Quote:
Originally Posted by electrictroy
P.S. I wish JVC had followed the example of Sony:
- Sony's Digital8 can record on "ordinary" Hi8 video. So people can use their current libraries without an expensive upgrade.
- JVC's Digital VHS can not. It requires special tape.
I think that was a mistake. JVC should have designed D-VHS so people could continue using any Super VHS tapes that were laying around the house (rather than force them to go out & buy new ~$20 blanks).
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The format requires higher quality tape, there was no way to just make it work with poor quality tape, that isn't complicated, otherwise JVC would have done so. Even with high quality tape, the dropouts (glitches) occur and with lesser quality tape are absolutely unbearable in my experience. I have purchased about 1,000 tapes for D-VHS use, mostly used Fuji H471S and the average price is well below $1 per hour. I don't know if finding the tape is as easy as it once was since I don't look for it anymore. Professional videographers changing from SVHS to one of the digital formats was one source for used tape as well as state highway departments and other industrial or commercial users. Several brands of high grade SVHS tape and all brands of D-VHS (really high grade SVHS tape in shell with an extra hole) have worked fine for me. Standard grade SVHS tape has been hit or miss so I don't mess with it.
A Hitachi D-VHS VCR I own has a tape quality meter reading and it rates Fuji H471S as the best tape, surpassing all D-VHS tape and all other SVHS tape. My experience is that is true, it is the best although several other brands such as TDK XP Pro, JVC D-VHS, Maxell D-VHS and a few others work very well. If perfection is wanted, D-VHS isn't it. If acceptable results can include a couple minor glitches each tape on average, then using the tapes I recommend, a good firewire source and properly maintained and clean D-VHS VCR and you are good to go.
Chris