Amazing noise reduction system that works better than advertised

longevity issues, light build materials

Before I give my 2 cents here, I want to qualify something. I have been involved with home video and video editing for almost 12 years now. While I am by no means a professional, I DO know what I am talking about. I have used and tested dozens of pieces of VHS equipment over the years and have owned 6 JVC SVHS vcrs. What I say here comes from long experience, and are not the kind of knee-jerk reaction you typically see on user/net reviews. After doing some reading on the DigiPure NR system, I found that all models from the 7800 (now 7900) and up have it. This looked promising, as the 7800 was only $300-400. After finding a review on audioreview that referenced Crutchfield as a very good vendor, I went to their site. Not only did they have it for a lot less ($199) but they had it in scratch and dent for $169! I placed the order and in 4 days had the VCR. Excellent job by crutchfield. Now for the VCR itself. It delivers. Plain and simple, the DigiPure noise reduction system really does work. Most of what I have is in EP speed, and this VCR cleans up the video dramatically. When you hit play, for a couple of seconds, the image looks like fairly standard EP VHS: a little noise, kinda dull, good color. Then the NR kicks in and the image clears right up. It does brighten, and the background noise that tends to "swim" and flicker smooths right out. Even the edges look a little sharper. The trade off is a slightly soft picture, and a loss of a little of the fine details. But on an older tape, this wont matter much, and you get a much less "busy" image, much much smoother and easier to watch. For reference, I am watching this on a brand new 27" Panasonic with s-video. I am VERY happy with this VCR. My only concern and caveat is that VCR's in the past few years have been built very cheaply and disposably. And JVC have always had a problem with their VCR's mechanicals, especially the tape loading mechanisms, lasting more than a couple of years. I have owned several since 1990, and they all had this failing. So, while I might end up buying another in a year, I recommend this to ANYONE who wants to get the best image out of their old tapes.

Similar Products Used:

every major JVC svhs vcr since 1990

S-VHS, price

Build quality, quality control

Disappointing step down from 7600. I''ve had 3 7800s and none have worked properly. Either the digital TBC/NR or Video Stabilizer circuit have not functioned correctly in 3 units I''ve tried.

Similar Products Used:

JVC 7600 JVC 9500

TBC and digtial noise reduction (when it works)

Problems with TBC and digtial noise reduction. Weak performance without TBC and digitial noise reduction.

Like many of the reviews discuss below, the physical build quality this unit is pretty poor. But certainly no worse than any other VCR made today other than $1000+ semi-pro and pro units. The great selling point of this VCR is the built in Time Base Corrector and Digital Noise reduction. This make any amazing difference in picture quality but have one fatal flaw. One a large number of tapes engaging these features cause a preiodic tearing of the picture at the top of the screen. This occurs anywhere from once every 30 mins to nearly all the time depending on the tape. I can find no correlation between this problem and the tape. Some old tapes in poor condition don''t have the problem and some new tapes in excellent conditon do. For whatever reason the problem appears to manifest itself much more often on prerecorded tapes. I have seen several similiar compaints in other forums about this problem (avsforum.com) so I don''t believe that my unit is defective. Also the TBC can only be used for tapes that played on the machine (i.e., it does not effect recording and it does not effect signals that are being passed thorugh the VCR). With the TBC and digital noise reduction disabled, the picture quality of this units is below average, with it on it is very much above average. Unfortunately given the problem it has with at least 50% of the tapes I tried, I am going to return the unit. Perhaps the 9800 with 4 megs of digital memory would not have this problem.

Similar Products Used:

JVC 3800, two six year old Sony VCRs

In SP mode recordings made off DBS are almost identical to the source. Pretty cheap price.

"ET" mode that allows S-VHS recordings with regular VHS tape isn't that good - you'd be better off sticking with S-VHS tape. It's made of cheap feeling/looking plastic.

I first bought a 9800u which I ended up exchanging for this model - it's over $200 cheaper and really is only missing some editing feature from the 9800u, which I didn't need.

Value-wise, this is a pretty good unit. I mainly timeshift/record TV via my Echostar Dishplayer, which has a built in hard drive like the Tivo. I wanted a new VCR to compliment my Pioneer Elite HDTV so I could watch the occasional rented tape and dump programming I wanted to keep off the Dishplayer. My old Sony regular VHS just wasn't cutting it with the HDTV - it was unwatchable with most tapes. I decided to give S-VHS a try since I figured even regular VHS tapes would benefit from the Croma separation and other features of S-Video - and I was right.

