[net.video] VHS HiFi

bam@sdchema.UUCP (Bret Marquis) (09/05/84)

I've had the Hitachi VT88A for  several months now. This has been a
superb HiFi deck and have had no problems with it at all.  The sound
quality (even when not running in HIFI) is good.

For the most part, all new movies have been in HIFI and some older
ones as well (Zardoz for one).

I use the deck for my audio recordings as well and tend not to use
the cassette deck much at all.  With TDK 6 hour tapes for around
$4.00,  I've been doing much better than with the Nakamichi and
metal tapes.

VHS over beta?  I chose a VHS deck after visiting several rental
shops and seeing some with NO beta selections and huge VHS ones.
The ones that carry beta are reducing their stock.  Lauren is
probably right, the beta tape handling may be easier on the tape and
allow for better editing, but if I had to record all the movies I
wanted off of HBO, whats the point of hifi?




Bret Marquis
(ihnp4, sdcsvax) bang!bam


-- 
Bang World Communication Center - San Diego.

speaker@ttidcb.UUCP (Kenneth Speaker) (01/08/86)

Playing with my friend's VHS HiFi, I notice that it does not automatically
detect if a tape is recorded in HiFi mode or conventional only, you must
manually select which soundtrack to use.  All (4) of my beta HiFi decks,
even the el cheapo, detects and automatically switches to HiFi mode if the
carrier is detected.  Is this manual stuff a common thing to VHS, or only
some decks?  It should be possible to detect carrier in the audio scanning
head's output, just like a beta deck.  Why require manual switching?

(Deck was TEAC "equivalent" to JVC 566.)

--Kne

heneghan@ihlpa.UUCP (Joe Heneghan) (01/10/86)

> Playing with my friend's VHS HiFi, I notice that it does not automatically
> detect if a tape is recorded in HiFi mode or conventional only, you must
> manually select which soundtrack to use.  All (4) of my beta HiFi decks,
> even the el cheapo, detects and automatically switches to HiFi mode if the
> carrier is detected.  Is this manual stuff a common thing to VHS, or only
> some decks?  It should be possible to detect carrier in the audio scanning
> head's output, just like a beta deck.  Why require manual switching?
> 

I have an RCA HiFi VHS and mine automatically finds the soundtrack. My
friend's GE HiFi VHS does the same. You need the manual switch for two
reasons: 1. You can record in one or the other or both. You would record
            in both so that your freinds with stereo but not HiFi can
            borrow your tape.
         2. There's a mix switch on mine that allows you to do both. 
            You have to chose one or the other on playback however.

					Joe Heneghan
					

dob@ihlpa.UUCP (Daniel M. O'Brien) (01/10/86)

> Playing with my friend's VHS HiFi, I notice that it does not automatically
> detect if a tape is recorded in HiFi mode or conventional only, you must
> manually select which soundtrack to use.
> ....................  Is this manual stuff a common thing to VHS, or only
> some decks? 

My RCA VLT600 Stereo VHS HiFi automatically detects HiFi and selects it if 
present.  I can force it to use the linear tracks, however, by moving a 
HiFi-Linear select switch.  

---

			Daniel M. O'Brien (ihnp4!ihlpa!dob)
			AT&T Bell Laboratories
			IH 4A-257, x 4782
			Naperville-Wheaton Road
			Naperville, IL 60566