What's the cheapest price for a DVHS deck? at DVinfo.net

Heath McKnight · December 5th, 2003, 01:07 AM

I once heard people were buying JVC's DVHS deck, the HM-DH30000, for $300.

Is this true? What's the cheapest? I found one for $429 online.

heath

Randall Morton · December 8th, 2003, 07:29 PM

The refurbs were being sold by Ecost for $259 with free shipping. They carried a full warranty. I don't think they are available now.

Gints Klimanis · December 8th, 2003, 08:13 PM

Wow, after seeing the monster list price $1299, I never thought I'd have any hope of landing this unit for $429. I've purchased two digital cameras from buydig.com , and they're a good source for on-line purchases in my opinion. B&H Photo also seems to
have a great price.

Does anyone know if the single frame advance and slow motion abilities of this unit are any good? I spend quite a bit of time with technical analysis of sports performance. One of the reviews complains that his $100 Sony VHS VCR offers a better picture. Any opinions ?

Any opinions on the miniDV/SVHS unit:
JVC 4-Head MiniDV/S-VHS Hi-Fi VCR $1000
Brand/Model: JVC HRDVS3U

http://www.circuitcity.com/detail.jsp?c=1&b=g&catoid=-8044&qp=0&bookmark=bookmark_6&oid=59419#specs

Heath McKnight · December 8th, 2003, 08:37 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Gints Klimanis :

Any opinions on the miniDV/SVHS unit:
JVC 4-Head MiniDV/S-VHS Hi-Fi VCR $1000
Brand/Model: JVC HRDVS3U -->>>

You may want to ask that question in the DV Open Discussion forum. We're here for HDV! ;-)

heath

Maury McEvoy · December 8th, 2003, 11:58 PM

<<<-- Does anyone know if the single frame advance and slow motion abilities of this unit are any good? -->>>

My HM-DH30000U does not have either single frame advance or slow motion abilities.

I use my G5 and QuickTime Movies (.mov) either from hard disc or DVD-Rs. The DVD-Rs work well for single frame (< or >), slow motion (< or > held down), or dragging the play head in QuickTime Player. Full frame playback needs to play from a hard disk, unless compressed.

David Kennett · December 10th, 2003, 01:44 PM

I just bought DH30000 display model from Sears for $299 -
Needs free upgrade from JVC though. It will go back in January.

Gints Klimanis · December 10th, 2003, 02:43 PM

>My HM-DH30000U does not have either single frame advance or slow motion abilities.

Maury,

I just checked out the JVC HM-DH30000U at Circuit City last night with a VHS tape. The slow motion and single frame advance are performed on the jog wheel on the remote control. So, you're set.
However, I read the manual and such abilities apparently aren't
available when playing D-VHS .

Gints Klimanis · December 10th, 2003, 02:45 PM

David,

What "free" upgrade are you referring to?

Heath McKnight · December 10th, 2003, 04:49 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by David Kennett : I just bought DH30000 display model from Sears for $299 -
Needs free upgrade from JVC though. It will go back in January. -->>>

Really? I bought one to test, then take back (liberal return policies are best for testing) at Sears. It was a display model, and they only knocked the price down to $490.

Yes, what free upgrades?

heath

Randall Morton · December 11th, 2003, 01:19 AM

I would guess he is talking about the firmware upgrade. The earlier 30Ks were problematic to say the least but most of these problems were fixed with a firmware upgrade. Unless they are really old stock the current 30Ks being sold should already have the newer firmware version.

David Kennett · December 11th, 2003, 03:22 PM

Gints -

Early 30000s had reliability problem - but JVC stepped up to the plate and is offering a free upgrade to those early adopters. My serial number needs the upgrade - figured I'd wait untill after the Christmas shipping rush.

Gordon Lupien Jr. · December 20th, 2003, 09:00 AM

Does anyone know what the serial number cutoff is when the fix got put in?

If you don't have the fix (or had to have it done), what is your serial number?

If you didn't need the fix, what is your serial number?

(Hmmm... This might be a good poll...)

- GLupien

Randall Morton · December 22nd, 2003, 09:28 PM

I just ordered a 40K for $599 at vanns.com. I believe the sale ends tomorrow. Free shipping.