I first tried the Mitsubishi W-808 but found it lacking when it came to playing back rented tapes. I then took a look at the JVC models that include a digital frame buffer (2 meg on the 7800 and 4 meg on the 9800). That feature is mostly for cleaning up tapes you are editing from different sources, but it does have an effect on older worn out rental tapes - hard to say precisely but I'd guess anywhere from 10-20% improvement in picture quality, most of it due to less video noise.

Even S-VHS doesn't come close to DVD (of course) but it serves it's purpose well - VHS is now watchable again for me on my digital set and it does a very good job of achiving recordings from the dishplayer - in SP mode there is barely a difference between the S-VHS recording and the live DBS broadcast. EP mode is about what you'd expect, even with S-VHS tapes - don't waste your time with it. I also found the much touted "ET" feature of the JVC line, which allows S-VHS recordings with regular VHS tape, to be somewhat lacking. It does look better than my regular VHS recordings, but it doesn't hold up well to recordings made with actual quality S-VHS tape, and why not use S-VHS tape anyway? These days it's only a buck or so more than regular VHS tapes online unless you count the 99 cent el-cheapo stuff (and if you are going to use that then you probably aren't going to bother with a VCR like this anyway).

I'm not including any of the editing features in my review since that isn't what I bought it for. My guess is if you want those features, take a look at the 9800u or check other reviews of the 7800u.

Lastly, the remote is ok, fairly typical JVC fare - I don't really use it as I control everything via a Phillips Pronto universal remote. The 7800u is also lacking the commercial-skip feature of it's predecessor, the 7600u - some people have found that useful (my Dishplayer, like the Tivo unit, has instant commercial skip thanks to it's digital nature, so this doesn't bother me). All in all, I'm giving this a 5 for value - you can find it for under $300 online, which is a much better deal than the Mitsu's IMHO - and a 4 overall since it does pretty much exactly what I bought it to do.

Similar Products Used:

Sony regular VHS S-320u, Mitsu S-VHS, JVC-9800u

Smaller
Less sensitive to tape types

looks and feels cheap
no jog on shuttle dial

Compared to the JVC HR-S7600U, this thing is a piece of cheap junk. Gone is the jog dial on the VCR's shuttle ring. How's that for an editing VCR? The PRO SLOW motion has less speeds! Pressing the buttons on the VCR itself is like pushing on cheap plastic. This is a travesty. JVC must have needed some bigger profit margins. One good addition is an audio monitor button on the remote. Otherwise, if you're like me and already own the 7600 model, you won't believe your eyes. If you can find the 7600, buy it! JVC should be ashamed of themselves. This is comparable to Pioneer's cheapening of their laser disc players in that format's dying years. Even the labeling of the audio/video jacks behind the VCR haven't been painted to make them visible. That must have saved JVC a fortune.

Similar Products Used:

JVC HR-S7600U

Excellent picture quality in SVHS (SP). Ease of use.

Remote is not backlit.

The picture quality is beautiful - even from cable tv. I think that the tuner in the vcr helps to clean up the cable noise, as well. (I also have a 9600, which has equally beautiful picture quality.) I only tape in SVHS (SP mode) so I can't comment on SVHS-ET or on tapes made in EP mode. Before buying this unit, I tested two different Panasonic 4820 units. Either they were both defective or they both made horrible tuner lines on the tapes. In any event, the JVC 7800 is heads above the Panasonic. (I have had good success with last year's Panasonic SVHS model but the picture quality on the 7800 is better than that one, too.) I have a universal remote so the fact that the JVC remote isn't backlit doesn't bother me too much. I do use the JVC remote to set up timer recordings and it would help if it was backlit. Highly recommended.

Similar Products Used:

JVC 9600; Various Panasonic SVHS models

Playback/record picture quality. Digital TBC (time-base-correction) and noise reduction get rid of horizontal jittering and the slight red/blue frame-to-frame noise visible on black areas of the screen. Works even with old video tapes. No blurring or pixelization are visible. Includes cable mouse to change channels on cable box.

VCR auto-tracking doesn't work that well. Remote control really only works with the VCR, Otherwise you must use 2 hands every time to control TV or cable box.

The digital TBC stabilizes all of the line-to-line jitters from all your old video tapes, and the noise reduction works without blurring the picture! Finally something done right. No digital pixel artifacts are noticeable. The TBC only works on playback mode - it doesn't clean up "video in" from other vcr's.

Playback of standard VHS tapes look almost DVD quality. Off-the-air recordings look as good as the original at SP speeds.

I did have a problem playing a macrovision copy-protected tape that my el-cheapo VCR's can play fine. I had to turn off the TBC feature to use the "picture stabilizer" feature -- you can't use both at once. Then I could watch it. Other macrovision tapes played fine with TBC on.

