I want a DVD player for my spare room, but when I look at the ads, they seem to have more features than ever before, which makes me think I should do more homework.
What I would like to get is a DVD/VCR player combo, but one that will allow me to play the VCR tape on one side and record to DVD on the other side, then play the DVD. I'd also like to record stuff off the TV onto the VCR tape (since I doubt I can record from the TV straight to the DVD side). Do they make such an animal? Finally, I like the idea of this machine being able to display jpegs onto the TV screen.
A quick look on Amazon for "dvd recorder" brings up a bunch of model, but you are going to have a hard time finding all those features for a reasonable price. The big sticking point seems to be a tuner - there are a bunch of tunerless ones that do vhs playback and dvd recording, for as low as $80, but one with a tuner runs $300. Also, be careful - some of them (at least one of the Panasonic models) record on DVD-RAM (which are hard to find and not very compatible) .
MadAnthony said: The big sticking point seems to be a tuner - there are a bunch of tunerless ones...And this feature does what for me? (sorry I don't know this!)
0AfterRebates said: I have one. It is a piece of crap though. Hard to use.What I've been reading is that almost every player out there has a lot of bad reviews! Maybe they are made cheap just so the manufacturers can shove those damn blue-ray products down out throats.
momgoingbroke said: MadAnthony said: The big sticking point seems to be a tuner - there are a bunch of tunerless ones...And this feature does what for me? (sorry I don't know this!)
The tuner is the part that receives the Over The Air (antenna) signal. Many DVR's rquire a cable box to act as a tuner.
I've seen this one at Target for $289. I think it does what you want.
george2001 said: momgoingbroke said: MadAnthony said: The big sticking point seems to be a tuner - there are a bunch of tunerless ones...And this feature does what for me? (sorry I don't know this!)
The tuner is the part that receives the Over The Air (antenna) signal. Many DVR's rquire a cable box to act as a tuner.
I've seen this one at Target for $289. I think it does what you want.Okay, now I see. I didn't realize a DVD player needed this??
BTW, the one you linked has bad reviews. Most of them seem to have bad reviews.
momgoingbroke said: george2001 said: momgoingbroke said: MadAnthony said: The big sticking point seems to be a tuner - there are a bunch of tunerless ones...And this feature does what for me? (sorry I don't know this!)
The tuner is the part that receives the Over The Air (antenna) signal. Many DVR's rquire a cable box to act as a tuner.
I've seen this one at Target for $289. I think it does what you want.Okay, now I see. I didn't realize a DVD player needed this??
BTW, the one you linked has bad reviews. Most of them seem to have bad reviews.
*sigh*
A Fleabay search for "DVD VCR" brings up listings for "RCA DRC 8335 ~DVD/VHS COMBO! ~DVD RECORDER/VCR!~" at around $100 (get 8% BING and 1% FWCB). These seem to have tuners. I haven't seen any reviews, but at $100 they're less of a risk.
george2001 said: Pyeed to add not so hot Amazon reviews.Ha! How hard it is to find a product that is, for the most part, enjoyed by most of its users?? I beginning to think this doesn't exist in the DVD-VCR combo world!
handyguy said: SigX said: Can you copy commercially protected vhs tapes on those dvd/vhs combos?
Nope.
I have a dvd player that is immune to Macrovision & I could use it as a source, but there is no point in that when there are free dvd copy programs. That's they way I look at it too, but just wondering if I was missing something. I'm just wondering why anyone would buy one of these things?
SigX said: handyguy said: SigX said: Can you copy commercially protected vhs tapes on those dvd/vhs combos?
Nope.
I have a dvd player that is immune to Macrovision & I could use it as a source, but there is no point in that when there are free dvd copy programs. That's they way I look at it too, but just wondering if I was missing something. I'm just wondering why anyone would buy one of these things?Because some of us aren't techies and do not know what is out there!! Maybe I should go spend more time browsing the computer stores!
momgoingbroke said: SigX said: handyguy said: SigX said: Can you copy commercially protected vhs tapes on those dvd/vhs combos?
Nope.
I have a dvd player that is immune to Macrovision & I could use it as a source, but there is no point in that when there are free dvd copy programs. That's they way I look at it too, but just wondering if I was missing something. I'm just wondering why anyone would buy one of these things?Because some of us aren't techies and do not know what is out there!! Maybe I should go spend more time browsing the computer stores! OK, so help me understand. Why do you want to buy one of these rigs?
SigX said: OK, so help me understand. Why do you want to buy one of these rigs?1. Copy my VCR tapes onto DVD 2. Be able to record stuff off the TV 3. Play DVDs
That's about it, although I do like the idea of having the player that also displays jpegs.
jolma
Senior Member
posted: Nov. 22, 2009 @ 9:57p
DVD recorder combo units with VCRs built-in seem to have worse reviews than the stand-alone DVD recorder units. To copy non-protected VCR tapes to DVD, you can play them with your current VCR and record on a DVD recorder, connecting them by a cable. If you get one with a tuner or connect it to a cable box, DVD recorders can record TV programs. A lot of DVD recorders can play JPGs.
when you record to VHS, it's analog. DVD is digital. analog going to digital tiene mucho suckage. you will notice every grain and blip like nobody's business when you watch the DVD.
I just bought this one from hhgregg last week on sale for $195 - JVC DRMV150B. It plays and records to DVD or tape. Plays DIVX and JPGS burned to a disk. Built-in digital tuner - record to DVD or tape. Upconverts DVDs. Record directly from Digital video camera output to DVD.
I'm replacing a DVD burner that just died and that we've loved. We have a VCR for the occasional tape we play, a DVD recorder and a digital tuner box. This machine will replace all three. This will also make it easier to add a Wii to the mix of wires. I hate that our old DVD burner got glowing reviews and these combos only get average reviews at best. I'm hoping that it's because they are more complicated and that we'll be able to get that all figured out. One thing that I'm shocked by is that these combo DVD VCRs with built-in tuners don't have the EPG. With our current "free" digital tuner we can see what's coming up on TV. I expected to have at least that and maybe you could pick something in the future to record, like TiVo or something. It seems like these combo units don't even show the EPG, just what's playing right now.
Of course you can't record copy protected video tapes to DVD.
kshowtime said: I just bought this one from hhgregg last week on sale for $195 - JVC DRMV150B. Thanks for your post. I'll look up that model number. Good luck with your purchase!
momgoingbroke said: kshowtime said: I just bought this one from hhgregg last week on sale for $195 - JVC DRMV150B. Thanks for your post. I'll look up that model number. Good luck with your purchase!
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