Mike Morrell · December 27th, 2003, 09:46 AM

Is there a D-VHS recorder that has a built in HDTV tuner in it?

Gints Klimanis · January 16th, 2004, 05:03 PM

Here's a link on the firmware upgrade:

http://www.onecall.com/PID_11921.htm?BCPID=488

JVC HMDH30000U Digital VHS VCR DVHS 1080i Recording
Jump To: Warranty | Features | Specifications

Additional Views
The age of high definition is here. And so is the age of D-VHS. The HM-DH30000 is the world’s first hi-def solution to allow recording and playback of HD content at full quality and offer compatibility with ATSC broadcast formats. So the HM-DH30000 is compatible with the future… while also offering compatibility with the past thanks to its analog VHS and Super VHS recording/ playback functions.

Digital Set-Top Box Ready with Digital-to Digital Connection via i.Link (IEEE 1394) Terminal

HDTV Digital Broadcast Bitstream Recording/ Playback

MPEG2 Decoder Built-in for direct connection to HDTV via component video

Can Record Any Type of Broadcast including HD, SD or Analog

5.1 channel Dolby Digital / 2 channel Linear PCM Audio Optical Output

HS mode (28.2 Mbps) for up to 4 hours* HDTV recording STD Mode (14.1 Mbps) for up to 8 hours* SD recording LS3 Mode (4.7 Mbps) for up to 24 hours* long-time recording * Per DF-480 cassette

D-VHS (HS, STD, LS3) S-VHS (SP, EP) S-VHS ET (SP, EP) HiFi VHS (SP, EP) VHS (SP, EP)

Introduction...

This VCR represents the state-of-the-art in High Definition recording & playback. It is compatible with all 18 ATSC formats, including 1080i & 720p.

It includes a DV Input (i-Link, IEEE1394) with DV>MPEG2 conversion to archive Mini DV camcorder tapes and play them pack with no loss in quality.

It offers the LS3 recording mode for up to 24 hours recording (DVD Quality) on a single DF-480 D-VHS tape (21 hours w/ DF-420, 15 hours w/ DF-300).

This JVC is also “D-Theater Compliant”. When pre-recorded DTHEATER HD D-VHS tapes are offered in the future, this VCR will be able to play them back.

Manufacturer's Warranty: 1 Year Parts / 90 Days Labor -Carry In Service

Monster Diagrams for Hooking Up Components

HM-DH30000U Features Back To Top

General Features
Auto Head Cleaning: Automatically clears tape residue every time you insert a tape to maximize picture quality.
Super VHS ET.

VCR Plus® System.

Inputs / Outputs
Optical: Rear Output (1)
Analog Audio / Video: Rear Output (2) , Rear Input (2) , Front Input (1)

Component Video: Rear Output (1)
i.LINK®. , Rear In/Out (1) , Front In/Out (1)

S-Video: Rear Output (2) , Rear Input (2) , Front Input (1)

HM-DH30000U Specifications Back To Top
What Can I Record?

From Your Mini DV or D-8 camcorder with i-Link (IEEE1394), it is possible to archive your tapes in the STD mode (no loss in quality) or the LS3 mode (very minimal loss in quality).

From the new integrated HDTV’s with i-Link input/output (IEEE1394).

There are future plans for HD cable boxes & satellite receivers that will utilize the I-Link input/output (IEEE1394) to allow HD digital recording.

From standard NTSC analog sources via composite and S-video connections.

How Long Can I Record?
HS Mode STD mode LS3 Mode
Tape: (1080i/720p): (Better than Mini DV): (DVD Quality):
DF-300U 2.5 Hours 5 Hours 15 Hours
DF-420U 3.5 Hours 7 Hours 21 Hours
DF-480U* 4 Hours 8 Hours 24 Hours

*Not yet available

What Can I Connect To For HD Playback?

HDTV’s with i-Link (IEEE1394).

HDTV’s with wide-band component video inputs via built-in MPEG-2 decoder. A 5.1 Channel Dolby Digital/ 2 Channel Linear PCM optical audio output is provided. Dolby Digital signals can be recorded and played back through a surround sound receiver.

