VCR Manufacturers Take the Low Road
Written: Apr 13 '03 (Updated Apr 13 '03)
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Pros: VCR+ Silver. Genuine Commercial Skip & Movie Advance. LP recording. Backup Memory. Auto Setup.
Cons: Multiple design flaws. Manufacturer should recall units.
The Bottom Line: Shame on Panasonic. After 20-odd years to perfect the VHS VCR design, there's no excuse. Instead of a repair/recall, they've chosen to discontinue the model.
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| NewsView's Full Review: Panasonic PV-V4622 VHS VCR |
It seemed too good to be true: A price tag that starts below $100. VCR+ Silver to automatically map all broadcast channels via a simple zip code entry. The ability to mark the beginning and ending of commercials while recording, enabling the unit to skip them automatically upon playback (unlike the 30-second fast forward button that passes for Commercial Skip on competing models). DBX noise reduction for outstanding Hi-Fi sound. Time/date/category labels for all recordings. Movie Advance to bypass annoying movie previews on pre-recorded VHS tapes. A universal remote. Shuttle dial on the remote. One-minute fast forward & rewind. Head clog sensor….
I had high hopes for this Panasonic VCR because feature-wise it stands head and shoulders above standard VHS machines on the market. That, combined with Panasonic's history as a leading electronics manufacturer, probably explains why a lead ePinions reviewer gave the PV-V4622 five stars. My experience, unfortunately, has more in common with nearly a dozen folks over at Amazon.com. Their complaints—like my own experience—run the gamut: refusing to accept tapes, poor tracking even upon playback of its own recordings, a band of snow/noise upon playback of one's existing video collection and poor SLP recording quality.
After trying not one but two PV-V4622s to ensure that I wasn't simply the victim of a defective unit, I've encountered the same issues with only a slight variance in severity. Five stars this model is not. It's plagued by too many design flaws.
Compared to the Sony SLVN88 and Toshiba W727—VCRs I have also tested with only so-so results compared to the tracking/recording quality of my Sears-brand LXI, this Panasonic VCR is by far the most promising but ultimately most disappointing. Perhaps that's why the manufacturer has chosen to discontinue the model. Perhaps that's why the price continues to drop.
My take on the whole VCR shopping experience is this: Perhaps VCR manufacturers are putting less effort into this old but tried-and-true technology in hopes of pushing disgruntled VHS consumers toward DVD recordables. If that's the case, here's my response to today's VCR manufacturers: Why would a consumer buy a newfangled $800 DVD recordable when leading manufacturers are still struggling to get a 20-year-old technology right? Shouldn't practice make perfect? How many VCR models have come and gone despite having rock solid performance? So why not just slap on a new casing now and then and build the "innards" the way you used to?
Ultimately, I have to agree with scores of other VCR reviewers I’ve located online who complained that their new VCRs do not offer the quality that their old VCRs offered. From my experience with five different new models, my advice to a would-be VCR shopper is this: If your Hi-Fi VCR works, don’t replace it just to obtain a couple new features. Just about everything on the market today will probably perform more poorly than your old unit when it comes to the two criteria that matter most: recording quality and tracking.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 79.00
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Epinions.com ID:
NewsView
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Reviews written: 29
Trusted by: 3 members
About Me:
Freelance writer & web developer.
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