DVD/VCR options?

Ladies and Gents,

I am once again seeking your respected opinions. Our DVD/VCR player has crapped out. Looking for a new one, but also one that can record VHS tape to DVDs. Any particular model that combines all of that, reliably? Better to get separate pieces? Open to all options! Much obliged in advance to all your suggestions.

Merry Christmas!!

David

 

I have a Panasonic and I love it.

Besides one-touch VCR>DVD transfer, the Panasonic is the only brand to my knowledge offering the ability to use DVD-RAM discs. DVD-RAM discs are rewritable and (unlike DVD+, DVD- and DVD-RW) allow you to do editing directly on the disc through the DVD/VCR unit itself. Most newer DVD+RW drives in PCs are compatible with the DVD-RAM format. It will also record on "+", "-" and "-RW" discs although without the on-board editing option.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...panasonic_dvd_recorder-_-82-103-389-_-Product

Note: Some customer reviews ding this model for slow start-up time (this can be easily be taken care of by enabling "Quick Start" mode which uses a few more watts of power when off) or for occasional freeze-up issues (fixed mine with a firmware upgrade from Panasonic's website). I've used other brands (Lite-On, Magnavox) and this is by far the best of the bunch.

Hope this helps.

 

Zenith is one of those brand names that officially went out of business years ago; someone bought the rights to the name and licenses it out to various mfrs. so it appears they're selling a "brand name" product.

Not sure if this will help, but you may be able to solve the problem by checking the owner's manual or on-screen menu to see if there is a way to manually choose a "finalize disk" option before ejecting it or attempting to play it back on other units.

 

I don't blame you one bit. When it comes to issues with electronics, even geeks have their limits.

:banghead