|
REVIEWS
STRAP
First Run
HEAD
SONY SLV-AV100, VCR-DPL AMP COMBO £750 ****
Why’s it here? It might be better to ask why hasn’t someone
done it before? The integration of a NICAM VCR with a beefy AV amplifier and
DPL processor is quite unique, and it makes a lot of sense. Akai produced a VCR
with a built-in surround-sound decoder and amplifier about five years ago, and
more recently a VCR with a DPL decoder, but the Sony SLV-A100 is a far more
complete solution. It can function as the core component of a home cinema AV
system, with auxiliary inputs for up to four other source components, including
a tuner, CD and laserdisc players.
Any unique features? Apart from the weight? At 13kg it’s
quite a lump. That’s due to the dual power supplies, one very meaty transformer
and a substantial metal chassis. It’s very solidly built -- Sony proudly told
us that 130 screws are used in its construction... The VCR section is loosely
based on one of their current NICAM models, an uprated SLV-E810 in fact, with a
super-fast deck mechanism. It’s a reasonably sophisticated design, with auto
installation, on-screen displays, NTSC replay, Trilogic tape optimisation,
front AV inputs and multi-speed replay.
The AV amplifier appears to have quite a lot in common with
their TA-VE700, though the power outputs are a little lower, with 40 watts RMS
going to each of the front three channels and 2 x 20 watts for the rear
surround channel. There’s a full set of surround modes, including Pro Logic and
Dolby 3-channel, plus a range of DSP modes, that includes theatre, hall and
stadium effects, and an equalisation preset optimised for video games. Sony
have gone to considerable trouble to isolate the amplifier section from the
VCR, with independent power supplies and plenty of screening. Incidentally, the
amplifier section has its own cooling fan, this is powered by the VCR, and its
speed varies with volume.
How does it perform. Although it is actually two separate
devices, they function as one, with a unified on-screen display system and
remote control handset. Some aspects of the control system are a little
idiosyncratic, and it has clearly been designed with owners of Sony TVs in
mind, but once you get used to it, it’s not too bad. The VCR performs well,
resolution is a little above average, at just under 250 lines. Noise levels are
low, lower still with higher grade tapes, which the optimiser uses to good
effect. Colours are bright and reasonably accurate, with comparatively little
noise, even on areas of high saturation. The stereo soundtracks are very clean,
with hardly any background hiss.
Unfortunately we haven’t had the opportunity to test it with
the optional speaker pack (5 speakers and an active sub-woofer). In spite of
the relatively modest outputs the amplifier is quite gutsy and it has a good
reserve of power, more than enough to fill a large living room, though the rear
channel has to be wound up quite high to avoid it being swamped. The DPL
decoder is good at picking out and steering loud dynamic sounds, softer effects
can sometimes sound a little muddy. There’s minimal leakage to and from the
centre channel. With all of the effects switched out the amplifier has a clean,
well balanced response; bass output is adequate, but we suspect the optional active
sub provides some useful extra welly, to really bring blockbuster movies alive.
Our Verdict. Sony are taking a bit of a chance with the
AV100. We’re not sure that many people will be in the market for an AV amp and
VCR at the same time. For those that are, it’s a practical and cost-effective
combination of technologies that’s much more than the sum of its parts.
SLV-AV100
Features VCR:
NICAM, VideoPlus+ with PDC, auto set-up and clock check, NTSC playback, remote
functions for other Sony products. AV Amp: Dolby Pro Logic, 7-mode DSP, 3 x 40
watts RMS (front), 2 x 20 watts RMS (rear)
Sockets 4 x
AV inputs (phono), speakers (spring terminal), aerial bypass (coaxial)
Dimensions 157
x 430 x 412 mm
Picture Quality ****
Sound Quality ****
Build Quality ****
Features ****
Ease of use ***
Overall value ****
Competitors
There are none, but check out the Akai VS-G2400 DPL VCR at £1000
Sony UK telephone 0181-784 1144
Critical Captions
It’s quite a lump, and the added height might cause problems
with some installations, nevertheless it still takes up a lot less space than a
separate VCR and AV amp
The jog/shuttle controls on the front panel and remote
handset are not spring-loaded, which makes the multi-speed replay functions
easier to use.
