included a small LCD tv to connect to the camcorder for viewing what you recorded. Interesting. Will finish the article later. Wish I had all the issues from the days of when I had a subscription to VR.

Later. Pepse.

I never personally owned a C-Band dish, but did install dozens of them... in the bad old days. 120 degree LNA's, RG-219 cable (1/2"), Az-El mounts... :) We were in the business of installing satellite TVRO systems back when the "small" dishes were 5 meters, and a system still cost from $10,000-15,000. The receivers were Scientific Atlanta 19" rack mount stuff. It was great. Everything was still in the clear, and I got lots of great movies from HBO, Cinemax, The Movie Channel and Showtime. Also good stuff on the newly aired MTV and Nickelodeon.

I bought my SL-HF1000 brand new from Northwest Sony Only in Portland, OR for a mere pitance of $1750. It went into storage within 6 months. When I took it out again in 1994, it still worked great for about 6 more months, but I guess that storage had not been kind to it, because it started to act up pretty bad. Back it went to storage again until 1998. When I got it out this time, it was in really bad shape. :( No record or playback, no audio feedthrough, remote hopelessly corroded (the person entrusted to pack and store the machine did not remove the batteries from the remote. Thanks to Andy Sanchez, I finally got my prized machine back in working order last year. :)

I am able to offer video transfers from Beta/Umatic and other rare video formats, I dont charge much, just so long as postage and material costs are covered as well as a donation to the upkeep of the machines.

I am mostly only able to deal with PAL format material, feel free to email me if you have any questions, I am usre there are lots of people out there with old tapes etc that they would love to have transfered.

Can anyone suggest what might be wrong with my Sony C7?

I have just acquired another broken Sony C7 machine, and I was wondering if anyone could suggest where the fault might lie? It seems to be mechanically perfect, and as I have two other C7s with duff mechanics, I should have enough spares to get this one going.

The symptom is that the playback picture shakes violently from side-to-side, as though the head drum speed is erratic.

I thought I would begin by swapping complete circuit cards between machines, but I was just wondering if anyone would have any advice on which card would be the best to start with? Will I cause other problems using boards from other machines?

Many thanks in advance for any help!

Here’s a pic of the machine I just picked up (not that it’s very interesting): http://217.155.138.253/~tim/betamax/IMGA0169.JPG

well ,there's so much work to do,check if the Drum coating is worn outclean the 'shappire' Headhall effect sensor at the leftmost side of the upperside drumadjust the 'stepper motor' speed synchronization.If all of those is OK continue with AGC board.

Becarefull do with swapping card, even the same type of board some of them have additional component like diodes/resistors ect, just check it out to make sure.

Happy hunting in C7 jungle

With regards to the Sony C7, try giving the tape path a good clean also the upper drum.this cured a similar problem in one of mine.Good luck,excellent machines.

WANNA PALY 'ROUND WITH TRANSPONDER

http://www.lyngsat.com/

Active streaming movie of Coalition forces.

Good with broadband connection

http://www.kurdistantv.net/

Hurry while still lasts

"Information Only"

*middle finger...

Keith, perhaps YOU need to get a life if all you can do for fun is show up on a chat page and do nothing but criticize the people there... and I second Jesse's sentiment.

Sean, your address failed as unrouteable mail domain "attbi.comebackformore". Have you another account address you can let me have? I do want to buy some of the PRO tape from you.

send it again, except remove all the text following the the .com

You see there is a real email address burried in there, it's an @attbi.com I hope I make sense.

In case anyone wondered what Sony did with with the Betamovie camcorder design when they went to 8mm - here it is;

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=15074&item=2922088297&rd=1

have a Beta day !

Mike, that is interesting because that "handycam" looks almost identical to the Samsung 4MM camcorder in that old Video Review I've been reading. Exact same body, but the 4MM has the viewfinder on the top rear and the lens assy. on the right side.

Later. Pepse.

The CCD-M8U was my first camcorder, bought off a friend in 1997 for $100. It came with the necessary playback deck & hardshell carrying case. It recorded video and audio (albeit mono) beautifully. For a middle schooler, it was an awesome toy.

Sleech it fast while you can... hella deal here.. before I decide I can't resist it. :)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3017562848&category=39830

This seller says this nice ED ßeta is MIB.. starting $799

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=39830&item=3017481205

I've got an M8 cam - bought it for one pound at a bootsale as "damaged by dropping". The casing's a bit bent, but I got it to work :-)

BTW, Thanks for the tips regarding the C7 - I have ordered some cleaning materials and will give it a good wash and brush up before doing much else. I'll keep you all posted with progress :-)

_@_v - eeeee! that tv with the slide scanner went down to $39 bux if anybody can pick up in westchester county n.y. ...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3016049545

someone buy me the b8amie... lol it's such a cute camcorder!!! looks sort of like a betamie but I like the snout the betamie lens makes.

hi friends,,,,,,,,,,,i recall my LINUX system over my localnet

looks cute.......well,,,,,,,,,,

Sean, I hope I've got the address picture. If this doesn't work, we might have to use smoke signals, maybe a bonfire of standard VHS machines..............?

