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Ferguson or Hitachi?


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Old 28-12-2005, 19:37
Coz21
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I'm thinking of getting either this:

http://www.dixons.co.uk/martprd/stor...m=1&tabIndex=1

or this:

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...Brecorders.htm

The Hitachi's only got one scart, but i've had a few Ferguson's and i know they're good. The scart's not really a problem, as i could swap it over with the one i have upstairs(with 2 scarts). But i was just wondering if Hitachi VCRs are any good?
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Old 28-12-2005, 19:41
jase1
 
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That Ferg VCR is not a true Ferguson; Dixons are using the brand to shift off-brand goods in the same way they do Hitachi and Grundig. Not sure who does make it (The unit looks like an Orion but the remote isn't, not sure what's going on there).

The Hitachi I think is at least designed by the company.
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Old 28-12-2005, 19:51
Coz21
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So would you say Hitachi are good quality?
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Old 28-12-2005, 19:53
Coz21
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I have a Samsung in my room, which is good, but they don't seem to sell them now.
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Old 28-12-2005, 19:57
jase1
 
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As on the other thread about Funai, it's difficult really to say whether any make/model of VCR will be any good.

It's probably the case that the Hitachi is also being made by a third party manufacturer, just that it's a less obvious example. (Some manufacturers farm out production but still use a percentage of their own components to stay distinct from the competition).

In all honesty, VCR technology has reached the stage now where the best idea is to decide on what features you need (and even here there ain't much between them) and find the cheapest one available. Pointless trying to work out which brands are good and which aren't.

I would be inclined towards the Hitachi because it appears to be more than a simple clone machine, so hopefully is built with better components. Hitachi-manufactured stuff is usually very robust and long-lived.
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Old 28-12-2005, 20:01
Coz21
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Thank you for your opinions
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Old 28-12-2005, 20:54
asdigi
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Originally Posted by Coz21
I'm thinking of getting either this:

http://www.dixons.co.uk/martprd/stor...m=1&tabIndex=1

or this:

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...Brecorders.htm

The Hitachi's only got one scart, but i've had a few Ferguson's and i know they're good. The scart's not really a problem, as i could swap it over with the one i have upstairs(with 2 scarts). But i was just wondering if Hitachi VCRs are any good?
the hitachi looks identical to the one my aunt has which has an identical menu and the front display is exactly the same as my mums old goodmans vcr which was a clone of a philips vcr lol

the ferguson has the same remote as the new matsui, orion vcrs and the design is the same as an older grundig one.

I would go with the Hitachi.

also if you look at the button layout on the hitachi it looks the same as the Funai ones in argos who make the philips vcr's which makes sense with what i said to begin with......
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Old 28-12-2005, 23:27
jase1
 
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OK so sounds like

Hitachi = Funai

Ferg = Orion.

So I'd agree with asdigi 100% that the Hitachi is probably the better bet. Experience with both suggests that Funai build the more reliable video. Orion VCRs have lots of silly problems like the MF switch giving out which is a trivial thing to fix BUT if you don't know how to replace / clean it then it'll cost you as much as the VCR is worth to repair. The Funai doesn't seem to suffer from these niggles quite as much in my experience with them.
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Old 29-12-2005, 01:00
Coz21
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But if the Hitachi is similar to the Funai and i'm not happy with Funai, i should go for the Ferguson, right?
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Old 29-12-2005, 08:03
Scorpio
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Originally Posted by jase1
I would be inclined towards the Hitachi because it appears to be more than a simple clone machine, so hopefully is built with better components. Hitachi-manufactured stuff is usually very robust and long-lived.
Coz, this is basically what I said in your other thread. I has a Hitachi a while back which was fine, lasted ages. Although i don't use it much, I have a superb Panny.

Dont wory about one scart or two - with an in/out scart you can connect to a Sky VCR scart and past the recorded signal back through the Sky box into the TV.

Rgds,
Scorp
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Old 29-12-2005, 09:47
jase1
 
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Originally Posted by Coz21
But if the Hitachi is similar to the Funai and i'm not happy with Funai, i should go for the Ferguson, right?
I'm just going by the basic guts of the two recorders, which I think are more reliable on the Funai.

Build-quality wise you will find differences between the Funai and the Hitachi. The Hitachi is the £60 version with probably some custom parts.

I wouldn't buy the Ferguson, if nothing else it isn't a Ferguson, it's a Dixons special with a Ferguson badge on it.
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Old 29-12-2005, 19:05
asdigi
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Originally Posted by Coz21
But if the Hitachi is similar to the Funai and i'm not happy with Funai, i should go for the Ferguson, right?
theres an Hitachi on ebay and the remote looks the same to me as the one the funai comes with http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HITACHI-VIDEO-...QQcmdZViewItem
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