The auto-tracking control really doesn't work that good.. The picture is always OK, but the HIFI audio will pop in and out, and sometimes buzz when it's right on the hairy edge. I have to turn it off and manually adjust it. I don't know what JVC did to screw it up. My older JVC 910U always tracks perfectly, and even my cheap POS sharp can track fine. I tried it on some other JVC's and they all have problems. They must be using the same tape transport mechanism for their entire product line.

To manually adjust tracking you must go to the vcr and press channel+ and channel- at the same time to enter manual mode. You can't do it from the remote!!

Picture quality:
SVHS and SVHS-ET at SP speeds both look great.
VHS at LP and SP modes both have great color. The TBC makes LP mode look as good as SP on some VCR's
SVHS-ET at LP speed had no noticeable improvement when using standard tapes. I suspect on SVHS tape it will improve.

Remote control:
Works fine for the VCR, but for your TV or cable box you must hold down the "TV" button every time you hit a button to control the TV. If you aren't holding the button down the remote sends out codes to the VCR. The TV/cable box buttons are at the top of the remote, so you need to use 2 hands. This probably simplifies JVC's tech support, because it avoids people calling them when their VCR isn't working because the remote is set to "TV" or "cable box". What a horrible choice! So just plan on using this as a VCR-ONLY remote or buying another remote.

Programming:
Well they tried to simplify it by adding an up/down button for: Start Time, Stop Time, and Date. But you can't use the number keys!! so you can't just type in the time.. It's like setting your alarm clock... hold the button down. I'd rather just type in the start/stop time. Oh well. I don't use VCR+.

I'm giving 5 stars because I really only care about picture quality. This VCR is perfect if you have a lot of movies on tape, but you find watching tapes disappointing because you are used to watching higher quality DVD's.

Similar Products Used:

JVC HR-D910U, magnavox, sharp

Loaded with features missing on so many run-of-the-mill units. Records SVHS on regular VHS tapes. Many "auto" type features like auto tracking, auto tape speed. Svideo output. Excellent output

None really. Almost all VCR's today are light weight and plastic. No different from most that I have purchased in the past. Remote is a bit odd, but usable.

No need to reinvent the review, previous ones pretty much cover it. In spite of it's less than stellar reviews, I noticed that the bashers were angry about some features being eliminated on this newer model. Do people in this day and age REALLY believe that a higher model number and/or newer model dictates a more equiped/better model? In that case, send them over to by the Kia 9000. Give me a break, one must always consider features and construction on any product.

For the rest of us, and again the reviews support this, this is a fine unit with excellent output. I don't need the editing features of other units, nor do I REALLY care about jog shuttle on the remote, although it would be nice.
At -$300, this is one fine VCR.

Similar Products Used:

Sony, Toshiba, Sears(yuck!!!)

SP recording, ET mode

prone to dropouts

This machine makes terrific recordings in SVHS and SVHS ET SP mode. I can barely tell a difference from the original cable signal. EP mode is noticeably poorer, but unfortunately I have to use the EP mode in everyday recording, because I barely have room for all those videotapes on my shelves as it is.

My machine is prone to dropouts in playback mode. No idea why. The same tapes that cause dropouts in my JVC play fine in my 9 year old Panasonic. Even tapes I've recorded in the JVC have dropouts when played back in the JVC, but still play fine in the Panasonic. I wonder if I have a defective unit.

Not too impressed with the way this unit programs, either. Programming channel 50 is a pain because I have to hold down the channel up button for an eternity while it scrolls slowly up the numbers one by one. The time buttons jump in increments of half an hour if you hold them down, why couldn't they have built this into the channel buttons? Also, having separate up and down buttons for the month, day, time, and channel seems a bit excessive. I use a learning remote and the programming function on this VCR take up WAY too much of its memory.

Anyways upon reflection this unit seems way overpriced, especially given its problem with dropouts.

Similar Products Used:

9 year old Panasonic HiFi VCR

Excellent picture in S-VHS.Easy setup. Quiet operation.

Light build quality

In response to some of the negative reviews I say,"Picky,picky,picky!!!". Is the VHS-ET picture as good as S-VHS? No. Is the VHS-ET picture better than VHS? From what I have seen the picture in VHS-ET mode is slightly better and quite passable for taping regular TV fare on regular tapes.The S-VHS picture is excellent considering the medium.The unit is lighter than my old Sharp VCR but everything works fine.The unit does not contain sophisticated video editing features but whar unit in this price range does? It is fine for editing my Hi8 camcorder tapes.
To those who are unhappy with the performance of this unit perhaps they need a reality check.
I am very happy with this unit and its out-of-the-box ease of installation, setup and performance.

Similar Products Used:

Sharp VCR 10 years old.