JVC HR-S9911U S-VHS Hi-Fi Stereo VCR
WARNING: MAGNETS on the front of a VCR!
I just opened my new JVC HR-S9911U VCR.  On the front there's an acrylic panel that flips down to expose the tape slot.  Incredibly, this panel is held up by MAGNETS mounted right next to the tape slot. <br /> <br />A VCR plays MAGNETIC tape.  If there's anything you don't want on a tape player, it's MAGNETS.  Not only does JVC put magnets on the outside of this device, they put them less than a centimeter from the tape slot.  Will they erase your tape?  Not entirely, I'm sure.  Will they degrade your tape?  You'll never know, because once you load your tape, it's too late. <br /> <br />It gets worse.  JVC could have put the magnets on the acrylic part that flips down away from the tape, and just put pieces of metal next to the tape slot.  They did just the opposite.  The pieces on the flip-down panel are the non-magnetized ones.  I put a picture of this blunder at [...] <br /> <br />Monumental stupidity from the company that invented VHS.