is the only reason to have vhs recorder with 16:9 to play on a 4:3 telly?

[tfraser]

or does it have some purpose with a widescreen tv?

[Kevo]

A VCR with '16:9 recording' does nothing more than record the switching signal that tells a WS TV that the signal is in WS.

With or without it, any VCR records exactly the same picture ratio and resolution, regardless if the broadcast is in 4:3 or 16:9.