Looking for a 50Hz PAL VTR, or VCR

[cbenham]

Hello folks,
I'm looking for a very olde 50Hz PAL VTR or VCR to use as a video source for a European TV. Reel to reel, VHS or Beta cassette. Can be Monochrome or Colour.
If anyone can point me toward any I'd greatly appreciate it.
Thanks,
Cliff

[jhalphen]

Hi cbenham,

Why not use a digital standards converter to convert NTSC 3.58 525/60 to PAL 4.43 625/50. You would then have continuous access to all your usual NTSC programming.

I use a batch of these CDM-660 standards converter to generate NTSC USA from PAL to feed my US sets. Picture quality is surprisingly good, the transcoding only betrays itself when the camera pans a scene horizontally, there is some motion judder, but it's only annoying on a relatively large screen. As i collect small-screen sets (1 to 9 inches), it's barely noticeable.

An old VCR means maintenance, periodic head changes, etc.

If you still want an old Euro-VCR, you can find them easily in Germany:

http://sammeln.listings.ebay.de/TV-V...istingItemList

or the UK

Best Regards

jhalphen
Paris/France

[cbenham]

[QUOTE=jhalphen;2677765]
If you still want an old Euro-VCR, you can find them easily in Germany:
http://sammeln.listings.ebay.de/TV-V...istingItemList
or the UK

Thanks, I looked there and found mainly VCRs and one Sony CV skip field machine.
I do want an old two head VTR - Reel to Reel PAL B&W video recorder, one with rubber band drive belts and only a head-drum servo, main drive motor locked to line.

Thanks for any pointers on finding one of these.

Regards,
Cliff

[jhalphen]

Hi Cliff,

You've apparently changed your desiderata since your first post, which also mentioned VHS, Betamax, therefore cassette machines.

With your new requirement, i.e. an open reel VTR, i scanned all the German sections and found nothing worth even giving you the link to.

In consumer, there are thousands of VHS machines, more than 100 S-VHS, etc.
In the professionnal Broadcasting section, everything is way too modern, except for a few beat-up old U-Matic machines.

France, same thing, UK also.

Saw a couple of Akai 1/4 inch portable VTRs. They are cute for static display, but hopeless to work properly. 99% of them have shot video heads and the special 1/4" videotape is impossible to find. Using audio tape guarantees head destruction within minutes.

I think your best chance to acquire a decent 625/50 Euro machine, would be to post a request on 1) a UK forum, 2) a French forum.

Can you give more precise data on what you want, for instance 1/2 inch tape or 1 inch?

Brands? Major suppliers were Sony, Matshushita, Hitachi, Toshiba, & IVC (1")

Now, if you want to post, write me a text via PM. I will translate it in French & post on our RadioFil 2500 member forum in the TV section:

http://retro-forum.com/viewforum.php...020e1cd34ceb52

I will give you the link to the post, then you can watch yourself. If the "fish bites" i will help you with language issues.

Info about what you require concerning machine condition, accessories & how much you want to spend are all helpful.
Remember that AC powered EIAJ type machines are quite heavy and you will have to bear the shipping cost to your US location.

As a recent example, i've looked up prices for France --> US shipping of CRTs, for 25 lbs it came out to 130.00 Euros.
A cassette VCR would be much lighter to ship!

For the UK, you can post yourself as there is no language barrier. You have to inscribe yourself to post (it's free):

http://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/f...splay.php?f=37

This is the most read British forum and many follow AK also.

Best Regards

jhalphen
Paris/France

[cbenham]

Thanks very much for your help and suggestions.

I'll have to look into this in a week or so because I'm getting ready for the ETF Convention which is next weekend.

Hope to see some AKers there.

Regards,
Cliff

[John Folsom]

You guys will see each other at the ETF..... :-)