0302WHC27 VCR Group

20/12/02

1:19 PM

Page 84

Group Test: VCRs

Sony SLVSE720 150
ony is one of the big guns of the audio-video world, and the brand name alone is synonymous with quality. But we take nothing for granted in this game, so well have to see whether this entry-level Nicam VCR from Sony lives up to the companys reputation. The trend for downsizing may have caught on among its rivals, but Sony is having none of it. The SLV-SE720 is a large, chunky unit, and the dearth of buttons makes the fascia seem plain and uninspiring. That said, the display panel is more informative than some of its counterparts. Integrating the SE720 into your home cinema setup should be a piece of cake, thanks to Sonys generous provision of rear sockets. Two Scarts, stereo audio output and RF aerial loopthrough are enough to hook up digibox, home cinema and TV. So far so good, but heres the rub no inputs on the fascia. Considering its one of the dearest VCRs here, this omission really rubs salt in the tape slot particularly if you have a camcorder. Operation is very easy thanks to the superb remote control, which is thoughtfully designed with sensitive buttons. The onscreen menu graphics might be rudimentary, but the SE720s many features are grouped together sensibly. Its simple to find auto tuning, and once thats worked its magic, youre ready to roll. Sonys Smart Trilogic automatic picture sharpener is the main feature, although 16:9 support, NTSC playback, and VideoPlus timer are all useful.

Panasonic NV-FJ630 140

anasonic is at the forefront of the digital-recording revolution, but its no slouch in the analogue arena either. The company stunned us here at What Home Cinema with its latest DVD/VCR combi, the NV-VHD1B, which received a gong in our Awards issue. So its with a great deal of optimism that we approach this straight Nicam VCR, which, in theory, should offer more of the same If only the NV-FJ630 retained some of the combis looks. The well-built, silver-styled box is pleasant enough, but wheres the mirrored fascia that so spiced up the VHD1B? Pah. Anyway, there are more buttons on the fascia than your average entry-level effort including access to Intelligent Timer (well explain later) and the display panel provides all the relevant information. A standard, yet pleasing, array of connections adorns the rear. Simultaneous TV and external source hookup is possible via the two Scarts, while videotape sound can be spiced up using the stereo audio outputs. Like all good VCRs, it finds all analogue channels for you. The menus are spot on bright, colourful and straightforward, without the need for confusing icons or abbreviations. The remote is a blur of confusing buttons and symbols, but at least the crucial menu and playback controls are in the right places.
Thanks for the memory Fantastic finale
The prerecorded VHS Star Wars Episode I tape looks the best it possibly can. Take the ticker-tape parade at the films finale; the reams of tiny CG detail in the crowd looks admirably sharp, with each of the falling pieces of paper remaining steady and focused. Hats off to Smart Trilogic. Colour is solid and natural in tone, though the usual VHS picture noise and fuzzy edges are still unsurprisingly, evident. It captures higher-resolution digital TV pictures brilliantly. A recording of EastEnders from our Nokia Freeview box looks sharp and is full of dynamic colours, due largely to high contrast levels. Weve seen less picture noise on those Albert Square walls, but recordings are eminently enjoyable to watch. The SE720s sound capabilities wont trouble your home cinema system, but Ratings Style 5555556666 provide solid, audible speech and music. Ease of use 5555555556 Switch on your Pro-Logic function and Features 5555555566 Dolby Surround-encoded tapes take on Picture 5555555556 Sound 5555555556 a whole new lease of life. Value 5555556666 This is a cracking effort from Sony, Overall 5555555566 though not good enough to beat some Further Info of its rivals or to merit its slightly higher Call 999 or price tag.

