Product Description

This D-VHS video cassette is designed to work with D-VHS VCRs but also makes the most of recordings on your Standard- and Super-VHS VCRs. You'll get every bit of detail from high-resolution sources like HDTV, satellite TV, and digital cable with this D-VHS tape! For best results use with a digital video recorder/satellite receiver.

Product Details

• Size: 420min
• Brand: JVC
• Model: DF420AU
• Dimensions: 1.25" h x 4.25" w x 7.50" l, .50 pounds

Features

• DIGITAL VHS TAPE 420MIN
• SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR DIGITAL RECORDING; FEATURES THE LATEST IN TAPE TECHNOLOGY & OFFERS THE ;HIGHEST LEVEL OF DATA INTEGRITY; ULTRA-FINE D-MAGNETITE MAGNETIC PARTICLES ; ADVANCED SURFACE FORMING TECHNOLOGY ; RETAINS COMPATIBILITY WITH EXISTING VHS EQ

Customer Reviews

Does what it says but even more atrocious value proposition
The JVC DF420AU D-VHS tape does exactly what it proposes: given a properly set up D-VHS VCR, it makes perfect pixel by pixel copies of HDTV. I cannot see any difference between live and recorded high definition TV when I use these and a firewire connection with my HM-DH40000. You can also tape SVHS or VHS formats on this tape, and those formats come out quite nicely as well.

However, the quiet secret here is that the formulation here is essentially identical to high quality S-VHS tape - at 4 times the price. The only difference is that rather than having a single hole in the chassis this tape has a second, allowing the VCR to read it as a D-VHS tape rather than a S-VHS tape. There is an obvious workaround to this that can be found fairly easily on the web; search if you're interested.

From my experience S-VHS tapes with the workaround work just as well as this far more expensive tape, which is why I knock off two stars, and a third for a price gouging at 1.5 times the already outrageously expensive 150 minute D-VHS DF300AU. I can't guarantee S-VHS tapes will last as long, but then again, since there's no warranty on the D-VHS tapes either there doesn't seem to be much risk. I also haven't been able to tell any difference between the JVC and Maxwell DVHS versions, which is unsurprising. Data recording - which is all D-VHS really is - either records data or it doesn't. Cheaper tapes definitely will have drop outs, but quality tapes won't.

One further note. There are still a few 3 hour SVHS tapes available at half the cost of this from dealers, which would be my recommendation if you need to archive long sagas like the LOTR movies, Saving Private Ryan, or the Deer Hunter when they show up on premium cable HDTV. Short of archiving sports directly from a tuner instead of a PVR, there's not much that can't fit on a 3 hour tape instead of the much more expensive 3.5 hour version sold here.

Don't wait for blue-ray
As you probably know D-VHS is a video tape with 6x the picture of DVD and 20x the picture of regualar VHS. Some say if you want to play and record high definition just wait for HD-DVD or Blue ray. HD-DVD are not coming in 2003 there isn't even a small chance of that since the format isn't even finalized. Playback only HD-DVD will be out in 2005 at the very earliest and probably sometime a bit later like 2007. HD-DVD recorders or blu-ray won't be out till about 2 or 3 years after playback only HD-DVD which will probably be around 2010. So if you want to watch and record HD movies anytime this decade I suggest buy D-VHS. Course you can wast half your life waiting then wait for blu-ray but if you want high definition anytime soon stick with D-VHS.

incredible picture quality must see to believe!!
i love these tapes to death their super durabable and if you dont own an d-vhs machine their compatible with S-VHS vcrs's and the recordings on those are stunning crisp cleap pictures.

excellent tape highly reccomended if you hava a d-vhs player or svhs machine.