View Full Version : How long does your video recorder's usually last you?
Just wondering when you buy a video recorder from new, how long does it normally last you before it packs up and you need a new one?
My first VCR brought back in May 1988 lasted me right through until November 1996, so that's 8 and a half years which isn't too bad. And then the VCR I brought back in November 1996 now looks like it's coming to the end of its life after just over 5 years. :( It's probably not worth getting it repaired because of the costs, it'll be better to get a brand spanking new one.
How about you lot. How long does your VCR normally last you?
the BIG LEBOWSKI
11-01-2002, 23:46
purchased in 1990,
very noisy when it rewinds,
tracking is non existent
eject button broken
no remote
still serves me excellently well....
oh god!!!
what have i done ?????????
i'll get me coat :D
pompeyfan
11-01-2002, 23:54
I've still got a Mitsubishi that I bought in Decmber 1992, it looks like the heads are on the way out as the picture is poor in Long-Play (Red streaks), and has been for the last four years, but apart from that is still going strong.
A Ferguson I bought a year later (Dec '93), started playing up within a couple of years and gave up about four years ago:(
A Toshiba I bought just after Christmas 1997, finally gave up (after a year of problems) just before Christmas 2000, thankfully I had a three-year extended warranty, and the vouchers* bought me a nice new Sony:clap:
*Mastercare forgot about fixing it when it was in the workshop, and I didn't remind them they had it, till the six weeks limit for repair was up:p :cool:
About 5-10 years,........but with the advent of dvd, it will probably last over 100 years, i hardly ever use it now!
SqueakyG
12-01-2002, 01:21
I have a cheapy Matsui.
the thing about cheapy Matsui -- whethe rit is VCR, or any other appliance -- is that it is guaranteed to last 1 year and 1 month, before it buggers up. They have a guarantee of 1 year, which means they break very soon afterwards.
But I have kept my old Matsui VCR from 1994, just because it is funny to see how much more schizophrenic and crazy it behaves year by year. It still basically works, but it chews up nearly every tape, shuts itself off for no reason, turns itself on and makes crazy sounds for no reason, simply won't accept certain tapes and spits them out, and many other oddities.
And now I'm caught in this annoying dilemma: I mainly use DVD, and only use the VCR to record programmes or watch recorded TV once in a blue moon. So I don't feel it is worth spending £100 on a new VCR. But my current VCR hardly works.
werewolf
12-01-2002, 03:15
ours vary
on average about 4 years, although as we have 3 in the house it does seem at times that we are always buying a new one:rolleyes:
mind you we do usually get about the cheapest one out that isn't made by Matsui.
George vader
12-01-2002, 06:27
Bought a Panasonic HD-100 Nicam player back in 94, excellent machine, still going strong.
Lets hope my Dvd player has the same durabillity!
my JVC is 5 yrs old and just about on the way out,the picture isn't very good and the sound is a bit dodgy,just the excuse I need for a TIVO:D
ProgressiveScan
12-01-2002, 09:16
Originally posted by SqueakyG
I have a cheapy Matsui.
the thing about cheapy Matsui -- whethe rit is VCR, or any other appliance -- is that it is guaranteed to last 1 year and 1 month, before it buggers up. They have a guarantee of 1 year, which means they break very soon afterwards.
Well, I'm gonna recommend Matsui; I've had a linear Stereo deck since about 1988, but it was my parents and they'd had it for a couple of years before that, and it died late last year.
Well died, it doesn't play tapes, but still works electrically so I reckon it can be fixed. The sound is knackered now though (because it's linear stereo and not Hi-Fi), but it served me well.
Now got a Panasonic, which rocks.
I know from experience that you should generally avoid the 'supermarket' models because they're made from cheap and crappy components.
Hamburger3
12-01-2002, 09:25
Iv got a panny as well. They are very good as my one works very well and Iv had it for about 3-4 years and it get heavy use even after I got into dvd. It did cost about £300 at the time. Its a false economy to buy cheap vcr as they allways break after a few years.
Thing is when this one breaks I will have to think hard about a replacement that is good but cheap as Iv got a lot of tapes of stuff that will never come out on dvd.
I hope vhs machines are made for a long time yet.
friedeggbutty
12-01-2002, 09:57
There are four NICAM videos in my house but the one in the living room gets used most. It's a Panasonic NV F65HQ which I bought in 1990!
11 years old and still going strong.
Only problems:
1) it went dead one day about 5 years ago after heavy lightning storms. Cost £80 to repair in a local repair shop.
2) it chews tapes unless you remember to press rewind for a few seconds after playing/recording and before ejecting (a label beside the eject button reminds me).
Had my Panasonic for over 8 yrs, still going strong.
Confucius
12-01-2002, 10:24
Both my Mitsubishis (S-VHS decks) date from early '93 and are still going strong. Will be replaced with 1 Tivo, 1 very cheap vhs deck (S-video used for master recording before editing) and a DVD recorder when prices fall.
It's seems to be the case that early decks were built like brick **** houses and last 8 to 10 yrs.
