VCRs Reviews

Google
  Web ConsumerSearch.com   
Reviewing the Reviews Home Category Index Shop Newsletter Search About Us

VCRs Reviews

Updated January 2008

Best VCRs Reviews: (out of 7)
Amazon.com, Consumer Reports, CNet.com

Best VCRs: (out of 35)
Basic VCR: Buy by price, Sony SLV-D380P

Fast Answers - Best VCRs
Top Rated What the Research Says
•  Basic VCR: Buy by price
   (*est. $30 and up)

>> Where to buy

Basic VCR.

No major manufacturers are currently making VCRs anymore, so your choice in stores will amount mainly to inexpensive off-brand players. These are no longer reviewed. Be aware that most VCRs nowadays do not have tuners -- that's important if you get your TV from an antenna or basic cable (with no cable box), since you will not be able to record TV shows. In that case, try to find a VCR with an analog tuner. But, keep in mind that analog tuners will be useless after Feb. 2009 when all TV signals will be digital. If you get your TV from a cable box or satellite receiver, you don't have to worry about this issue. A more future-proof solution is to go with a DVD recorder/VHS combo unit, covered in our separate report on DVD recorders.
•  Sony SLV-D380P
   (*est. $100)

>> Where to buy

DVD player/VCR combo.

It's easier to find VCRs included with a DVD player in one unit. But keep in mind that these units do not usually come with a tuner -- that's fine if you get your TV from a cable box or satellite receiver, but if you get your TV from an antenna, you will not be able to record TV shows with a tunerless DVD player/VCR. (You will, however, still be able to playback your existing tapes and DVDs.) The Sony SLV-D380P gets good reviews overall. The main complaint is the lack of a tuner. A more future-proof solution to recording TV shows is to go with a DVD recorder or DVR, both covered in separate reports. (compare prices)
>>  Comparison Chart

Full Story
What the experts say, our analysis, and more...
Updated January 2008

With DVD players outselling VCRs since 2002, professional review publications have stopped rating VCRs entirely, focusing instead on DVD technology. Consumer Reports no longer tests VCRs, nor does CNet.com, PC Magazine or other electronics publications. Rather, we found the most current coverage of VCRs at Amazon.com, where users are invited to rate their players.

Only two manufacturers are currently making standalone VCRs at all: Zenith and Daewoo. If you still want a new VCR to play your collection of VHS tapes, consider a combo player that includes a DVD player and VCR in one unit. These models are covered in the ConsumerSearch report on DVD players. Also available are combination DVD/VHS recorders, which can record and playback both DVD discs and VHS tapes. Those models are covered in our report on DVD recorders .

If you still want a plain-old VCR, you don't have many choices. You can still find a few models in stores for less than $50, but few of these VCRs are reviewed. Here, you're best off buying the cheapest machine you can find.

DVD player/VCR combo decks are useful if you want the option to watch DVDs in addition to recording and playing VHS tapes. However, there's now a catch. These models no longer include tuners, so to record TV shows, you need to connect it to a cable box or satellite receiver. Recording won't work if you get your TV over an antenna, or if you have basic cable (with no cable box).

Other options for recording TVs shows are a DVR from your cable or satellite company or a DVD recorder , both covered in our other reports.  ... Continued

Consensus Report

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

# of picks Model (with retailer links)
1 each: Aiwa HV-MX100, LG LRY-517, Go-Video DVR5000, Fisher FVH-T619, JVC HR-S3600U, Samsung SV5000W, JVC HR-S9911U, JVC HR-S4600U, JVC HR-S9800U, Sony SLV-M20HF, Panasonic PV-D4762 DVD/VCR, Panasonic PV-V4624S, Sony SLV-N750

There's no longer any reviewer consensus when it comes to specific VCR models, and most are discontinued anyway. For this report, we looked for models that at least had some user feedback.

Advertisement
VCRs Reviews