Panasonic PV-V4612 VHS VCR
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- VCR Type: VHS
- Number of Video Heads: 4
- Audio: Hi-Fi Stereo
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A very good VCR at a low price
Pros
Feature-rich for price. Smart commercial skip and movie advance features work well.
Cons
Noisy when rewinding, remote needs improvement, rejects some tapes, lasted only 2 years.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
This is a nice VCR for time-shifters, although the fact that mine only lasted two years causes some concern.
I'll start out with my impressions of this VCR, which are generally positive. For a quick-reference of my rants and raves, jump to the end.
I began shopping for a new Hi-Fi Stereo VCR when my old VCR, a mono Zenith model, began eating tapes. The Sony SLV-N88 was actually my first choice because it was consistently at the top of all the reviews I read of Hi-Fi VCRs in this class. In retrospect, I don't understand why. After two out-of-box failures (also noting that my other Sony components have been disappointing with regard to reliability), I gave up on the Sony SLV-N88 and bought the Panasonic PV-V4612S (same as the PV-V4612, but in silver instead of black), which was second-best in the reviews I found.
Basic setup of this model is a snap. You plug it in (the manual tells you how, although the connections are no different than for any other cable-ready VCR) and turn it on. You are prompted through a couple of single-entry menu screens, during which the VCR automatically finds a time signal (my guess is it prompts you to set the clock manually if it doesn't find a suitable PBS station), finds all available channels on your antenna, cable or dish system, and you're ready to go.
Things are a little more complicated than they should be if you want to use VCRPlus. You have to map the channels manually; there's no facility to do it automatically or over the phone. The on-screen menus will leave you scratching your head trying to figure out which column corresponds to the channel guide channel and which corresponds to the VCRPlus channel in your program guide, although one can figure it out with a little experimentation. But the worst part of the process is actually creating the map. This VCR does not allow you to key in the channels using the number pad; you must use the arrow keys, represented by the tape travel buttons, to thumb up or down through the channels until you find the right one for each VCRPlus channel you wish to use.
While this may sound like an inauspicious start, remember that setup is a pain you endure occasionally, such as when you first set up your VCR, when you change cable systems or when the VCR loses power for more than about 10 minutes. Day-to-day use of this VCR is much more pleasant!
Basic operation of this VCR can be handled either with the remote or the console buttons (but bear in mind that as with most VCRs these days, the controls on the console are very basic). The basic controls on the remote are big and logically arranged, except for the pause button, which is small and annoyingly placed in a section of identical-sized buttons. As with most hi-fi VCRs, sound quality is superb at all speeds. Picture quality, predictably, is best at SP and worst at SLP, but even its worst picture is better than what my old VCR (which was just a few years old) could muster and quite pleasing to my eye. It does have some problems playing some tapes made with my old Zenith VCR, but I suspect the problem may have been with my old VCR. Tapes made with my first VCR, a Sharp model purchased in 1981 that I used from 1990 through 1998 or so, look very clear on my Panasonic.
The Commercial Skip feature is the most innovative part of this VCR. Unlike most VCRs with a similar feature, a commercial skip timer, Commercial Skip on this VCR is not a timed feature. Rather, it works via a patented process of marking the tape where the commercials begin and end, and the VCR uses these marks to automatically skip commercials during playback. When the feature works at all - and it works about 75% of the time - it almost always works flawlessly. I've taped a couple of movies that flummoxed this feature, but for occasions like this, it's easy enough to rewind the tape and/or disable commercial skip. Be aware, though, that the commercial skip marking process requires 5-20 minutes of processing after a recording is completed; this may be a problem when recording programs on different stations back-to-back. I don't know for certain because I haven't had this situation come up yet.
A number of reviewers have complained that this VCR is noisy. It is noisy when rewinding, fast-forwarding and when marking commercials, but I have not noticed this to be a problem when playing tapes at any speed. It tend to keep my TV volume turned low, so I would notice if the VCR were especially noisy during playback.
The manual, as well as other reviewers, indicate that mono-recorded tapes may sound quieter than stereo-recorded tapes. Alas, this is true, but it's not as bad as it seems. The sound is definitely quieter, but the sound quality doesn't suffer too much; you just have to turn the volume up.
