View Full Version : Newbie with(out) a cause


CrimsonGlory
09-29-2013, 10:26 AM
Hello everyone. I just recently registered to this fine message board. While I intend to lurk more than post, I figured I'd make an introduction regardless.

I'm a member of your companion forum Audiokarma, and an avid thrift store hunter. A few months back I came across a nice video offering from JVC at a local Goodwill for $8 and some change. I got it home and started doing some homework on it. At that point I found a couple of forum posts from here that briefly touched on this particular piece, so I figured I'd register to see if I could learn more.

http://oi43.tinypic.com/2f03rbl.jpg

JVC HR-S8000U is the model. Pardon the awful photography.

Sandy G
09-29-2013, 03:00 PM
Welcome, & that looks to be a piece that was prolly pretty close to TOTL in its day...I got an S-VHS deck right before the curtain fell on 'em, I don't think I ever used the "S" part/features of it...

Kamakiri
09-29-2013, 03:08 PM
Welcome aboard! :)

DavGoodlin
09-30-2013, 07:45 AM
That does look impressive indeed. I hope there is not much wrong with it.

It looks close in feature level to the Sony SLHF-800, a TOTL Beta machine. The store I worked for sold exactly one of them in comaprison to dozens of SLHF-400 s

I bet there's is not many like yours.

CrimsonGlory
09-30-2013, 08:31 AM
I feel welcome already. :D

If I throw a tape in and press 'play,' it does its thing. I do have to admit it's a little sluggish but it does work. Between that and one of the bulbs in the display being a bit dim I don't see much wrong with it. I'm sure it will require replacing all the rubber inside at one point, but I wouldn't know where to turn for that. I did a little bit of looking around for a source of replacement rubber for this particular model, but I'll more than likely have to have the belts out first.

Username1
09-30-2013, 02:25 PM
Nice machine.... S-VHS machines are very cool, and even without the S-VHS tapes, they record, and play a better picture than most other regular VHS machines. I have a few JVC 3000 series S-VHS units, they are the cheaper ones, I kinda wanna say 3810, or 3820, I would have to move it to see, But anyway, new belts if you need them can be had, just so a little looking on google... Nice to see ya-

tvtimeisfun
09-30-2013, 11:20 PM
Hello welcome to the best site for early tv items hope you grab ahold and fly with us to tv heaven. great vcr by the way...Timothy

Electronic M
10-02-2013, 03:06 PM
Nice deck. Closest I've come to that in the thrifts is a NEC that is probably a tier below that features wise.

A lot of S-VHS machines appear at the local thrifts. I've bought several, but only the S-VHS-ET machines actually got much use(because the ET decks can record S-VHS quality on regular, cheap VHS tapes) before I started time shifting with DVD recorders.

TVTim
11-08-2013, 06:18 PM
Welcome!

That is a really cool VHS. Love it.

Winky Dink
11-08-2013, 06:43 PM
I was very big on VCRs since about 1980. This similar model is gathering dust in my garage:

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-RBiZGV2v8LQ/Un2C9RZ_vkI/AAAAAAAAMGQ/j_Sh_AG4esk/s640/HR-D630U.JPG

This is an HR-D630U. Functionality is probably similar, and I have the owner's manual. If it would be any help, let me know.

davet753
11-08-2013, 06:47 PM
I feel welcome already. :D

If I throw a tape in and press 'play,' it does its thing. I do have to admit it's a little sluggish but it does work. Between that and one of the bulbs in the display being a bit dim I don't see much wrong with it. I'm sure it will require replacing all the rubber inside at one point, but I wouldn't know where to turn for that. I did a little bit of looking around for a source of replacement rubber for this particular model, but I'll more than likely have to have the belts out first.

Those machines were pretty slow when they were new, so I'd say time (and deteriorated belts) aren't helping things along.

From a mechanical view, those machines were very well built. I do, however, remember they were very slow to go into play mode. I say if you were to clean off all the old gummy grease from the gear set and re-lube it you would likely notice some improvement. If you do, don't forget to put a little grease on the tracks the guide posts travel in.

davet753
11-08-2013, 06:54 PM
I used to use PRB (Projector Recorder Belt Co.) for belts and rubber parts. PRB line is a division of Russell Industries (lots of the old techs are familiar with them). Most of the independent suppliers used to carry them, way back when there were still independent parts suppliers around :)

Just google "PRB Line" and you can get to their website.