Again, most systems allow you to limit the duration of the tape event either by directly entering the length of time or by inputting the actual time to stop recording. Older models used an arbitrary digital count to locate material on the tape. This is now mostly replaced with an actual time counter that displays the actual elapsed time of the program. Most models now have a means to return to the 0 position of the counter. Many modern recorders also have a means to position the tape to the start of a program when there are several programs on a single tape.
Most recorders now have several inputs.
One should be a coaxial input for cable television. The others should be sets of three RCA jacks, red for right audio, white for left audio and yellow for video. At least one of these sets of jacks should be located on the front of the unit to permit hooking up a video camera or to make dubbing from one recorder to another easier. Stereo Hi-Fi sound is about the best you can hope fore here. A stereo VCR can play Dolby ProLogic tapes provided you are hooked up to a ProLogic or Dolby Surround receiver.