The PV-9450 impressed us with its simplicity; we took it out of the box, connected an antenna and TV, and plugged it in. We then followed the initial on-screen setup instructions and, by itself, the unit found the active broadcast channels and even set its clock. We played a prerecorded tape and found the picture to be crisp and sharp. The PV-9450's audio was rich and full, characteristic of hi-fi stereo.

Another interesting feature of the PV-9450 is a time stamp, which, at the beginning of a videotape, displays the time and date of your recording and the channel from which it was recorded. A tape-position display shows how close you are to the beginning or end of a tape.

The remote control, unlike the VCR, is a bit bulky, and its many buttons get in the way of the few you'll use most of the time. Of course, it is a universal remote, and, as such, must sacrifice some design elegance.

If the most important features to you are 4-head picture quality and hi-fi stereo sound, then Panasonic PV-9450 is a sensible choice.

Pros:

• Universal remote works with most TVs and cable boxes
• 4 heads for a clear picture
• Hi-fi stereo for great sound

Cons:

• Limited feature set