GROUP TEST
HEAD
TASTY TOP-ENDERS
INTRO
With decent quality NICAM video recorders now
selling for less than £350 what’s the point in spending any more? It’s simple,
you get what you pay for, if you want advanced features, increased flexibility
and improved performance, it’s going to cost you more. Whilst some budget VCRs
give a very good account of themselves, more expensive models often produce a
clearer picture, with superior trick-frame facilities, and sharper stereo
sound. Mid-range and top-end machines normally come with extra convenience
features, and it has to be said, more gadgets and toys as well. Budget NICAM
video recorders may be fine for routine applications, such as taping TV programmes
or playing rental tapes in stereo but when it come to more demanding roles,
such as home cinema and video movie-making, their limitations can quickly
become apparent.
So how much do you need to spend? That’s not
so easy, you might well decide a £350
VCR suits your purposes right now, but what about the future? A video recorder
brought today has a useful working life of between five and seven years; if you
have to replace it in a couple of years, because you’ve decided to upgrade the
rest of your AV system, or developed a taste for home movie-making, then a
cheaper machine could be a false economy. The ten VCRs we’ve chosen to look at
should all be reasonably future-proof, they fall into the mid to upper-price
brackets, that is between £450 to £550, though we have included one specialist
VCR, to illustrate what’s available at the top end of the market.
But what features do you really need, and which one’s are a waste of time and
money? Again, there’s no simple answer to that, but anything that increases a
VCRs flexibility is worth having; plenty of input and output sockets for instance,
a good range of transport controls and replay options, an easy to use timer, an
informative on-screen display plus any widget or gizmo that genuinely improves
picture and sound quality, should all be high on your wish-list.
One feature you needn’t worry about too much
is 16:9 widescreen compatibility, unless of course you have a widescreen TV, a specialised
satellite receiver and/or access to the handful of movies released in France
and Germany. There are no widescreen movies available in the UK, nor are there
likely to be and the Widescreen PAL Plus trial broadcasts conducted by C4 at
the moment work on an entirely different principle and cannot be recorded on
any current VCRs. Finally, don’t take
too much notice of all those teccy-sounding TLAs (three letter acronyms), used
to describe more esoteric VCR features. Many of them are little more than meaningless
marketing gobbledegook, or allude to facilities that other manufacturers have,
but don’t bother to shout about. If you want a good laugh ask just the sales
assistants to explain them to you, or better still, get them to demonstrate how
they work...
AKAI GS-815
FERGUSON FV88
HITACHI VT-F360
JVC HR-J715
MITSUBISHI HS-M60
PANASONIC NV-HD100
PHILIPS VR-747
SANYO VHR-784
SONY SLV-E70
SONY SLV-E90
AKAI GS-815 £480
Akai have been one of the leading innovators in VCR technology for as
long as we can remember. They pioneered the use of on-screen displays and
remote timer programming, and now they’re about to go down in history as the
inventors of the motorised display panel. That’s right, the tape hatch cover on
this machine doubles up as the main clock/mode display, and to stop it being
thumped every time a cassette is loaded it flips up out of the way, as soon as
it’s touched; it’s hours of fun for all the family. The 815 has a few other
tricks up its sleeves, including Super I-HQ. It’s a development of their I-HQ
tape-tuning system which first appeared in 1990; basically, if you want it to, it
will make a short test recording on each tape as it’s loaded -- lasting around
25 seconds -- from that it determines
the characteristics of tape being used and adjusts its recording and replay
circuits accordingly. Super I-HQ takes the technology one stage further,
tackling the problem of noisy and wobbly LP recordings.
Akai have put a lot of effort into the audio side of things too, and the
815 has a superb range of facilities, including manual recording level control,
variable headphone output, audio dub, microphone input (handy for video
movie-makers), a full set of input and output sockets, separate line-audio
output sockets and a front-mounted AV terminal, that’s another bonus for
camcorder owners.
Naturally the 815 has an easy to use Video Plus + timer but it’s
augmented by program delivery control or PDC, which auto-corrects timer
settings for late schedule changes or overruns, though right now only Channel 4
broadcast the necessary data codes. Rounding off the feature list, it also has
a menu-driven, multi-lingual on-screen display, intro scan and index search and
it is widescreen compatible, though bearing in mind what we’ve said about the
availability of widescreen software.
