[Username1]

I have several VHS and a few S-VHS decks, and using regular tape, there is
a difference in picture quality on the S-VHS decks. And by picture quality
I mean both in picture information, and in stability. Using S-VHS tapes then
improves on that even more. So in my opinion, the entire machine has
to be made to be better even before you add the S Tapes to it.

I have the lower end JVC S-VHS machines, they have the dial frame step
thing on the front. One of these machines I use to record NBR on PBS each
night for over 10 years using the same tape over and over again. Still it
delivers a fine picture, with very very little wiggle in the picture even though
I use the slower speed while recording. These are the longest life and best
performing machines I have ever owned, and I got shelves full of'em.
Mostly the ones with the 19 Micron heads, 4 head machines are pretty good.

I would rate them based on the ones I have for performance based on longevity
S-VHS JVC as #1.
4 Head, and 4 head 19 Micron head machines Sharp #2.
4 Head, and 4 head 19 Micron head machines Panasonic, Magnavox #3.

Again, based on what I own. I have a Panasonic VHS/DVD
Combo that is pretty good, but more jittery than the S-VHS.

And all of these machines were gotten from ebay & garage sales
so I don't know about their previous life, they all arrived looking as
described, little use, and very clean, working not needing repair.

I have read about D-VHS and it sounds very good, but if you plan to
use it to build a library, then you need a few machines, or one day
it will fail, and you will not have something to play your odd-ball
library on..... I have started to do new recording on DVD as I can get
4 hrs of VHS quality or better on a piddly-little disk. And like VHS there
are hundreds of those machines around - for cheap money.


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