Between commercial skip and ease of programming, this VCR is a time-shifter's dream. Programming is especially simple if you use VCRPlus, but it's nearly as easy to set the programs manually. One-touch record works well.
The single most irksome thing about this VCR is that it rejects some of my tapes. Most load with no problems, but others - often the exact same brand and model as tapes that work fine - get spat right back out. In most cases, I can eventually get the VCR to accept the tape and play it, but a few simply won't load no matter what I do. Who knows, maybe the doors fall a millimeter or two short of opening all the way, or there's a piece of plastic molding flash hiding somewhere. Given how little tapes cost these days, I can't imagine that the quality control on them is all that high. But it would be nice if this VCR were more forgiving. I've never had this sort of problem with a VCR before.
This VCR has front-mounted line-in jacks, a boon to those of us who need to dub camcorder tapes. The process is simple enough: just plug your camcorder in using the cables it came with, change the VCR channel to Line2, and dub away. The VCR automatically adjusts the recording method if you have a monaural camcorder.
Overall, while I clearly have some quibbles with the design of this VCR, I'm quite happy with it and highly recommend it to anybody, particularly those who like to time-shift their programs and/or dub camcorder tapes.
The rest of this review is a summary of what I like and don't like about this VCR, for your convenience.
What I like:
- Easy basic setup
- Picture and sound quality
- Basic controls
- Fully automatic commercial skip
- Easy camcorder dubbing via front-mounted jacks
What I don't like:
- VCRPlus setup - tedious and unnecessarily complex
- The placement of some buttons on the remote - pause, commercial/movie skip, record, channel changing, volume/tracking
- The marking process for the commercial skip feature - takes an extra 5-20 minutes at the end of a program, depending on the program length
- Noise during rewinding, fast-forwarding and commercial skip marking
- Rejects some tapes
- Requires a separate piece of hardware for built-in VCRPlus to control your cable box - Panasonic should at least disclose that on the outside of the package if they aren't going to include that part.
*** 12/6/2004 Update ***
I no longer have my Panasonic PV-V4612 VCR; it lasted about 2 years. Towards the end of that time, it began rejecting more and more tapes, including brand new ones, both blank and pre-recorded, fresh out their wrapping, and also tapes I'd had for some time that had never been problematic before. Some of the most frequently used remote control buttons started getting flaky, and, it turns out, the recordings made within the last few months of that VCR's life didn't play back well in other VCRs. I am not changing my overall recommendation of this VCR, but in light of the short life span, I am qualifying it somewhat.
I began shopping for a new Hi-Fi Stereo VCR when my old VCR, a mono Zenith model, began eating tapes. The Sony SLV-N88 was actually my first choice because it was consistently at the top of all the reviews I read of Hi-Fi VCRs in this class. In retrospect, I don't understand why. After two out-of-box failures (also noting that my other Sony components have been disappointing with regard to reliability), I gave up on the Sony SLV-N88 and bought the Panasonic PV-V4612S (same as the PV-V4612, but in silver instead of black), which was second-best in the reviews I found.
Basic setup of this model is a snap. You plug it in (the manual tells you how, although the connections are no different than for any other cable-ready VCR) and turn it on. You are prompted through a couple of single-entry menu screens, during which the VCR automatically finds a time signal (my guess is it prompts you to set the clock manually if it doesn't find a suitable PBS station), finds all available channels on your antenna, cable or dish system, and you're ready to go.
Things are a little more complicated than they should be if you want to use VCRPlus. You have to map the channels manually; there's no facility to do it automatically or over the phone. The on-screen menus will leave you scratching your head trying to figure out which column corresponds to the channel guide channel and which corresponds to the VCRPlus channel in your program guide, although one can figure it out with a little experimentation. But the worst part of the process is actually creating the map. This VCR does not allow you to key in the channels using the number pad; you must use the arrow keys, represented by the tape travel buttons, to thumb up or down through the channels until you find the right one for each VCRPlus channel you wish to use.
While this may sound like an inauspicious start, remember that setup is a pain you endure occasionally, such as when you first set up your VCR, when you change cable systems or when the VCR loses power for more than about 10 minutes. Day-to-day use of this VCR is much more pleasant!
