Too Hard To Use; Took It Back To The Store
Written: Sep 16 '04
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Pros: Good picture, JVC name
Cons: Hard to use, tricky to program
The Bottom Line: Stay away from this one. If you want a JVC unit, look at one of the higher-priced units, perhaps a VCR/DVD combination.
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| truegenius's Full Review: JVC HR-J692U VHS VCR |
"The Inventor of VHS", the box read. For a VCR from JVC you'd think those words would mean something. But on the model HR-J692U they didn't. I have not had a harder-to-use VCR in many years, and I've used a lot of them.
Unorthodox Battery
The problems began as soon as I opened the box. In every single VCR remote I have used, all have taken AA batteries. This is the first remote that has used the flat, button-style CR-2016 battery. The access hatch was tricky to open and took several minutes to get inside. Not a good first impression.
Timer Must Be Explicitly Activated
One of the important things I look for in a VCR is ease of use. It took me several days to figure out that after setting a timer program, you have to change the JVC unit's settings to say "AUTO TIMER = ON". If you don't, when you shut off the unit it WILL NOT activate the timer. I missed a six-hour recording of the then-recent (at the time of this writing) U.S. Open coverage. Every VCR should automatically engage the timer when you turn it off; what's the point in not having this important feature?
I mean, could you imagine being half-asleep, trying to set the VCR for the big game or that concert you've been waiting six months for, thinking you set it correctly, and getting nothing? Don't take that chance with this VCR.
Confusing Remote & Programming
Setting a timer program was another headache. Whereas on some units, you use the VCR control buttons (FF, Rewind, Play, etc.), with this one you have to use the number keys. Example: the 1 key moves the time up and the 4 key moves it down. The longer you hold either down, the faster they go. Similar operations for the date (2 for up, 5 for down) and other stuff. It may sound simple here, but it's not simple when you do it.
Wanna check a program? You press the Check Program button that shows you all eight programs on the screen at once, but then you have to step through each individual event - makes no sense. The Check Program function is also where you can change an event, something I found strange.
[industry rant on]
Is it just me, or does anyone else wonder why, with the multi-colored video technology available, on-screen programming and dialogue screen still use blocky text with no more than three colors? I have a laptop that can produce beautiful images - heck, we have XBoxes and PS2's that have vibrant colors that could be useful for color-coding programming shows and events but they're not in use. Ridiculous, even in a low-end VCR. Get with it, guys!
[industry rant off]
Good Picture, Though
One of the few things this VCR actually has going for it is the picture, which is actually quite good. Freezing a frame is pretty decent (by VCR standards these days, anyway) although it's a bit slow to lock in, taking about three more frames before stopping. The unit also has a two-step, variable slo-mo control.
Other Features Average
As with most VCR's now, this one features 8-event programming, HI-FI sound, input and output RCA jacks, etc., etc.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 59.95
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Epinions.com ID:
truegenius
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Location: Houston, TX
Reviews written: 47
Trusted by: 5 members
About Me:
Experienced software developer, web designer and techno-gadget lover
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