Rules and Explanations

This page explains the rules in full and also gives explanations for certain terms used.

Recording Standards

The Australian and European broadcast standard is PAL; NTSC is the American and Japanese system. The source format for all anime is NTSC (because it originates in Japan, after all).

If you request tapes through this service, you will need a VCR and television combination capable of playing the format of tapes you request. MAS cannot take responsibility if a tape requested does not play properly on your equipment unless the tape is later found to be defective or recorded in the wrong format.

Standards Conversion

Masumasu Anime has a standards converter, which allows true conversions between the NTSC and PAL broadcast systems. Therefore all orders placed, both VHS and SVHS, should nominate the desired recording system (i.e. NTSC or PAL) to be used. Note that every standards conversion step entails a little quality loss. Specifically, there is a slight contrast loss and brightening of colours as a part of the conversion process, although we attempt to correct for this while recording.

If you want your own tapes converted, ask.

SVHS

Tapes may be requested in SVHS format, in either NTSC or PAL mode.

Note that SVHS tapes cannot be played in a standard VHS tape deck.

Note also that PAL requests are not recommended as our standards converter cannot convert at full SVHS resolution (it manages 350 lines, whereas SVHS is in the region of 400-420 lines).  Since VHS resolution is only 230-250 lines, PAL SVHS will still be better than VHS, but there may be conversion artifacts visible that are not visible in VHS.

Generations and SVHS

SVHS is designed for copying, and generational losses are much lower than with VHS.  However, they still occur.  Note in particular that while SVHS luminance resolution is far greater than VHS (400-420 lines vs. 220-250 lines), but the colour resolution is the same.  The practical message is that multi-generational SVHS tapes tend to produce finely-detailed pictures with somewhat smeared colour.

Therefore, the provenance of each of our SVHS tapes is listed (where known).  In particular, 3rd and 4th (or higher) generation SVHS tapes will result in  smeared colours but an otherwise good-quality picture.

Requesting Tapes

By requesting tapes, you are requesting that the Masumasu Anime make copies of tapes on your behalf, and any payment requested is solely for the purpose of covering the cost of tapes used for copying, postage and packaging materials (if any), and a small contribution to VCR maintenance costs. Masumasu makes no profit from this, which is provided as a free service to members and the anime fan community at large.

• Requests may be for any number of tapes within reason, but at the moment we would prefer that requests be for no more than 4 tapes if you want PAL, or 6 tapes if you want NTSC. If you want more then please ask, but if there is a backlog large tape requests will be refused.  Special arrangements can be made for clubs and SVHS requestors.
• You must gain approval before submitting a request. Approval can be gained by sending e-mail with "Tape Request" in the title to dje@progress.com, or in person at MAS club meetings. Masumasu reserves the right to withold approval at its discretion. (This is to prevent overloading and corresponding long delays.)
• Requests quoting the approval number given must be submitted in writing once approval has been granted. Payment must accompany the request except for orders where the tapes will be picked up from MAS, in which case payment will be required when the tapes are collected.

• Many of the tapes listed are VHS, and copies of VHS masters will be made on a pair of "6-head" HiFi VHS decks connected with good-quality interlink cables. While all reasonable efforts have been made to preserve quality, because of the nature of consumer VHS decks you'll lose a full generation in quality when a copy is made. Copies made from an SVHS master can be considered "first generation" tapes and will normally be of very good quality, although see the note above on SVHS multi-generational tapes.
• All copies are made in SP (normal speed) mode in HiFi (stereo) mode. These tapes will play back on either a mono or stereo deck. No LP (long play) or ELP (extra-long-play) requests will be approved.
• No mixing and matching without prior arrangement except to fill a tape.
• You must nominate the recording standard to be used for each tape (NTSC or PAL).
• Tapes used for standard VHS copying are NEC E-180 or E-195 tapes. These tapes were found in an independent survey (Choice) to out-perform all other VHS tapes except for the "master"-quality tapes or other top-quality tapes such as TDK HiFi. If you prefer, you can request that premium-quality tapes be used instead for an extra $3 per tape; in that case we will use TDK E-HG HiFi E-180 or Fuji S-HG E-180. E-180 tapes hold about 2 hours (2h07m) when used in NTSC mode.
• Tapes used for SVHS copying are Fuji Pro 625 SVHS E-180 tapes.
• SASE (i.e. where the requestor provides the tapes to be used) will be considered on request but only unopened high-grade tapes suitable for HiFi recording will be accepted. This is to avoid tapes shedding in the machines, something which has been known to occur with cheap, low-grade tapes. (If it happens, it's expensive to fix.) Note that an E-180 tape is required to hold 2 hours of NTSC video, since NTSC tape speed is higher than for PAL. Maximum permitted tape length for SASE is E-195; longer tapes (E-240, E-300) use a thinner medium and have a bad reputation for causing machine faults.
• The cost of standard tapes is $5 each. Premium tapes cost $8 each. SVHS tapes cost $13 each.  This cost includes a sleeve and labels, bubble wrap if the tapes are to be sent through the mail, and the VCR maintenance levy of $1.00 per tape. Postage is extra.
• Postage within Australia for 1-2 tapes is $4; for 3-7 tapes it is $7.  Overseas postage is much higher and must be computed on a case-by-case basis.
• SASE orders will be processed at a cost of $1.00 per tape (the VCR maintenance levy) plus any postage costs incurred. Please do not SASE with 4-hour or 5-hour tapes.
• All funds must be in Australian Dollars. Cash or money order will be accepted (cheques by negotiation).
• If there is unused VCR maintenance levy, it will go towards the acquisition of SVHS equipment for mastering, trading, and better quality copying.

This page was last updated 15 July, 1999.