Check thrift stores that let you return electronics (usually just for store credit) if it doesn't work: Salvation Army and Goodwill usually do. Thrift stores are where all VHS decks go to die – and the stores just want to move them, so they price the good ones the same as the crappy ones. For digitizing, I think you'd want one with: • s-video output • separate heads for SP and EP • some kind of built-in frame-store buffer on the video out
The later JVC S-VHS models fit the bill. They weren't super-reliable, but now you're basically dealing with a disposable item that should cost less than a pizza -- $5-$15. If one works well when you get it, it should serve for a god while if you take care of it. VCRs either run at the correct speed or don't play-back a clean picture at all. If the transport mechanisms are bad, the problems are generally obvious: they either don't load/eject the tape, don't Play or FF or REW, or do obvious damage (e.g. creases) to the tape. Run a junk tape through the various functions: and if they all work, and there are no suspicious noises, you're probably good mechanically. The electronics generally either work or don't. They don't degrade. At some point, a capacitor dies or something, and the machine just gives up the ghost. If you have a working unit of any substantive age, there's no saying how long the circuits will last, so keep the investment low and don't worry about it. The part of a VHS VCR that will cause the picture to degrade with use is wear on the heads. But all you can do about that is check the image at home. Aside from JVC, Mitsubishi made some good S-VHS decks, though they didn't have frame-stores... _______________________________________________ FrameWorks mailing list [email protected] https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks
