VCR question for 83 year old

TomsMom

83 year old mum's old Ferguson VCR has just popped it's clogs. She loved it, it was so easy to use. She wants a replacement VCR, not a combi or DVD recorder or PVR, just a very simple to use VCR as she gets muddled and forgets what she reads in the instruction book.

She lives near Birmingham and can't get many Freeview channels yet, according to freeview.co.uk/availability just BBC1/2/3/4 of the main channels but not ITV, C4 or 5.

Is there any point in her buying an analogue VCR or should she go for something with Freeview built in?

Does anyone know of a decent quality one (she wants one with a name she knows), not too bothered about price really, but it must be super simple to use.

Thanks.

superscaper

Analogue switches off in 2011 in Central region I think. So any VCR should last until then. I don't know of any that have a digital tuner so the addition of a freeview box in 2011 would over complicate things for your mum. Whether 3/4 years is long enough for a VCR to last in usefulness is up to you.

TomsMom

Whether 3/4 years is long enough for a VCR to last in usefulness is up to you.

She'd probably be OK with that and tackle the Freeview thing when it happens!

So now just need a recommendation for a simple VCR of decent quality - anyone?

isofa

http://www.ajelectronics.co.uk still stock VCRs from Sony and Panasonic.

You may get more recommendations from https://www.avforums.com

Also a quick thumb through a home-cinema magazine in a newsagents (back pages usually have review charts) will also help you out!

buglawton

Try Freecycle first, maybe post a 'wanted' explaining why you need one. I also like my old VCR and have yet to see any really attractive Freeview digital recorder with a choice of convenient hard drive and removable storage for sending the odd recording to someone abroad or playing it back in a different room. Long live the VCR!

Donnie

Argos and Richers Sounds. From £35.

I'm_With_Stupid

I've always found the cheaper brands the easiest to use. I wouldn't recommend LG. I've got one, and it's a great quality VCR, but it has the most complicated setup I've ever had. My Sony DVD player, phone and monitor are pretty intuitive, so I don't know if that's common throughout their electric products. I would recommend going into Currys or Dixons and asking them if you can have a go. They don't have a problem hooking a few up to a TV for you to try out. Tbh, VCRs are so cheap that you're not going to save much by buying online anyway.

Idiophreak

You'll be able to get a VCR on free cycle pretty easily.

It may be worth looking at other options though...My PVR (yes, I know you said you didn't want one ) - the much fabled Humax - is *much* easier to use than any VCR I've ever had...

I can actually call my mum and say "record x factor for me" and it'll get done...on the old VCR she wouldn't have tried, but would've waited for me or my dad...the hummy's just so much easier to use.

cowbutt

It's a shame that your mum doesn't have Freeview in her area, as that would make a PVR a very sensible option; most models make on-screen programming from the EPG (Electronic Programme Guide) is very easy, as Idiophreak alludes to; simply select the programme you want and set it to record. No messing around with channels and start/stop times.

TomsMom

Donnie wrote: »

Argos and Richers Sounds. From £35.

She looked at Argos and the Funai one at £34.99 but she hasn't heard of Funai and wants a make she knows! I don't live near her but I'll mention Richer Sounds and see if she wants to make the journey into Birmingham. Thanks.

TomsMom

I'm_With_Stupid wrote: »

I would recommend going into Currys or Dixons and asking them if you can have a go. They don't have a problem hooking a few up to a TV for you to try out. Tbh, VCRs are so cheap that you're not going to save much by buying online anyway.

Good idea, I'll mention that to her as she has Currys close by. Probably wont buy online as we don't live anywhere near her, she just wants to know where to go and what to look for and will go along herself. Thanks.