Basic operation of this VCR can be handled either with the remote or the console buttons (but bear in mind that as with most VCRs these days, the controls on the console are very basic). The basic controls on the remote are big and logically arranged, except for the pause button, which is small and annoyingly placed in a section of identical-sized buttons. As with most hi-fi VCRs, sound quality is superb at all speeds. Picture quality, predictably, is best at SP and worst at SLP, but even its worst picture is better than what my old VCR (which was just a few years old) could muster and quite pleasing to my eye. It does have some problems playing some tapes made with my old Zenith VCR, but I suspect the problem may have been with my old VCR. Tapes made with my first VCR, a Sharp model purchased in 1981 that I used from 1990 through 1998 or so, look very clear on my Panasonic.
The Commercial Skip feature is the most innovative part of this VCR. Unlike most VCRs with a similar feature, a commercial skip timer, Commercial Skip on this VCR is not a timed feature. Rather, it works via a patented process of marking the tape where the commercials begin and end, and the VCR uses these marks to automatically skip commercials during playback. When the feature works at all - and it works about 75% of the time - it almost always works flawlessly. I've taped a couple of movies that flummoxed this feature, but for occasions like this, it's easy enough to rewind the tape and/or disable commercial skip. Be aware, though, that the commercial skip marking process requires 5-20 minutes of processing after a recording is completed; this may be a problem when recording programs on different stations back-to-back. I don't know for certain because I haven't had this situation come up yet.
A number of reviewers have complained that this VCR is noisy. It is noisy when rewinding, fast-forwarding and when marking commercials, but I have not noticed this to be a problem when playing tapes at any speed. It tend to keep my TV volume turned low, so I would notice if the VCR were especially noisy during playback.
The manual, as well as other reviewers, indicate that mono-recorded tapes may sound quieter than stereo-recorded tapes. Alas, this is true, but it's not as bad as it seems. The sound is definitely quieter, but the sound quality doesn't suffer too much; you just have to turn the volume up.
Between commercial skip and ease of programming, this VCR is a time-shifter's dream. Programming is especially simple if you use VCRPlus, but it's nearly as easy to set the programs manually. One-touch record works well.
The single most irksome thing about this VCR is that it rejects some of my tapes. Most load with no problems, but others - often the exact same brand and model as tapes that work fine - get spat right back out. In most cases, I can eventually get the VCR to accept the tape and play it, but a few simply won't load no matter what I do. Who knows, maybe the doors fall a millimeter or two short of opening all the way, or there's a piece of plastic molding flash hiding somewhere. Given how little tapes cost these days, I can't imagine that the quality control on them is all that high. But it would be nice if this VCR were more forgiving. I've never had this sort of problem with a VCR before.
This VCR has front-mounted line-in jacks, a boon to those of us who need to dub camcorder tapes. The process is simple enough: just plug your camcorder in using the cables it came with, change the VCR channel to Line2, and dub away. The VCR automatically adjusts the recording method if you have a monaural camcorder.
Overall, while I clearly have some quibbles with the design of this VCR, I'm quite happy with it and highly recommend it to anybody, particularly those who like to time-shift their programs and/or dub camcorder tapes.
The rest of this review is a summary of what I like and don't like about this VCR, for your convenience.
What I like:
- Easy basic setup
- Picture and sound quality
- Basic controls
- Fully automatic commercial skip
- Easy camcorder dubbing via front-mounted jacks
What I don't like:
- VCRPlus setup - tedious and unnecessarily complex
- The placement of some buttons on the remote - pause, commercial/movie skip, record, channel changing, volume/tracking
- The marking process for the commercial skip feature - takes an extra 5-20 minutes at the end of a program, depending on the program length
- Noise during rewinding, fast-forwarding and commercial skip marking
- Rejects some tapes
- Requires a separate piece of hardware for built-in VCRPlus to control your cable box - Panasonic should at least disclose that on the outside of the package if they aren't going to include that part.
*** 12/6/2004 Update ***
I no longer have my Panasonic PV-V4612 VCR; it lasted about 2 years. Towards the end of that time, it began rejecting more and more tapes, including brand new ones, both blank and pre-recorded, fresh out their wrapping, and also tapes I'd had for some time that had never been problematic before. Some of the most frequently used remote control buttons started getting flaky, and, it turns out, the recordings made within the last few months of that VCR's life didn't play back well in other VCRs. I am not changing my overall recommendation of this VCR, but in light of the short life span, I am qualifying it somewhat.
