Let me put it this way, I haven't repaired a VCR in years, so if mine breaks I
might just have someone else do it.

This is a Sony SLV 920 which is one of the last of what I consider the good
ones. They lost face with me when they used Funai drives. Their slightly newer
deck, like in the SLV 940 isn't bad, but it still isn't the one like the R1000.
BTW, a quick way to tell the Funai deck in Sony is when you go into reverse
slow it jumps about 5 frames back. Apparently alot of them have a flaw that
causes this, or it's because it's a cheapo drive not designed for reverse
slomo.

Certain other decks are woth fixing, certain models of JVC, Mits, Panasonic.
There are also some really good multiple motor decks out there, if you get one
of those in good shape, keep it. I'm not talking about those stupid old
Hitachis, I'm talking decks with reel motoruS/U. New enough to be Hifi, 4
video heads and at least HQ.

The major problem is that these pretty much all use SMD electrolytics, which
will be the ultimate limit to their life.

I paid almost $500 for my 920, and I don't think I would take $500 for it now.
I would gladly pay someone good money to fix it as long as they're competent,
just like others pay me well to fix projection TVs.

Eventually I'll go totally DVD, I'l be forced to, I'm pretty sure the Sony is
going to be my last VCR. I'd even pay good money to get my Beta fixed, but I
might do it myself, I'm much more familiar with it than the 920.

It has been awhile though . . . . . .

JURB