Picture performance is excellent, resolution is bang on 250-lines. The
picture looks crisp, colours are bright with minimal noise, recordings look
even better with higher-grade tapes and the Super I-HQ system switched on. LP
picture quality is remarkably good, resolution dips a little to 230 lines, but
there’s only a slight increase in noise on recordings made using HG tapes.
Trick-play (i.e. still frame and slomo) is very good, though it’s not so steady
on LP recordings. The stereo soundtracks have lower than average amounts of
background noise, but unlike the picture there’s hardly any difference in the
LP mode.
Rating ****
FERGUSON FV88H £500
We’ve had designer tea spoons and designer
lavatory brushes, so it was inevitable that sooner or later we would get a
designer VCR. The designer in this case is one Philip Starck and someone called
G. Vergneau who’s signature appears on the side of the casing. They’ve gone for
the minimalist grey-box look, and the wackiest remote handset we’ve ever seen;
it’s the sort of design concept you’ll either love or hate, either way you can’t
ignore it.
There’s not a lot to see from the outside,
just a row of tiny, widely-spaced illuminated buttons spread out across the
fascia. Behind the hinged front-panel flap however, it’s a different story, and
Ferguson have really gone to town on this one. It has their handy Video Plus+
satellite control system which makes timeshifting STV programmes as easy as
recording BBC or ITV channels. Just tap
the relevant pluscode into the remote handset and the VCR will turn the STV
receiver on at the right time, and select the correct channel -- using it’s own
built-in multi-brand remote controller --
and makes the recording. It also has auto-install, which saves a lot of
time and trouble during the initial set-up, in fact all you have to do is plug
it in, find the TVs video channel, press a couple of buttons and it tunes
itself in, identifies all the stations and sets the clock, which it self-corrects
at 7.00am each morning.
There’s plenty more where that came from; it
has a really helpful, user-friendly on-screen display, multi-speed replay, index search/intro scan,
auto repeat, childproof lock, manual recording level control, syncro edit and
NTSC replay. Security-conscious owners can enter a personal 10-character code
or number into the machine’s microchip memory, so if it is stolen, and then
later recovered, it can be positively identified.
Form clearly leads function on this machine.
The front panel controls are virtually unusable in room light as the labelling
on the identically shaped buttons is almost impossible to read. The remote
handset is not much better and the rows of thin buttons are not very easy to
use, moreover if it’s placed on a flat surface the round conical shape rolls about
all over the place.
Resolution on our test sample came in at just
over 240-lines, picture noise levels are low, so the image looks quite sharp.
Trick-play stability is good and it’s possible to eliminate jitter altogether
on still frame. Noise on the stereo hi-fi and NICAM soundtracks is a little
below average and it gets a few extra brownie points for the manual recording level
control and natty level meters in the display panel.
Rating ***
HITACHI VT-F360 £450
If you’ve ever been frustrated by an attempt
to timeshift a satellite TV program, then this is another VCR to add to your
list. Hitachi have taken a leaf out of Ferguson’s book and fitted the VT-F360
with a satellite control system. It also has a built-in multi-brand infra-red
remote transmitter that’s controlled by the VCR’s Video Plus+ timer. Simply
enter the pluscode into the handset. Just before the program begins the VCR
sends out an IR control signal, from a small window in the top of the machine,
that switches on the nearby satellite tuner and sets it to the right channel.
The VCR then starts recording and when the program has finished, switches
everything off again. A little extra time and effort is needed during the initial
set-up, but once programmed it’s as easy to use as a conventional Video Plus+
timer.
Hitachi have been quite restrained when it
comes to gadgetry, the F360 has a largely functional set of features which
includes an on-screen display, multi-speed replay, AV dubbing, index and goto
tape finder functions. The remote handset can also control the main functions
of a variety of televisions, around twenty different brands are covered, all
the user has to do is enter a two-digit code number to access the handset’s IR
command library. It’s quite a plain looking machine with a centre-mounted deck
mechanism and just a handful of buttons; pretty well all of the machine’s
higher functions are driven from the remote handset. It’s reasonably camcorder-friendly,
with a front-mounted AV input terminal, and AV dubbing, which allows the mono
soundtrack to be replaced, on its own, or along with the video track as well,
so entirely new segments can be inserted into the middle of existing
recordings. Owners of suitable Hitachi camcorders can also take advantage of a
syncro-edit facility that simplifies copying and editing single scenes from the
camcorder to the VCR.
