Price Paid:  $175.00 from Crutchfield

Summary:
I purchased this unit with the intent of it being my "last" VCR. At the time, my VHS tape collection was dwindling and I usually rented DVDs. Therefore, I needed something that would reliably record TV shows and play the occasional movie. The JVC was a good choice because it had a lot of features that used to cost extra and was a great deal at the time. Overall, I have been very pleased with this VCR. Picture and sound quality are very good (for a VCR at lest) and I have not had any problems. The unit has even survived three moves in the last 6 months without any issues. No one should buy a VCR and expect audiophile performance, unless they want to spend too much money. With the advent of DVD recorders, the VCR is destined for extinction anyway. Therefore, this review was written from the perspective that a good VCR is one that can perform the basic blocking and tackling required to record and playback VHS recording. Regardless, the JVC VCR has fulfilled its mission for me. It records TV shows, is reasonably easy to program, plays back reliably, and matches that rest of my home theater set up. I cannot ask for more from a VCR – and I have not had any of the issues identified by other users.

Strengths:
Nice aesthetics – matches other A/V components. Decent menus and set up functions. Never let me down despite being a “dinosaur” from day one. Great deal.

Weaknesses:
Remote is a little fluky. Would like more mass to resist vibrations and the like. Back panel connections not gold plated.

Similar Products Used:
A generic Sanyo (actually pretty nice) and a very old Panasonic 4 head.

Price Paid:  $250.00 from Circuit City

Summary:
FIRST THE REALLY BAD NEWS...after 14 months, I had my first tape jam while LOADING a BRAND NEW JVC VHS tape. This jam essentially ruined the VCR, as the "fingers" that wrap the tape path around the tape heads were damaged. Being 2 months out of warranty, I opened up the unit and saw exactly how cheap and fragile this thing is. I am highly disappointed that a 14-month old unit would die from attempting to LOAD a tape. I did not take Circuit City up on the "extended warranty" plan, because I put such light use on my equipment. I never expected failure so quickly after the warranty expiration. Also, the remote is a bit awkward, especially programming timer recording. Other VCRS are FAR more user-friendly.

NEXT THE GOOD NEWS... I have to agree with most posts about the great picture quality and sound in SVHS mode, and even SVHS-ET mode. While the VCR lasts, you will enjoy it.

I RECENTLY found out that Circuit City offers a Replacement Product Plan for new purchases. They say they don't even bother to fix them anymore, they just refund your money within 2 years, and you buy a replacement (probably for less than the original).

I liked my JVC VCR, but I strongly recommend buying some kind of replacement plan or extended warranty if you choose any JVC VCR. They have an entire line of similar cheaply made units.

Strengths:
Picture and Sound Quality, especially SVHS and SVHS-ET modes.

Weaknesses:
Cheap/Poor tape transport, slow to respond to tape loading, overall cheap mechanical design.

Similar Products Used:
Other JVC 4HD and SVHS VCRS, SONY 4HD HIFI, JVC DVD and Receiver.

Price Paid:  $200.00 from Circuit City

Summary:
Correction of previous review for the model JVC HR-S5900 below

The previous unit had a defective RF modulator which caused the interference. The unit may have been damaged from shipping and handling.

The unit was defective out of the box which doesn't characterize it reliability since a number of poor handling issues could have caused this minor defect.

Being that a new, exchanged unit has all of the positives and NOT the negative of the interference issue, this VCR is even greater than I original thought.

For the money, I simply can't see any other maker putting out a VCR that has this type of high performance, excellent search options, and the excellent editing options including a flying erase head.

This reciever NOW could be consider just about perfect for the money. Long term reliability is the only question.

Strengths:
See previous review for the model JVC HR-S5900 below

Weaknesses:
Correction of previous review for the model JVC HR-S5900 below

RF modulator interference was due to a defective modulator in the previous unit. The new unit has absolutely no RF modulator interference.

Similar Products Used:
See previous review for the model JVC HR-S5900 below

Price Paid:  $200.00 from Circuit City

Summary:
review for the model JVC HR-S5900

The 5900 is the best performing VCR I've ever seen and used. It's simply the best. I thought my previous Panasonic PV-S9670 was the best VCR but this 5900 has much lower noise, which creates a picture closer to that of the Dish Networks 400 line resolution PPV movies. Did I say, simply the best!

I tried the ET mode just for curiousity, I don't plan on ever using it since it's not a standard format that would be compatible with all S-VHS VCRs. It's much better than I thought. It truly is much better than standard VHS. I was using only standard quality Maxell tapes that have been repeatedly recorded over, and the higher quality of ET mode was great! ET mode offers higher resolution than VHS but still has more grain and noise than standard S-VHS mode.

As I said, the S-VHS mode is just awesome. Very, very low noise, no waving in the picture, very stable, very smooth and detailed picture. I simply think this is about the best that could be obtained at this price and above from competeing makers.

The editing modes for audio and video with the flying erase head makes this a VCR that could be used to make high quality dubs with editing.

The search capabilities with the jog dial and the shuttle plus on the remote are simply amazing. I have just as much search options as I do with my Panasonic DVD player, but the reverse playback is smooth!!

The only down fall is the somewhat wierd RF interference I get out of the RF output. The remedy while a bit inconvenient, is simply to set the satellite dish's RF modulator output to channel 3 and the VCR's RF modulator output to channel 4 and the interference is completely gone. This only occurs while using the VCR's tuner with the Dish Network receiver. I've read of the problem. It often said that when the modulator output is high(4700), a sensitive input(5900)could get this type of interference.

That leads to another positive. The 5900's tuner is very sensitive and boosts the raw signal quite a bit. I confirmed this using weak over the air signals. By comparison, my Panasonic VCRs don't have this much gain/sensitivity with the raw over the air signals!!

BTW, when I sub another VCR in for the Dish Network 4700 receiver, I have no problems with interference when both devices have the modulators set to the same channel. This leads me to believe the output and sensitivity compatability dilema.

As I can say, simply the best I've seen and definitely deserves the highest rating available, especially for it's cheap price. The lower performing S-VHS Panasonic was $300, with no editing and searching features!!

Simply don't understand why others claim noise. This definitely has the lowest noise output I have ever seen from a VCR, PERIOD!!

Strengths:
review for the model JVC HR-S5900

Excellent video quality in standard, ET, and S-VHS modes. Very low noise, Video calibration is very effective. Excellent search speeds comparable to the search functions of a DVD player. Very easy and fast setup of the programmed timer. And on and on...

Weaknesses:
review for the model JVC HR-S5900

Some problems with perhaps an over sensitive RF modulator output. When using the tuner with my JVC Dish Network 4700 receiver, I get scrolling interference lines when the VCR and the 4700 'both' have the modulator switches to the same channel(ex. channel 3 on the 4700 and channel 3 on the 5900). Once I switch where the modulators are on differing channels the interference goes away. This is annoying because tv channels must be switched when the vcr is turned on or off.

Similar Products Used:
Panasonic PV-S9670, Panasonic PV-9451, Broksonic, Maganavox/Philips, and Sony

Price Paid:  $170.00 from Crutchfield

Summary:
Had lots of Noise in picture in playback using SVHS Tapes in SVHS Mode & using Extra High Grade VHS Tapes in S-ET Mode. My NON HI-FI Regular 4-HEAD "DAEWOO" Blows this JVC 4800 right out of the water in Picture Quality!!! I tried everything in troubleshooting (ie. different cables, different tapes, different video sources, etc.) I got my JVC 4800 Today & am sending it back TODAY! Do not purchase this piece of Crap!!!

Strengths:
NONE!

Weaknesses:
POOR Playback Picture Quality!