visit www.sony.co.uk

Never one to skimp on extras, Panasonic provides some attractive features. The main attraction is Intelligent Timer, which stores the details of the last eight timer recordings you made useful when you want to timer-record the same programme every week but dont want to key in the details every time. S-VHS Quasi Playback, 16:9 support, Index Search and Intro Jet Scan are also onboard, while the EP recording mode offers up to 12 hours recording time. Performance is every bit as good as we expected. Digital TV recordings exhibit little edge bleed and noise a great way of ensuring decent clarity. Fine areas of detail are easily picked out, while the excellent contrast levels make colours look rich and radiant. No problems with our prerecorded test Ratings tape either. Lots of detail and colour make 5555555566 the Naboo scenery in Star Wars Episode I look Style Ease of use 5555555666 wonderful by VHS standards. And pumping Features 5555555556 Picture 5555555556 up your TV or home cinema volume doesnt Sound 5555555556 expose shortcomings with the stereo output. Value 5555555556 You wont go far wrong shelling out Overall notes for this VCR, since its bursting Further Info with useful features and offers fantastic Call 357 or audio-video performance. visit www.panasonic.co.uk

What Home Cinema February 2003

0302WHC32 Tannoy Speakers

20/12/02

4:13 PM

Page 81

Tannoy FX 5.1

Test Scenes

ET: The Extraterrestrial
Tannoy has a public announcement to make it has brought its expertise to the home cinema market. But are the FX 5.1 speakers a sound investment or a sonic damp squib?

Rear we go

As Elliott looks for ET in the cornfield, delicate late-night sounds are well reproduced. The serenity is punctured by ETs shrill screams, and his fleeing footsteps are sharp from the rear channels

Score blimey!

John Williams score during Elliott and ETs iconic flying bike scene sounds simply wonderful. The sweeping strings and bass integrate seamlessly, while Elliotts screams remain audible

Good call

The surround satellites are pleasingly sensitive. During quieter scenes, such as ET testing his legendary phone in the forest, they pick up the gentle ambience running throughout, creating a wonderful, continuous surround soundstage. The sub impressively disguises its location, swathing the whole room in waves of bass. The only weak link in the chain is the centre channel, which occasionally makes dialogue sound shrill at loud volumes. Its particularly noticeable with ETs wails and the excited adolescent voices in our test movie. Stereo CD playback is impressively open and chunky, demonstrated by a bit of 70s disco funk from The Essential Earth Wind & Fire. Each sonic element is allowed to get its point across, be it the piercing brass section, bongos or vocals. Judicious use of the sub also gives it the necessary punch. This is a real surprise package. Whod have thought such small speakers could make a racket this gorgeous? Theyre not the best-looking speakers in the world, and a real pain to set up, but theyre just the ticket with movies and music. The clincher is the price, making Further Info them a cost-effective way to Call or visit www.tannoy.com complete your home cinema.

Good Points

Sound quality from these compact speakers is very surprisingly refined with movies and music, and they can handle a lot of power

Bad Points

The DIY cabling makes it a pig to set up, and theyre not the prettiest speakers ever seen. Dialogue is sometimes shrill

Overall

Big performance from small speakers recommended

Ratings

Style 5555555566 Ease of use 5555555566 Features 5555555555 Sound 5555555556 Value 5555555555 Overall 5555555555
What Home Cinema February 2003

Sub/sat Speakers

oover, Biro, Sellotape: all brand names that became a synonym for a certain type of product. Another such brand is Tannoy, a name that springs to mind every time you think of a PA system. But these days, Tannoy wants its name to be synonymous with home cinema and it hopes the FX 5.1 sub/sat system will make that happen. This package is perfect if youve got a separate DVD player and home cinema amplifier, or combis like the T+A (tested on p77) and only need to add a speaker system. The diminutive dimensions of the FX 5.1 satellites also make them ideal for people with little space to play with. These silver satellite speakers arent the last word in style, but are attractive enough. Theyre also weighty, well-built little blighters, which is an encouraging sign. Housing them is no trouble, as wall brackets are supplied in the box and optional matching floor stands are available. The sub is massive and sports an impressive array of rear controls including a volume dial and a switch to put the sub in auto mode, so that it fires up when a signal is detected. Phono and springclip inputs are provided. A 25m speaker cable is supplied, which has to be cut to length and then stripped at each end. These stripped ends have to be fed into the fiddly binding posts on the back of the speakers (and the back of your amp). Even this poses a problem, as the red stripe on the cable indicating the correct binding post to use is barely noticeable. The satellites can handle

15-100W of power, admirable considering their size. We rigged them up to a powerful Marantz amp with a Pioneer DV-757Ai DVD player, and they coped brilliantly. With ET: The Extra Terrestrial on DVD, the results are exhilarating. The front-channel speakers are surprisingly rich and involving, eking out a huge amount of sonic detail. Particularly impressive is the systems treatment of John Williams classic, sweeping score. The sharply reproduced brass and woodwind sections stand proud above the luscious strings, which meld beautifully with the subs rigid bass.