The on-screen results are fine, noise levels
are about average, colours are sharp and well defined, horizontal resolution on
our sample was spot on 250-lines. It sounds good too, there’s some slight
background hiss on the stereo hi-fi tracks, but it’s not enough to be concerned
about; a manual recording level control would have been helpful but the auto
system copes well enough with most types of material.
Rating ****
JVC HR-J715 £500
They may have invented the VHS format but
until fairly recently JVC video recorders were in danger of becoming a little boring,
it was almost as if they had lost their edge. Not any more, they’re back with a
vengeance and their current line-up includes some very impressive machines,
headed by the J715. It’s a smooth, refined machine with picture and sound performance
to match. Maybe it’s missing one or two of the glitzier features, but those it
has got are the ones that are going to be used, and it’s particularly
well-disposed towards video movie-making, worth bearing in mind if you’ve got
or plan to get a VHS-C camcorder.
The J715 has a responsive mid-mount deck
mechanism and it’s controlled from a jog/shuttle dial on the front panel. Incidentally
the one on our review sample was a little tight. It has a couple of unique
features, like hyper-bass -- for beefing
up movie soundtracks -- and RA Edit. RA stands for random assemble, and it
means this machine can be used to selectively re-record segments from a VHS or
VHS-C video movie, onto another tape, thereby cutting out all the duff bits,
shots of the sky, feet or long stretches where nothing much happens. The
machine will replay up to 8 designated scenes, in any required order, at the
same time controlling the record/pause function on a second VCR, via its remote
pause socket.
The timers on this machine (LCD input or
Video Plus+ timer with PDC) have an extra bonus feature in the shape of a ‘review
button’. This flashes following a time-shifted recording. It’s a bit like the
winking indicator on a telephone answering machine that tells you someone has
left a message; just press it when you come home and the 715 automatically
rewinds the tape to the start of the recording and begins playback. Also worth
mentioning is the 715’s multi-brand remote (it controls seven other makes of TV),
childproof lock, insert edit and repeat playback, to name just a few. Picture
quality is excellent, a fraction over 250-lines, and noise levels were well
below average, resulting in a slick, crisply-defined picture. No complaints
about sound performance either, there’s minimal noise on the NICAM and hi-fi tracks,
the response is almost flat. Even the automatic level control works well,
though we prefer a manual recording level control as well, and the redundant bargraph
display is a tad irritating...
Rating *****
MITSUBISHI HS-M60 £480
Mitsubishi keep up the pressure on the mid-market sector with yet another
well-specified stereo machine. The HS-M60 reached the shops a couple of months
ago and replaces the M68; the feature list is very similar to its popular
predecessor, though Mitsubishi have opted for a mid-mount deck mechanism this
time, and the price has been pitched quite a bit lower, at around £480, (compared
with £600 for the M68). A few
facilities have disappeared in the process, the most regrettable one being a
manual recording level control. It’s a shame they didn’t remove the bargraph
display as well which winks pointlessly in time with the soundtrack.
The M60 makes up for any other omissions with something called Auto
Set-Up. As the name implies this saves the user the bother of having to read
the instruction booklet; after it has been plugged in and connected to a TV it automatically
adjusts the clock and tunes in all locally available TV stations. Another
clever feature is a self-correcting clock which adjusts the time against the
teletext time signal at 8am every morning.
That’s just for starters, it also has multi-speed replay, NTSC replay,
on-screen display, audio dub, insert edit and a Video Plus+ timer. By the way,
the M60, like all current Mitsubishi models has an ingenious one-button timer,
where time and date information is fed into the machine by pressing just one
button, it works better than you might think... Two other features on the M60
and unique to Mitsubishi, are Rental PB and Intelligent Picture. Rental
playback is a nifty idea for movie fans. As soon as a pre-recorded tape is
loaded into the machine it rewinds it to the beginning, fast forwards to the
start of the soundtrack, starts playback, and optimises replay for a
potentially worn or noisy recording . When the recording has finished it
rewinds, ejects the tape and switches itself off. Intelligent Play is a
tape-tuning system that automatically adjusts the VCRs replay circuitry to suit
the grade of tape being used.
The M60 has a fair assortment of movie-making facilities, such as audio
dubbing, insert edit, and a syncro edit function, though this only works with
other similarly equipped Mitsubishi VCRs. It also has a feature called CM or
‘commercial’ edit, which is basically picture search in the record-pause mode,
so users can more easily chop out adverts during a commercial break.
