Panasonic FS88 / FS200 VCR snowy playback issue - Page 2

rgr · 19th July 2025, 09:27

In my experience with Panasonic, these VCRs only use auto-tracking once, at the very beginning after inserting a tape. Never again after that. Unlike the JVC.
It also works more "discreetly" than in JVC.

Sharc · 19th July 2025, 09:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgr

In my experience with Panasonic, these VCRs only use auto-tracking once, at the very beginning after inserting a tape. Never again after that. Unlike the JVC.
It also works more "discreetly" than in JVC.

There are possibly differences between Panasonic models on how they react, I don't know. Also, different behaviour with TBC ON or OFF, of course.

Busty · 20th July 2025, 14:11

I would always go for the sharper / noisier output. Denoising afterwards does affect details enough already, so I'd like to start with as much details as I can. I have a AVT-8710 which I use for squeezing the contrast and brightness into the range of my capture card. Otherwise it would clip. Is this good enough to deal with Panasonic's exaggerated highs? (The driver of my capture card comes with settings for contrast and brightness too, but when capturing with FCP5, theres options are not available, no idea why.)

I think I just have to make up my mind how to deal with this snow. If this really is a sign of Panasonic somehow degrading the tape while playing back as rgr suggests, cleaning the tape with microfiber might work partly only. I might just go for a sharper JVC, so I don't have to watch out for snowstorms and don't have to capture multiple times.
I'll think about that during vacation, which is coming up next week:-)

Sharc · 21st July 2025, 08:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Busty

I have a AVT-8710 which I use for squeezing the contrast and brightness into the range of my capture card. Otherwise it would clip. Is this good enough to deal with Panasonic's exaggerated highs?

Should be ok as far as the analog signal out of the Panny is not already clipped. (Its AGC should actually prevent clipping. On the other hand clipping may already be on the source, e.g. overexposure).

Quote:

(The driver of my capture card comes with settings for contrast and brightness too, ....

Usefulness depends on your capture card. Some (like GV USB2 or Hauppauge USB live2) do the tweaks on the digital side rather than on the analog side. So when the analog signal is clipped these "digital tweaks" (after A/D conversion) cannot restore or "unclip" the signal. What is lost is lost.

Sharc · 21st July 2025, 17:11

@Busty
Before you ditch your "snowing" Panny, try as follows:
- Start the player and give it some minutes to warm up (internal temperature stabilization)
- Start the playback as usual with auto-tracking ON
- When the picture is stable, disable the auto-tracking on the fly and let the VCR player just run .... to the end.
One can stop the auto tracking via the remote or via the keys on the VCR front. Check the manual.

I remember I had applied this method when I had a similar "sudden unexplained snow" case (not that bad and repetitive as yours though). Once the auto-tracking has settled for a certain tape there is usually no need to permanently have it "auto-optimized" on the fly by the - sometimes too nervous - player for the same tape.

Emulgator · 22nd July 2025, 14:08

Or you ship that AG-7350 to me ;-)

Busty · 15th August 2025, 11:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emulgator

Or you ship that AG-7350 to me ;-)

you mean to repair or as a gift?

Emulgator · 15th August 2025, 23:20

You choose. The smiley includes the possibility of a gift, but I won't ask anything for free.
A compensation is in order in any case. I can offer a repair too, just PM me.

20th July 2025, 14:11	#23 \| Link
Busty Registered User Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 66	I would always go for the sharper / noisier output. Denoising afterwards does affect details enough already, so I'd like to start with as much details as I can. I have a AVT-8710 which I use for squeezing the contrast and brightness into the range of my capture card. Otherwise it would clip. Is this good enough to deal with Panasonic's exaggerated highs? (The driver of my capture card comes with settings for contrast and brightness too, but when capturing with FCP5, theres options are not available, no idea why.) I think I just have to make up my mind how to deal with this snow. If this really is a sign of Panasonic somehow degrading the tape while playing back as rgr suggests, cleaning the tape with microfiber might work partly only. I might just go for a sharper JVC, so I don't have to watch out for snowstorms and don't have to capture multiple times. I'll think about that during vacation, which is coming up next week:-) Last edited by Busty; 20th July 2025 at 14:25.

21st July 2025, 17:11	#25 \| Link
Sharc Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 4,083	@Busty Before you ditch your "snowing" Panny, try as follows: - Start the player and give it some minutes to warm up (internal temperature stabilization) - Start the playback as usual with auto-tracking ON - When the picture is stable, disable the auto-tracking on the fly and let the VCR player just run .... to the end. One can stop the auto tracking via the remote or via the keys on the VCR front. Check the manual. I remember I had applied this method when I had a similar "sudden unexplained snow" case (not that bad and repetitive as yours though). Once the auto-tracking has settled for a certain tape there is usually no need to permanently have it "auto-optimized" on the fly by the - sometimes too nervous - player for the same tape. Last edited by Sharc; 21st July 2025 at 17:17.

22nd July 2025, 14:08	#26 \| Link
Emulgator Big Bit Savings Now ! Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: close to the wall Posts: 2,037	Or you ship that AG-7350 to me ;-) __________________ "To bypass shortcuts and find suffering...is called QUALity" (Die toten Augen von Friedrichshain) "Data reduction ? Yep, Sir. We're that issue working on. Synce invntoin uf lingöage..."

15th August 2025, 23:20	#28 \| Link
Emulgator Big Bit Savings Now ! Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: close to the wall Posts: 2,037	You choose. The smiley includes the possibility of a gift, but I won't ask anything for free. A compensation is in order in any case. I can offer a repair too, just PM me. __________________ "To bypass shortcuts and find suffering...is called QUALity" (Die toten Augen von Friedrichshain) "Data reduction ? Yep, Sir. We're that issue working on. Synce invntoin uf lingöage..."

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19th July 2025, 09:27	#21 \| Link
rgr Registered User Join Date: Jun 2022 Posts: 299	In my experience with Panasonic, these VCRs only use auto-tracking once, at the very beginning after inserting a tape. Never again after that. Unlike the JVC. It also works more "discreetly" than in JVC.