JVC HR-S8000U (1988) vs MITSUBISHI HS-U80 (1988)

[Master Tasuke]

i now own both of what i've long considered the two best 1980's VHS VCRs you can get,
and what have always been my two favorite VCRs of all time.

i didn't have anything better to do yesterday, so i thought i'd attempt a head to head,
using photo screencaps taken from my 46" LCD monitor, which, i have personally found
to "tell the truth" with SD video formats like no CRT i've ever owned ever could.

so, the comparison will be between these two models, both superlative, IMO,
both highly recommended, and both TOTL in their day, the JVC listing around $1600,
and the MITSUBISHI around $1700. i paid around $200 shipped for the MITSUBISHI,
and it came with a tidy collection of around 40 high-end VHS and S-VHS cassettes.
the JVC was around $130 shipped, but it was actually gifted to me by an online friend.
not too later on i paid $30 for it's remote and manual, $30 for it's service manual set,
$15 for it's original box, $10 for the sales brochure, $20 for the set of heavy solid steel feet
my 8000U uniquely sports, -taken from a DENON DCD-1500II CD player-
and around $50 for the broken HR-D630U that had the cassette slot door
with the "Hi-Fi/VHS/HQ" legends i wanted for my 8000U.

even with all that money sunk into accessories and cosmetic accoutrements,
my HR-S8000U still comes a little under the price of the MITSUBISHI.

though it really mostly seems like Apples to Oranges, i cannot seem to shake the impression
that the JVC is a roundly superior raw performer.

all the same, i have always been head-over-heels entranced
by the look and feel of 1987/1988 MITSUBISHI VCRs...


JVC HR-S8000U

MITSUBISHI HS-U80

 

[Master Tasuke]

JVC HR-S8000U

MITSUBISHI HS-U80

JVC HR-S8000U

MITSUBISHI HS-U80

JVC HR-S8000U

MITSUBISHI HS-U80

 

[BlazeES]

The JVC HR-S10000U trumps the 8000 because of the studio-grade mechanism inside and the extended processing features built-in.

It's definitely a better comparison match for the HS-U80 too because they are both true, pro-sumer platforms.

 

[Master Tasuke]

if anything, the 8000U trumps the U80 in pretty much every way, operationally.

the 8000U's loading mechanism is very heavy galvanized sheet steel, the assembly has a pair of large, DD pancake motors for main functions,
and cassettes LOAD/UNLOAD incredibly smoothly and rapidly. i cannot fathom a better VHS transport mechanism than the 8000U's,
but evidently they must be out there, at least in some of the industrial models.

even then, good luck finding a professional VCR that looks even half as classy on a shelf as either of these models. it's all about trade-offs,
and what one happens to value most, i suppose.

finally, the sad thing, -and great Achilles' heel of most early-90's VCRs such as the HR-S10000U-
was the Japanese CE firms' rapid sea change to surface-mount PCB componentry in VCRs right around that time.
it seemed there were bugs-a-plenty in that early SMD engineering, - most often encountered in the form of leaky SMD capacitors-
and as a result products of that period, no matter how high or low end, seem to quite often suffer profoundly dismal long term reliability.

fortunately for me, at least, both of the models i own seem to be among the last products each of their respective mfrs. marketed to the consumer
before their overly rapid adoption of SMD tech, and as such, these early S-VHS models seem vastly more reliable in the long haul...

 

[BlazeES]

Have you seen a HR-S10000U with the side panels?
With or without, it's hardly adorned to look like an industrial, studio rig.
No trade-offs with this particular model. It's a late 80's model by the way,
not anything remotely cost-reduced like the 90's JVC units.

And the broadcast quality, robust mechanism of the S10000U and the BR-S378U
need to be seen & used to be truly appreciated.

I'll post up some photos of my unit soon ... but here's one scavenged off the net

if anything, the 8000U trumps the U80 in pretty much every way, operationally.

the 8000U's loading mechanism is very heavy galvanized sheet steel, the assembly has a pair of large, DD pancake motors for main functions,
and cassettes LOAD/UNLOAD incredibly smoothly and rapidly. i cannot fathom a better VHS transport mechanism than the 8000U's,
but evidently they must be out there, at least in some of the industrial models.

even then, good luck finding a professional VCR that looks even half as classy on a shelf as either of these models. it's all about trade-offs,
and what one happens to value most, i suppose.

finally, the sad thing, -and great Achilles' heel of most early-90's VCRs such as the HR-S10000U-
was the Japanese CE firms' rapid sea change to surface-mount PCB componentry in VCRs right around that time.
it seemed there were bugs-a-plenty in that early SMD engineering, - most often encountered in the form of leaky SMD capacitors-
and as a result products of that period, no matter how high or low end, seem to quite often suffer profoundly dismal long term reliability.

fortunately for me, at least, both of the models i own seem to be among the last products each of their respective mfrs. marketed to the consumer
before their overly rapid adoption of SMD tech, and as such, these early S-VHS models seem vastly more reliable in the long haul...

 

[Master Tasuke]

well no, the HR-S10000U is not a typical industrial model, but a consumer one, seemingly built to industrial standards. it is, of course, an exceptional exception...

 

[orange]

At least there's SOMETHING in the box, unlike the stuff from the late nineties to 2001 or so I've owned.