The front panel display has a lot of work to do; some of the
display elements are not very large, and it’s not always easy to tell what it’s
up to
The large, uncluttered rear panel connections simplify
hook-ups to other items of AV equipment.
JVC HR-J935, £499, ****
Why’s it here? VHS is a mature technology, close to the
limits of its performance envelope, and in the twilight of its years,
manufacturers are fast running out of ways to keep their VCRs looking fresh. It
has fallen to JVC, the inventors of the format, to come up with the goods. The
HR-J935 is without doubt the most interesting and unusual VHS VCR we’ve seen
for a very long time, and the really good news is that it’s not some incredibly
expensive flagship machine. At just under £500 it’s at the top end of the NICAM
VCR scale, but when you take into account the new features, it has to be a
bargain!
Any unique features? Only one, and that’s the Dynamic Drum.
During fast picture search the upper cylinder on the head drum assembly is
automatically tilted by a fraction of a degree. That means the heads track the
tape more accurately and the result is a noiseless picture at X2, X3, X5, X7
and X9 search speeds, in both directions.
That on its own is impressive, but JVC have gone one step
further with a digital audio buffer --
virtually identical to Sanyo’s Digital View Scan -- that lets you hear snatches
of the soundtrack, in real time, at whatever speed the tape is running. It
processes the sound from the mono linear audio track. This is read continuously
into a digital memory, and replayed back in ‘chunks’ that broadly correspond
with what’s happening on the screen. When the tape is moving in reverse the
data is simply read out of the buffer backwards, so that it appears to be the
correct way around.
JVC call noiseless replay with sound TimeScan, It’s ideal
for watching sports and movies, without loosing track of the plot. It’s
possible to skim through a movie in around half an hour, it’s has to be a
godsend for film reviewers. Add to that NICAM, NTSC replay, picture enhancement
and tape optimisation, auto set-up, jog/shuttle dials on front panel and
handset and more editing features than you can shake a camcorder at and you’ve
got one helluva machine!
This is the first official outing for the Dynamic Drum, and
there’s talk of it turning up on a couple of new machines, next year. JVC will
be keeping it to themselves for a while, but we wouldn’t be at all surprised to
see it appearing on other makes of VCR in the not too distant future. Panasonic
must be in line for it, seeing as they’re in the family, so to speak. In theory
the technology could be adapted for use in camcorders, though JVC tell us they
have no plans for that at the moment. A far more likely application, outside
domestic video recording, will be on surveillance and time-lapse VCRs, where
the Dynamic Drum has two significant advantages: the improved tracking accuracy
will allow more information to be packed on to the tape, and it makes possible
reverse or endless recording. Instead of the tape rewinding, when it comes to
the end, the deck simply goes into reverse, and continues recording.
Incidentally, JVC have let slip that they’ve got an even
more impressive picture enhancement for VHS, that’s due to appear next year.
Details are very sketchy, but an engineer has suggested that the improvements
-- which will be compatible with existing VHS VCRs -- will make VHS picture quality comparable with Super VHS. More
details when we have it.
How does it perform? Brilliantly, though we have to say
we’ve only tried a very early production sample, serial number 00000011 to be
exact. However, if the rest are anything like this one JVC have got a winner on
their hands. Resolution was a shade over 250-lines, picture noise levels are
very low, and trick-play stability is simply amazing, not a trace of line
break-up anywhere in the picture, at any replay speed. TimeScan sound is a bit
rough, but speech is intelligible. Normal stereo hi-fi and NICAM sound is good,
noise levels are a little below average and the response is reasonably flat.
The editing features work well, and although the Dynamic
Drum probably isn’t directly involved, insert edits are seamless, with no
detectable break-up at the edit points. Although JVC are not officially billing
the 935 as an edit deck, that’s a job it does with ease. The only small
disappointment is the fact that the noiseless replay is not recordable on
another VCR, as it would be a useful trick effect in video movie-making. The
problem concerns the increased number of picture lines during fast play, which
most VCRs cannot handle, without causing picture instability.
