Commercial advance: skips commercials on playback with a pleasing blue-screen option.
User-friendly remote.
User-friendly Index: press Index and "9" to move to the next recorded program, handy if you do not like the program you taped. Or similarly, rewind to the beginning of this program. You then have 15 seconds of play to decide if you want to view this program (press PLAY) or go to the next one.
It is easy to reset the counter to zero occasionally. If you should be interrupted (or fall asleep), the tape rewinds to this point when it reaches the end, and you can continue where you left off.
VCR Plus sets the channels automatically. Other VCR's with VCR Plus require laborious manual entry of channels, and you lose them if the power is out for more than a few minutes, so you have to reset the whole thing again.
Another handy feature is, that you can rewind the tape and turn the power off while it rewinds. It will finish the rewind, then turn itself off.

Unfortunately, after a few years, the commercial advance recording function stopped working, and an electronics shop was unable to fix it.
However, I liked this VCR so much, that I used another(Panasonic) VCR to record the programs, and use the Hitachi for playback.
In the last year or so, the unit has been acting up. It will turn itself off periodically and no amount of button-pressing will make it go again. It turns off as soon as you turn it on.
Sometimes it feels better after some time or the next day and works for a time.
Lately, the display light is OFF when the unit is ON, and lights a standby light when the unit is OFF. Again, shops cannot get it to malfunction, therefore cannot fix it.
I fear it is close to death, and I am sorry to have to part with it.
I cannot remember how long I have had it, but it may well be 12 years or more.

I have had this VCR for MANY years, and used it till it died recently.
I find it superior to others with VCR plus and commercial advance: Panasonic, Go Video.
I am far from sure about the purchase price and the year of purchase, only that it was a long time ago.

Similar Products Used:

Panasonic PV-V4621-K
Go Video 3110 (or 3120)

Good while it lasted, great commercial skip

Sick of most all products being designed as throw away in a shorter and shorter time

Had this unit for a few years and the tape transfer part broke.