Other Key Features

MPEG2 Codec (encoding/decoding) for digital recording of analog NTSC sources.

Super VHS w/ Digi Pure for highest quality analog recordings.

A Frame Synchronizer removes jitter from incoming analog source signals so dubs can appear better-looking than the original.

Selectable Playback Output: 1080i/720p/480p/480i

Connection to any TV with AV inputs

Video Navigation: To easily sort & locate tapes by Tape #, Record Date or Category

Multi-Brand TV Compatible Jog/Shuttle* Remote Control (* for S-VHS/VHS only)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Performance Updates

HM-DH30000 Firmware Update
It has come to our attention that certain HD (D-VHS) tapes may cause the unit to lock-up during playback. JVC will update the firmware in any units which exhibit this condition. To obtain detailed information and shipping instructions, please call us at (800) 252-5722.

No Antenna Connection
The HM-DH30000U is designed to accept RF signal from an antenna; however, some users may elect to use the unit with no source connected too the Antenna In Terminal. In certain cases, this may cause the unit to exhibit block noise during playback. JVC will upgrade any unit which exhibits this condition. To obtain detailed information and shipping instructions, please call us at (800) 252-5722.

I am seeing block noise during playback of D-VHS tapes. How can I fix this problem?

Do not record program in DVHS mode on an S-VHS cassette. Use of S-VHS cassettes will not allow for maximum performance and may result in head clogging. Use only D-VHS cassettes as recommended in the instruction manual on page 27.

Make sure that the DIGITAL 3-DNR lamp is ON when playing back a cassette recorded in D-VHS mode. If not press DIGITAL 3-DNR so that the DIGITAL 3-DNR indicator illuminates.

When block noise appears on the TV screen, clean the video heads with the DFC-2 D-VHS Head Cleaning Cassette (continue up to 3 minutes total). Please refrain from using any other head cleaning cassettes as drum damage may result.

December 5th, 2003, 01:07 AM	#1
Heath McKnight MPS Digital Studios Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 8,531	What's the cheapest price for a DVHS deck? I once heard people were buying JVC's DVHS deck, the HM-DH30000, for $300. Is this true? What's the cheapest? I found one for $429 online. heath __________________ My Final Cut Pro X blog

December 8th, 2003, 08:37 PM	#4
Heath McKnight MPS Digital Studios Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 8,531	<<<-- Originally posted by Gints Klimanis : Any opinions on the miniDV/SVHS unit: JVC 4-Head MiniDV/S-VHS Hi-Fi VCR $1000 Brand/Model: JVC HRDVS3U -->>> You may want to ask that question in the DV Open Discussion forum. We're here for HDV! ;-) heath __________________ My Final Cut Pro X blog

December 8th, 2003, 11:58 PM	#5
Maury McEvoy Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Cambria CA Posts: 45	JVC's HM-DH30000U <<<-- Does anyone know if the single frame advance and slow motion abilities of this unit are any good? -->>> My HM-DH30000U does not have either single frame advance or slow motion abilities. I use my G5 and QuickTime Movies (.mov) either from hard disc or DVD-Rs. The DVD-Rs work well for single frame (< or >), slow motion (< or > held down), or dragging the play head in QuickTime Player. Full frame playback needs to play from a hard disk, unless compressed. __________________ Maury

December 10th, 2003, 01:44 PM	#6
David Kennett Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: North Ridgeville, Ohio Posts: 407	I just bought DH30000 display model from Sears for $299 - Needs free upgrade from JVC though. It will go back in January. __________________ Dave

December 10th, 2003, 04:49 PM	#9
Heath McKnight MPS Digital Studios Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 8,531	<<<-- Originally posted by David Kennett : I just bought DH30000 display model from Sears for $299 - Needs free upgrade from JVC though. It will go back in January. -->>> Really? I bought one to test, then take back (liberal return policies are best for testing) at Sears. It was a display model, and they only knocked the price down to $490. Yes, what free upgrades? heath __________________ My Final Cut Pro X blog

December 8th, 2003, 07:29 PM	#2
Randall Morton Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 39	The refurbs were being sold by Ecost for $259 with free shipping. They carried a full warranty. I don't think they are available now.

