Anyone use this deck?

[Mark Bournes]

JVC Professional SR-VS20 S-VHS/MiniDV combo VCR DV

Anyone use this deck? Opinions?

I shoot with an XL-2 and use FCP for editing.

Any issues I should know about?

[Denis Danatzko]

I've used mine a few times to dub miniDV to VHS for depositions, and as my main capture device after using miniDV tape in the HVX. I think I may have recorded direct-to-tape once. Have had it about a year; seems to be holding up ok, but I'm not real hard on it. Those are the main uses I have for it, but I think it has other features I've never used. I've seen a Panasonic DVCPro deck in use, not sure what model, and that provides more features, (e.g. it reads timecode so it always "knows" where it is), and seems more durable, but for my use, the JVC has been fine thus far. (knock on wood).

My biggest complaint is when spinning up/down to a specific time; as it nears the time, it slows down a lot, until it hits the timecode you've specified as your target. (It seems to not know where it's at until after it's read the timecode).

The other quirk I've noticed is that from time to time, it seems to forget that it's under control of the computer and PPro2. Occassionally, I have to click outside the capture window, then back inside it but within the control-button area, to get it to do what I want it to. (Haven't discerned a pattern there, but haven't really looked for one).

Last item: occasionally, as I spin through a tape, the audio sometimes lets out a loud "bleep", (but don't we all from time to time), almost like that in a universal time leader. I use it w/CS2 Prod Studio Premium and a ShuttlePro2 external control. They seem to play together well enough to suit my needs. Think I paid about $ 850, but don't recall exact amount.

Hope this helps.

[Denis Danatzko]

the user manuals for those JVC machines make a big point of not expecting to be able to read tapes shot in LP mode on a camera. I suppose if you shot right into the deck using LP it might work. I tried using a tape shot in LP on and in a Canon, and the JVC machine couldn't read it. I'm pretty certain it was the LP mode though, not the Canon. (However, I ended up using a JVC palmcorder to read it, and that worked).

[Mark Bournes]

Dennis, thanks so much for the info, I'm currently using a JVC mini dv camera to import and export, I want to get a stand alone deck, and these are pretty reasonable, plus I like the feature of putting it on vhs for clients to review. Yes some still prefer it on vhs compared to dvd, not sure why?

Anyway, thanks, I've looked at other decks but I really don't want to spend $1,200 if I don't have to.

[Glyn Wainwright]

I use a JVC SR-VS20 for all analogue, VHS and DV capture via the firewire.
It does a fine job for many years.
I use scenalyzer to operate the capture but it works with MSP Pro 7 too.

[J. Stephen McDonald]

I have the JVC HR-DVS3U, which is the version of this dual-deck VCR, that has a tuner and a program timer. For 3 1/2 years, I have regularly recorded and replayed tapes interchangably between it and a Sony camcorder and VCR and used both SP and LP. There has been total compatibility with all of them, at either speed. The two other models discussed here, will play back DVCAM-recorded tapes, while the HR-DVS3U will not. I'm not sure, but I think that the "20" numbered model is older than the "30" and may have a few different features. I've had no control problems with mine and a computer. My JVC will not read all the data from a Sony-recorded tape and doesn't display frame numbers on its onscreen display or front panel, but does record and preserve them, in passed-through signals or re-recording. Its ability to play back old VHS and S-VHS tapes and re-record them on DV, is excellent. Its TBC on analog playbacks and other image-improvement features, have allowed me to internally make surprisingly good digital copies of these tapes that are as much as 19 years old.