[Jeffhs]

My Panasonic PV-4022 VCR (bought new in 1989) works perfectly with both my CRT TVs and my flat screen. No problems with picture bending.

One thing I thought of while reading the posts in this thread is the tracking adjustment on the VCR. If the tracking is off, the picture will bend. Newer VCRs have automatic digital tracking (with manual control if the digital tracking doesn't cure the bending), but older machines have a knob or a thumbwheel on the front panel labeled "tracking" that will allow the user to compensate for differences in tapes or VCRs; this is useful if you are watching a tape on your VCR that was originally recorded on another machine.

BTW: Since getting a DVD player I do not use my VCR much anymore either; I only use it occasionally to watch tapes of old TV shows and movies. (I don't record off-the-air anymore either; in fact, there is no antenna or cable connected to the VCR at this time.) My Panasonic VCR has never given me five minutes worth of trouble in the ten-plus years I've owned it, and before I got my first DVD player in 2005 I used the VCR quite a bit. But the DVD era changed all that, so when I got my first DVD player (a CyberHome CH-DVD300) the VCR quickly took a back seat to it, and is hardly used at all these days except for the purpose I mentioned earlier.