1984 Panasonic Hi-fi 4 head VCR I might possibly pick up

[Electronic M]

Only used VCR I ever paid $20 for was a Sony SLV-R1000 S-VHS deck....A friend has one (and paid the better part of a C-note for a parts deck when the PS module burned up), and it is one of the best S-VHS decks ever made. Feeding a flatscreen with it's noise reduction/video stabliizers on it makes a decent VHS tape look like a good uncompressed HD digital source. I ended up letting my friend have it for what I paid since it needed repair....we repaired it together and once working he wanted it (his had another breakdown at the time).

I can't fathom why you like early front load VHS VCRs like that....I doubt I'd take what you just bought if it was free (I will buy S-VHS decks though)....The VHS top-loaders, and separate camera portables (and one or two other odd configurations) have rarity going for them, but little else. Early top loaders only have some ease of service and increased resistance to damage from mechanical shock....You pay for that in poorer picture and audio quality, lack of important features (like cable tuner, OSD, easy/better clock and timer settings that actually work, etc, etc.), most units being broken or failing as found, etc.

Watch the thrifts for a good $3-10 S-VHS (or if you record S-VHS-ET) deck and make that your last VHS format VCR. ....Certain JVC models are so common here that I stopped buying them (4 is more than enough for me). I could grab the next one of those I find and pass it along to you for what it costs me.