dvdhuds

Hey all. My VCR just gave out after 10 years. With prices being so low, I'm just going to run out this afternoon and get a new one. I don't want to spend over $150 and noticed that Sony and Panasonic are both rated highly by Consumer Reports.

Do I go with the Panasonic PW4621 or the Sony SLVN71? They are both in the $120 range and I just wanted to get some feedback if I could.

Oh, the unit will primarily be used by my wife to tape Soap Operas.

Thanks.

shadowhawk2020

Whats a V.C.R.? you must be communist.

jumbojp

I would get the Panasonic, I don't like Sony they break!

GMLSKIS

I have both brands and they are very comparible.

X

My 5.5 year old high-end Sony, used every day, would disagree with that statement.

BEC

At $150 you could get an entry level s-vhs vcr:
JVC 3800 (maybe a 4800). Panasonic or Phillips
have similar models.

A trade off between better quality recording vs
more user friendliness (VCR+, commercial skip,
fancy icons/graphics ....). BTW, the "commerical pass"
on the Sony 71 seems to be relabeled FF.
It doesn't skip 30 sec or look for commercial flags.

Depends what's more important to you.

jumbojp

The 2 Sony's I tried a few years back, which both broke only weeks after buying them, would agree with my statement.

I ended up getting a Toshiba 6 head VCR and it has worked flawlessly

X

Well, then you had the ideal situation which sometimes does happen with electronics. Occasionally they go bad quickly, maybe yours was from a bad batch or a bad design. If they're going to go bad, fast is good so you can return them. What I hate is their lasting a year or two and then dying. I had that with a high-end JVC which lasted a few years and then the head wore out. A replacement cost almost as much as a new VCR. So I got the Sony SLV-R1000 which has been great! But I guess everyone has different experiences.