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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!ucbvax!decwrl!lionel@eiffel.DEC (Steve Lionel)
From: lionel@eiffel.DEC (Steve Lionel)
Newsgroups: net.video
Subject: Hi-fi VCR recording
Message-ID: <504@decwrl.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 20-Sep-85 07:23:48 EDT
Article-I.D.: decwrl.504
Posted: Fri Sep 20 07:23:48 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 22-Sep-85 05:29:14 EDT
Sender: daemon@decwrl.UUCP
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Lines: 47


Charles Konzelman had some complaints about using his Sony SL-5200 has
an audio-only recorder.  I have not used the SL-5200, but have used my
SL-2700 for two years, and frequently (but not exclusively) use it as
an audio recorder.  In summary, I find the SL-2700 to be superior in
performance to any other consumer recording medium except perhaps a
good open-reel tape with dbx.

Regarding the specific complaints:

	1.  Hum and hiss.  I never hear these.  You should especially never
	    hear hiss unless it is present in your source.  The hum might
	    be some power-line interference, or perhaps some leakage
	    inside the VCR.

	2.  Whining.  Never heard it.

	3.  Hi-Fi drops out.  This can either be low-quality tape or bad
	    alignment or tracking.  Try adjusting the tracking control.
	    Also, try cleaning the heads (preferably using foam or chamois
	    swabs and Freon).  You may need to take your VCR to a good
	    service center for an alignment.  (I've never had this problem
	    with my SL-2700.)

	4.  Buzz.  I can't explain an intermittent buzz, but both Beta and
	    VHS Hi-Fi exhibit a low 60Hz buzz, with higher harmonics.  This
	    is due to the switching of the heads 60 times a second.  The
	    buzz is about 50dB down, so I don't notice if the program
	    material has any significant level, but I have heard it when
	    deliberately taping a CD with a quiet passage.

	5.  Distortion.  The typical distortion of Beta and VHS Hi-Fi is
	    about .3%.  With Beta Hi-Fi, this doesn't change much as levels
	    rise above 0dB, with VHS Hi-Fi, distortion increases significantly
	    at high recording levels.  Assuming you keep the levels at about
	    0dB, you should not be able to detect significant distortion.
	    It may be that other problems are contributing to this in your
	    case.

In closing, I feel that your problems are more a result of your particular
VCR rather than Hi-Fi VCRs in general.  Some tips:  when recording audio
material, turn off the automatic gain control, if you can.  If you're
recording from FM, insert an MPX filter in the input to suppress the 19kHz
pilot - this messes up Hi-Fi VCRs.  The October issue of High Fidelity has
an excellent article on the use of Hi-Fi VCRs as audio recorders.  I
recommend you read it for more information.
					Steve Lionel


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