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Any other Analog Recording enthusiats?

Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2010 7:25 pm
by Auto-Fox
Greetings, people of 3DO Zone! Some of you may not know this, but I am a GIGANTIC analog recording nut. I own numerous various analog recording and playback devices for audio and video, including LaserDisc players, VCRs, Compact Cassette decks and even vinyl record turntables.
I had a very good Christmas this year for my hobby. My dad got me a barely used JVC SR-TS1U VCR, a PROFESSIONAL model with S-VHS recording and playback capability. He ALSO got me a bunch of blank tapes from the state surplus, including two BROADCAST QUALITY VHS tapes, the same type used for video masters by TV studios of old.
It's also compatible with the old VCR+ time codes for recording, which aren't widely used anymore, but there's software online to generate them. No more setting the timer!
I have big plans for my gifts.
But, I'm curious. Does anyone here have the same hobby I do? Collecting and/or regularly using VHS or other analog formats?

Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2010 11:52 pm
by Vance
For audio, I hope you read interviews with Steve Albini. Despite fronting a band called Rapeman, the dude produces hundreds of records across a variety of formats, all in analog. If it weren't for following Albini, I never would have discovered Nina Nastasia's The Blackened Air. Amazing stuff.

Posted: Sun Dec 26, 2010 2:19 am
by Auto-Fox
Hm, I may have to look that up...
...also, if anyone knows a good source for blank S-VHS tape stock, I'm trying to find one...

Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 2:56 am
by 3DO Experience
My partial list:

16mm film projector (somewhere)
SONY SL-HF400 SuperBeta deck
A few basic VCRs (Sony and Panasonic)
Panasonic PV-S7670 S-VHS
Pioneer CLD-A100 LaserActive Laserdisc player
Pioneer CLD-D501 Laserdisc player
Pioneer CLD-R7G Laserdisc player

Technics SL-QL1 automatic turntable
Nakamichi 500 audio cassette deck
(I really need a new reel-to-reel)

I also have broadcast tapes for VHS and BETA (not the large beta ones mind you.) As far a SVHS I do have some sites I'll go through when I'm more awake. The best price however are "single pass" tapes off of ebay. That means they were recorded on once. Sometimes they have been blanked sometimes not. If not and you don't have a bulk tape eraser (one of those big electromagnets they used to sell at radio hack) You can just record over the first minute with a pure black signal and then rewind and start your recording over that black section.

Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 7:52 pm
by Auto-Fox
Nice list there...
Most of my stuff is either JVC or Pioneer. I have, at present:

Audio:
- JVC RX-3 FM/AM Computer Controlled Receiver ("A/V Sound" branded, I use it for all my audio).
- JVC XL-V450 Compact Disc Player (really nice, lots of arcane features to play with, but it has to warm up a few seconds before the door will open).
- JVC TD-W110 Stereo Double Cassette Deck (looking to replace it, can't figure out how to do "line-in" recordings).
- Audio-Technica AT-PL50 Stereo Full Automatic Turntable System.

Video:
- JVC HR-D565UM Stereo Video Cassette Recorder (VHS, Hi-Fi has a highly adjustable audio recording levels, I use it as a pass-through for recording off all my other video components).
- JVC SR-TS1U Video Cassette Recorder (S-VHS, VHS, VCR+, branded as "Professional Series". It also can do automatic repeat-play and the like, and I have my cable hooked up to it).
- Magnavox VCR (no model-number, Hi-Fi playback and recording, stuck in EP mode for recording though, so tapes I make on it don't play very well on other machines. Used as a video source for my projects).
- Pioneer LD-870 LD Player (my first LD player. Not presently hooked up).
- Pioneer VP-1000 Laser Disc Player (my second LD player, currently broken, but it's quite old after all).
- CLD-S201 CD CDV LD Player (my third LD player, more modern than my other two, also has a separate CD tray for CD Digital Audio and CD Video discs. CD controls are limited, though, and it can't play VCDs).
- Sony DVP-S360 CD/DVD Player (my DVD player. No remote, but the controls are conveniently replicated on the front, including a small joystick for menu navigation. Also plays VCDs, CDs and Photo CDs).
- RCA XL1000 Remote (my big-ish screen main TV).
- Orion TV (my smaller secondary TV, I'm working on hooking it up so that I can get a multi-screen effect going).

Anyway, that's my setup so far, not including game systems.

Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 12:46 am
by 3DO Experience
My first LD player was the Magnavox equivalent LD-870!!!! It really sucked but I soon learned not to buy any LD player that wasn't Pioneer.
I've never seen a top loader like the VP-1000 in person.