Another fine all-rounder with resolution a whisker over 250-lines. Noise
levels are low, colour fidelity is good and both still and slomo are very
steady. Audio noise levels on the stereo soundtracks are about average but the
NICAM decoder is very clean with barely a trace of background hiss.
Rating ****
PANASONIC NV-HD100 £460
The NV-HD100 is a bit of an old-timer, it’s been around since mid 1993
and is almost certainly due for replacement this year, so keep an eye out for
end of line bargains. Generally speaking a long shelf-life is quite a good
sign, it suggests the original design must have been pretty good to start with,
and it’s still selling in respectable numbers, against some very stiff
competition. Part of the reason could be that it was ahead of its time when it
was launched; the HD100 was one of the first machines to use Panasonic’s fast
Super Drive deck mechanism and it has an energy-efficient power supply. It’s
also one of the quietest VCRs around, with none of the usual clicks and
whirring noises when its being used.
Panasonic were one of the last converts to Video Plus+, and although the
timer on this machine is easier to use than previous models, fitted with the
ill-fated bar-code programming system, it’s not especially user friendly.
Panasonic are one of the few companies not to fit on-screen displays to their
mid-range or budget VCRs, the larger than usual front-panel display helps a
little but it is still not as easy to program as most of its contemporaries.
It’s not found wanting elsewhere, though, and the features list includes
a good assortment of movie-making facilities, though surprisingly not an
editing terminal, which would have allowed it to be used with the growing
number of edit controllers they and a number of accessory companies now produce.
What it has got, though, is audio dub, insert edit, a microphone socket,
multi-speed replay , NTSC replay and a jog/shuttle dial on the remote handset,
to precisely control tape speed and direction.
Panasonic rarely put a foot wrong when it comes to AV performance, and
the HD100 is no exception. Samples we’ve tested have all been able to resolve
over 250-lines, which is about as good as it gets this side of Super VHS.
Panasonic are big on picture noise reduction and recordings made on the HD100
do indeed look very clean. Colours too are very sharp and it has one of the
steadiest still frame and slomo systems we’ve seen.
As usual on Panasonic equipment sound quality is better than average, and
the manual recording level control is a welcome bonus for those who tape a lot
of musically-oriented material. The NICAM decoder is very clean with negligible
background hiss.
Panasonic ****
PHILIPS VR-747 £460
Hot off the production line, the VR-747 is an
upgrade of the 727. The basic specification remains pretty much the same but
there have been some changes, the most noticeable one being the redesigned
front panel which now sports a jog/shuttle dial. Some of the operating systems
have been changed too, to make it a little friendlier. The tuner is a delight,
just press the autostore button and it searches through the broadcast bands,
storing all locally available stations in its 60 channel memory. Setting the
clock only takes a moment, Philips have borrowed an idea from Sony and assigned
individual buttons on the remote box for setting time and date information,
freeing the user from having to do things in a specified order.
The features list is fairly substantial,
though it’s clearly designed for a wider European market and includes a number
of items that are either not fully supported in the UK, or have limited use.
Facilities that should come in handy are full-function trick-play, a
front-mounted AV terminal, Video Plus+ timer (with PDC), index search and intro
scan, a child lock and NTSC replay. Owners of Sony and some Panasonic
camcorders, (and Philips clones) might find the syncro edit feature useful for
copying or editing their tapes, and those with Philips or Grundig TVs can
control the volume and change channel from the 747’s remote handset. There’s no
on-screen display, which is a bit of a chore when it comes to manual timer
programming, the front panel is very busy indeed but most of the messages are
spelt out in understandable English.
A label on the front panel proclaims
‘Surround Sound compatible’, a bit cheeky considering all hi-fi stereo VCRs are
surround sound compatible... Operationally it behaves itself, and the deck is
very responsive, unfortunately Philips VCR control systems always have a few idiosyncrasies,
on this one the standby button only turns the machine off, not on again,
pressing any other button does that.
Fortunately the 747 doesn’t disgrace itself
where it matters most. Picture and sound performance are both up to scratch,
resolution on the sample we tested was just over 250-lines, colours looked
natural and vibrant, with virtually no noise to speak of. Off-air NICAM sound
is pin-sharp, hardly any background noise at all. The stereo soundtracks are
crisp with no apparent coloration; noise levels are just a little below
average. The automatic recording level system is quite well damped, though as
usual we would have liked the option of manual control as well.
