Customer Reviews

Panasonic PV-V4520 4-Head Hi-Fi VCR

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a very solid VCR. It does a good job at recording as well as playback. Programming is very, very easy--I didn't even need the manual to figure it out, there are on screen directions which are real easy to follow. The only weak part of this unit is the remote. The channel and volume buttons are really small, so it is a little difficult to use at first, especially in the dark. This isn't a real big deal to me, but it would be nice if these buttons were bigger. It is also nice that you can use all the functions of the VCR without the remote, which is nice for those of use who have the tendency to lose the remote.

I've owned 6 Panasonic VCRs, each one better than its predecessor. I am not sure that the same holds for this one, though the price is certainly too good to pass on.

If you've owned a Panasonic VCR before then you expect reliability and ease of use. This unit delivers on that...while including 4 heads, commercial skip, a lighted remote (finally!), and the entire bevy of features now standard on every VCR.

The real negative is that it is much noiser than the model it replaces; particularly when it is rewinding. We are talking a good bit noise, enough that it makes me want to turn up the TV volume while it is rewinding.

I actually went out and purchased a JVC VCR to consider as an alternative, but returned that one and kept the Panasonic becaese the JVC was way too confusing to program.

So why did I keep this one? It is very inexpensive, I like the features, and I can live with the added noise. I think this one is a keeper unless the noise will drive you crazy.

I consider myself to be a video junkie and consider the ownership of a good VCR a sacred thing. My 9 year old Mitsubishi which I loved and cherished for being an excellent VCR for so long started to die so this is why I went shopping for the best VCR under $140.00 US. I initially purchased the Sony SLV-N50 and returned it, then moved on to trying an Hitachi VT-FX6510A both of which are in the same price range of the Panasonic. I have since returned the Hitachi and have found a new love with this Panasonic PV-V4520. It's not the top of the line but it sure beats the other 2 I tried first and foremost in recorded picture quality. The PV-V4520 is comparable to the Sony SLV-N50 when you record in SP, but the PV-V4520 kills the Sony SLV-N50 when recording in EP/SLP. The Sony SLV-N50 fell apart in EP mode where the EP of the PV-V4520 was amazing! The Sony SLV-N50 also falls short on features when compared to the PV-V4520. The PV-V4520 offers VCR+, and the ever crucial Index Search function which the Sony does not. You need to upgrade to the Sony SLV-N70 to get that feature. The Hitachi VT-FX6510A has pretty much the same features but also does not compare with the PV-V4520 when recording in SP or EP. The Hitachi has the worst recording quality of the 3 in all speeds.

The PV-V4520 offers a rare LP record speed and that is nice when you want to tape up a 3.5 hour movie on 1 tape with the Panasonic's excellent picture quality in LP... It's worth every dime and then some. The PV-V4520 is made in Japan making it even more attractive to buy because you know it will last longer than one that is not.

On a last note, the Sony SLV-N50 and the Hitachi VT-FX6510 both come equipped with the so-called 19 micro head technology to give better recording and playback in EP. After seeing the PV-V4520 record and playback BETTER than the others you tend to wonder if this micron head business is a marketing stunt and nothing more.

What more can I say, Panasonic has the quality in sound, picture and the best reliability in the business. So the choice should be easy for you!

PS: I don't work for Panasonic and this is my first Panasonic piece of equipment.

This is a solid performer. Its features are very average for this generation of VCR. However, it is a joy to operate. I loved the remote(although it did take some getting used to). The major drawback is the lack of 19-micron heads(also called enhanced EP). 19-micron heads improve EP record and playback. It is rare to find a unit in this price range without them. If you do a lot of EP stuff, find a unit with 19-micron heads. Otherwise, this is a fine mid-range unit

This is basically a good VCR for general recording and play back and offers some nice features: a remote that can be VERY easily programmed to control your TV and cable converters channel and volume functions; easy switching to SAP (Spanish), stereo or mono; fairly good slow motion for frame to frame viewing; a commercial skip function to fast forward thru your tape 60 seconds at a time (not 30 seconds like one review states); easy on screen programming and setup; a cool indexing and searching feature to help scan the tapes in your library once marked; and if your cable service supports it, the VCR can automatically program all the channels and time/date with a couple of button pushes.

However the unit isn't perfect. Although the remote will back light some keys it only does the biggest, easiest ones to figure out in the dark (play, stop, rew, ff, vcr, tv, dss cable) and ignores the rest. The manual for this VCR is somewhat poorly written and should be read at least once before plugging in the unit to avoid any problems. The layout for the buttons on the remote can be annoying especially having the record and tape speed buttons right next to the channel up and down buttons. The unit also only displays the tape counter on your television screen and not on the unit itself. When forwarding through a tape looking for a specific time, the counter disappears making it difficult know exact where you are on the tape, until you return to play mode or stop the tape. The plug was also shorter then my old unit by about two feet, requiring an extension cord to reach the outlet in the location the unit was being used.

I have to agree with the other comments here. What good is a VCR if the sound it makes whenever a tape is in motion (playing, rewinding, or forwarding) interferes with the sound coming from your TV? Plug in this VCR, and you'll suddenly feel like you're living under humming phone wires.

The quality of the recording is wonderful and it runs quietly. To dub from another deck, you'll have to purchase additional cables, but the manual is straightforward on the setup and procedure. I was impressed with the features I got for the money.

I just bought my PV-V4520,i just love it,mine is quite , sound and picture are very good.My unit was made in Japan they are made also in another Asia Country,i suggest to get one made in Japan.I have 3 speed record and playback.I see some of the reviews say they can't record in LP mine does,get one that was made in Japan it does make a difference.No complaints here.

I purchased this VCR as a gift for my parents. They've been using it for playback and recording for almost two years now. It has had no problems and has functioned as expected.

The controls, remote, and hookups were easy to figure out, with enough -ins and -outs for the basic AV system. This VCR functions much quiter than the one it replaced.

I was lucky and was able to find this model back in Sept 2001. It's Panasonic's 2000 model year entry level VCR, and it's really reliable. Picture quality is clear & brilliant, and it plays tapes very clean. It doesn't add noise to older tapes like some other VCRs do. The only drawback is the motor noise, but once you get used to it, you don't notice it. It's compact and fits into limited spaces with ease. It's one of the last VCRs that was made in Japan by Panasonic for the 2000 model year.