Price Paid:  $100.00 from Best Buy

Summary:
This is a good VCR for basic usage. It has similar functions to other VCRs near its price range, such as the Sony SLV-N50. Symphonic is a brand that probably few people have heard of, but it is part of the Funai corporation, which also makes the Emerson and Sylvania brands. Its front and rear stereo AV inputs make for easy connections of video games and camcorders.

Strengths:
Its low price and features similar to other brands make it a good economical choice. The most useful are probably the auto-tracking and the speed at which it can fast-forward and rewind.

Weaknesses:
The remote is large, not backlit, and rather ungainly to use. It does not have a jog-shuttle dial on the remote. The front panel does not have an LCD display on it, so that it is impossible to see either a clock or the counter just by looking at the front of the VCR. Parents might be put off by its lack of parental controls.

Similar Products Used:
Sony SVL-N50