Our Verdict. Go get it! For the price of a top-end NICAM VCR
you can get something really special. TimeScan has to be the best new VCR
feature since Video Plus+, but even without it the J935 would still be a fine
machine, with a great line up of features and excellent AV performance, at a
realistic price.
JVC HR-J935, £499
Features TimeScan,
NICAM, VideoPlus+ with PDC, auto set-up and clock check, insert editing with
flying erase head, sound shuttle, audio dub, manual audio recording level
control, ‘Easy Edit’ assemble edit control, BEST tape tuning, illuminated
multi-brand remote control, NTSC replay, child lock
Sockets 2 x
SCART AV, stereo line audio out and front AV inputs (phono), RF bypass
(coaxial)
Dimensions 435
x 105 x 353mm
Picture Quality *****
Sound Quality ****
Build Quality ****
Features *****
Ease of use ****
Overall value ****
Competitors
Mitsubishi HS-561 £480 HE35
Sanyo VHR795 £430 HE35
Toshiba V856 £500 HE39
JVC UK Ltd., telephone 0181-450 3282
Critical Captions
A clean, uncluttered front panel, with a useful jog/shuttle
dial for controlling tape speed and direction; it’s a pity there not one on the
remote handset as well
The handset is an unusual shape, and some of the buttons are
illuminated, which is supposed to make it easier to use, though in practice the
replay speed control is rather cumbersome
Around the back there’s twin SCART AV sockets, and a set of
stereo line audio outputs, on a pair of phono sockets
HOME ENTERTAINMENT TEXT
2...96
STRAP
First Run
HEAD
Philips SBC-HC520, £80 ****
Why’s it here? Philips are on a roll. They’ve been quietly
flogging headphones for years but just recently they’ve moved into infra-red cordless
models, in a big way. We’ve been very impressed with what we’ve seen so far;
the modestly-priced HC120’s and 380’s, reviewed in the August issue, received
glowing reports, but now they’re filling the gap between those cheaper models
and the top-end SBC 3995’s (£100). The SBC-HC520s will be selling for £80; Philips say performance and styling are
designed to appeal to more demanding audio and home cinema enthusiasts.
Any unique features? Nope. We’ve seen it all before, though
Philips have clearly put a lot of effort into the cosmetics, and the trackball
volume control is rather natty. Unlike most other IR phones on the market, this
one uses high-frequency carriers of 2.3 and 2.8 MHz, giving the system a wide
bandwidth of 12Hz to 24kHz. The spring-loaded headband and soft ear cushions
are very comfortable. They’re light too, tipping the HE kitchen scales at just
250 grams, (with batteries). The transmitter module can be stood upright on its
base plate, at a variety of angles, or laid horizontally, though in that case
the phones will have nowhere to perch, when they’re not being used, or on
charge.
How does it perform? Philips are the first to say the
HC520’s are not in competition with proper corded headphones; the priorities
here are portability, convenience and fun. The system generates moderate
amounts of background hiss and they can become quite noisy at the extremes of
the range, though the auto-mute system kicks in quite smartly, when the signal
is lost. In spite of all that they sound quite good, with unexpectedly solid
bass, coherent mid-range and bags of treble. Volume is adequate, a little more
wouldn’t have gone amiss though. The phones are largely immune to interference
from other light sources, including fluorescent tubes and TV screens.
Our Verdict. They’re okay, and amongst the most comfortable
cordless phones we’ve tried, but the springy headband bumps and grinds if you
bop around too energetically, and the background noise levels are a little
higher than we’d have liked. On balance our vote still goes to the cheaper
HC120s, currently selling for £50.
Philips SBC-HC520,
£80
Features automatic
level control, auto mute, rechargeable batteries that last up to 15 hours,
8-metre range, 4-position transmitter module
Sockets line-audio
in (phono), charging lead (minijack)
Weight 250
grams
Sound Quality ***
Build Quality ****
Features ***
Ease of use ****
Overall value ***
Competitors
Philips SBC 3995 £100 HE38
Sennheiser IS-360 £70 HE38
Vivanco IR650 £90 HE38
Philips Consumer Electronics, telephone 0181-689 4444
---end---
Ó
R. Maybury 1996 1110
|
