| I cross posted this note in the VIDEO conference, but its kind of quiet
there, so...
I'm replacing my JVC which recently died. I guessed before I started
looking that I'd be spending around $350 for a replacement unit. I was
delighted to find that, at least in stores like Circuit City and
Lechmere, that $300-$350 is their "high-end".
I bought a Sony SLV-975HF (their newest, top-of-the-line non-S-VHS
unit), but I am not really pleased with it, so now I am thinking of
returning it and buying a Panasonic PV-S7670 S-VHS unit instead.
On the Sony, when you load a tape, even one that doesn't have the
write-protect tab in, it automatically cues up the tape. This means
that when you touch play, you get instant on. It also means that it
has the tape wrapped around the capstan and the head spinning for about
5-10 minutes (essentially in pause mode, without displaying the video),
until it decides you must not be about to watch the tape, at which time
I jump when I suddenly hear the tape unload. I can't find a way to
disable this "feature". If I want instant on, I can cue the thing
myself.
I am also not convinced that the picture quality is that great. I
re-rented a video tape several times, and it always had a color band at
the top of the screen that the VCR could not eliminate. Lots of other
"nitty" things, like the universal remote doesn't handle my RCA TV very
well, etc.
Anyway, I got a Crutchfield catalog the other day, and was delighted to
see the Panasonic PV-S7670 S-VHS VCR for only $399 (list $550). Most
of the other Super VHS models I have seen (on the web - local stores
don't seem to carry many S-VHS models) has list prices of $800 or
higher (street in my experience tends to be $75-$200 less than list).
I had written off S-VHS, but I think for $399 it might be worth it. My
question is whether or not the Panasonic unit, at half the price of its
S-VHS peers, is worth it? Panasonic has had somewhat undistinguished
products in the past, but this looks to be a reasonably good,
full-featured unit, within my price range.
Can anyone offer advice on this model, or recent Panasonic video
products in general?
jeb
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