Any good combo or get single unit?

[tee jay]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum but my wife's vcr for 12 years is starting to act up and I want to replace it with another one. Since we don't have a dvd player in our room, I have considered combo models but am not sure about the durability of the vcr and dvd. I might get the Philips dvd if I choose to go separate but when it comes to VCR, I have look at the Sony SLV-n900 and Mitsubishi HSU-499 and 748 and was wondering if you can recommend any of these vcr or any combo?

[Tommyknocker]

Always get the single unit. Only because of regardless of the quality, if a single unit breaks, you only have the single unit in the shop getting fixed. If your combo breaks, you lose both functions while one of the functions is gettin fixed.

[nickyboy4]

If you go with a combo check out the Pioneer DVR RT500

[Sabro]

Honestly, I would try to stay away from the combo units for a few reasons.

#1 Price / Repair / Replace :

Combo Units tend to cost more then the seperate units usually due to the 'con-vean-younce' (blah need spell check! heh) of having everything nicely packaged in one unit.

As Tommy mentioned, if the unit fails in one or more areas, your out the whole unit until it has been repaired.

Generally, as with the initial investment, replacing the unit with a simular or newer unit will cost more then buying two seperate (depending on your taste of course) units.

#2 Functionality

I've heard tons of people complain that they've spent a ton on a combo unit, only to find out later they are unable to reproduce some of their favorite VHS tapes to DVD simply because of the Macrovision copy protection the VHS tapes contain.

Having two seperate units, you have the ability to add a booster/Stabilier inbetween the units to reduce/remove Macrovision, Audio/Video interferrence, etc.

With the combo unit you tend to be at the mercy of the manufactor since the combo units (VHS/DVD) are kinda like directly linked internal, and thus are harder, if not impossible (I do believe, but no quoting please) to enhanse the signal between the 'VHS/DVD'.

Just my opinion, but hope this helps!

Sabro

(New and Improved, however spelling lessons are not included! DOH!)

[tee jay]

Since most cheap VCR out there may last only about a year, any suggestion as to which VCR to get? I was thinking of the Mitsubishi HSU 748 SVHS since this may be the only top of the line consumer VCR left. Any opinions?