Panasonic PV-V4621 VHS VCR
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- VCR Type: VHS
- Number of Video Heads: 4
- Audio: Hi-Fi Stereo
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A Sub-par VCR
Pros
Good tracking performance, limited control of satellite receiver
Cons
Grainy, poor picture on playback
Recommended it?
No
The Bottom Line:
If you are looking for a fine picture on playback, look elsewhere.
I really didn't want to buy a new VCR. But tapes recorded on my old Hitachi did not play on my Sony SLV-N71 and vice-versa. So my purchase was an attempt to find a VCR that would be compatible with either one of the VCRs I previously owned. In that one respect, the PV-V4621 was a rousing success. But in picture quality, it was an incredible disappointment.
Tracking:
The PV-V4621 tracking controls on the remote worked quite well. Whether the program on tape was previously recorded on my Sony or my Hitachi, the tracking adjustment on the PV-V4621 allowed the tape to be played. For some reason, some tapes recorded on the Hitachi appeared almost letter-boxed on the PV-V4621, but the picture was stable and viewable.
Picture Quality:
Despite my joy at having solved the tracking problem, this machine goes back to the store today. My wife and I immediately noticed that the picture on playback was grainy. I tried to localize the problem. Testing by playing previously recorded tapes and by making a fresh recording from my satellite dish indicated that the problem was not on record, but on playback. That is, programs recorded on the PV-V4621, played back with excellent clarity on the Sony SLV-N71, but these same programs played back with mediocre quality on the PV-V4621. The picture was comparable to that obtained by older two head VCRs. Recording speed used for this "test" was EP. In light of the glowing reports given by two other reviewers here, I may have just gotten a bad product, but I'm not going to bring another one of these home from the store to find out.
Satellite Control:
The remote did control my RCA satellite receiver. However, "control" here means change channels only. None of the other satellite functions (such as recalling the program guide, information, or any other menu)could be controlled via the remote. This is not unusual for a universal remote, but it was somewhat disappointing. On the plus side, the remote is indeed universal, allowing you to control the VCR, a TV and the satellite receiver.
Physical features:
Because of the poor picture quality, I never completely set up this VCR. However, the front panel controls were easy to use, and rewind/fast forward speed was quite fast. The box is a nice silver shade, but so light-weight if feels like it will fall apart if you don't treat it with great care. The remote has small buttons. The record button is especially small and square shaped, instead of circular, to help prevent the user from accidentally initiating record.
Tracking:
The PV-V4621 tracking controls on the remote worked quite well. Whether the program on tape was previously recorded on my Sony or my Hitachi, the tracking adjustment on the PV-V4621 allowed the tape to be played. For some reason, some tapes recorded on the Hitachi appeared almost letter-boxed on the PV-V4621, but the picture was stable and viewable.
Picture Quality:
Despite my joy at having solved the tracking problem, this machine goes back to the store today. My wife and I immediately noticed that the picture on playback was grainy. I tried to localize the problem. Testing by playing previously recorded tapes and by making a fresh recording from my satellite dish indicated that the problem was not on record, but on playback. That is, programs recorded on the PV-V4621, played back with excellent clarity on the Sony SLV-N71, but these same programs played back with mediocre quality on the PV-V4621. The picture was comparable to that obtained by older two head VCRs. Recording speed used for this "test" was EP. In light of the glowing reports given by two other reviewers here, I may have just gotten a bad product, but I'm not going to bring another one of these home from the store to find out.
Satellite Control:
The remote did control my RCA satellite receiver. However, "control" here means change channels only. None of the other satellite functions (such as recalling the program guide, information, or any other menu)could be controlled via the remote. This is not unusual for a universal remote, but it was somewhat disappointing. On the plus side, the remote is indeed universal, allowing you to control the VCR, a TV and the satellite receiver.
Physical features:
Because of the poor picture quality, I never completely set up this VCR. However, the front panel controls were easy to use, and rewind/fast forward speed was quite fast. The box is a nice silver shade, but so light-weight if feels like it will fall apart if you don't treat it with great care. The remote has small buttons. The record button is especially small and square shaped, instead of circular, to help prevent the user from accidentally initiating record.
