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REVIEW
HEAD
DRIVING
FORCE
INTRO
The
third of Panasonic's Super Drive video recorders for '93 is now with us, in the
shape of the NV-HD100, a classy stereo machine with editing potential, for less
than £600
COPY
It
has been a quiet year so far for new video recorders. From the video
movie-maker's point of view there's been little to get excited about, unless
you count Video Plus+ timer programming, this year's hot feature. Even the
mighty Panasonic have bowed to the inevitable and all of their new Super Drive
models now have Video Plus+ timers, in place of their infamous bar-code programming
system.
This
month sees the arrival of their latest Super Drive machine, the HD100, it's a
well-specified, mid-market stereo hi-fi machine costing just under £600, and
although Panasonic haven't done the decent thing and given it a proper editing
terminal, it is nonetheless a useful machine to have around, if you've got a
camcorder.
Before
we take a look at its editing facilities a quick reminder of some of the Super
Drive series key features, already seen on the SD30 and SD40, launched a couple
of months ago. They all have a new energy-efficient switch-mode power supply
which gives off less heat, so there's no need for ventilation slots on the top
panel, there's a large embossed Panasonic logo instead.... The new decks are
much quieter than previous designs and all of the mechanical and electronic
assemblies have been designed for easier servicing. These machines also have
self-diagnostic systems which help service engineers pinpoint faults. We
noticed that unlike previous SD models there's no mention of this in the
instruction book, presumably to stop owners playing around with it. Don't tell
anyone, but you press the eject button and turn the shuttle ring to the
right... When the SD comes to the end
of it's hopefully long and useful life you'll be pleased to know that all the
parts have been coded for easier recycling.
FEATURES
We'll
skip the usual litany of convenience features, the SD100 has all the common
ones, plus a few more besides, and anyone looking for a workhorse machine to record
off-air TV programmes and replay rental tapes will not find it wanting. The
features we're most pleased to see include audio dub, which replaces the mono
linear soundtrack, without affecting the picture or the stereo audio tracks. It
has insert edit, for slotting new scenes into existing recordings, the edit in
and out points are defined using the tape counter and jog/shuttle dial. The
jog/shuttle also gives very precise control over replay speed and direction,
from still and frame advance, through slomo, to fast picture search, in both
directions. It has a microphone socket on the front panel, which is useful for
audio dubbing a commentary onto the recording. This machine can replay NTSC
tapes on most recent PAL televisions, that means if you've got friends or
relatives living in the USA, Canada or Japan they can send you their home video
movies to watch on your TV. Finally there's syncro edit, this works with compatible Panasonic
camcorders, it enables single selected scenes to be transferred from the
camcorder to the VCR. No, it's not a very long list but they're all worth
having if you're looking for a camcorder-friendly VCR, mind you, we wouldn't
have minded a front AV terminal as well. The lack of an edit terminal is not a
huge problem either, most edit controllers use infra-red control systems, to
operate the destination deck's record-pause function.
Video
Plus+ makes timer programming an absolute doddle, though you'll need to buy
those newspapers or TV listings magazines that publish the Plus Codes which
tell the machine the date, time and channel of the chosen programme. This
machine can also be retrofitted with an optional programme delivery control
(PDC ) or 'Startext' module. This has to be carried out by the dealer and costs
around £80.00. Startext uses transmitted codes to self-correct timer settings,
should a programme overrun or start late. Unfortunately only Channel 4
broadcast the relevant codes, the BBC and other ITV companies do not seem
particularly enthusiastic. The HD100 has a manual timer programming system on
the remote handset with data appearing on a small LCD screen; it's very similar
to one devised by Sony a few years back and it is also very easy to use.
Barcode timer programming is dead in the UK but we suspect it may live on
elsewhere as the remote handset has a small blanked off panel, right where the
optical barcode reader should be.
A
couple of other features worth noting include the large easy to read front
panel display, though it doesn't make up for the lack of an on-screen display,
a feature Panasonic have always shied away from. There's a quick-view facility,
which works when the machine is fast winding, turn the shuttle ring and the
deck drops back into picture search, handy if you want to see where you are on
the tape.
PERFORMANCE
Although
our early production sample had clearly led a fairly arduous life it
nevertheless managed to resolve a full 250 lines, which puts it close to the
limits of the VHS system. Panasonic's noise cancellation circuits certainly earn
their keep and the picture looks very clean, even in areas of highly saturated
colours. Replay stability is excellent, though the V-lock buttons on the remote
handset may need a dab now and again, to completely eliminate jitter. NTSC
replay on our Philips and Mitsubishi test TVs was almost as good as the PAL
picture, stable and without any masking at the top or bottom of the screen.
The
HD100's stereo hi-fi audio system produced a pin-sharp sound from pre-recorded
tapes, and the auto tracking system managed to deal with our dodgy old test
recordings, which often faze manual or less able auto systems. The manual
recording level control is most welcome, though we found the ALC quite
comfortable with most types of off-air material. Off-air NICAM sound is very
good too, though there is just the slightest trace of background noise.
VERDICT
The
SD100 isn't quite so instantly appealing as the SD40, we're mindful of what
might have been, had it been fitted with an edit terminal, and front AV
sockets. However, to be fair the SD100 still outperforms most machines in its
class and price bracket, so from the point of view of picture quality and it's
other, camcorder-related features, it is most definitely worth shortlisting.
Panasonic have put in a lot of work under the bonnet, much of which doesn't
show up on the screen, it's far too early to say whether or not this machine
will outlive its contemporaries but if it does -- and Panasonic have a good
track record in this regard -- it should be worth paying the extra.
VCR
SPECS
Make/model PANASONIC NV-HD100
Tape
format VHS
Guide price £580
TAPE DECK
Max playing time
8-hours (E240- tape LP mode)
Timer
8-events, 31-days
Remote control full
function IR
VIDEO
System
PAL SP/LP, HQ
Replay speeds
still, variable slomo, variable fast picture search
Main facilities
Slow motion yes Multi-speed
yes
Insert edit: yes Jog/shuttle yes (front panel)
On-screen display no Videoplus+ yes
Index search yes Intro Scan no
Instant timer yes LCD remote yes
PDC timer no Repeat play yes
Record search no NTSC replay yes
Quasi S-VHS replay no Auto play yes
Auto head cleaner yes
Additional facilities
skip search, syncro edit, sleep timer
AUDIO
Stereo Hi-Fi yes Audio dub yes
Auto level control yes Level
display yes
NICAM sound yes Line output yes
Man. level control yes H/phone level control no
GENERAL
Sockets
Front AV terminal no Edit terminal no
Microphone yes Headphones no
SCART twin Syncro edit yes
Dimensions (mm) 430 x 96 x 362
Weight (kg) 5.3
PERFORMANCE
Resolution
>250-lines
Colour fidelity very
good
Trick play stability very
good
Colour bleed none
Audio performance very good
Edit functions fair
VC RATINGS
Value for money 8
Ease of use 8
Performance 9
Features 8
---end---
(c) R.Maybury 1993 1307
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