JVC HRS5902U 4-Head Hi-Fi VCR, Black
Full-featured VCR's like this are hard to come by
The VHS VCR is a dying breed. However, the VCR can record broadcast shows with \\"copy protection signals\\" that a DVD recorder cannot, so there will be a place for VCR's in the years ro come. Unfortunately, the only VCRs available at mass retailers like WalMart and Best Buy are low-end models lacking features like VCR Plus. JVC invented the VHS format, so they will likely be the one company to see the format to its end. It's an excellent VCR but it is not without its little niggling annoyances.<br /><br />Some quirks are annoying, like the recording speed resetting to SP when it is turned off then on again, and the universal remote makes you hold down the function button (TV/Cable box) while you press the button for whatever you want it to do (volume control, mute, etc), otherwise it'll operate the VCR instead. Quite a few times, I've activated the index search on a tape while trying to adjust the TV volume. Also, there is no power outage memory. Still, these are mostly minor issues.<br /><br />The HR-S5902U is a loaded editing VCR with a number of high-end features like VCR Plus, jog/shuttle control, and flying erase head. It's one of the few high-end VCRs on Amazon that isn't a pro model, and one of the few S-VHS models. Excellent picture quality, even on old VHS tapes. I haven't tried S-VHS yet. The remote, aside from the aforementioned issue, is well designed. You have to press Record and Play together on the remote (or Record and Pause together to put it on recording-standby mode), but you need only hit Record on the VCR itself. I assume this is so that you don't accidentially hit Record on the remote and potentially tape over something important.<br /><br />A little note on tape availability. You'll be hard pressed to find the S-VHS blank tapes you need to fully take advantage of S-VHS when recording off TV. It has S-VHS ET that allows you to tape at S-VHS resolution ion a VHS Tape. However, this works best with high-grade VHS tapes which are also very hard to come by.<br /><br />The JVC does perform very well. Unfortunately, it doesn't look and feel that high-end. The entire housing is plastic and the machine is very lightweight, just like all standalone VCR's nowadays. It comes with the same 90 day labor/1 year parts warranty that all those low-end VCRs come with, but so far, no problems involving repairs.perform very well. Unfortunately, it doesn't look and feel that high-end. The entire housing is plastic and the machine is very lightweight, just like all standalone VCR's nowadays. It comes with the same 90 day labor/1 year parts warranty that all those low-end VCRs come with, but so far, no problems involving repairs.