Bought a cheapy Dual VHS in 1993 and it finally died on me last week. Not a bad lifespan at all for a £90 investment! Wasn't sure whether it was worth replacing, as I'm considering a Tivo, but ended up buying a Samsung recorder, just so that I can still play the few vids that I can't yet replace with DVDs. Was quite impressed how the technology has moved on - ultra-fast rewind, much improved picture etc... still not on the same planet as DVD standards natch, but I was pleasantly surprised to be able to breathe new life into some of my old vids! :)
I`ve had no trouble with my Betamax........the only problem is,i cant get any bloody tapes to record with. :nuts: :D
I've got a Panasonic that I've had for just over 5 years.
I think it's jealous of the dvd player though as it's started to refuse to work after it's been on for a couple of hours!
It won't take a tape in and if it does, it then refuses to let the tape spool...
I've taken it apart and cleaned everything lil' bit of it with tlc but it still ain't havin' it!
My Panasonic cd player/radio thingy has also recently decided to start messin' around after 7 years of perfection. :(
threadkiller
12-01-2002, 12:06
my 7 year old tosh has just given up the ghost, the Eject mech went. Just had to buy a new one. Bought a panny.
Buutt hardware = hardware forum
muhoooooving
Had my Panasonic NV-F70 for about 8-9 years and never had any probs with :)
nigel_williams
12-01-2002, 19:45
My JVC S-VHS deck lasted about 7-8 years before dying - It was £650 new.
So I bought a TiVo instead of replacing it. Best upgrade I've ever made!
Bought my first video in '88
Always bought top spec models that cost £4-600.
But they kept breaking!!
Presently on my 6th video since '88 and only ever buy one when the old one has been mended and still won't work!!
However, I only buy cheap ones now. My last one, Nicam, double scart, cost £70. If it breaks after 1 year I'll simply bin it.
bevanwalsh
20-01-2003, 12:51
i bought a top of the range VHS deck for £450 in 91 and it's just these last few weeks starting to get a problem... that's not too bad though is it? VCR wise - i'd go panasonic all the way...
B
craig1912
20-01-2003, 13:38
Just got rid of a Panasonic bought new in 1986. It weighed a ton but was actually quite small. It was still working very well and had never gone wrong in 16 years. It was only mono.
Mr Twister
20-01-2003, 17:09
My Toshiba cost me £500 back in 1990 still going strong.
This thread was dug up from a long time back.
Weird :nuts:
friedeggbutty
20-01-2003, 20:45
I hadn't noticed it was an old thread until halfway through a post which looked vaguely familiar. The I realised why - I had written it over a year ago!
bevanwalsh
20-01-2003, 22:21
i think that might be my fault!
i was looking into getting a new vcr
did a search
found this
saw the date... forgot it's now 2003 and thought it was written a few days ago so wrote a little message... oh well... happy anniversary!
B
Panasonic - bought it 1988 for £350/400 (can't remember exactly how much but it wasd from Dixons). Still working fine :)
The 14" Sony TV bought the year before is also doing fine.
Originally posted by MrSpeed
Had my Panasonic NV-F70 for about 8-9 years and never had any probs with :)
I have that model, which is semi-retired as a bedroom player now, bought in 1986 or 1987 :)
DJBIGJAY
21-01-2003, 14:19
I had a cheapo goodmans that lasted for a good 7 years and that was used alot. I also have a Philips V2000 ( i think thats what it was called ) in the loft which does still work and the tapes record on both sides. Just remembred also in the loft i have a philipps g7000 possibly the worst console i ever owned.
Now got a sony video which is not used a great deal, just used for watching great comedy series that i taped and the BBC have never got round to releasing on DVD. How long do the BBC want to take to release things like Bottom.
Ferguson Videostar bought on Xmas Eve from Dixons (when I didn't know any better). Still going strong after over 20 years and a couple of cheap services at local repair shop, including the cassette carriage being replaced each time because it was utterly worn out. Was worried at the time as to whether to go Betamax but took the plunge. Still on its original heads. Some of the tapes I got at the time have since departed but I still have a couple of the Scotch 180 tapes that came with it and a BASF 240. Just don't make em like that anymore.
It will be heading for retirement soon now I've got a Philips 880, but I still keep it on standby in case any reliability problems come up with the 880, tho' so far nothing to report on that front.
Originally posted by waggett
Ferguson Videostar bought on Xmas Eve from Dixons (when I didn't know any better). Still going strong after over 20 years and a couple of cheap services at local repair shop, including the cassette carriage being replaced each time because it was utterly worn out. Was worried at the time as to whether to go Betamax but took the plunge. Still on its original heads. Some of the tapes I got at the time have since departed but I still have a couple of the Scotch 180 tapes that came with it and a BASF 240. Just don't make em like that anymore.
It will be heading for retirement soon now I've got a Philips 880, but I still keep it on standby in case any reliability problems come up with the 880, tho' so far nothing to report on that front.
:eek:
Can't beat that but may JVC is well into it's 8th year and still going strong. Still can't fault it really - might not last too much longer though as I am on the verge of going DVDR. Nearly time to put the thing out to pasture! :D
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