Since you included digital I'll do an update: (forgot about 8-Track!)

Audio:
- Technics SL-QL1 automatic turntable
- Marantz Superscope 8-Track recorder (silver edition)
- Nakamichi 500 audio cassette deck
- SONY DTC-690 Digiatl Audio Tape (DAT) deck
- SONY MDS-JE470 MiniDisc deck
- SONY MZ-RH1/M200 MiniDisc recorder
(I have a bunch more MiniDisc recorders but they aren't in use)
- Realistic Stereo Mixing Console 32-1200B
- SONY STR7-15 receiver
- Onkyo TX-SR606 receiver


Video:
- 16mm film projector (somewhere)
- SONY SL-HF400 SuperBeta deck
- Panasonic PV-V4522 VCR (very fast fastforward and rewind with in picture)
- SONY SLV-N50 VCR (Sony VCRs don't seem to last long I had two very high end ones and the tracking died on both, this one is a cheap model and has managed to live so I still use it weekly)
- Panasonic PV-S7670 S-VHS
- Pioneer CLD-A100 LaserActive Laserdisc player
- Pioneer CLD-D501 Laserdisc player
- Pioneer CLD-R7G Laserdisc player
- Panasonic DVD-F87 DVD/CD player (region unlocked)
- SONY DVP-NC875V DVD/CD/SACD player
- Toshiba SD-K750SU DVD/CD player (region unlocked)
- Norcent DP-315 DVD/CD player (region unlocked)
- Panasonic SC-HT70 DVD/CD home theater system (no longer used)
- Panasonic DMP-BD50 Blu-Ray player
- Sherwood BDP-5004 Blu-ray player (DVD region unlocked, BD region assignable)
- Panasonic CT-13R5 with Panablack tube (serviceman settings tweaked, just for normal TV)
- SONY FD Trinitron KV-32FS120 WEGA (32" CRT Flat screen just for games)
- Panasonic PT-AX200U projector (Can do 200" but I only have a 125" screen, but still that's 5 feet high and 9 feet wide)

Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 5:35 am
by Auto-Fox
Wow, a DAT recorder! I've always been annoyed that that format didn't take off for home use. And it would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for those meddling lobbyists!
Funny story, I once found a HUGE box of shrink-wrapped DAT tapes at a Salvation Army store. I was near-broke at the time, otherwise I would have bought them, y'know, just in case.
But, I have to say, I'm more of a Compact Cassette nut in terms of audio recording. It's just a cleaner sound, I think, more honest. I do see the advantage of digital, though, seeing as it doesn't degrade nearly as much over time.
Same with digital video. I love VHS to pieces, but the generational loss in picture quality is annoying, even using high-quality recorders and tape-stock.
I make home-edited music videos the old-fashioned way, with a pair of VCRs and two VHS tapes. The footage is usually copied off one tape, onto ANOTHER tape, and then onto the master tape with the audio dubbed in, so as you can imagine the image's generational loss is pretty horrendous by the time the master is recorded.
It's fun, though!

Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 6:02 am
by 3DO Experience
I wouldn't agree with the cleaner sound part of cassettes but I definitely know what you mean with more honest. And I definitely would agree with you more on the clean sound a cassettes than most people simply because I own a Nakamichi. Not a single person I have test played between a CD and the Nakamichi have been able to tell which is which, but that's what you get with high end engineering.

If you are looking for a new compact cassette recorder the 500 was the pinnacle of theirs. Line in, left mic in, right mic in, and blend mic in. That's Left Right and Center for "true stereo" recording. They all have their own level sliders and settings for Dolby noise reduction and different tapes ect. I never did end up getting Type IV cassettes for it.

Tell you what, I only ever use it for playback, and I'd rather have a Nakamichi with more features made just for playback. Just thinking about how great it sounds and see how you seem to really be into doing the stuff I was I'll sell it to you if you are interested. I'll PM you with more details and a bit of what I wrote here. I'm more interested in MiniDisc nowadays so replacing it with a player of equal sound quality (if lacking all the recording features) won't make me sad. I'll warn you however, it's made very solidly with quality parts so it's HEAVY. Shipping will be up there but I'll give you a good deal on it because you are really into audio tape.

Almost midnite, I'll PM you quickly and then go to bed.

Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 1:48 pm
by Auto-Fox
Nah, that's alright. I'm flat broke at the moment, so I couldn't pay for it. I'm also more into video recording and playback at the moment.
I'll keep the offer in mind, though!