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Best Budget VCR? (1 Viewer)

WilliamZ

Agent
Joined
Mar 15, 2001
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I have received a $100 Amazon GC and I'm looking to upgrade my old Mono VCR. I rarely use it because of DVD, but since I got some free money, what the heck
Here are the top 3 sellers on Amazon
1) Samsung VR8160 4 Head Hi-Fi VCR $79
2) Panasonic PV-V4621 4-Head Hi-Fi Stereo Home Theater Ready VCR $120
3) RCA VR661HF 4-Head Hi-Fi VCR with VCR+ (Silver) $99
This vcr will be paired with my modest system
JVC 32D502 Silver
Denon 2801 Receiver
Definitive Technology Pro Cinema Speakers
Panasonic RV31 Silver DVD player
All comments will be appreciated
 

Chris Clarno

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I have always been happy with Panasonic products. I'd steer clear of RCA. I might consider the Samsung (they've gotten much better in recent years), but only if I didn't want to break the $100 price point.
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Christian Clarno
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TomH

Second Unit
Joined
Jun 13, 2001
Messages
267
Check Audioreview.com. They have reviews of most of the current models. I have also had pretty good luck with the lower end Panasonics.
Tom
 

Vin

Supporting Actor
Joined
Oct 23, 2000
Messages
546
Based on my experience I would go with the Panasonic......I've found their products to be excellent performers and very reliable.
Hope this helps.
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John-D

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Feb 27, 2001
Messages
198
since you're replacing your VCR, it would make sense to upgrade to an S-VHS one. Panasonic and JVC make some good VCR's.
Good Luck
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The things we own end up owning us
 

WilliamZ

Agent
Joined
Mar 15, 2001
Messages
43
Thanks everyone for all of the replies.
I'm now leaning towards the Panasonic, but Jay brings up a good point about the SVHS model from JVC. Heck I have a JVC TV.
Forgive my ignorance, but what is the difference between VHS and SVHS.
I'm under the impression that SVHS will output S-Video so the picture quality would be better than av connections
If I plugged in my cable composite connection to SVHS player then outputted it in S-Video would my cable connection look better also?
Currently I have it setup in the following manner
a) Component - DVD
b) RCA Cable - VCR
c) Composite - Cable
d) Bunch of Emty S-Video connections
Thanks for all of your help.
 

Jay_E

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Sep 14, 2000
Messages
212
I am sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the spec for normal VHS is about 240 lines of resolution vs. up to 400 for S-VHS. If you have good quality cable then you should see a differnece with S-VHS. I am fairly confident that whatever quality your cable is that with S-VHS you should be able to record with no perceptible difference from the original broadcast.
Jay
 

Tod Gettys

Auditioning
Joined
May 11, 2001
Messages
13
I just purchased the JVC 3800 SVHS VCR mentioned above this weekend from Best Buy. I'm certainly no expert, but the picture using a rental tape from Blockbuster was very good. I purchased a standard Sony 4-head HiFi VCR the day before and retured it because I wasn't happy with the picture. The JVC looks much better. I haven't tried to record anything yet so I can't comment on that feature. I got an open box deal for $135 and it appears that similar deals can be found on-line.
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TomH

Second Unit
Joined
Jun 13, 2001
Messages
267
If you are going SVHS you still may want to consider Panasonic over JVC. My HRS-7500 has been possibly the most unreliable product I have seen. Extremely cheap construction for a fairly high priced deck.
Tom
 

WilliamZ

Agent
Joined
Mar 15, 2001
Messages
43
I think I'm going to go with the Panasonic 4-head regular VHS.
I never rent movies or record things anyway.
The VCR will only be used for my son's animated movies.
Thanks everyone!!!
 

Rachael B

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Tom, all VCRs are as cheap made as your 7500. They all have deluxe plastic transport parts and such. The more you pay, the more features you get. BTW, I have a much used 7500 and it's never so much as hickuped. You just got unlucky and got a lemon fresh unit, sorry! S-VHS is the way to go. You can use composite connections with them if you want or need to. You'll stille get 400 lines of resolution. You will lose a little bit of colour detail, no biggie. Best wishes!
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Rachael, the big disc cat! Remember, actual mileage may vary....
AFI Film Challenge, hey I've only got 3 to go!
 

TomH

Second Unit
Joined
Jun 13, 2001
Messages
267
Rachael,
You are probably right. Its just that some companies can do both cheap and somewhat reliable.
The 7500 door mechanism fell off during the first month. I replaced it only to have it fall off the next month. Its nice when tapes eject into a closed door. Other VCR's never have been able to read tapes created on the 7500. The latest problem was with the tape guides loosening up. I really should have sent it back for warranty work but the timing was not right.
Tom
 

Rachael B

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Rachael Bellomy
Tom, I've had close to 10 JVC S-VHS decks. I got a lemon 7400, which I gave to a friend to do PIP on his TV. I had one warranty service on it and foolishly paid one totally waste-of-time repair bill on it. Every brand out there is devoid of build quality. It's amazing that most of them function for more than 100 days. The only exception I know of is the Sony R1000, but they were/are expensive. As far as I'm concerned VCRs are disposable. I lucked out on my 7500. Sorry about yours!
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Rachael, the big disc cat! Remember, actual mileage may vary....
AFI Film Challenge, hey I've only got 3 to go!
 

Nicholas A. Gallegos

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jun 19, 2001
Messages
138
As far as low-end VCRs go, I've always been pleased with Panasonic's products. They're very solid and reliable performers. In fact, I have a 15 year old mono Panny that's STILL ticking in my brother's room.
I've always wanted to go SVHS, but if I ever did go that route, I'd want to do it right. In my experience, everything I've owned manufactured by JVC has had a short life. It's gotten to the point where I'm extremely reluctant to buy their products now.
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