Six Things to Remember when Buying a VCR

Still, while buying a VCR is no longer as expensive as it used to be, some VCRs are better than others.

Here are some things to keep in mind the next time you consider buying a VCR.

When buying a VCR, look for Super-VHS.

Super-VHS gives you great resolution when both viewing and recording. This means a clear, sharp image, and bright, “true” colors. It also means fewer annoyances, like lines, graininess, or shaky pictures.

Buy a 4-Head VCR.

When buying a VCR, make sure the one you’ve chosen has four heads, rather than just two heads. More heads mean better viewing and recording quality. Four-heads also produce a better quality picture when you freeze an image.

Buy a VCR with automatic tracking.

Sometimes, the tape you try to play in a VCR will have distortions in the picture or sound. These problems can often be fixed by adjusting the tracking. You can try to adjust the tracking manually. But buying a VCR with automatic tracking usually saves you the trouble. Automatic tracking tries to fix any tracking problems automatically.

Automatic tracking doesn’t always work so, when buying a VCR, make sure it has manual tracking, too.

Buy a VCR with an index search feature.

Buying a VCR with an index search can save you a lot of time and inconvenience.

Have you ever tried to find the beginning of a specific program or movie on a tape? Without an index searching feature, this process can involve a lot of fast forwarding and rewinding.

Buying a VCR with index searching puts an end to the headaches of manual searching. The index searching feature puts a mark on the tape every time you start recording, usually at the start of a show or movie. Then, when you’re ready to watch these programs, you just “tell” the VCR to find these index marks.

Automatic head cleaning is a handy feature.

Some VCRs automatically clean the heads of your VCR every time you insert a tape into the machine. Think about buying a VCR with automatic head cleaning if you often forget to clean the heads of your VCR, which can effect the picture and sound quality.

Do you need an automatic shut-off feature?

It’s easy to forget to turn a VCR off. If you have that problem, consider buying a VCR with an automatic shut-off feature. This will shut off the VCR when it’s been out of use for a certain period of time.

Buying a good VCR doesn’t have to mean buying an expensive VCR. As long as you know what features you want and need, you can buy an inexpensive VCR, and get more than your money’s worth.