Did you mean that in the US you have VHS machines with 3 speeds, with one even worse than LP? As we say over here, the mind boggles (signifying serious incredulity).

Yes, in the US the VHS machines have THREE speeds. SP (Standard play, also called X-1, VHS-2), LP, (long play, X-2, or VHS-4) and SLP (Super-long play, X-3, VHS-6, or EP, for Extended play, or ELP for Extra-long play.) SP on a good deck (with full HQ) looks better than Beta II with no Superbeta but is beat out by BIIs. LP looks like BIII and is beat out by BIIIs. SLP looks like s#!t. BIs with the high detail on is comparable to S-VHS at SP. I've never wasted an S-VHS cartrige at slower speeds on an S-VHS deck but it would probably look OK.

running smooth from MS windows wich is firewalled, who says LINUX cant cope with Microsoft OS's .

Having system with Multiple platform will eliminated the domination of One man show OS, and your Obsession. Really.

Also, Bill:

What Sean neglected to tell you is that almost NO VHS machines sold in N. America even HAVE the LP speed anymore.. only SP and SLP/EP

And to make matters even worse, the cheap B******s that make movies longer than 2 hours, rather than spend the money on a T-160 or custom tape, have taken to putting the movies on shorter tapes in SLP/EP mode, and the result is that they look like S***!

Brenda, the only tapes I've seen pre-recorded at SLP are some cheapo mail-order sports blooper tapes where the masters are all old degraded 2" quadruplex tapes where they look like SLP anyway.. just so they can put a 90-minute program on a cheap T -30 (and not even the good kind with the big hubs). I know of some recent panasonic VCRs that handle all three speeds and Ray Glasser has a Sony Pro VHS that will use it, but none of my machines will even touch it, except to play back w/o SFX or any kind. The SVO-140 tries its damndest, to its credit (and they go for CHEAP now. pick them up if you can. Instituational VCR built like a tank with loads of features.)

_@_¼¼ - crikey the rare Sanyo VCR3!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3017692959

You know, your SV0-140 has the exact same transport as the SLV-555UC,575UC,676UC,757UC,SL-VR5UC,SL-R1000 SVHS unit.. guess what.. it was not until 1994 when Sony changed to a cheaper transport design. I use a SLV-757UC everyday too and it does great, VHS EP it makes the most out of , and you'd be surprised how well it can do if you have the *right* machine. My favorite picks however for VHS are the early Sanyo VHS HQ HIFI units. They introduced VHS HQ, and ironically share the same video process IC's as the Sony Superbetas. They have a truely superior picture, although prehistoric transport. Which is bad, but good at the same time.. because the transport is rock solid and not failure prone. I've found that the Sanyo units blow away anything else made later that is VHS, including Sony VHS units. Anyways, I am not saying VHS is techincally better but there are some excellent VHS units out there if you know what to look for, and as far as I am concerned anything made after 1993 is garbage when it comes to VHS. Leonard.

I did not know that it has that transport but it would figgure. It's made to be uesd in schools and such so it has a full-function remote (one of the ones that it's common to see added to an SL-HF-750 or 900) and 125ch tuner as well as a VTR plug, control S, BNC plugs, high-speed rewind (A true gift), jog shuttle ring, tape remaining indicator, indexing system... etc, etc, etc... Oh, just go buy one.

i think that crude keith sounds like he's still upset from botching his audition on american idol...."like a virgin"

sean---very appropriate description and comparison of vhs vs beta speeds. all manufacturers except panasonic abandoned lp speed for recording years ago. haven't checked lately to see if panasonic is still holding out. most units should still play lp but with no special effects. from what i understand, including lp sfx would be more expensive and difficult than you would expect from a technical standpoint.

Got my SLO-325 today... and after replacing the power cord (I knew it needed one) I checked it out and so far it works fantastically. :) I haven't had a chance yet to record on the machine, but the playback is wonderful. Even does a pretty fair job of playing back ßeta1s tapes. All in all, I'm very pleased thusfar. I will let you know when I have had an opportunity to check out the record function.

You do indeed have an unholy mess of speeds and standards over there. I can't believe that the very same manufacturers didn't inflict us over here with all that just out of the kindness of their hearts. Possibly the extra demands made by PAL precluded them from doing so, in which case I'm deeply grateful!

Sean, I have only used LP on my Panasonics in dire emergency. Whether it's moderately acceptable or just too horrible seems to depend substantially on programme content, especially on how much high frequency info there is for it to mess up.