Sanyo FVH-T669S VCR

When I saw this VCR being sold on a web site for $70, I couldn't believe it: I bought one right away, and I've been enjoying it ever since. The VCR is fairly flashy for being so inexpensive. It's hi-fi (a definite must these days), four head (another must), and has many nice features such as lighted buttons, front A/V inputs, and a shuttle jog on the remote. The shuttle jog is a very nice touch, and I wish more manufacturers would put this feature into their models.

Also, if you have a digital TV service like DSS or digital cable, the VCR can pick out the show name and index it on the recording. Very sweet.

Mostly, I use the VCR to record shows that I'm not home for, and it does the job just like any VCR -- it takes some time to figure out how to program the thing, but once you do, it's easy to do over and over again. I also use it to transfer my camcorder footage onto VHS, and the front A/V inputs makes this an easy task.

A minor gripe about this VCR is its slightly slow power-up time. Every time I turn it on, there always seems to be a three second lag before the thing turns on. As I said, this is a very minor point for such a cheap VCR.

A missing feature that would make this the perfect VCR is the lack of a DSS control on it. Generally, higher end models have a built-in infrared transmitter so it can control a DSS receiver (or digital cable box) to record shows on different channels.

If you see this VCR somewhere cheap, I would highly recommend picking it up. It's a great first VCR for the money.