Uploaded August 2020 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Let's compare two 40-year-old Panasonic VCRs that have been sitting outdoors, then bring one inside and see if it still works! This is a follow up to the "80s VCR vs 90s VCR vs 2000s VCR" video we uploaded 8 years ago! Today, in 2020, we're going to revisit the topic (this time in 4K). We'll look at differences in build quality and discuss if a VTR is even worth repairing. While a vintage stereo can sound just as good as modern audio equipment video is not so easy... So what do you do with an old VHS player? My opinion is capture the interesting stuff like family movies and old TV commercials, and save serious movie watching for HD video. At the end of the video, we'll show you some old commercials so you can see what the quality of VHS tapes from the 1980s and 1990s looks like now.
0:00 Introduction
0:50 Outdoors VCR
1:20 Historical Information
2:05 The PV1200 vs the PV1210
3:05 Is it VTR or VCR?
4:21 More Modern VCRs
4:55 Cheaply Made Magnavox
5:28 Collection of VHS Tapes
6:23 Playing a Dusty 40-Year-Old VCR
7:45 Part Removed (see link below)
8:30 Vintage commercial samples
Due to copyright strike, the "VCR Chessy movie moment" segment video is here: youtube.com/watch?v=mUFxFM1QKCE
If you like old technology, subscribe to our channel. Here's a playlist with our vintage tech videos:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvdr2fcSSucd6hFidGPdOIOYVkEqTTeoA
Here are some more old ads captured from VHS:
youtube.com/watch?v=kCHxrgrrA0E
Here's the "Campo Electronics Store Promotional Video" from the tape pictured at 6:10 :
youtube.com/watch?v=sFneFLBADzY
The early Panasonic VCR models shown are the PV-1200 and the PV-1210. These were both sold at the same time here in Memphis at the local Target store. I visited the store as a child with my dad in 1981 and we came home with the PV-1210 shown here. Many years later, when I was older, my uncle gave me the PV-1200. It wouldn't work and he had been beating on it, which caused the crack in the lid. (After he gave it to me, I had the PV-1200 running again a few days later....)
This video is a follow-up to our original VCR video which is now 8 years old! Link here:
youtube.com/watch?v=bzTikmbyoAE
Let's compare two 40-year-old Panasonic VCRs that have been sitting outdoors, then bring one inside and see if it still works! This is a follow up to the "80s VCR vs 90s VCR vs 2000s VCR" video we uploaded 8 years ago! Today, in 2020, we're going to revisit the topic (this time in 4K). We'll look at differences in build quality and discuss if a VTR is even worth repairing. While a vintage stereo can sound just as good as modern audio equipment video is not so easy... So what do you do with an old VHS player? My opinion is capture the interesting stuff like family movies and old TV commercials, and save serious movie watching for HD video. At the end of the video, we'll show you some old commercials so you can see what the quality of VHS tapes from the 1980s and 1990s looks like now.
0:00 Introduction
0:50 Outdoors VCR
1:20 Historical Information
2:05 The PV1200 vs the PV1210
3:05 Is it VTR or VCR?
4:21 More Modern VCRs
4:55 Cheaply Made Magnavox
5:28 Collection of VHS Tapes
6:23 Playing a Dusty 40-Year-Old VCR
7:45 Part Removed (see link below)
8:30 Vintage commercial samples
Due to copyright strike, the "VCR Chessy movie moment" segment video is here: youtube.com/watch?v=mUFxFM1QKCE
If you like old technology, subscribe to our channel. Here's a playlist with our vintage tech videos:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvdr2fcSSucd6hFidGPdOIOYVkEqTTeoA
Here are some more old ads captured from VHS:
youtube.com/watch?v=kCHxrgrrA0E
Here's the "Campo Electronics Store Promotional Video" from the tape pictured at 6:10 :
youtube.com/watch?v=sFneFLBADzY
The early Panasonic VCR models shown are the PV-1200 and the PV-1210. These were both sold at the same time here in Memphis at the local Target store. I visited the store as a child with my dad in 1981 and we came home with the PV-1210 shown here. Many years later, when I was older, my uncle gave me the PV-1200. It wouldn't work and he had been beating on it, which caused the crack in the lid. (After he gave it to me, I had the PV-1200 running again a few days later....)
This video is a follow-up to our original VCR video which is now 8 years old! Link here:
youtube.com/watch?v=bzTikmbyoAE
