It is nice looking and has various options

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Holy moly I only used it for 1 hour and towmorrow I have to return it. Programmed the clock first because it couldn't get the right time. Then I used it to record my show by programing the vcr +. It started to record for 1 miniute and then stoped and shut off. I could not turn it back on, every time I turned it on it turned back off. It would not return my tape. So I went to pack it back up and when I tipped it pieces fell out of the loading door. I am not saying this is a bad product but I think I got the machine that was put together by a monkey. So Towmorrow I will give this product another try. The reason is because I have a JVC VCR that has been good since 1985.

Similar Products Used:

JVC from 1985 (Still works!)

good features for the price

picture quality (recording) plug & play pretty useless

when I record a show the picture is somewhat grainy and the color is a disappointing but the regular speed is ok for most programs I tape, on the other hand, some of my older tapes wouldn't play in my magnavox anymore and this machine plays them exceptionally well seems that after a few minutes the picture looks better than when the tape first starts, so the tape calibration works fine so far. I couldn't get the plug and play to work so I set it up manually. Since I plan to invest in a dvd player soon, didn't want to spend megabucks on a new vcr ( my old one just died on me but it had served well) and this one had features that the less expensive ones couldn't touch. So far, I've experienced none of the problems that other folks have posted. Wish me luck.
I like the JVC.

Similar Products Used:

Hitachi, Phillips Magnavox

Not a whole lot...

NOISY!!

Wasn't impressed at all..this thing was so loud it distracted me constantly (I sit about 10 feet away from my open racks). Returned it for the 4820 - much better in my opinion. Although I must say SVHS performance on either one didn't blow me away (DSS and DVD have spoiled me rotten), the Panasonic wins easily. Great value, but you get what you pay for.

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Pansonic 4820

S-VHS ET

Poor tracking, not quite the quality recording I expected from S-VHS

I've been a little disappointed with this VCR because I expected more from it. I got tired of watching movies that I taped in EP mode just looking so terrible, so I thought a Super VHS VCR would be the answer...especially with the S-VHS ET since you could use regular VHS tapes for S-VHS quality. The first few movies I taped in ET mode did not look that great, but I did use a low quality video tape, so what they say about using a high grade tape for ET recording may be true. Until recently, I had not even tried a S-VHS tape in it until I found some JVC S-VHS tapes at Crutchfield for $5. I taped a football game from regular TV (antenna) in the Extended Play mode with the S-VHS tape and it still did not look good. So I chalked it up to maybe the antenna was not picking up well combined with taping in EP mode. I'm still waiting for a good movie to tape from satellite, where I'm using a S-VHS cable running from the satellite box to the VCR. More than the recording, I am dissatisfied with the tracking. Even recordings made with my old JVC VCR cannot be tracked well by this VCR. My girlfriend has an old 2-head Symphonic VCR that can track tapes recorded in EP from other VCRs better than this one. My old JVC VCR also had problems tracking tapes recorded from other VCRs. If you're looking into this VCR I can't say that I would recommend it. I know Toshiba has a Super VHS ET VCR out and I think Panasonic does, too. Take a look into those.

Similar Products Used:

JVC 4-Head Hi-Fi VCR

Great video quality, even without using S-VHS; great audio ouput--wide dynamic range, bass response, easy to set up and use.

Not suitable for serious editing, but it wasn't designed for that purpose.

This is a great all round unit with stellar video and audio. S-VHS capability is icing on the cake. Controls, though limited, are intuitive and easy to use. A couple of years ago, a unit with this kind of audio and video quality would cost 3 times as much. Used with a Sony KV27FS12 WEGA televison, the images and sound from even rental tapes are outstanding and rival DVD (and don't have the digital artifacts and glitches which can greatly diminish the image). The HiFi audio has nearly the dynamic range, low end and punch associated with DVD/CD and again, has a more real to life sound so frequently missing from poorly mastered and inadequately sampled digital sources. It's light weight and intensive use of plastic raise some question about durability, however this is par for the course in high end home units--hope for the best--the $$ are right.

Similar Products Used:

Toshiba. Mitsubishi, Panasonic

The quality of S-VHS recordings off of my digital cable (Time Warner) is excellent. I did a short S-VHS ET recording on a high grade tape and it looked very good also. Regular VHS looks really good too.

Being that it is not very heavy, like most new vcrs, I notice that when I eject a tape, by pushing the button on the vcr, if I do not hold onto the vcr, it moves. This is not a problem for me.

I am impressed by this unit, considering the great price. Only time will tell how it will hold up, but again, due to the price, if I get a couple of years of good use out of it, I'll be happy.

Similar Products Used:

None

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Bought on Saturday, returned on Sunday. Would not load a tape. As I was returning it, someone else came in with the same unit, returned for the same problem. I'm getting something else.

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Various VCR's from Sony, Quasar, Proscan

Great price, great sound decent ergonomics.

Cheap build quality.

I bought this vcr 'open box demo' off the shelf. My initial impression is quite good; it's at least as good as most any non super vhs vcr I've ever used.
Considering the price I do believe it's a keeper and quite a value owing to what the market offered just a couple of years hence.

Similar Products Used:

Proscan, Toshiba, Sharp