Sony SLV-N50 VHS VCR
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- VCR Type: VHS
- Number of Video Heads: 4
- Audio: Hi-Fi Stereo
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Don't Copy That Tape
Pros
Low cost, Front Inputs
Cons
Copy Protection
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
When all things are considered, especially the price, this gets my STRONG BUY recommendation!
I planned on moving my old Sharp hi-fi VCR to the bedroom, and I decided to go on the cheap side and spend less than $100 for a new VCR replacement for the family room. I didn't audition this VCR before buying it, rather I bought it knowing I could return it within 30 days if I didn't like it. I bought it at BJ's Wharehouse for $89 + tax. I have owned this VCR for two months now and, for the price, it is excellent.
Basic Requirements
To quickly view and record from my Sony Camcorder, I needed front AV inputs. My old VCR doesn't have front inputs and it has been annoying to constantly hook the camcorder to the back of the old Sharp. One could easily keep the RCA jacks connected, but because I like to copy from other sources this wasn't practical for my needs. The Sony SLV-50 has two input jacks, one set in back and one up front.
I also wanted Hi-Fi, to make decent audio copies of movies. Too often my wife and I rent a tape and their is some sort of family emergency that keeps us from watching it. Last year alone we must have wasted $30 re-renting movies.
Playback
The sound quality from rented VCR movies (as opposed to taped movies for later viewing) is very good. Does it approach a DVD player - not even close, but for simple Dolby Pro-logic recordings it does the job.
Playback sound from recorded tapes is noticeably deteriorated, but not annoyingly so. I also use relatively cheap TDK VHS tapes which may contribute to the sound quality difference. Again, this isn't meant to be an audiophile product so there isn't any reason to expect it to live up to such expectations.
Video quality is also very good, from both new and recorded tapes. I notice a little fluctuation in picture quality from time to time, due to the motor driving the tape a bit faster than it should. My wife insists she doesn't see it, but then again she doesn't share my passion for things electronic (she also loved the old Toshiba TV before noticing how much better the new Sony is in video reproduction).
Copying Tapes
Sony, being in the movie business, makes it very difficult to tape movies. The macro copy protection, which my Sharp ignores, changes contrast and other video characteristics, to make viewing a copied tape unwatchable. If I record from the Sony to the Sharp, the picture is fine, but I prefer the Sony's quality, so I hooked up a simple audio/video pass-through which eliminates the macro protection by simply not sending the information - problem solved.
Of course this isn't necessary for taping TV shows or from my camcorder, and from both formats the quality is very good (though not excellent). Noticeable degradation in both audio and video is noticeable, but at this price point can my complaints really be taken seriously?
Features
Auto-Clock set is a great feature, setting the time and date automatically from information sent from broadcast companies via cable. By setting the time to the station, you never have to worry about missing a minute from the beginning of a show because your clock is set incorrectly.
The clock does NOT appear when viewing a tape. This is frustrating as the VCR is our only clock in the family room and while the set is on it won't display the clock, so we are sure to turn it off whenever its not in use. If I'm missing something here, please write a comment and explain what I'm doing wrong.
Rewind and Fast-forward are very quick, slowing up before the end of the tape to avoid breaking it. In fact this Sony rewinds a 120 minute tape a FULL 69 seconds faster than the Sharp (yes only a complete geek would time such a thing and I'm guilty as charged).
Time Recording
The bane of all VCR's is the dreaded time recordings. I've never found any VCR difficult to program, but this is the first VCR my wife can program. She loves it. Simply click the menu button, choose the record option and it pre-sets the date to todays date and time to the current time. Then click the right arrow on the circular remote function controls to move the data or time forward. Choose the channel the same way and you're done. Don't forget to turn the VCR off or it won't record. My Sharp is the same way, I don't know why that is, but they don't like to make VCRs that record when they're powered ON. A little red timer icon appears in the display when it is ready to record.
Conclusion
This is NOT a perfect VCR. Picture quality could be better, audio quality could be better and the copy protection is annoying. But at this price point ($89), I really can't argue and must give it a full five star overall rating.
If you have more money to spend on a VCR there are better VCRs available. For the budget minded, go buy this Sony and enjoy.
Basic Requirements
To quickly view and record from my Sony Camcorder, I needed front AV inputs. My old VCR doesn't have front inputs and it has been annoying to constantly hook the camcorder to the back of the old Sharp. One could easily keep the RCA jacks connected, but because I like to copy from other sources this wasn't practical for my needs. The Sony SLV-50 has two input jacks, one set in back and one up front.
I also wanted Hi-Fi, to make decent audio copies of movies. Too often my wife and I rent a tape and their is some sort of family emergency that keeps us from watching it. Last year alone we must have wasted $30 re-renting movies.
Playback
The sound quality from rented VCR movies (as opposed to taped movies for later viewing) is very good. Does it approach a DVD player - not even close, but for simple Dolby Pro-logic recordings it does the job.
Playback sound from recorded tapes is noticeably deteriorated, but not annoyingly so. I also use relatively cheap TDK VHS tapes which may contribute to the sound quality difference. Again, this isn't meant to be an audiophile product so there isn't any reason to expect it to live up to such expectations.
Video quality is also very good, from both new and recorded tapes. I notice a little fluctuation in picture quality from time to time, due to the motor driving the tape a bit faster than it should. My wife insists she doesn't see it, but then again she doesn't share my passion for things electronic (she also loved the old Toshiba TV before noticing how much better the new Sony is in video reproduction).
Copying Tapes
Sony, being in the movie business, makes it very difficult to tape movies. The macro copy protection, which my Sharp ignores, changes contrast and other video characteristics, to make viewing a copied tape unwatchable. If I record from the Sony to the Sharp, the picture is fine, but I prefer the Sony's quality, so I hooked up a simple audio/video pass-through which eliminates the macro protection by simply not sending the information - problem solved.
Of course this isn't necessary for taping TV shows or from my camcorder, and from both formats the quality is very good (though not excellent). Noticeable degradation in both audio and video is noticeable, but at this price point can my complaints really be taken seriously?
Features
Auto-Clock set is a great feature, setting the time and date automatically from information sent from broadcast companies via cable. By setting the time to the station, you never have to worry about missing a minute from the beginning of a show because your clock is set incorrectly.
The clock does NOT appear when viewing a tape. This is frustrating as the VCR is our only clock in the family room and while the set is on it won't display the clock, so we are sure to turn it off whenever its not in use. If I'm missing something here, please write a comment and explain what I'm doing wrong.
Rewind and Fast-forward are very quick, slowing up before the end of the tape to avoid breaking it. In fact this Sony rewinds a 120 minute tape a FULL 69 seconds faster than the Sharp (yes only a complete geek would time such a thing and I'm guilty as charged).
Time Recording
The bane of all VCR's is the dreaded time recordings. I've never found any VCR difficult to program, but this is the first VCR my wife can program. She loves it. Simply click the menu button, choose the record option and it pre-sets the date to todays date and time to the current time. Then click the right arrow on the circular remote function controls to move the data or time forward. Choose the channel the same way and you're done. Don't forget to turn the VCR off or it won't record. My Sharp is the same way, I don't know why that is, but they don't like to make VCRs that record when they're powered ON. A little red timer icon appears in the display when it is ready to record.
Conclusion
This is NOT a perfect VCR. Picture quality could be better, audio quality could be better and the copy protection is annoying. But at this price point ($89), I really can't argue and must give it a full five star overall rating.
If you have more money to spend on a VCR there are better VCRs available. For the budget minded, go buy this Sony and enjoy.
