VCR's Still A Must In Home Theater Entertainment Systems
Sep 13 '00
Even though DVD players are the in thing right now & everyone is looking to purchase one or already has one. The VCR is still needed in a home theater entertainment center. DVD has not yet come to the point where you can both watch a movie on it & also record a movie on it. This won't happen with DVD for at least another 1 to 2 years before recordable DVD's player come out into the market.
When you look to purchase a new VCR there are a couple of things you should really look into as far as features with a VCR are concerned. First of all always look to buy a 4 head model VCR. a 4 head VCR will record TV movies & shows in stereo unlike the 2 head mono VCR's they still sell today. Plus a 4 head VCR only costs about $20.00 to $30.00 more than a 2 head mono VCR. So, your better off going with a 4 head VCR. Also if you have cable look for a VCR that has cable box control so that if you set it to record something it can control your VCR for you to record what you want. If your on a DSS satellite system there are also high end VCR models that will control your satellite receiver if it is infrared. If it is a UHF operated satellite receiver then your out of luck for the VCR to control it. Another handy feature on most middle & high end VCR's is VCR Plus. This way if you use an antenna or cable you can look in your TV Guide get the VCR Plus code to set up your VCR to record TV shows. This way you don't have to manually enter the time, date, & channel you want recorded. VCR Plus does everything automatically for you, so you don't have to worry about if you set the VCR up to record correctly.
Another thing to look for is if the VCR comes with either a Super VHS input on the back or RCA inputs on the jack as well as the RF connection. When you hook up your VCR through the RCA jacks you'll notice a better crisper picture & the sound with be in HiFi. If you have a Super VHS TV then utilize the Super VHS VCR output to get the best picture available. When using the Super VHS output you get more lines or resolution out of the VCR than you would using the standard RF connection or the RCA jacks on the back. Plus you won't see the colors on your TV screen bleed as much. Also most middle grade VCR's & hi end VCR's also come with gold plated RCA jacks or Super VHS jacks which in turn provides a better signal. Another nice feature with most hi end VCR's now is they come with built in head cleaning. This helps if you rent a lot of movies from a video store especially older movies. It still isn't as good as having a professional head cleaning or using a head cleaning VCR tape in your VCR. But, it does help a lot. If you buy a Panasonic or JVC Super VHS VCR they now have the ability to record a Super VHS signal on a standard VHS tape. Not like before when you had to buy expensive Super VHS tapes to record a Super VHS signal. Look for VHS ET on JVC & Panasonic Super VHS VCR's letting you know you can tape Super VHS signals on a standard VHS tape.
Basically when looking to purchase a new VCR look for one that is HiFi & has 4 heads. Try & spend a little more up front when buying a VCR with a brand name. In the long run the VCR will last you longer & you won't have as many repairs if any as you would if you bought a cheap VCR. As for extended warranties with VCR's. With how cheap you can buy VCR's today, it isn't worth the extra money. Plus VCR's usually last 3 to 4 years which by then you have newer VCR's with better picture, sound, & newer features.
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