Does JVC GR-D72US Have "Passthrough" Function?

[funkychateau]

My local "Costco" store has this camcorder on sale for $199. I'm
looking at it for the purpose of digitizing select tapes from my VHS
library.

The camera has both s-video and RCA analog inputs, and the manual
discusses recording from the inputs to DV tape, but I don't want to go
through a two-step process (record to tape, then capture tape to
computer) and double the time required for capture.

Can anyone who owns this model tell me whether I will be able to do
analog-to-computer conversion without storing on DV tape as an
intermediary?

Martin

 

[John F. Miller]

A Google search (GR-D72US pass through) gave over 1000 hits, including one
that states:
Analog-to-digital pass-through for converting your old analog tapes (VHS,
etc.)

John.

 

[funkychateau]

Yes, I went through the same route, but did you find even one message
from an owner that described how it actually works without a DV-tape
intermediary? Since it's not mentioned in the owner's manual, and none
of the online reviews actually checked such a function, I'll believe it
when I hear from someone who's sucessfully done it.

Martin

 

[John F. Miller]

The quote I gave is from a user's review - read it at:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001B7VMS/103-4398754-2748665?v=glance&n=5
02394&v=glance

(You have to scroll down past the product information).

 

[funkychateau]

I saw that one too. But that part of his review looks a lot like he's
quoting someone's feature list, and I detect no evidence that he
actually tested it.

Check this contradictory review from
http://www.camcorderinfo.com/bbs/t72121.html :

04-28-2004, 12:34 PM
viperfish
"I bought one at Walmart, tried it out, and there is no Pass Through
analog to digital conversion"

So, did this guy's unit actually have passthrough? I guess it's
possible it did, and he just couldn't figure out how to use it (since
the manual doesn't tell).

I really hope I don't have to buy one and try to figure out how to test
this function, with no input from the thousands of folks who must have
already done likewise. Especially since the manual, in describing the
use of the analog inputs, only talks about saving to tape.

 

[John F. Miller]

If you carry on down that thread, someone states"

"After reading your email, I was tempted to try again with my GR-D72, and I
finally got Pass Through to work! However, this worked with Ulead Video
capture, not the ImageMaker program that came with the camera. Leaving the
tape in or out didn't seem to matter, and I didn't have to do anything
special with Play or Record, just set the camera to Play mode and AV menu
setting to In."

If I'm uncertain about a device's capabilities and the staff can't help me
(often the case!), when I buy it, I make it very simple and ask "I'm buying
this for reason X and if it doesn't do X, can I return it for a full refund
since you cannot tell me if it does do X or not?"

I've never had a return refused.

 

[John F. Miller]

I should have added the person who said they bought it from WalMart and it
didn't do passthrough is the same person who finally figured it out!

(RTFM, I guess, since somebody obviously did).

 

[funkychateau]

I think I'm going to buy it and try it, as the price is right. I've
found some more reviews that claim the owners got PT to work by
following the manual's directions for recording analog to DV tape, but
taking the tape out and ignoring the error message.

Martin

 

[Lou]

I think I'm going to buy it and try it, as the price is right. I've
found some more reviews that claim the owners got PT to work by
following the manual's directions for recording analog to DV tape, but
taking the tape out and ignoring the error message.

Martin

Costco has a full refund policy. I would buy it and try it out and if it
doesn't work like you want, you get a full refund.
http://www.costco.com/CustomerService/ReturnsPopUp.aspx

 

[Graham Hughes]

Which is the std method of getting pass through to work on camcorders. MM2
doesn't support pass through, MM1 and 2.1 do.

--
Graham Hughes
MVP Digital Media
www.myvideoproblems.co.uk
www.dvds2treasure.com
www.simplydv.com