Toshiba W701 6-Head Hi-Fi VCR
It's amazing what you can get for so little money!
Toshiba developed the V3, 6-head chassis to compete with SVHS (Super VHS) and DVD technology.  SVHS machines are quite expensive and they require special tapes which are also costly.  DVDs are non-recordable (for the time being), more expensive to rent, and it is still debatable whether they will  last very long.  The current red laser DVDs will look like dinosaurs when  blue lasers hit the market (blue lasers have a shorter wavelength, so they  can reflect a smaller spot off the DVD and therefore you can pack in more  information).  <br />The idea behind the Toshiba V3 series was to provide  essentially the same quality video and audio as SVHS with a much cheaper  system.  I am happy to say that the W701 provides Dolby sound and clear  video that certainly approaches DVD quality--and much cheaper.  <br />Perhaps  the most amazing thing about it is that old tapes which look old on a 4  head VCR show significant improvements on this 6 head machine.  The digital  tracking system quickly adjusts for the optimum clarity.  The machine  automatically sets your TV stations and your clock.  Setup is clear and  straightforward.  Rewinding happens at breakneck speeds.  You can also play  tapes at 2x, 1/7x, and 1/15x speeds.  To top it all off, the unit looks  fantastic and the price is right.  If you don't know how (or don't want) to  program the VCR, you should go for the W708, which adds VCR+ as well as  digital noise reduction.  <br />Even if you have DVD, you'll want to have a  VCR to watch movies that aren't on DVD and also record.  The W701 would be  an excellent complement to a DVD setup.<br />I highly recommend this VCR!