High build quality very basic HDTV D-VHS VCR
Written: Aug 02 '04
|
Product Rating:
|
|
| Sound: |
 |
|
| Ease of Use: |
 |
|
| Picture Quality: |
|
|
| Durability: |
|
|
|
Pros: Good build quality and very good HDTV picture quality.
Cons: No MPEG decoder and no compatibility with HDTV DTheater tapes.
The Bottom Line: If you have a reliable HDTV firewire source that works well with Mitsubishi HDTV VCRs, this VCR is an excellent value.
|
|
|
| Chris_Gerhard's Full Review: Mitsubishi HS-HD1100U DVHS VCR |
I own several D-VHS VCRs and consider the Mitsubishi models the best built and recommend them over all others for those that have a firewire STB to decode recordings. This model and the more feature laden Mitsubishi HS-HD2000U are operationally identical as far as HDTV recording and playback is concerned. If analog SVHS recording and playback is important to you, the HS-HD2000U is the better choice since the HS1100U doesn't offer SVHS recording and playback. All D-VHS VCRs require a source with firewire (sometimes called I-link or IEEE1394) to record HDTV. The JVC models include an MPEG encoder and decoder which means the JVC models such as the HM-DH30000U, HM-DH40000U, and HM-DH5U can playback HDTV without a separate decoder. The JVC D-VHS VCR MPEG encoder can be used to encode standard definition analog video. No consumer VCRs can encode HDTV yet. The Mitsubishi models have neither and can't digitize video or playback digital video without a separate MPEG decoder.
I am using the Mitsubishi HS-HD1100U with the Samsung SIR-T165 which has firewire and MPEG decoder. This combo works well and the picture quality using the SIR-T165 DVI output is very good for D-VHS. The 1100U will also work with Mitsubishi HDTVs with firewire, some cable boxes with firewire, and the MIT MDR-200. Although the 1100U may work with some 169time modified DirecTV and Dish Network receivers, I would not recommend that combination. I believe the JVC HM-DH30000U is best to use with 169time and AVX-1. Check the avsforum for specifics regarding the firewire source to be used with this VCR. Some work well, others do not.
Recordings made with the SIR-T165 are excellent and picture quality indistinguishable from the source. I also have the 169time/AVX-1 system and make recordings using a JVC HM-HD30000U. The 1100U/T-165 combo will playback the 169time recordings but I have decided the JVC 30000U does a better job of decoding these recordings. 169time recordings are never perfect in my experience and minor glitches seem slightly worse using the T-165 decoder compared to the JVC 30000U decoder.
Another downside of the Mitsubishi D-VHS VCRs is lack of support for DTheater tapes. There are now approximately 75 HDTV DTheater tapes that only JVC or Marantz D-VHS VCRs can playback. DVDEmpire and other sites carry a limited selection of DTheater titles so those sites can be checked to determine if lack of compatiblity with that HDTV format is a deal breaker for buying a Mitsubishi D-VHS VCR.
Of course videotape is not likely to be the HDTV format for use in the future. An HD video disc, either HD DVD or Blu-ray are likely candidates for the best home video playback when one or both of those formats are available in a year or two. D-VHS is also not as good as an HDTV PVR for timeshifting. If DirecTV is the HD source, the HR10-250 HD TiVo is a much better choice in my opinion. Cable and Dish Network also have HD PVRs which likely make more sense for those sources.
As I have mentioned in other reviews, D-VHS VCRs are certainly not for everybody. For those that want to record and playback HDTV now, D-VHS is often the only way.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 150
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
Chris_Gerhard
|
|
Reviews written: 15
Trusted by: 0 members
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.