Panasonic PV-V4520 4-Head Hi-Fi VCR
Bravo Panasonic!
I consider myself to be a video junkie and consider the ownership of a good VCR a sacred thing.  My 9 year old Mitsubishi which I loved and cherished for being an excellent VCR for so long started to die so this is  why I went shopping for the best VCR under $140.00 US.  I initially  purchased the Sony SLV-N50 and returned it, then moved on to trying an  Hitachi VT-FX6510A both of which are in the same price range of the  Panasonic.  I have since returned the Hitachi and have found a new love  with this Panasonic PV-V4520.  It's not the top of the line but it sure  beats the other 2 I tried first and foremost in recorded picture quality.   The PV-V4520 is comparable to the Sony SLV-N50 when you record in SP, but  the PV-V4520 kills the Sony SLV-N50 when recording in EP/SLP.  The Sony  SLV-N50 fell apart in EP mode where the EP of the PV-V4520 was amazing!   The Sony SLV-N50 also falls short on features when compared to the  PV-V4520.  The PV-V4520 offers VCR+, and the ever crucial Index Search  function which the Sony does not.  You need to upgrade to the Sony SLV-N70  to get that feature.  The Hitachi VT-FX6510A has pretty much the same  features but also does not compare with the PV-V4520 when recording in SP  or EP.  The Hitachi has the worst recording quality of the 3 in all  speeds.<br />The PV-V4520 offers a rare LP record speed and that is nice when  you want to tape up a 3.5 hour movie on 1 tape with the Panasonic's  excellent picture quality in LP...  It's worth every dime and then some.  The  PV-V4520 is made in Japan making it even more attractive to buy because you  know it will last longer than one that is not.  <br />On a last note, the Sony  SLV-N50 and the Hitachi VT-FX6510 both come equipped with the so-called 19  micro head technology to give better recording and playback in EP.  After  seeing the PV-V4520 record and playback BETTER than the others you tend to  wonder if this micron head business is a marketing stunt and nothing  more.<br />What more can I say, Panasonic has the quality in sound, picture  and the best reliability in the business. So the choice should be easy for  you!<br />PS: I don't work for Panasonic and this is my first Panasonic piece  of equipment.