1984 Panasonic Hi-fi 4 head VCR I might possibly pick up

[Captainclock]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

If that's all that was wrong with it, it seems to be an OK deal. It definately is a higher end model.

I thought so to because its a pretty solid unit and it was working 90% already besides the idler tire and the one belt I had to replace. It definitely gives off that "1980's movie vibe" when you play a movie on it, but of course I'm using it with a flatpanel TV so the picture isn't going to look the greatest on it being that you're playing an analog video source on a digital TV.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by Captainclock

I thought so to because its a pretty solid unit and it was working 90% already besides the idler tire and the one belt I had to replace. It definitely gives off that "1980's movie vibe" when you play a movie on it, but of course I'm using it with a flatpanel TV so the picture isn't going to look the greatest on it being that you're playing an analog video source on a digital TV.

Get yourself a good 27" Sony Trinitron Wega and forget about that flatpanel rubbish. Those newer sets, just don't do the vintage equipment justice. The pictures are too "grainy" AFAIC.

[Captainclock]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

Get yourself a good 27" Sony Trinitron Wega and forget about that flatpanel rubbish. Those newer sets, just don't do the vintage equipment justice. The pictures are too "grainy" AFAIC.

I actually do have a 27" Sony Trinitron in my basement that's from 2000. And it works quite well considering where I got it from.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by Captainclock

I actually do have a 27" Sony Trinitron in my basement that's from 2000. And it works quite well considering where I got it from.

I still marvel at the picture quality of the Sony's.
I always wonder, just what makes them so damned heavy.

[centralradio]

I have that model somewhere here.I love those Panasonic VCRs.I agree with dieseljeep.Use the older CRT monitor sets for VCR repair or watching.Any 1970's to 1990's CRT sets will work great for the job.

Those linear stereo VCRs were OK if you record at SP but if you record in SLP/EP .They sound like AM radio or a crappy online webstream.

The HiFi stereo units started coming out around the same time so I picked up the Panasonic PV-9600 HiFi portable then and the NEC HIFi tabletop VCR 8 months later..

[Captainclock]

Originally Posted by centralradio

I have that model somewhere here.I love those Panasonic VCRs.I agree with dieseljeep.Use the older CRT monitor sets for VCR repair or watching.Any 1970's to 1990's CRT sets will work great for the job.

Those linear stereo VCRs were OK if you record at SP but if you record in SLP/EP .They sound like AM radio or a crappy online webstream.

The HiFi stereo units started coming out around the same time so I picked up the Panasonic PV-9600 HiFi portable then and the NEC HIFi tabletop VCR 8 months later..

I do have one Hi-Fi Stereo VCR in my Collection a Sony Prosumer Grade unit from about 1990 a model SLV-575UC which does work quite nicely yet considering it was a goodwill find, it even came with its original remote.
The rest of my VCRs are mono units besides this linear stereo unit, which has pretty nice sound for what it is when you playback a prerecorded tape.
I mostly just use my VCRs for playing prerecorded tapes only because I have no way to record anymore, so even a linear stereo unit is just fine for what I need.

[Captainclock]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

I still marvel at the picture quality of the Sony's.
I always wonder, just what makes them so damned heavy.

I heard that what makes the Sony's so heavy is their shadow masks because they're designed quite large compared to a normal TV. And what's funny is that when I first found my Trinitron I thought it was a 19" at first but it turned out to be a 27" once I got it home and got to looking at the model number.