Keep looking for VCR bargains?
 

I am posting this as a humble-brag, and to encourage seekers of worthy equipment at this time.
Every day I look and browse. Mercari, Bonanza, Ebay, Offerup, etc.
Tonight I am watching CASTAWAY on a
New-open-box JVC S7800u, $450 with shipping. NEW! Flawless.
The USB is a NEW in The Box Tevion ATI600 clone. $30.
The TimeBase corrector is a ComWorld, new, in the box when I bought it, I paid $11. Found it on GoodWill.
So for $491.00 all-included I have a top-shelf killer setup.
Keep looking and looking, bargain buys are out there.

I was watching that new open box 7800, glad it went to a good home!

I opened the box containing my “new” 7800 and I’m sweating bullets waiting for
springs and bits of broken gears to fall out.
But no, I got a freakin’ brand new 7800.
It’s not got a single scratch or blemish. Playback is perfect.
I’m just beside myself with joy.

Great find. Congratulations. I’m shocked that you found that at Goodwill. I wouldn’t expect that one.

Don't forget to tell others that these finds took you years. ;)

It's also high-risk (no returns), high-reward (deal!)

- Good Tevions sometimes get mistaken for bad Tevions, so that's why there.
- That TBC tends to go unnoticed by non-serious users, so that's why there.
- NIB doesn't really exist with old electronics, and $450 is fair for this risk tolerance.

In the past, though spaced years apart, I've gotten
- $60 like-new SR-V10U
- $100 TBC-1000, lightly used from original owner
- $160 new green AVT-8710
- $0 fuse-blown AG-1980P ($5 fix at Radio Shack)
- etc

... though none of that was recent, mostly throughout the 2010s.

If you have a project to complete, you can't wait for bargains that may never come. Bargain hunting for gear is mostly something that pros/hobbyists do, and they already have equipment. This is just extra/backup gear.

Many of us turn into gear hoarders -- welcome to the club, Barry! :D
That's something I try to resist in recent years. From about 2005-15, I'd accumulated vastly more than I needed. Then it took several years (about 2016-18) to re-home to members of this community.

FYI, I still have that $60 V10 and $160 8710. The 1980 failed, given away to a friend for parts. The TBC-1000 was refurb'd, and sold for market rate at the time ($800, I think?).

Yup, it took a long time, and I was tapping my feets waiting and wondering if I done did a bad thing.
eBay is a gamble, I took photos as I unpacked the 7800, just in case.
My best brick and mortar find was a 3500u at SAVERS used stuff store. $15.
Hoarding? Well, I have a 7800, now I have 2. Now I can rid myself of 2-3 nice non-TBC machines.