Toshiba W603 4-Head Hi-Fi VCR
Functional VCR, not much more
With the Toshiba W-603 you get what you pay for; an inexpensive VCR that will play and record.  It performs these functions ably, but when its drawbacks are taken into account, the consumer may well decide to spend a little more money and purchase a better product.<br />I purchased this VCR three months ago and have found it serviceable at best.  The drawbacks:<br />1)The remote control is a joke.  It's very small and gets lost easily.  It's more complicated than most remotes, cramming nearly forty buttons into a three-inch-long area.  Most egregious however is the lack of a volume control.  You need two remote controls, a TV and a VCR remote, or you need to purchase a Universal Remote to operate this VCR.<br />2)The VCR emits a whining noise during playback.  It's not as pronounced as other reviewers have noted, but still noticeable.<br />3)The machine's fastforward and rewing functions are subpar.  It's difficult to stop the video at a precise place, often requiring the viewer to rewind the video to watch something that's been missed.<br />4)The automated timer will eventually work, occasionaly setting the time for inaccurate time zones (though in fairness this may be related to my media configuration and not the VCR).  The length of time it takes for the timer to set is ridiculously long.  It would be easier to set the clock manually.<br />5)The VCR LCD display is unnaturally bright.  It doesn't have a nighttime dimmer function as other VCR's do.  This is particularly annoying for me because the VCR is directly in my line of sight at night.  I'm forced to unplug the machine every night.<br />I'm satisfied with this VCR's playback ability.  In buying it, I was looking for a cheap machine that would play my videos.  I have not been disappointed.  I would recommend it to others looking for a cheap secondary VCR.  If you want a quality unit, you'll need to look elsewhere.  This is an inferior unit.