Price Paid:  $120.00 from fred meyer

Summary:
fu-ck this thing man

Strengths:
worked altight for a year

Weaknesses:
now has NO picture. only audio. also has a slicht cracle in the audio

Similar Products Used:
sony, magnavox

Price Paid:  $99.00 from Best Buy

Summary:
I like the fact that the price point has been driven down
by the advent and subsequent extreme popularity of DVD, but
I believe that the overall quality has been greatly reduced
at the same time. These things can only go down in price
so far. I believe even the "sure bet" manufacturers like
Sony, Panasonic, Toshiba, etc. have had to drastically cut
corners in terms of materials and part quality (video heads?) in order to remain competative. My initial reaction to the Video quality of this Player was very positive, but within about 6 months (I've owned the Panasonic slightly longer than a year), there was very noticeable picture degradation. Lots of snow and fuzzies, and also, a very disturbing bright spot that runs across the top of my TV screen has developed, which cannot be adjusted out with the tracking adjustment. I've had the unit's head cleaned to no avail. I can only assume this is head wear that I'm seeing. I do play movies alot (2-3 per week), but I used my old Mitsubishi with the same frequency. Fifteen years old, and it still plays perfectly!

I'm thrilled by the $99 price I paid for the Panasonic, but
compared to the Mitsubishi (paid $450), I'd have to say
fifteen very serviceable years @ $450 is a much better value
than $99 for only one good year of service. I'm guessing
I'm going to probably experience the same thing with other
brands at that price point, as well.

Strengths:
Very good audio. Rewind speed very good.

Weaknesses:
Picture quality is not on par with my 15 year old, 2-head
Mitsubishi. I like the lighted buttons, but other than that
Not much more to rave about. It's Hard to handle, very
weird shape (doesn't fit in a human hand very well).

Similar Products Used:
Mitsubishi 2-head (first VCR purchase, 1985).

Price Paid:  $129.00 from Fry's

Summary:
For the price I paid for this unit, I couldn't go wrong. With 5 Hi-Fi VCR's at my home, we are always watching or taping. This VCR has proven it's self as a durable machine that is used on a daily basis. This machine tapes at least 2 events a day. Although the record quality is not as good as my Zenith (goldstar) VCR, it's quality is better than than the Akai that I own. All in all, a great buy for the price. 5 stars for value, 4 stars because of the recording quality.

Strengths:
price, features, ff & rw speed, playback quality

Weaknesses:
records "grainy" all speeds

Similar Products Used:
Zenith,Panasonic,Akai,Technics

Price Paid:  $130.00 from Circuit City

Summary:
So far, no quality control problems. Happy with the purchase.

Strengths:
Very good video and audio. Consumer Reports ranked Panasonic as having the best reliability record. Easy hook-up. Excellent owners manual.

Weaknesses:
Louder than normal drive motor. Panasonic says this is normal.

Summary:
I hate this thing. If I want to know the tape position I have to put it up on the screen.
The colors are off if I go from the cable to the VCR to the TV. If I go through the RCA connectors color is OK.
If I want to skip over a commercial and I overshoot and back up there is such a lag in the mechanism that I can never start playing the tape where I want to.
And I don't like the remote it's too hard to find the buttons in the dark, and it's not very ergonomic.
I like the JVC much better.
Just my honest opinion.

Strengths:
It works.

Weaknesses:
No display on the front of the unit for tape position.

Similar Products Used:
JVC,SONY