Home > Consumer Reviews > PANASONIC AG2580 Pro VHS VCR

The AG-3200 is really a JVC SR-V101US in disguise. It's an OK product, but why spend $296 when $279 gets you the same thing in a JVC? Either way, this amount of cash doen't get you nearly what it did 10 years ago when Panasonic made its own first-class $200-$300 VCR's with much better performance than either this or the JVC. If you're limited to $300 or under, the SR-V101US is the same machine for a few bucks less. Panasonic does make some nice pro gear, but at $3000 and higher. Instead, spend a little more for the JVC HR-S9911U at $359 from Amazon/J&R. Or find a Mitsubishi in the $400 price range. It's unfortunate that so many people own vast collections of VHS/SVHS but have to spend over a grand to get a first-class machine these days, or just let their VHS collections rot. Not a good time for those of us who'd like a great playback machine to transfer those tapes to DVD without taking out a second mortgage. The AG-3200 has a clean picture, but nothing like the snap and sparkle of the old Panasonic or Sony premiums. True, analog video has its problems, but so far home-based DVD has a ways to go before it can catch up with what a VCR used to offer a few years ago. Few consumers can spend $10,000 to set up a home DVD studio that's as good as a $400 VCR from the 1990's.

This was a terrible dissapointment! My almost 10 year old Toshiba M672 was finally starting to act funny so I decided to make a change. I bought this one, a bit high-end, but figured "you get what you pay for". Yikes! After the initial set up a brand new, cracked open commercial tape (also bought from Amazon), got stuck in the machine and the only way to get it out was to unplug the whole machine from the wall! On/off button wouldn't even fix the problem! Not at all user friendly either. I sent it back and opted for a Mitsubishi HD, 2002 model which I got at Fry's Electronics. An open-box special for $179.99! Upon careful shopping, I realized that when this unit came out it cost $300.00 to $400.00 dollars. So, I got quite the bargain. !It works great!!! Don't waste your time with this Panasonic model!

This VCR is a JVC disgissed as a Panasonic. It's Garbage. Slow and horrible display. Not worth the money!