I went through this awhile back when I wanted a hifi vcr. I beleive JVC and Panasonic are the primary brands that offer S video. Neither got great reviews and I ended up getting a new middle of the line Toshiba without S video for $26 on ebay. Best vcr I've owned. Since they are all disposable unless you pay for proffessional model$$$ like panasonic AG series I figured I'd pay a disposable price. It seems to me that the only inovation going into vcr's at this point is in making them cheaper to make and sell. Svideo vcr's did not really catch on. If you want better picture you can get a progressive scan DVD player for less money. Many reviews I read said the Svideo models were marginally better or sometimes not as good as the better standard VHS units. I am amazed at the picture and sound out of my $26 Toshiba. While it is very light weight they seem to have perfected making the essential operating parts cheaply. I don't use it all that much but it has performed flawlessly and has a better tuner that my six year old toshiba TV.