December 8th, 2003, 08:13 PM	#3
Gints Klimanis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,222	Wow, after seeing the monster list price $1299, I never thought I'd have any hope of landing this unit for $429. I've purchased two digital cameras from buydig.com , and they're a good source for on-line purchases in my opinion. B&H Photo also seems to have a great price. Does anyone know if the single frame advance and slow motion abilities of this unit are any good? I spend quite a bit of time with technical analysis of sports performance. One of the reviews complains that his $100 Sony VHS VCR offers a better picture. Any opinions ? Any opinions on the miniDV/SVHS unit: JVC 4-Head MiniDV/S-VHS Hi-Fi VCR $1000 Brand/Model: JVC HRDVS3U http://www.circuitcity.com/detail.jsp?c=1&b=g&catoid=-8044&qp=0&bookmark=bookmark_6&oid=59419#specs

December 10th, 2003, 02:43 PM	#7
Gints Klimanis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,222	>My HM-DH30000U does not have either single frame advance or slow motion abilities. Maury, I just checked out the JVC HM-DH30000U at Circuit City last night with a VHS tape. The slow motion and single frame advance are performed on the jog wheel on the remote control. So, you're set. However, I read the manual and such abilities apparently aren't available when playing D-VHS .

December 10th, 2003, 02:45 PM	#8
Gints Klimanis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,222	David, What "free" upgrade are you referring to?

December 11th, 2003, 01:19 AM	#10
Randall Morton Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 39	I would guess he is talking about the firmware upgrade. The earlier 30Ks were problematic to say the least but most of these problems were fixed with a firmware upgrade. Unless they are really old stock the current 30Ks being sold should already have the newer firmware version.

December 11th, 2003, 03:22 PM	#11
David Kennett Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: North Ridgeville, Ohio Posts: 407	Gints - Early 30000s had reliability problem - but JVC stepped up to the plate and is offering a free upgrade to those early adopters. My serial number needs the upgrade - figured I'd wait untill after the Christmas shipping rush. __________________ Dave

December 20th, 2003, 09:00 AM	#12
Gordon Lupien Jr. Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 30	Does anyone know what the serial number cutoff is when the fix got put in? If you don't have the fix (or had to have it done), what is your serial number? If you didn't need the fix, what is your serial number? (Hmmm... This might be a good poll...) - GLupien

December 22nd, 2003, 09:28 PM	#13
Randall Morton Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 39	I just ordered a 40K for $599 at vanns.com. I believe the sale ends tomorrow. Free shipping.

December 27th, 2003, 09:46 AM	#14
Mike Morrell Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Norcross GA Posts: 119	Is there a D-VHS recorder that has a built in HDTV tuner in it?

