VCR Quality Question

[LakerGod]

I need to purchase a VCR for my new place, mainly to tape late night shows and to play old video tapes. I've basically moved to DVD like everybody else. Is there a specific quality or brand I should look for in purchasing a VCR? I've seen the difference between different quality dvd players, but I have still yet to see a difference between different VHS machines. Thanks in advance for the help.


EDIT: I forgot to mention that I have to connect this VCR to a really old TV. This television has three inputs, labled "Video," "Right speaker," and "Left Speaker." Is there a special device I need to buy to be able to connect today's VCR's to it? I also plan on connecting my NES.

 

[N8Magic]

JVC SVHS VCR's are the best you can buy.

End of discussion.

 

[tigerbait]

<< JVC SVHS VCR's are the best you can buy. >>



I'm a happy owner of JVC 5900 SVHS... get great recordings from Directv, especially 594-598 .

 

[Tsaico]

I got a cheapy from k-mart for 49 dollars and it plays and records just fine. I say just get what you can afford... It does look kinda funny though... not as sleek as the Panasonic/sonys out there... but hey, for 49 bucks... when it craps out in a couple of years I can just buy a new one...

 

[NutBucket]

I second a JVC SHVS. The recordings off of Directv are amazing. Honestly, I sometimes think it rivals DVD's, at least on my set. I got my a HR-S9800U :-d

 

[cipher00]

Think of it in terms of heads. Usually more or better; say, four to record and playback decently. Brand matters, sometimes. I've had luck with Sonys over the years, but their reliability has been a bit iffy for me though I find their picture quality pretty good. FWIW.

 

[royaldank]

If you are just taping a few shows to watch during the day or watch some old movies, go by a $70-$100 VCR. You don't need to worry too much about the brand, but look for recording setting. Don't get stuck with a machine that only does SP or EP (2 or 4 hour). Make sure it has SLP (6 hour mode). Four heads are better than two. Recording in SP, or 2 hour mode, will give you better quality, but you only get 2 hours per tape. If it's TV, I just use 6 hour mode and don't really care about quality. It's watchable and probably a lot like any other VCR you've used.

Although, if you want to spend some money, newer machines have tape indexing and things like that. You can index what's on there and just skip ahead to whatever you're looking for. I think Sony makes these types.

 

[RossMAN]

JVC makes the best SVHS VCRs in the consumer market.

Personally I would visit my local CompUSA and get a Panasonic VCR on clearance for $49.99 they used to be abundant.

If they're out of stock or don't have the right VCR for you then visit your local CostCo/Sam's Club.

Of the newer models I'd get the Panasonic PV-V4621.

Last but not least don't forget to read reviews from Consumer Reports magazine (or subscribe online), ePinions.com and Amazon.com customer reviews (sort by either bestselling or avg customer review).

 

[LakerGod]

Thanks for the replies. What do I do about the setup configuration with my TV? (read first post) I want to connect a VCR, the pimpin NES, and possibly a line out connection from my computer's dvd player.

 

[JeffSpicoli]

VHS? That SUCKS! Betamax RULES!

 

[pulse8]

<< JVC SVHS VCR's are the best you can buy.

End of discussion. >>



Not unless you want to pay in the thousands.

 

[tigerbait]

<< VHS? That SUCKS! Betamax RULES! >>



We still have 3 working Betamax machines and tons of movies.

 

[Thegonagle]

.I'm extremely happy with my Mitsubishi HS-U576, about $130-140.

Lots of great features and wonderful ease of use. Has a lot of nice little touches, like auto clock set, clean picture pause, frame advance/reverse, fast rewind and FF, index searching, six commercial skip buttons from 30 seconds to 3 minutes, VCR Plus, digital satellite/cable cable box IR control, front and rear AV inputs, etc. The only shortcoming is only 8 program memory slots. Fortunately, Replay TV will solve that problem for me in the near future.

Unfortunately, I believe it may be discontinued.

 

[LakerGod]

Can anybody answer my question about the one input problem in my old television set? (please view other posts for more info)

Thanks!

 

[kamiam]

<< EDIT: I forgot to mention that I have to connect this VCR to a really old TV. This television has three inputs, labled "Video," "Right speaker," and "Left Speaker." Is there a special device I need to buy to be able to connect today's VCR's to it? I also plan on connecting my NES >>

the only thing you need is the proper RCA "jumper" wires... they make a "3 wire" version...just plug in the appropriate wire (video audio right and left) between the vcr and the TV, make sure in the settings on BOTH TV and vcr are correct, I.E. vcr out is thru the RCA cables and the TV is recieving on the "video input" not the TV tuner and you should be fine

 

[cuteybunny]

VCR are still more useful then DVD. You can use it as a cable box, you can use it to record stuff from another VCR, from Cable. DVD is basicaly a player with no other feature that would make VCR obsolete well that wasn't it's intention but the real truth is to replace laserdisc and it did but a little more successful. I'm not soo impressed about DVD sound quality, it has very weak signal

 

[vegetation]

If you tape a lot of TV shows, stick with a SVHS type of machcine. Even TV resolution is far higher than regular VHS grade, so you'll notice the poor quality playback -- quite irritating if you're used to watching the TV live. SVHS, however, has more than enough resolution to retain the TV quality playback. Also, SVHS machines are not that much more expensive these days.

 

[ShawnReeves]

You can pick up one of those new 6-Head VCR's at SAM's for pretty cheap.

 

[royaldank]

For your input, you could pick up a switch box from Best Buy, etc. You'll run each component that you are hooking up into the switch box, and run the switch box outs to your TV.

The only tricky part is getting your NES hooked. I don't think it has composite outs, so you might have to either hook it up to your cable input and the other two devices to the switch box. And your TV will probably have a TV/Video button somewhere to switch between the two inputs.

Switch boxes are about $19.99. I know that Babbages and EB sell game selector switch boxes for $19.99 in case you are having trouble finding one for that price or less.

 

[LuckyTaxi]

sony

 

VCRs are ghetto, get TiVo

 

[Pepsi90919]

<< Don't get stuck with a machine that only does SP or EP (2 or 4 hour). Make sure it has SLP (6 hour mode). >>

uh..dude, LP is 4 hour and EP = SLP.

 

[royaldank]

<<

<< Don't get stuck with a machine that only does SP or EP (2 or 4 hour). Make sure it has SLP (6 hour mode). >>

uh..dude, LP is 4 hour and EP = SLP. >>



My bad...I've two different machines and each one is different. That's why I included the parentheses, in case I had the abbreviations wrong.

 

[Mday]

<< Of the newer models I'd get the Panasonic PV-V4621.

Last but not least don't forget to read reviews from Consumer Reports magazine (or subscribe online), ePinions.com and Amazon.com customer reviews (sort by either bestselling or avg customer review). >>




that's the one i bought from amazon.com =) . this is the 3rd panasonic VCR the family has bought. its working fine =)

 

[thraxes]

The old NES I used to play with as a kid (and still have in my basement in a box next to the Apple IIc) had composite outputs
otherwise I second the switchbox idea.