Price Paid:  $300.00

Summary:
When I purchased this machine back in spring of '99, it was at the time considered one of the lowest priced S-VHS decks available to consumers.
I don't normally do on-line reviews of products but this one is just so horrible I have to voice my frustration. The problems I've had are these: Occasionally, the record button would not work no matter how hard I press it on the deck (using the remote won't help either) Also, sometimes after pausing a tape, it won't unpause. The video-heads also tend to get dirty a lot quicker than my regular VHS Sony (even though I only use this JVC SVHS only about twice a week. I use my Sony every day and I hardly ever bother to clean it!) And get this, cleaning the video heads require 3 to 4 applications of cleaning cassette before it clears up. Also, tape transport mechanism caused me to have to fight it sometimes just to load and unload tapes. Something is misaligned inside that occasionally damages my tapes (at first I blame it on the tape manufacturers, but later found out this happens to all brands. I only use quality SVHS from Sony, TDK, JVC, not cheapo ones) I also read from other reviewers that JVC VCRs do have a widespread problem regarding creased tapes (as this was reported of their HR4800 and at least one later model too) Overall construction (made of mostly plastic) feels flimsy, like parts are about to fall off. I would like to give future JVC products a chance, and I do hope that they LISTEN to consumer concerns and FIX some persistent problems.

I paid $300 for this in '99. Then less than a year later, the price got slashed to less than half.
Boy, did I get ripped off big time. Worse than the price I had paid was the fact that it damaged several of my irreplaceable tapes. JVC NEEDS TO IMPLEMENT BETTER QUALITY CONTROL OF ITS VCRs.

Strengths:
None, other than it beats recording in regular VHS, that's for sure.

Weaknesses:
Plenty. Chews (creases) tapes, bad loading mechanism, poor input/output signals, some buttons lock themselves.

Similar Products Used:
Panasonic SVHS (also under $300)