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JVC HR-S9600U S-VHS VCR

JVC HR-S9600U S-VHS VCR

List Price: $649.95
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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A VCR fit for a king!
Review: Excellent image quality & a noticeable improvement to quality of old tapes by digital time-base corrector and noise reduction (much less noise, esp. in dark areas). Even features an image stabilizer for tapes with vertical wobble/jitter. Improvement in audio clarity. Excellent feature provides continuous, normal-pitch audio in slow-mo and 1.5x playback (imagine watching recorded newscasts in only 14.7 minutes (if you skip commercials)!). Audio for REW/FF is otherwise done in normal speed and you only hear several second-long excerpts. Can record near-SVHS quality on VHS tapes. Easy timer setup for recording programs. Superb still-frame quality (esp. w/ SVHS). Good editing features. Neat Jog/shuttle control (even on remote!). Good digital image enhancement w/ R3 interframe processor & 4MB of frame-buffer memory. Auto-calibration for tapes. Custom (or automatic) picture control (sharp/soft). IR cable-box controller can change channels on box from VCR. Good quality in 6 hr. EP-mode, at last!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A VCR fit for a king!
Review: Excellent image quality & a noticeable improvement to quality of old tapes by digital time-base corrector and noise reduction (much less noise, esp. in dark areas). Even features an image stabilizer for tapes with vertical wobble/jitter. Improvement in audio clarity. Excellent feature provides continuous, normal-pitch audio in slow-mo and 1.5x playback (imagine watching recorded newscasts in only 14.7 minutes (if you skip commercials)!). Audio for REW/FF is otherwise done in normal speed and you only hear several second-long excerpts. Can record near-SVHS quality on VHS tapes. Easy timer setup for recording programs. Superb still-frame quality (esp. w/ SVHS). Good editing features. Neat Jog/shuttle control (even on remote!). Good digital image enhancement w/ R3 interframe processor & 4MB of frame-buffer memory. Auto-calibration for tapes. Custom (or automatic) picture control (sharp/soft). IR cable-box controller can change channels on box from VCR. Good quality in 6 hr. EP-mode, at last!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: excellent picture quality, sluggish tape transport
Review: I bought this VCR to replace my 10-year old trusty Sony VCR. Unfortunately, Sony no longer offered a VCR which allowed adjustment of audio levels during record ...

Overall, I've been pleased with this VCR after 3 years of ownership. The picture quality is OUTSTANDING, and the digital noise reduction is fantastic. At the time, JVC was the only manufacturer offering this feature - since then Sony and others have introduced similar features.

I only have 2 complaints with the model:
1) The tape transport mechanism is VERY sluggish and imprecise. When you hit STOP the tape "slides" for a few seconds before it actually stops. Same with PLAY, etc. Certainly NOT the dead-stop response that Sony VCRs offer. Apparently, this is a standard design flaw with all JVC VCRs. (I have not tested their latest models)

2) The cable box control does not allow channels greater than 199. Perhaps in 1999 when this VCR was released, that was acceptable. Today with the advent of Digital cable and satellite, you I can no longer use it to control my recording. (interestingly enough, my "lower end" Sony VCR which I purchased at the same time as this unit DOES allow channels up to 999)

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Reliability
Review: Over a period of two years I purchased three JVC S-VHS decks, including this model. Each one failed at about two years, possibly through lack of use - certainly not over-use. Considering my 8 year old Sony VHS and 15 and 18 year old BETAs continue to operate flawlessly, I would not be able to recommend any JVC tape unit.


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