Rating ****
SANYO VHR-784 £500
New audio facilities on VCRs are
comparatively rare, the last one of any significance was NICAM, and that was almost six years ago. The new kid on the
block comes from Sanyo and it’s called DVS or digital View Scan. It’s a
development of their work on anti-shake
systems, originally devised for digital audio technologies such as Mini Disc.
It’s actually quite a simple idea, DVS allows the user to hear what’s on the
soundtrack, irrespective of tape speed or direction, which comes in very handy
when trying to locate a specific part of a recording.
This is how it works; sound from the tape’s
mono linear soundtrack is temporarily stored in an electronic memory or
‘buffer’ chip. Once in this form it can be simply processed, so that it comes
out the right way round (if the tape was going backwards), at the right speed, so
that it sounds more or less normal. In order for the soundtrack to keep up with
the picture -- if it’s in the fast picture search mode -- the sound is read out
in snatches, six to nine seconds long. DVS sound quality is a bit hissy, but
speech is intelligible, and that’s what it’s really designed for. To be
brutally honest it’s a bit of a gimmick, but it’s great fun to play with, and a
boon for tape-hopping through sports programs and movies.
All very clever, but what else does it do?
The 784 is a good-looking mid-mount machine with an unusually friendly
on-screen display. It has a front-mounted AV terminal, for the benefit of
camcorder owners, some good trick-play facilities and the obligatory Video
Plus+ timer. Program delivery control PDC is an option, though the necessary
circuit module has to be retrofitted by the dealer.
The 784 turns in a respectable picture performance, resolution is a
whisker over 240-lines, it’s not going to break any records but noise levels
are well below average so overall the picture looks reasonably sharp. LP
picture quality is fine too, a shade less than 220 lines, so it’s worth
thinking about for low-cost archiving.
NICAM and the stereo soundtracks are average to good, no particular
problems but there is a noticeable background hiss, especially during quiet
passages when the automatic recording level control tend to wind up and down.
Rating ***
SONY SLV-E70 £500
The E70 appears
to be something of a niche machine for Sony, it’s their representative at the
important and increasingly competitive £500 price point. This model is clearly
derived from the more elaborate (and more expensive) SLV-E80, with tell-tale
blanked-off panels where sockets and buttons used to be. Nevertheless, most of the E80’s most important features
remain intact, and they include an agile centre-mounted deck, multi-speed
replay, OPC (optimum picture control)
tape tuning system, on-screen display, clever all-in-one transport
control and Sony’s legendary build quality. It also shares the same LCD display
panel as the E80, it’s mounted on the front of the machine, just below the tape
hatch. Yes, it makes a change from all those fluorescent display but, because
it’s small and only capable of producing one colour it’s not always easy to work
out what’s going on. In fact the only way to tell if the tape is moving is to
see if the counter digits are changing, or look for tiny indicator lights around
the tape transport control knob. The E70 looks like quite a lump, the small
display and large, empty panels don’t help.
It’s reasonably easy to set up using the
menu-driven on-screen display, though the remote handset is a nightmare with no
less than 56 buttons, all of them small and fiddly. Sadly, another thing to go
in the strip-down from the E80 was the jog/shuttle control on the handset,
though this machine has few pretensions outside of normal taping and replay
duties. There are no movie making facilities to speak of, gadgets are few and
far between, in fact the only convenience features worth mentioning are the
Video Plus+ timer, index search and intro scan.
Although bereft of fancy features the E70
seems to share the same critical mechanical and electronic assemblies as its
more expensive stablemate, consequently on-screen performance is well up to
Sony’s normal standards. Resolution is just over 250-lines, there’s plenty of
detail in the picture with sharply defined colours and very little noise. Trick
frame is rock solid, on recordings made on the machine, though it didn’t always
work so well on recordings made on other VCRs, with some jitter or noise in the
picture. Sound quality is great, the stereo soundtracks have a flat, even
response with minimal background noise; off-air sound from the NICAM decoder is
very clean.
Rating ***
SONY SLV-E90 £650
The E90 is the odd one out in this roundup as the design is more clearly
focused on one particular application, namely video movie-making. This is a
thoroughbred edit deck, and whilst it will function perfectly well as a home
cinema component, or time-shifting TV programs it would be a bit like using a
racing car as a milk float. The features that will be of particular interest to
camcorder owners are a front-mounted AV terminal, Control L/LANC editing
terminal, insert edit, audio and video dub, record search, multi-speed replay
and manual recording level control.
