Daewoo ST862P

...with the nicam model from Daewoo at just under £49 from that well know mail order website Amazon.

There's not much to say about video recorders these day as so many people already have one, the standard features are well known to most people. This model is quite impressive with on-screen timer programming via the remote control. Program recording is very straightforward once you’ve had a quick look through the accompanying instruction ...
...The Daewoo ST862P fits the bill.

* Many people suggest emigrating to a recordable DVD recorder but what to do with all those video tapes? Recordable DVD's are still 3 to 4 times the price of a VCR like this one!
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I haven’t bothered recording from the TV for ages as my video recorder gave up the ghost about 12 months ago after 10 years service. I replaced it recently with the nicam model from Daewoo at just under £49 from that well know mail order website Amazon.

There's not much to say about video recorders these day as so many people already have one, the standard features are well known to most people. This model is quite impressive with on-screen timer programming via the remote control. Program recording is very straightforward once you’ve had a quick look through the accompanying instruction manual and realise you already have the knack.

Out of the box, this video recorder is very easy to set up. Just plug in the scart lead supplied, tune the VCR to channel 57 on your television set, and use the on-screen install VCR feature which includes automatic programme search and away you go. It even has an auto-clock feature using the PDC system broadcast via the TV, so should pick up the correct clock time. However you can set it manually. Storing, sorting, and naming channel locations is simple too.

On-screen prompts are quite easy even a child could do it, or perhaps your ageing aunty. Just hit the menu button on the remote and up pops the menu on-screen. Select timer program and you have the ability to set up to 8 programme times. Select once, or weekly (mon-fri,mon-sat, mon-sun), enter program channel, start-stop times, date …. And you're almost done. There’s a PDC feature which means if the schedule overruns you never miss the programme end as the broadcast/video adjusts automatically. You can record in standard-play SP or long-play mode too.

All these are standard features most video recorders possess, however, unfortunately this model does not support timer recording using the VideoPlus+ system.

There’s play, record, fast-forward, rewind buttons on the VCR and remote. Also I like the Index Search feature which means the VCR will find the recording of every programme on the tape automatically. The still-frame function works well and is quite steady.

Not much else to say except for the money paid I am quite impressed so far. In this market “you get what you pay for”, and £50 isn’t a lot of money even if the VCR doesn’t pass the test of time, so don’t quote me yet regard reliability – I only set it up last week, although its fully guaranteed and incidentally made in the UK. For me I don’t watch that much TV so didn’t see the point buying a top of the range Sony model for example.

I well remember shedding out £432 on a Ferguson VideoStar when VCR’s first took off after VHS format challenged the Betamax format, so how old do you reckon that makes me!

I hope you enjoyed reading this review. Please leave comments if you wish., how much do you reckon spending on a VCR these days? The Daewoo ST862P fits the bill.

* Many people suggest emigrating to a recordable DVD recorder but what to do with all those video tapes? Recordable DVD's are still 3 to 4 times the price of a VCR like this one!
 

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