Have I got the right VCR?

If you choose to record the video clips yourself the quality of the VCR is crucial, but it need not be the expensive 2.500 dollar kind. Excellent hifi VCRs may be acquired for less than 300 dollars. But it pays to be picky, for there are lousy VCRs in all price categories. Once you have found the right machine it probably will outlive the age of video tape if cleaned regularly – especially now that the days of endless rewinding are over. An absolute blessing – though hard to find these days – is manual tracking. Most VCRs nowadays have auto tracking, which is considered an advantage, but in connection with video cache that is only a qualified truth. Ideally you should buy a VCR with both auto and manual tracking, giving you the option to deactivate auto tracking if the picture keeps blinking during recordings (as seen with certain Panasonic models).

As for the video tape, it is inherently impossible to do much about it, as it is usually supplied by the customer. But do check the quality of the tape. If the customer has a habit of reusing old tapes, the tape will be worn, especially at the beginning. Sometimes it may be impossible to make a decent recording of such a tape, and in those cases you should ask the customer for a new one.