JVC Portable U-matic Pro Video VTR CR-4900U

[Wild Bill]

Hi.. I'm hoping someone can provide some general info about this
professional video tape unit.

It uses a smaller tape cassette than the Sony studio models.. what's the
cassette-type called?

Where could I find a JVC 12V power supply for it, besides eBay? The
connector is round with 4 holes/contacts. Does the PSU serve as a charger
for the battery?

What type of battery is used in this unit?

At the local hamfest this weekend, I picked up several comercial VTR and
player units. I'm more familiar with consumer VHS stuff, and have never
serviced any 3/4" units.

Thanks very much for any comments you'd care to share

Cheers
WB

 

[Uns Lider]

It uses a smaller tape cassette than the Sony studio models.. what's the
cassette-type called?

"Small U-Matic"? The portables tended to take only the small
(shorter running time, narrower) tapes, but the full size decks can
actually use both.

-- uns

 

[WEBPA]

"Small U-Matic"? The portables tended to take only the small
(shorter running time, narrower) tapes, but the full size decks can
actually use both.

-- uns

NOT narrower, still 3/4 inch. Cassettes are UMatic-S. As in KCS-20. Also
available in 30 minute. Most full-size UMatic machines would take KCS cassettes
directly. Some early would not.

webpa

 

[Stan]

}It uses a smaller tape cassette than the Sony studio models.. what's the
}cassette-type called?

Mini-20s usually...the mini's would also work in the bigger 3/4 UMatics.

}Where could I find a JVC 12V power supply for it, besides eBay?

Thet havn't been made for many years. I think the Panasonic 4-pin will
also power your deck.

}Does the PSU serve as a charger
}for the battery?

Yeah.

}What type of battery is used in this unit?

BP- something? It's been too long (it was a nicad pack)

}At the local hamfest this weekend, I picked up several comercial VTR and
}player units.

You must have a lot of time on your hands.

If you want to buy an early TV color camera (a Hitachi FP-10) with
CCU, and 2 CCU cables AND hard case, let me know. (located in PDX, OR)
I have been holding on to it for antiquities sake, but I grow less fond
of it as the years go by.

Stan.

 

[Uns Lider]

It uses a smaller tape cassette than the Sony studio models.. what's the

NOT narrower, still 3/4 inch. Cassettes are UMatic-S. As in KCS-20. Also
available in 30 minute. Most full-size UMatic machines would take KCS cassettes
directly. Some early would not.

Oops. I meant to say that the cassette (viewed horizontally) is
narrower, not the tape slitting.

-- uns

 

[Wild Bill]

Thanks for the additional info Stan. Since I'm located in PA, the camera
shipping costs would be considerable.
It might bring a decent price on eBay though.

I wasn't looking for video equipment (or more projects) at the hamfest, but
the deal for the quantity of items averaged out to about $4 each.

Cheers
WB
................

 

[Wild Bill]

Thanks everyone for the replies

Cheers
WB

 

[Wild Bill]

I've found some additional info, in case anyone happens to look it up..

The XLR 4-pin power connector is for 12VDC 4A. The #1 (left upper) pin is
chassis ground/supply (-) and also the battery (-) terminal (lower contact
in the battery well).
The lower 2 pins are n.c.
The #4 (right upper) pin is +12V to an internal 5A fuse.

The battery (+) terminal (top contact in the battery well) goes to a second
5A fuse.

Cheers
WB
..................

 

[gothika]

"Small U-Matic"? The portables tended to take only the small
(shorter running time, narrower) tapes, but the full size decks can
actually use both.

-- uns

Mini-Umatic. Most found them to be a pain what with the short tape
time.

 

[Ryan Kabel]

I have some very old footage recorded with a portapack onto small
"U-Matic S" casettes. Since, my portapack has become damaged and I
cannot use it anymore. Would it be possible to use the "U-Matic S"
small casettes in a U-Matic studio deck like those found on eBay like
the Sony VO-5800. I once saw on a website a picture of an adapter
(Sony K??-1, I can't find the page again) which housed the small
U-Matic tape to make it like a full size one (like today's VHS/VHS-C
adaptor cassetes). Unfortunately, I can't seem to find the adaptor
for sale on its own anywhere online, nor do any of the people offering
decks up for auction mention whether this adaptor is included.

Is it necessary to have the adaptor in all decks, or do most decks
just accept the small tape without any adaptor. Also, do some decks
not accept the small tapes even with an adaptor? Also, would anybody
have any recommendations for the best deck to buy on eBay (higher
model numbers of the same prefix usually mean a better model, right?).
I've found information about U-Matic machines, paticularly in this
matter to be very scarce.

Your help is appreciated.

Thanks,

Ryan

 

[Art]

If my mind recollects appropriately the U_Matic was a "standard" that most
manufacturers complied with before the VHS/BETA Fiasco began. It may be
worth the quest to at least try one of the items you mention, ask the E_BAY
seller if they offer a return policy of any kind.

 

[gothika]

Try over in rec.video.production. There are some there who still have
some of the older gear lying around.
If all else fails you can always take the tape out of the Umatic-S
cassette and put it in a standard Umatic.
Seems I remember that JVC made a line of Dual Umatic editors too.

 

[WEBPA]

I have some very old footage recorded with a portapack onto small

"U-Matic S" casettes. Since, my portapack has become damaged and I
cannot use it anymore. Would it be possible to use the "U-Matic S"
small casettes in a U-Matic studio deck like those found on eBay like
the Sony VO-5800. I once saw on a website a picture of an adapter
(Sony K??-1, I can't find the page again) which housed the small
U-Matic tape to make it like a full size one (like today's VHS/VHS-C
adaptor cassetes). Unfortunately, I can't seem to find the adaptor
for sale on its own anywhere online, nor do any of the people offering
decks up for auction mention whether this adaptor is included.

Is it necessary to have the adaptor in all decks, or do most decks
just accept the small tape without any adaptor. Also, do some decks
not accept the small tapes even with an adaptor? Also, would anybody
have any recommendations for the best deck to buy on eBay (higher
model numbers of the same prefix usually mean a better model, right?).
I've found information about U-Matic machines, paticularly in this
matter to be very scarce.

Your help is appreciated.

Thanks,

Ryan

The Sony U-Matic editing machine I had years ago accepted both full size and
"S" cassettes...no adaptor required. Don't remember the model number, but it
was a 1st generation, top-loading, machine. So I suspect many U-Matics would
accept both sizes.

webpa

 

[Wild Bill]

I've just acquired some U-matic machines (the JVC portable "S" and Sony
full-sized decks), so I've also been interested in this
adaptability/compatibility issue.

Some tapes I got from an eBay seller were full-sized cassettes (although
they were described as "S" mini-type), so I still don't know if my
full-sized decks accept the S cassettes without an adapter, although it
would seem that an adapter is neccessary.

Here's a U-matic message board and a site with lots of other 3/4" info.
http://www.chat-page.com/umatic/

http://umatic.palsite.com/home.html
There might be some different terminology used at this site, since it's a
global forum.

I haven't determined if the JVC portable is in operating condition (since I
haven't gotten any S tapes yet), or I could offer to copy your tapes to VHS.
If you want to buy a machine to play your tapes, you might consider looking
for an operating portable machine.. either way, you'll have video & audio
outputs.

Cheers
WB
..............