Panasonic PV-V4611 4-Head Hi-Fi Stereo VCR
Quality is fine, but it cannot control my cable box for VCR+
I am satisfied with the quality, but disappointed with the features, specifically VCR+.<br />I had been using a Panasonic PV-4564 for a long long time and I liked it a lot. It finally got a tape stuck in it (as has every VCR I have ever owned at some point, oh well) and I figured with the prices so low on this 4611, I would just buy a new one instead of fixing the old.<br />The most important feature to me is the VCR+ feature, particularly how my old VCR could change the channel on my cable box. When I did my research, I ruled out all VCRs without VCR+. When I got this PV-4611, I was extremely surprised to realize that Panasonic has apparently silently done away with the external control feature! <br />(History reminder; the *original* VCR+ systems from the 80's were tiny little remotes that sat on top of your TV and sent out the right infared codes to control your VCR and your cable boxes. And they also worked off of those crazy numbers in the TV guide, of couse. Apparantly, now VCR+ only means ONE of those things.)<br />I cannot find information on Panasonic's web site about my old VCR, nor can I find any info on whether they even have any current models with the feature I want. <br />Just to be clear: the problem is that I have to set my cable box to the right channel in advance of my timed recordings. And I cannot record shows from two different channels without manually changing the channel at the right time. Of course, I could do away with my cable box, but then I  could not record from scrambled channels like HBO. Grumble.<br />The actual VCR I received is working fine and the quality seems good. I'm going to keep it (but only because the price is so low), but I'm sure irritated with Panasonic.<br />p.s. Does anyone know what \\"VCR+ Silver\\" really means?