Topic: mini vhs

[admkrk]

is this still a viable media?

i've been offered a jvc camera and have no idea if i can still even get tapes for it? i have no more info than i already mentioned at this time. it includes a tripod and was used for recording shows as i understand. the $50 price scares me into thinking that tapes are no longer available or shortly to become so. also the battery comes into question, i've built battery packs before so that might be a moot issue. maybe it just can't put out a good picture in the first place? i'm not in the market for a recorder, i just got a call today asking if i might be interested and haven't even seen the thing in person.

what say ya'll? is this something i should jump on? or should i be very wary of this deal?   

[stantheman1976]

I assume you're talking about VHS-C?  If so the tapes are still available at Wal Mart and are not expensive.  The only issues you'll face are that it's half the resolution of digital and if you want to sync external audio it will be very painstaking since analog does not run at a constant speed.  Batteries you might get on eBay.

[admkrk]

thanks, i was going to take a look in wmart tomorrow to see about the tapes. i was 1/2 asleep when it was propositioned to me so i'm really not sure what it uses. i thought i was being sold a vhs deck for the tv at first.

from what i understood, you can't use the internal mics for shows as it messes up the picture for some reason. external mics work ok tho. not that i would go that way in the first place. syncing does sound like a bitch, but then again it also is starting to sound like decent deal to get me introduced to shooting vid even if it doesn't relate to shows?

[stantheman1976]

The internal mics make the picture mess up?  That sounds really shady.  I could understand if they're cheap mics and overload but they should not affect the picture. 

If you want to start shooting video you'd be better off buying a cheap MiniDV cam.  You'll get a better picture than VHS-C and be able to sync external audio easily.  I don't have anything against VHS-C but why take a step back quality wise when you can get something better for not much more money.

[guitard]

VHS-C just plain sucks.  The recording time is really short, so you have lots of "tape flips" and the quality sucks.  And since they haven't been manufactured in probably around a decade, who knows if the thing will even work?  And repairs for something like that would cost WAY more than it's worth.

Stan has the right idea - get yourself a mini-DV cam.  I'll bet you can find a used one on eBay for less than a $100.  You can buy a new one for $200 these days.

[admkrk]

thanks for the tips.

it's supposed to be a b-day pressent for me and they were wondering if i would use it. i've been out of work and haven't been able to afford a show in a long time as it takes a tank of gas each way for me to hit up anything other than karaoke or a cheep bar band. it'd just be a toy to play with for now. the impression i got about the picture was that the internals overloaded and caused steaking in it.

if i was actually in the market, i probly wouldn't even consider this and be looking at a minidv.