VCR with sharpness knob has worse picture than without

[technoman9]

Interesting observation. I have a SLV-575UC I am currently futzing with so I have the service manual for this machine (which you can find online or get from Sams Photofact for $20). The manual does not show any kind of adjustment for calibrating the sharpness. The signal goes from the potentiometer on the front panel into the main video chip, no trimmers or the like in the path.

What happens if you turn the control to the right (clockwise)? Does the image ever improve closer to the Panasonic? How much usage has the Sony seen? It could be worn out or something out of whack.

It's also possible in the ten years since the Sony was made that Panasonic figured out how to make a better picture with cheaper hardware. Ten years is eternity in electronic development.

[dishdude]

Originally Posted by technoman9

It's also possible in the ten years since the Sony was made that Panasonic figured out how to make a better picture with cheaper hardware. Ten years is eternity in electronic development.

I think this is the case. The Panasonic picture looks much better.

[starbond]

Originally Posted by technoman9

What happens if you turn the control to the right (clockwise)? Does the image ever improve closer to the Panasonic? How much usage has the Sony seen? It could be worn out or something out of whack.

It's also possible in the ten years since the Sony was made that Panasonic figured out how to make a better picture with cheaper hardware. Ten years is eternity in electronic development.

The Panasonic was bought in the family and used pretty regularly from 2001 to about 2005 or so. The Sony was purchased at a thrift store in 2012 with a broken blue gear (apparently common), but came with the manual and remote, which is rare and perhaps suggests the unit was used more often.
Did you find anything worth fixing in yours? Any common spots to check or something to look out for? I was able to find a NOS pinch roller assembly last month for mine (in Australia of all places), since the original was on its way to be shiny and slip.

Seems like you all are right. I suppose if I were watching tapes on an old CRT TV it wouldn't make much difference but these days, I capture them to the computer for saving, and every pixel sharpness (or lack of) becomes noticeable.

Given the cool look of the Sony with the swing down panel and large display screen, you can understand why I would be hesitant to want to part with IT over the rather plain and unimpressive Panasonic
(thanks probnot for the video source image)

[probnot]

lol never thought I'd see the picture of my VCR on here.

Anyways, I love the look of the Sony, but those samples - the Panasonic looks loads better. The Sony appears to have a lot of noise in the picture. I know these models had unreliable power supplies - maybe that needs some servicing. Something, something bad capacitors

Nothing wrong with keeping both.

[WCV82]

I'm honestly surprised the Sony is worse than the Panasonic in this comparison, as that Panasonic is the same unit that Kmart sold a bunch of in the 1999-2002 era, I should know, I ended up with 2 of them, mostly because the first one chewed tapes and made bad recordings, so I got a replacement under warranty, and the 2nd wasn't much better but lasted past the warranty period at least. From my memory they were about $100 each. That Sony had to have been expensive when new, I'd guess $350 as a top of the line model.