JVC HR-S3911 S-VHS VCR

Pros: Excellent picture and sound in S-VHS and VHS modes, features, S-Video in/out, price
Cons: Somewhat flimsy construction, weird remote control, S-VHS-ET quality not so good

The JVC HR-S3911U is an inexpensive Super VHS ET VCR in silver color. You can buy it for less than $130. The same VCR is also available in black color as JVC HR-S3901U.

Picture Quality...

Pros: Not too expensive, improved picture quality over VHS, S-Video in/out, cable box control
Cons: SVHS tapes are expensive, VCR's casing feels cheap, remote is small and crowded.

Buying a big-screen rear-projection television is certainly changer the way you perceive video sources. HDTV and DVDs look amazing, the small defects in regular broadcasts seem more apparent, and VHS recording look unbearably bad. VHS is an old...

Pros: Good picture quality when recording via the S-Video input
Cons: Poor quality

I purchased the JVC HR-S3911U 4-Head Super VHS VCR last October to be able to transfer recordings from a digital camcorder to VHS tapes for ease of use and to send out to relatives. Our son was born in December, and we wanted to share tapes of our son...

Pros: S-VHS recording quality. Nth generation deck benefits from improved feature set.
Cons: Noisy sometimes in stop mode.

I've been into S-VHS VCR's even before they were available. When the first one came out (The JVC HR-S7000U), I watched it until its initial price of $1200 began to drop and I bought it when I found it for $1000. At the time, I don't think any other S-VHS ...

Pros: S-VHS and S-VHS ET recording, inexpensive, great picture quality.
Cons: Dumb jog shuttle, plastic case, small remote.

The latest VCRs in the lower priced end of the line from JVC have a lot to be desired from a styling point of view and they lack any metal in the case. That aside this one performs well. The HRS3911U has S-VHS and S-VHS ET recording capabilities which...

Pros: Excellent picture quality, Ease of Use
Cons: User Guide

I acquired this unit about a month ago and it is definitely worth the $$. I spent all of $103 at Va ...

Pros: cheap, otherwise nil
Cons: flimsy, atrocious quality, sound pathetic, video not much better

I have been the dismayed owner of the HR-S3911U for several hours now, and I am returning it. Put simply, this is the worst piece of electronic equipment I have ever owned -- EVER.

Let's start with the case. It's made of some kind of plastic...

Pros: Cheap, small footprint, will play S-vhs tape
Cons: Recording quality just slightly above plane old VHS

Maybe I got "The bad one" of the bunch. But I suffered with poor S-vhs recordings (Until I got a Mitsubishi U778 S-VHS vcr. See review) while using exclusively S-VHS tapes at Standard Speed (SP)

Even recording source material thru the S-Video jack, recordings always lost edge and color definition. Also video noise was so bad that virtually any other plane Jane vcr made better copies.

The vcr was OK from a feature stand point, but if your looking to buy for the long haul consider the Mitsubishi u778. The mitsu has a metal case, plastic on the JVC. and the recording qualitiy of the Mitsu was broadcast quality.

If your looking cheap (vs inexpensive) the JVC is OK. If your looking for a finer piece of equipment consider the Mitsubishi u778.

Again, maybe I got the bad one but 'once bitten twice shy'