Just the thing for that old video tape collection
Written: Nov 23 '02
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Pros: Solid performer; great system for classic video tapes
Cons: Feels cheap; no RCA cord included; what instructions?
The Bottom Line: A very reliable VCR offering good picture and sound quality.
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| HawgWyld's Full Review: Emerson EWV601 S-VHS VCR |
While a good surround system and a set of wonderful DVDs are wonderful things, a heck of a lot of us still have a ton of video tapes. Since there's no way I'm going to replace every stinking one of them on DVD, a decent VCR is a necessity around my place.
So, after determining that the old mono VCR wouldn't cut it anymore, I decided to go out and get a cheapo stereo VCR to plug in to my surround sound system and continue viewing some of those fine old video tapes I've got thrown all over the house. This Emerson model -- which set me back about $55 -- is absolutely perfect for my purposes. I've had it a couple of months now, and have been pleased with it.
Now, the two biggest questions about any VCR are how well does it play tapes and how good does it sound. This Emerson unit plays very well, thanks to the four-head set up. How well does it play? I've got a cheap, nasty video tape featuring the famed Rutles around here, and it handles that horrible thing with ease. The tape is over 10 years old, was recorded at the slowest (i.e., worst) setting and plays like a charm in the Emerson. The same is true of tapes I've recorded off television with either this VCR or one of my older ones. The automatic tracking function is good and solid, and dials in a stable picture most of the time (it has a bit of trouble with either very poor or very old recordings).
As for sound, the Emerson works as you might suspect -- good stereo response on, err, stereo recordings, mono on everything else. Since the signal is processed through my surround sound system, I'm not sure how this would sound just going out "raw" to a television set. While the sound of this thing will never touch what a DVD player will offer you (of course!), it's very good for a VCR.
And, fortunately, it's quite easy to set up and use. Just plug it in, let it auto search for channels, set the clock through an easy-to-navigate menu, and you're ready to go. Figuring out how to program the thing, thanks to the aforementioned menu, is also a snap.
Now, here's a bit of a drawback. The instructions for this thing consist of one whole sheet of paper with a quick-start guide on one side of it. It's easy enough to use so that wasn't a problem, but I like to see at least some documentation.
Another drawback is the VCR just feels flimsy. It's made out of thin, brittle plastic that feels like it might snap under the weight of a poodle. The case hasn't been a problem, but it just feels rather cheap. I don't care for that as I remember back in the old days when a VCR felt solid enough to be used as a foot stool.
Another drawback here is the lack of the necessary stereo RCA cord. Sure, you've got a cord to connect the VCR through a coaxial port, but the solid connection offered through an RCA cord is much better. Hell, RCA ports are pretty well standard anymore, so there's no excuse for not including one with the VCR. Still, I guess I can't complain too much about that -- the VCR was dirt cheap, and I always seem to have a set of RCA cords around somewhere.
All in all, this is a reliable unit for a great price. You don't get the rather idiotic Super VHS playback feature in this thing, but that's probably not necessary, anyway. A cheap VCR that serves me well? That's good enough for me.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 55
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Epinions.com ID:
HawgWyld
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Member: Ethan C. Nobles
Location: Benton, Ark.
Reviews written: 1438
Trusted by: 495 members
About Me:
The oxen are slow, but the earth is patient.
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