Just in case you want to use it for boring things, like recording TV
programs, you’ll be pleased to know it also has a Video Plus+ timer, (with PDC)
and a tape tuning system, to get the best out of higher-grade tapes. None of
this comes cheap, Sony are asking £650 for this machine, but is it worth it?
It certainly looks the part, but it’s definitely not the sort of VCR you
would give to your old granny. The backlit LCD display is unusually clear and
informative, though you have to pay attention as some functions are not very
well highlighted. The on-screen display covers most routine operations, and the
graphics have a computerish feel to them. The remote handset covers most functions,
and it will also control volume, channel and standby functions on Sony TVs.
The optimum picture control (OPC) tape tuning system checks each tape as
its loaded, adjusting its recording and replay circuitry to suit. It works
well, and resolution on our sample was above 250 lines, on standard grade tape.
Noise levels are low to begin with, but using OPC on a higher grade tape
reduced them further still, producing a clean, sharp picture with unusually
crisp-looking colours. All this bodes well for video movie-makers as copying or
editing recordings entails some quality losses, on this machine they’re as
slight as they can be. Trick play is very stable, virtually jitter-free on
still and slomo, more good signs for an edit deck. The stereo sound system is
also very clean, background hiss is below average on both the stereo
soundtracks and NICAM decoder.
Rating ****
SUMMARY
There is a clear winner, it’s the JVC HR-J715,
a super all-rounder. It’s not without its quirks, and it could definitely do
with an on-screen display, but AV performance, features and price are all going
to take some beating. Mind you, JVC can’t afford to be complacent, not with machines
like the excellent Akai GS-815 and Mitsubishi M60 snapping at their heels. Both
VCRs can hold their own as home cinema components and won’t disappoint camcorder
owners either, though we’d urge anyone serious about video movie-making to take
a very close look at the Sony E90. Yes, it’s expensive but the feature list is
specifically targeted at camcorder owners, and in particular enthusiasts, who
want to get into some serious editing and post production.
If, on the other hand your main area of
interest is satellite TV then two machines stand out. They are the trendy Ferguson
FV88 and the more down to earth Hitachi VT-F360. Both of them have easy to use Video
Plus+ timer-programming systems that work in conjunction with a wide range of
satellite receivers, though check first to make your particular system is included
in their command libraries. By the way, if you’re fazed by complicated set-up
procedures then both the Mitsubishi M60 and Ferguson F88’s auto set-up systems
take the sting out getting a new VCR up and running; the Philips 747 is only
marginally more complicated. Sanyo’s 784 is another specialist machine, and we
suspect quite a few of them will be sold on the strength of its digital view
scan feature. We like it a lot, it’s fun and you quickly miss it on other VCRs,
though overall its the only thing that stands out on what is otherwise a fairly
ordinary machine. The Philips VR-747 looks like a very good deal, AV performance
is superb, it’s well specified and as we’ve already pointed out, very easy to
use, so put it on your short-list. The Panasonic HD100 is another fine general
purpose machine, it’s getting on a bit though and like the JVC J715 the lack of
an on-screen display is a pain, but you can learn to live without it unless,
you’re a heavy-duty timer-shifter with poor eyesight. Finally we come to the Sony
E70. To be fair there’s nothing intrinsically wrong with this machine, but it’s
not what you would call exciting. Sony are marking time with this one, words
like solid and worthy spring to mind, but compared with the others its just a
bit dull, and somewhat pricey, for what it is.
SIDEBAR -- TABLE
AT A GLANCE
Make/model ££s Timer AV LP AD
AKAI GS-815 480 VP/P/8/365 2SF * *
FERGUSON FV88H 500 VP/P/8/365 2S *
HITACHI VT-F360 450 VPS//8/365 2SF * *
JVC HR-J715 500 VP/P/8/365 2SF * *
MITSUBISHI HS-M60 480 VP/8/31 2SF * *
PANASONIC NV-HD100 460 VP/8/31 2S * *
PHILIPS VR-747 460 VP/P/6/31 2SF *
SANYO VHR-784 500 VP/6/365 2SF * *
SONY SLV-E70 500 VP/8/31 2S *
SONY SLV-E90 650 VP/8/31 2SF * *
Key: Timer -- VP = Video Plus+/number of
events/days, P = PDC, VPS = Video Plus+ with Satellite control; AV = audio
video connections, S = SCART socket, F = front mounted AV terminal; LP = LP or
half-speed recording mode; AD = audio dub
---end---
Ó R. Maybury 1994 0112
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