About VCR-DVD.com

Several years ago I bought a used VCR so I could view old VHS tapes of my children. The VCR didn't work and it almost destroyed the tape. Recognizing that many other people wanted to see their treasured tapes once again, I decided to apply my lifelong experience in designing, testing, and repairing electronic equipment to selling the best reconditioned VCRs, VCR-DVD Combos, DVD Recorders, and CD Changers you can buy.

Buying a used VCR, VCR-DVD Combo, or DVD Recorder

Most of these products are over 20 years old. The first VHS VCR was introduced in 1977 and the last VCR was made around 2007. The last VCR-DVD Combo and DVD Recorder was discontinued in 2016. I generally do not sell VCRs that were made before about 1998 with few exceptions based on condition.

After selling over 250 VCRs on eBay, I have developed an extensive knowledge base of what products are worthy of being sold with the confidence of continued reliability.

A good percentage of the products I acquire – mostly from estate sales – do not work correctly. Problems range from "eating tapes", failure to rewind or fast forward to the very end, unstable picture, and inability to play marginally deteriorated tapes. DVD players and recorders can suffer from an inability to play or record DVDs due to a worn out laser. Bad capacitors (an electronic component) can also cause a variety of problems. Simple mechanical fatigue could be the root of many issues. Many of these issues can be fixed but some, like worn out video heads, worn out lasers, and mechanical fatigue cannot be resolved.

Many sellers of used equipment on sites like eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or thrift stores do not test or even clean the dust before selling them. It takes a lot of patience and expertise to sell functional and reliable vintage electronics.

I am a retired engineer with over 50 years of experience in the electronics industry. Every VCR I sell is rigorously tested to ensure all functions work correctly and is capable of playing a wide variety of pre-recorded and home-recorded VHS tapes. Every machine is cleaned internally, including the tape heads and tape path. I also clean the exterior and provide connection cables, so your VCR is ready to use when you receive it. Every machine is shipped in a new box with plenty of bubble-wrap to ensure safe delivery to you. I strive to earn a 100% satisfaction rate.

What is the refurbishment process for VCRs and VCR-DVD Combos sold on this website?

After selling hundreds of machines, we have developed a multi-step process for every VCR and Combo that we sell. These are the steps we perform as a minimum to every machine (if you were to buy a machine on eBay or a thrift store, it's likely that none of this has been done):

  1. All exterior surfaces are meticulously cleaned. All accumulated dust is removed with a high-pressure air-blower (keep in mind that some of these machines are over 20 years old). Display windows are polished when necessary.
  2. Each machine is inspected internally for loose parts and debris (it's amazing how many machines have small toys that have found their way inside). Accumulated dust is removed with a high-pressure air-blower.
  3. Every part that touches the tape is cleaned with approved solvents. This includes the rotating tape head, the audio and erase heads, tape guides, capstan, and pinch roller.
  4. Critical moving parts are re-lubricated if needed.
  5. Playback quality is tested using several tapes that have varying degrees of quality and degradation. It's likely that you have home-recorded tapes and old movies that may have deteriorated over time. We make sure that every machine is capable of playing all of these with acceptable quality. Some machines are too worn out to play a marginal home-recorded tape and we don't offer them for sale.
  6. Transport functions are fully tested. This includes the ability to Play, Pause, Forward Search, Reverse Search, Fast Forward to the end, and Rewind to the beginning. This validates that all moving parts including gears and belts are fully functional.
  7. All front-panel buttons are remote control buttons are tested.
  8. On combos with a DVD drive, the laser lens is cleaned, DVD tray is verified for opening and closing, and moving parts in the DVD drive are re-lubricated when necessary.
  9. All machines are packed for shipment in new boxes with plenty of new bubble-wrap. Remote Controls (when provided) include new batteries. AV Cables are included with every machine. If the machine has an HDMI interface, then HDMI cables are included. 

Warranty

We take the risk out of buying vintage technology. Every VCR, VCR/DVD Combo, and DVD Recorder we sell has a 90-day money-back warranty for functional defects.

Contact

vcr-dvd.com
6582 E Farmstead RD
Prescott Valley, AZ 86314
818-632-7911
dealsfrompk@gmail.com