0302WHC27 VCR Group

1:18 PM

Page 82

Group Test: VCRs

Taping on the Cheap

Six VCRs are out to prove theres life in the old dog yet. But which one is the mutts nuts?
ith the popularity of digital recorders on the increase, surely the death knell has sounded for the trusty old VCR? Not on your nelly. The market is still thriving, with all the big-name manufacturers churning out Nicam VCRs at ever-decreasing prices. Lets face it, not everyone has the money to delve into the world of DVD or hard-disk recording and until these digital-recording refuseniks change their minds, the VCR will live on. Picture quality has also improved over the years. Okay, it pales in comparison to higher-resolution DVD/HD recording, but considering the technology is over 20 years old, its mightily impressive. So weve rounded up six of the latest VHS VCRs for you to choose from so you can record programmes in Dolby Pro-Logic surround, as well as watching them.

LG LV810

LG LVp82
The LG is the budget offering in our group test. But does its low price mean low performance?

JVC HR-J695EK 130 p83

JVC invented VHS, but is it just riding its reputation with its HR-J695EK?
CR technology is as old as the hills, so praise is due to LG for trying to make it seem new and interesting. Its latest range of VCRs includes one ingenious model that actually talks to you, guiding even the most technophobic user through whole the setup procedure. Clever, but unless youre over 70 or Jade from Big Brother, you may find this gimmick rather patronising. More experienced VCR users should check out this LV810; a cute little Nicam model that provides all the essentials without the small talk. It shuns the large rectangular box shape in favour of a compact, curvy look. Its the kind of VCR that would be most at home in the bedroom, though its smart silver finish will complement any setting. Two Scarts on the rear panel are a prerequisite in the days of digital TV one to accept signals from your digibox and one to send signals to your telly. Thankfully, LG complies, and throws in stereo audio output (useful for piping videotape soundtracks to an external amplifier), plus regular aerial (RF) input and output. The fascia sports stereo audio and composite video inputs, perfect for occasional connection of external sources. Features include auto tuning, Commercial Message Skip (fast forward in 30-second chunks), Optimum Picture Response (a choice of soft or sharp), a seven-event/one-month timer (with VideoPlus) and support for 16:9 widescreen sources. Video Doctor usefully tells you if the head needs cleaning and if you can record on the loaded tape.

Thomson VTH-p83

Its French, so it is no surprise that the Thomson is stylish. We assess its performance

Its only natural

In terms of performance, the LV810 fares very well. SP recordings from our Sky digibox pack plenty of colour, but never make crucial areas like skin tones look unnatural. Also pleasing is the level of detail it retains and the low amount of picture noise over large areas of colour. Some of the images edges are a touch soft, however. Activating the Sharp OPC setting helps, but accentuates fizzing around the edges of bright objects. Leave the Soft setting well alone unless you want EastEnders to look like it was filmed underwater. Bunging in a prerecorded copy of Star Wars Episode I shows up a few inadequacies. Darker backgrounds, such as the forest or the ornate architecture of the Naboo palaces, exhibit a dusting of white misty noise which slightly compromises the overall quality. But lets not detract from the strengths Ratings Style 5555555666 namely vibrant colour and a healthy Ease of use 5555555556 amount of detail. Features 5555555566 Sound quality is as good as you could Picture 5555555566 Sound 5555555566 hope clean and audible with an acceptable Value 5555555556 level of hiss whether via stereo TV speakers Overall 5555555566 or a surround sound system. Further Info All in all, a great budget offering with Call or lots of features and decent picture quality.
visit www.lgelectronics.co.uk

Sony SLV-SEp84

A quality brand, yes, but is it a quality product? We found out by thoroughly testing it

Panasonic NV-FJp84

Although no headturner, the NV-FJ630 is packed with features and promises much

Toshiba V852UK 180 p85

Its one of the priciest models in our test, but does it justify the hefty price tag?