DVD / VCR combo?

[Rachels]

Does anyone have one of these? Our VCR just died (and we've gotta have one with premiere week coming up! :) ) and we rather hate our DVD player, so I was wondering if it's worth it to get something like this. There are some that get good reviews on amazon, but I trust you guys more and wanted to see what your opinions are.

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[lukkykatt]

Rachel, we got one of these recently and it has been fine. I am usually quite the researcher, but we got this on a whim. We got a Magnavox, and so far it has worked quite well.

It is in our bedroom though, so only sees occasional use. Downstairs we have a separate DVD player and VCR - that is where we watch tv the most, and those units are better researched, and of better quality. But in the bedroom we wanted something that took up less space, so went for the combo. BTW, this replaced my 15 year old Magnavox VCR, so I have had no complaints with that brand.

[flagger]

Just a caveat on those, if one side goes out you have to replace the whole thing. Repair is prohibitively expensive.

Wal-mart has some nice VCRs by Emerson for $40-50.

[lilye13]

We just picked up a Panasonic combo at Costco becaseu we figured with our new little one we would end up using both tapes and DVD's. Also our video camera and computer can make DVD's. We thought about buying both a DVD and VCR, well me really because the VCR's we so cheap, but hubby went with the combo. I am happy we did, this way we have the flexibility to choose both! I have even ordered one for grandmama's so she can we can send her the DVD movies of baby and also watch his Baby Mozart DVD when we visit. (DVD's take up less room in suitcse!)
good luck

elizabeth mommie to nicholas 7/22/03

[Rachels]

Yeah, I thought about that. I'm on the fence about it. We've been through two of the cheaper VCRs, so if a combo works well I'm inclined to try it-- the cheaper ones aren't saving us much! But I haven't tried the Emerson. I'll give it a look. Do you have it?

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[flagger]

Laura bought the $50 Emerson Hi-Fi at Walmart earlier this summer. I like it because it takes up less profile space next to the TV in our bedroom. She could have easily paid $40 and just had mono sound, but it gives us flexibility if we ever hook up speakers in the bedroom again.

Downside is it has no tracking feature so if I record something downstairs on the Hitachi it sometimes doesn't look right if played upstairs. (Of course this could be a function of 2 year old tapes recorded on over and over and over)

We mainly bought it because we happen to like CSI and ER and usually by the time CSI ends, ER has already started (even before scenes from next week's CSI have been shown). I could do a whole bitching post about the networks. LOL ;)

What I really want is TIVO (droooool) but that will have to wait.

You may never ever have a problem with one side breaking and many don't, but we have shied away from TV/VCR combos for just this reason.

[egoldber]

Rachel, DH is in the TV biz (works for a consumer electronics manufacturer), and he would never buy one of the combo units. As Flagger mentioned, there is the repair issue. Also, you don't get nearly as good a VCR or DVD player as you would buying separate units. If space isn't an issue, then I wouldn't.

HTH,

[stillplayswithbarbies]

I wouldn't do it for the same reason I won't get a telephone/answering machine combo. When one breaks, you have to throw it out and replace it even though the other part is still good.

I wouldn't buy a tv with a built in DVD or VCR either. Unless maybe it was for a camper with limited space.

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03

[C99]

We just went through this recently. My husband researched them pretty heavily and we ended up ordering the JVC Progressive Scan DVD/VCR combo: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00009N6VI/104-9989627-8332769 However, it just shipped last week and we have not gotten it yet so I cannot comment on how it actually functions. I'm so excited to get it; I haven't seen a DVD in months!

[C99]

I have TiVO and that is why we want to save space with the combo unit!

[etwahl]

we have a sony combo and we like it so far. we just bought it in the last month. no problems yet. we're using it in our bedroom...we like that it doesn't take up the space that would if you had two pieces. It was just over $100 but I can't remember exactly. We bought it at the exchange, but i bet there's some good deals online.

Tammy,
Mom to Lauren Genevieve
03/12/2003
www.evantammy.com