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Exactly the same thing happened to me. I notice another reviewer reports losing sound output after 18 months. Otherwise, I have been satisfied.
VCR UI design seems to have gotten much worse over the past few years. When the VCR is not set to record, the display shows a clock. On the positive side, the rewind really is very fast. If I had it to do over again, I would not buy this VCR (or any other Panasonic VCR, most likely). 1) As other reviewers have mentioned, it's very loud. The first representative insisted that I was wrong, and that the VCR didn't work that way. It's very annoying if the VCR is on channel 49, and you want to record channel 2.
If you turn the VCR on and off again after it has finished recording, the TIMER indicator disappears and is replaced by the clock. (There may be a way to turn this feature off, but I haven't found it yet). I just couldn't believe anybody would design a VCR this way on purpose, so I called customer service about this (twice), and emailed once. Rewinding a tape sounds like an airplane preparing for takeoff. Unfortunately, the display still says TIMER, which is awfully confusing. There are a few things about it that I really don't like. 3) The remote control and user interface really is confusing and inconsistent. I have noticed that tapes I record on this VCR don't play on other VCRs, and this might be the reason.
I can't say I have noticed the improved picture quality either, but I haven't been looking for it. The second told me that it was supposed to work that way, and that I didn't need a display indicator at all because "after all, YOU were the one who programmed the VCR in the first place." I didn't receive any response to my email. After the VCR finishes recording, the display _should_ default to the clock (this is how other VCRs work). I haven't actually used the commercial advance feature, but it seems like quite a useful feature. I've been using this VCR for about six months. When you set the VCR to record, the display says TIMER in big letters, indicating that the timer is set to record programs. So far, it is decent, but not great.
4) However, the worst thing about it is that after it finishes recording, the VCR display still says it is set to record additional programs. 2) When programming the VCR for manual recording, you cannot enter the channels numerically (by pressing the number keys). Instead, you must cursor down from the channel to which the VCR is currently set. I always liked the Sony VCRs I had in the past, so I would probably start looking there.
Other sites also agree with Panasonic's site. I suggest someone review the details. Panasonic lists this an an S-VHS VCR for $100 more (retail) than it is listed here. Here is Panasonic's link:http://www.prodcat.panasonic.com/shop/templates/rect_template.asp.ModelId=8845&show_all=false&product_exists=True&active=1&ModelNo=PV-VS4820
It automaticly fast forwrds over the commercials without touching it. I needed a VCR with an S video hookup and this one worked well for the price. I am verry happy with the overall performance. I was leary of ordering this over the net but was very happy with it. The commercial advance is the coolest feature. The remote [is not good] but I don't use it much anyway.
I found the Panasonic PV-VS4820 to be a mixed bag. The plusses are that it rewinds and fast-forwards very fast, and that it has good picture and sound, even in SLP mode. [Original Review] Why can't anyone make a decent VCR anymore. The minuses are that the motor is VERY loud, it is very expensive for what you get, and it has the worst-designed remote control I have ever seen. I am keeping it, but only because I am tired of shopping for a decent VCR.[Second review, just over a year later] Well, the VCR just stopped producing any sound output and stopped playing tapes, after less than a year and a half. This was my second (and final) try to replace an older RCA that worked great and lasted forever. I also own a Panasonic DVD player, with which I am pretty pleased, but this VCR is awful.
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