My first VCR was a Panasonic (PVC-1000?) purchased in the fall of 1977... I think that it was one of the first 2-4 hour models. Top loader, piano keys for operation, the only remote was a "pause " switch on a long cord. It weighed about 35-40 pounds...massive castings inside. Very solid unit!
It was almost a "bait and switch" deal...there were no "video stores" at the time, but a large department store in the area advertised a RCA 4 hour unit for $999 in the Sunday paper... When I got there, the RCA units were all gone, but they had a few of the almost identical Panasonic units left for $1095.
Many of my early tapes are still playable today, including a recording of "the Nutcracker" with Baryshnikov and Kirkland that aired just before Christmas.
On a side note, the first T-120 tapes (4 hour in LP mode) were very expensive and in very short supply, averaging about $25 per tape... Ouch!
jr