Rating: Summary: Connection Problems Review: Initially, we purchased a Samsung DVD changer. We used it for two weeks in our RV. When we arrived home & connected it to our home TV, we had a red screen. After speaking with a tech support rep, we returned the unit to our local Sam's Club store and picked out another Samsung unit, the DVD/VCR combo. Upon connecting it up to our Sony wide screen TV, we again had the red screen problem. Since this seems to be a fairly common problem, why does Tech Support claim no knowledge of this?? My husband accidently discovered a switch on the front & when he switched it to "Progressive", the red screen went away!! We now have a great picture. But this just all happened today, so I will update if any further problems arise.
Rating: Summary: OK, But That Dog Gone REMOTE!!!! Review: We bought the dvd-vcr for the dvd player (we believe there is a conspiracy to make EVERYBODY have a DVD player) and to have an extra VCR to make recordings and for more taping flexibility. We had to buy a lot of cables and splicers etc. in order to do that. When we are taping VCR to VCR the pictures can be cloudy and just not that great. The DVD is fine and we have not had any problems with it. The REMOTE is TERRIBLE!!!!! Most of the time it doesn't "catch" and you have to press hard and move around and do whatever gyrations to get it to do what you want it to do. We bought ours from Sears and from my research on the internet all of the other units available at Sears (Sony SLV-D300P; JVC HR-XVC25U; Samsung DVD-V 3500; Toshiba SD-V 290; Sylvania SRD 3900; Sansui VRDVD 4001; Samsung DVD-V 2500) had "issues" too. So maybe it's just not a good idea to get these combo units.
Rating: Summary: Didn't Work For Me Review: After careful research, I chose this combination DVD and VHS player, partly based on the favorable reviews on this website. My experience was disappointing. First, the player choked playing a regular DVD. A little over halfway into the movie, the image stuttered and then broke up into digital squares. The only way to continue watching the movie was to forward the DVD to the next scene. This choke occurred when I tried to replay the scene. (The Toshiba DVD player I replaced this Samsung unit with had no trouble with playing that part or any other part of any DVD). Second, the VHS player has a loud background noise. It's not much use to get a combo DVD/VHS player if the VHS playback is ruined by loud noise. I notice other reviewers address this noise issue and then assure others that the noise doesn't exist. Let me assure you it does. If you want to experience this effect without buying this player, turn on a vacuum cleaner and leave it running in the next room while you try to enjoy your VHS tape. It sounds kind of like that. Third, this DVD combo player is not compatible with my RCA "Universal" remote control (RCU800) that I bought a month ago. It seems that Samsung never bothered to work out a code number with RCA, so if you buy this unit, you'll have to use two remote controls - one to experience splotchy DVD playback and vacuum-cleaner sounding VHS playback, and another for virtually all the other home video audio equipment manufactured on this planet which the RCA remote control does work with.
Rating: Summary: Works okay, but poor controls Review: Bought one of these but ended up returning it. On the plus side, it's a pretty well integrated unit with a consistant menu interface. Seemed to work fine, remote has good range, would operate my TV, etc. Decent unit. The deal killer though was when I found out that some lunkhead at Samsung thought it'd be a good idea to have the fast-forward and skip-forward controls on the same button -- likewise the review and skip-backward controls share the same button. This is true for the remote and for the console controls. Press and hold the button to fast-forward or review, or just press & release to skip-forward and skip-backward. On the console controls I could get this to work most of the time, but fast-forwarding through a boring part of a DVD always risked skipping to the next chapter. On the remote, it NEVER worked -- it'd only skip to the next or previous chapter. Needless to say the unit went back in no time and I replaced it with the Panasonic 4743S, while although not as "integrated" a unit, at least works the way I figure it ought to.
Rating: Summary: Mediocre at best Review: The picture quality is good but the unit I bought suffers from noisy playback. I took it to a service center and they couldn't find anything wrong with it. The noise can be very annoying at times. The remote control is terrible. I am at this moment trying to get my other remotes to work this unit.
Rating: Summary: Fairly Good Product Review: This DVD/VCR provides excellent picture and sound when playing both VCR tapes and DVD's. It is very versitile and has ports for many different kinds of cables (RCA, RF, S-Video). It is easy to use and has a very good instruction manual. The only minus is the size. The unit is larger than a standard VCR in length, width, and height. All in all, it is a very good product, especially for a college student.
Rating: Summary: Very good performance for this price point ! Review: I just replaced an ageing VCR with this unit, very happy with the DVD features (ie. Ezview zoom) and the VCR performance is quite good. If you want one unit that has the flexibility of DVD, VCR, MP3, etc., you can't go to wrong for the price. Features like being able to use the VCR to record TV or Line input while watching a DVD is very handy. In response to some of the negative reviews: "Beware the Red Screen" I also experience the red tint when using the component connection to my Toshiba TV. This was corrected by going in to the DVD menu and changing the alternate connection to "Component, Interlaced". As soon as the menu option was change the red tint went away. "VHS not working from S-video connection" It's not made to, the unit only has quasi-SVHS play back not full SVHS playback. VHS output is only available on the RF and the composite video connections.
Rating: Summary: Great unit ! Review: I just replaced an ageing VCR with this unit, very happy with the DVD features (ie. EZview) and the VCR performance is quite good. I if you want one unit that has the flexibility of DVD, VCR, MP3, etc., you can't go to wrong for the price. Features like being able to use the VCR to record TV or Line input while watching a DVD is very handy. In response to some of the negative reviews: "Beware the Red Screen" I also experience the red tint when using the component connection to my Toshiba TV. This was corrected by going in to the DVD menu and changing the alternate connection to "Component, Interlaced". As soon as the menu option was change the red tint went away. "VHS not working from S-video connection" It's not made to, the unit only has quasi-SVHS play back not full SVHS playback. VHS output is only available on the RF and the composite video connections.
Rating: Summary: Excellent product! Review: Excellent value and product. Notified Amazon that their competitor was offering it for [money amount]less and within a week, they matched the price. Sweet! As for the individual who suggested Samsung is an "off-brand" he should also ask TI why Samsung, and not one of its Japanese competitors, was the first to use its DLP technology and apply it toward TV screens. If you've never seen one of these, you won't believe the quality of the pictures! It is just as good, and in many ways, better than plasma monitors! The individual is either ignorant or works for Sony, since they can hear the rapidly approaching footsteps of Samsung gaining on them, and in some areas, passing them as if on a slow lane!
Rating: Summary: Configured to code region 1 Review: There isn't a single note at the technical desciption that the player is blocked to region code 1. So, you can only play DVDs from USA.
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