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Samsung DVD-VR300
Samsung DVD-VR300 DVD Recorder/VCR Combo |
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Reviews:
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Very nice!
4 out of 5
I bought this unit so that I could save stuff from my TiVo and copy some old VHS tapes to DVD. So far, so good! I have made about 20 DVD recordings. The only problem I ran into was when I was trying to copy a movie from VHS to DVD (this movie is not available on DVD yet) and it wouldn't let me copy it because it is copyrighted. I really wanted to make a DVD of it, since it is no longer available.
Another nice thing is the DV input on the front. I have a Canon mini-DV camcorder and was able to easily transfer video directly from the camera to DVD. There is also a full set of AV inputs on the front. Very nice for temporarily hooking up an older camcorder or (gasp!) a Beta VCR! Yes, I have LOTS of Beta tapes that I plan on converting to DVD.
The menus are a lot more user-friendly than the DVD recorder my parents have. I didn't really have to read the manual... but it is worth reading. There are some neat features: Pressing REC once starts recording, pressing it again starts a record timer... adding 30 minutes each time you press REC. That's a nice function for unattended recording. Also, most of the functions are easily accessable by remote without going into menus... including recording speed (quality) and one-touch dubbing from DVD-VHS or VHS-DVD. Another nuce touch is the clock. Most DVD players do not have a clock on the display, but this one does (it needs to know the time for timer recording).
Also, my television is a Samsung. The remote will control the TV as well (and other brands). There is even a dedicated TV Power button. Very nice for reducing the number of remotes needed to power everything up/down.
All of the DVD-Rs I use are Verbatim brand, and I have had no problems with them at all.
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Poor Remote and Input jacks
2 out of 5
I returned this item (and bought the Panasonic DMR-ES30VS) for primarily two reasons.
The first is the remote control is almost nonresponsive. You have to perfectly aim it at precisely the right spot on the unit for it to work. Hence, buttons tend to get repeatedly pushed at "varying" angles just to get a response. This so VERY annoying and it will drive you nuts!
I thought perhaps the batteries that came with the remote were just bad...? but a replacement set was no better. Then when I saw other reviews of this same experience, I knew it was just a bad remote design. What I find so odd is I have a Samsung DLP TV and its remote (similar shape and design) does not exhibit this phenomena.
Second, there is a lack of INPUT jacks on the unit. It's as if the Samsing engineers decided this unit and a TV would be the only entertainment appliances a consumer would own. It has component and S-video OUTPUT jacks, but the only INPUT jack is a crummy composite. For those people like me who use their one HDMI jack for their cablebox, the lack of good INPUT jacks was a huge disappointment.
The Panasonic I echanged for by contrast at least has
S-video INPUT jacks so I could connect my cablebox more effectively to my DVD recorder. IMO, it is also a superior picture and its user interface more intuitive.
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Save yourself the frustration and buy a different brand
1 out of 5
I actually have an earlier model Samsung DVD player, and it, along with other Samsung models at the time, had a horrible skipping problem on many DVDs. Samsung's support was almost non-existant -- I found out there was a firmware upgrade for the player, but not through their website (where I couldn't find any help whatsoever), but through a friend with the same problem. HOWEVER, the firmware upgrade did not resolve the problem, and the last I heard, there was a class action suit filed here in Pennsylvania (which I received an invitiation to be a part of, but could not participate in, I think because I no longer had the receipt). Considering their lackluster customer support, I would advise anyone against buying any DVD player from this company. Players are much cheaper nowadays anyway, and you can get an excellent Sony or Toshiba for a modest price.
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Very touchy machine
1 out of 5
I was able to play only one of five DVDs I made on this machine. When recording from an attached video camera, everything looked fine, picture appeared on TV going through the DVD/VCR, Record light is nicely lit, after finishing the DVD it played well on the Samsung. But when trying to play back either on my Sony Vaio or my Apple iMac, all I get is a soundless black picture. When I recorded on DVD-RW from a videotape inserted in the VCR, I could play the result on my Sony. But the next tape I recorded only caused Microsoft to keep asking me to send an error report when I tried to play it on my Sony. My Apple refused to recognize it as a DVD. Unpredictably incompatible. When I called the Samsung helpdesk they told me to call the computer manufacturer. I guess I would have to call both Sony and Apple then? Crutchfield was the seller for this product and they actually have a very helpful helpdesk -by the name of Darren- According to him I should try a different brand DVD disc. I tried Memorex instead of the Office Depot and found that this brand of disc solved the problem. Question for Samsung: Why don't you have this on your troubleshooting page in the manual? Why does the dealer know this, but you don't?
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Lots of write failures
1 out of 5
This DVD recorder seems to use cheap parts that result in a large % of disc-burnin failures. Even though DVD-R is cheap these days (but not so with DVD-RAM), you'll be much better off and happier with DVD recorders from Panasonic. (The Panasonic DVD recorder/VCR combo is also $200 cheaper!)
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Buy at Amazon.com
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