After a careful evaluation of all VCR makers, the best and most-reliable 90s VCR turns out to be from Hitachi made between 1992 and 1997 (excluding Funai-made ones). It is possible that this chassis is more reliable and durable than any VCRs made in the 80s. This chassis uses zero (nada) rubber belt, but instead it uses a nylon-teeth belt that rarely or never breaks.
It is Hitachi's most reliable VCR chassis ever built (no, it is not the 6-belt chassis you really love and adore). Zero rubber belt is always better than six rubber belts plus idler tire.
The second year, 1993 models, is my most favorite and the best one here because this was Hitachi's final year putting in a linear power supply for a VCR (big, heavy transformer). Of course, a linear power supply is always better than a switching power supply.
Even the owner at Studio Sound Electronics, largest source of VCR parts, agrees with me, because he told me he rarely or never saw one coming in for service. He's the guy who can tell me which VCR chassis is good and junk, and I was surprised and amazed to hear that this is the only 90s VCR chassis he has nothing bad to say about it. He only saw the 6-belt, 1-belt, late-90s, and Funai chassis. He was surprised to see this and originally thought all Hitachi's mid-90s VCRs were made by Funai.
I attached pictures of this chassis to see what they look inside. It came from a Hitachi VT-F391A unit:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=170579153793