January 16th, 2004, 05:03 PM	#15
Gints Klimanis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,222	Here's a link on the firmware upgrade: http://www.onecall.com/PID_11921.htm?BCPID=488 JVC HMDH30000U Digital VHS VCR DVHS 1080i Recording Jump To: Warranty \| Features \| Specifications Additional Views The age of high definition is here. And so is the age of D-VHS. The HM-DH30000 is the world’s first hi-def solution to allow recording and playback of HD content at full quality and offer compatibility with ATSC broadcast formats. So the HM-DH30000 is compatible with the future… while also offering compatibility with the past thanks to its analog VHS and Super VHS recording/ playback functions. Digital Set-Top Box Ready with Digital-to Digital Connection via i.Link (IEEE 1394) Terminal HDTV Digital Broadcast Bitstream Recording/ Playback MPEG2 Decoder Built-in for direct connection to HDTV via component video Can Record Any Type of Broadcast including HD, SD or Analog 5.1 channel Dolby Digital / 2 channel Linear PCM Audio Optical Output HS mode (28.2 Mbps) for up to 4 hours* HDTV recording STD Mode (14.1 Mbps) for up to 8 hours* SD recording LS3 Mode (4.7 Mbps) for up to 24 hours* long-time recording * Per DF-480 cassette D-VHS (HS, STD, LS3) S-VHS (SP, EP) S-VHS ET (SP, EP) HiFi VHS (SP, EP) VHS (SP, EP) Introduction... This VCR represents the state-of-the-art in High Definition recording & playback. It is compatible with all 18 ATSC formats, including 1080i & 720p. It includes a DV Input (i-Link, IEEE1394) with DV>MPEG2 conversion to archive Mini DV camcorder tapes and play them pack with no loss in quality. It offers the LS3 recording mode for up to 24 hours recording (DVD Quality) on a single DF-480 D-VHS tape (21 hours w/ DF-420, 15 hours w/ DF-300). This JVC is also “D-Theater Compliant”. When pre-recorded DTHEATER HD D-VHS tapes are offered in the future, this VCR will be able to play them back. Manufacturer's Warranty: 1 Year Parts / 90 Days Labor -Carry In Service Monster Diagrams for Hooking Up Components HM-DH30000U Features Back To Top General Features Auto Head Cleaning: Automatically clears tape residue every time you insert a tape to maximize picture quality. Super VHS ET. VCR Plus® System. Inputs / Outputs Optical: Rear Output (1) Analog Audio / Video: Rear Output (2) , Rear Input (2) , Front Input (1) Component Video: Rear Output (1) i.LINK®. , Rear In/Out (1) , Front In/Out (1) S-Video: Rear Output (2) , Rear Input (2) , Front Input (1) HM-DH30000U Specifications Back To Top What Can I Record? From Your Mini DV or D-8 camcorder with i-Link (IEEE1394), it is possible to archive your tapes in the STD mode (no loss in quality) or the LS3 mode (very minimal loss in quality). From the new integrated HDTV’s with i-Link input/output (IEEE1394). There are future plans for HD cable boxes & satellite receivers that will utilize the I-Link input/output (IEEE1394) to allow HD digital recording. From standard NTSC analog sources via composite and S-video connections. How Long Can I Record? HS Mode STD mode LS3 Mode Tape: (1080i/720p): (Better than Mini DV): (DVD Quality): DF-300U 2.5 Hours 5 Hours 15 Hours DF-420U 3.5 Hours 7 Hours 21 Hours DF-480U* 4 Hours 8 Hours 24 Hours Not yet available What Can I Connect To For HD Playback? HDTV’s with i-Link (IEEE1394). HDTV’s with wide-band component video inputs via built-in MPEG-2 decoder. A 5.1 Channel Dolby Digital/ 2 Channel Linear PCM optical audio output is provided. Dolby Digital signals can be recorded and played back through a surround sound receiver. Other Key Features MPEG2 Codec (encoding/decoding) for digital recording of analog NTSC sources. Super VHS w/ Digi Pure for highest quality analog recordings. A Frame Synchronizer removes jitter from incoming analog source signals so dubs can appear better-looking than the original. Selectable Playback Output: 1080i/720p/480p/480i Connection to any TV with AV inputs Video Navigation: To easily sort & locate tapes by Tape #, Record Date or Category Multi-Brand TV Compatible Jog/Shuttle Remote Control (* for S-VHS/VHS only) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Performance Updates HM-DH30000 Firmware Update It has come to our attention that certain HD (D-VHS) tapes may cause the unit to lock-up during playback. JVC will update the firmware in any units which exhibit this condition. To obtain detailed information and shipping instructions, please call us at (800) 252-5722. No Antenna Connection The HM-DH30000U is designed to accept RF signal from an antenna; however, some users may elect to use the unit with no source connected too the Antenna In Terminal. In certain cases, this may cause the unit to exhibit block noise during playback. JVC will upgrade any unit which exhibits this condition. To obtain detailed information and shipping instructions, please call us at (800) 252-5722. I am seeing block noise during playback of D-VHS tapes. How can I fix this problem? Do not record program in DVHS mode on an S-VHS cassette. Use of S-VHS cassettes will not allow for maximum performance and may result in head clogging. Use only D-VHS cassettes as recommended in the instruction manual on page 27. Make sure that the DIGITAL 3-DNR lamp is ON when playing back a cassette recorded in D-VHS mode. If not press DIGITAL 3-DNR so that the DIGITAL 3-DNR indicator illuminates. When block noise appears on the TV screen, clean the video heads with the DFC-2 D-VHS Head Cleaning Cassette (continue up to 3 minutes total). Please refrain from using any other head cleaning cassettes as drum damage may result.