DVD Recorder/ VCR combo

[whitemtntn]

Looking to buy/order one of these combo units. Any recommendations in the current market? There's seems to be so much crap out there. Is there anything decent being made? If it's an older model you recommend, please let me know where I can obtain it..

Do they make any of these that have a built-in hard drive? I know Panasonic used to make one, but I don't think they do anymore..

Thanks very much.

[jman98]

The US market for any DVD recorders is drying up quickly. There aren't many left at all. I think that by now there aren't any DVD recorders with disk drives left. Philips and Pioneer made the last ones and I think both have discontinued them. Others here can probably make recommendations, but you may have to scour places like Ebay if specific models are no longer being manufactured.

Do note that combo units will NOT defeat Macrovision on your video tapes. So if your plan is to copy some old commercial VHS tapes you bought years ago to DVD, that probably won't work. If your plan instead is to copy some old VHS tapes you recorded yourself, that will work.

[orsetto]

The Panasonic with DVD/VHS/HDD was a one-of-a-kind model in the USA, at $499 it was $400 above what the average consumer was willing to pay so it didn't last long. Nobody since has bothered trying to sell such a unit in North America, but they are quite popular in Europe and Australia.

Otherwise, pedestrian DVD/VHS combos have usually been not-great compromise recorders: they basically suck at the single most important thing people buy them for- transferring tapes to DVD. Forget it: the only worthwhile reason to suffer a combo recorder is if the wife/girlfriend/partner keeps whining "why do we have so much stuff in the entertainment center?" If having a VHS player in the same box as your DVD recorder is vital for space saving reasons, OK, but understand all it gives you is the ability to play tapes on the TV. Integration with the DVD recorder section is weak to non-existent on most of these, and current models are so infested with hyperactive copy protection they often refuse to copy even home camcorder tapes.

The other killer of DVD recorders nowadays is our delightfully horrid ATSC system: its difficult to find a DVD-only recorder thats reliable under ATSC, and impossible to find a reliable combo. Mfrs are having a very hard time integrating ATSC tuners with the clock/timer systems on DVD recorders in general and DVD/VHS combos especially. So if you depend on "free" TV, there is no combo that can be safely recommended. You're better off with a Magnavox H2160 from Wal*Mart online: proven-reliable reliable ATSC tuner/timer and the only recorder left in the USA with a hard drive. At $249, its far preferable to similarly-priced flakey DVD/VHS combos from other brands.

If you have cable/satellite, one of the few decent DVD/VHS combos is the tunerless (no ATSC, no off-air at all) Panasonic EZ-38. It is very hard to find, and costs as much as the more-capable Magnavox, but if you absolutely must have a combo its the best of a bad lot. Don't be tempted by the EZ-48 model, which is often on sale for under $200 as open box returns: the EZ-48 includes a terrible ATSC tuner timer system which makes it one of the least reliable recorders you can buy. A better option is to add one of the better coupon-subsidized ATSC converters, like the Zenith DTT901 at Kmart, to the tunerless EZ-38 model. Of course, that puts you back in the position of having two separate boxes: if you need to record off-air, save yourself the aggravation and get the Magnavox. You can always pick up a good second-hand Sharp, Panasonic or Mitsubishi vcr for $20 and plug it into the DVD recorder just when you need to dub tapes (it can sit in a closet when not needed).

[whitemtntn]

Yeah-- that's what it looks like to me too.. the combo idea seems a dead-end.
Any decent VCR's out there? Ours died and we need to replace it, for dubbing, and for playing the odd VHS tape.

[orsetto]

No new VCRs in stores anymore. For casual dubbing, look on Craigs List or eBay for a decent 4-head hifi Panasonic, Sharp or Mitsubishi. People often give these away for $10-30 in mint condition. For the typical "back up tapes we never watch to DVDs we'll also never watch" tasks, any of these good solid midrange VCRs is fine. If you have a ton of tapes, and its a big hobby for you, you might want to consider searching out a Panasonic semi-pro deck like the AG1980 and/or a JVC 9911 (these run $99-250 depending on condition and have special image-improvement circuits that can really fix up some tapes).

For exhaustive (and exhausting!) detailed info on tape transfers and VCR ideas, check threads in the "Restoration" forum, or search for posts by "LordSmurf": this should lead you in a good direction.

[trhouse]

I would recommend the Panasonic DMR- ES35V, ES45V series of combo units. The ES46V is the same as the ES45V but it has an HDMI cable as part of the included accessories. I have used them for a big family project. They have advantages over separate units depending on the nature of your work. I would not recommend them for copying copy protected material. It can be done but it is not as convenient as separate units. These Panasonic models allow the VCR output to go to an external device like a TBC, color correctors, noise reduction equipment, etc, and then back into the dvd recorder side. I found no other brand of combo that can do this.

The advantage of a combo is convenience. They have features like one touch transfer. They automatically determine the length of the VHS tape by fast forwarding to the end and then rewinding, then choosing an appropriate encoding rate to fit the material onto a standard size dvd disk.

The other advantage is price. Combos can often be had on ebay for less than the cost of a plain dvd recorder. There is nothing to prevent the use of other VCR's with the dvd recorder portion.

The DMR-EH75V is of the same generation as the above but includes a hard drive. It allows copying to the hdd first, editing, adding chapters, etc. then burn to disk. It has an interesting feature that allows recording TV to the hdd in FR mode which allows the hdd recording to automatically fit onto a standard size dvd.

[orsetto]

I would recommend the Panasonic DMR- ES35V, ES45V series of combo units. (...)The advantage of a combo is convenience. They have features like one touch transfer. They automatically determine the length of the VHS tape by fast forwarding to the end and then rewinding, then choosing an appropriate encoding rate to fit the material onto a standard size dvd disk.

When it comes down to it, these are really the only two combo recorders that were ever worth buying, because the automated features actually did work well, but when the answer to a question reduces to basically one choice only available second hand, I usually avoid recommending it because most folks really do not want to troll eBay competing with other fanatics for a limited supply of cult models.

The other advantage is price. Combos can often be had on ebay for less than the cost of a plain dvd recorder.

Depends what you're comparing to. The ES30V, ES35V, and ES45V are very popular so you don't necessarily get a huge price break. Also, a big trap to watch out for with all used Panasonics on eBay or Craigs List is their burners: they have a strong tendency to get dirty and then not work right, making the recorder seem defective. Most second-hand Panasonics are put up for sale for this very reason, the seller hopes you won't realize until its too late. With a minimal effort, and some good instructions, the Panasonic burners can be opened and the disc clamp cleaned, once this is done a Panasonic will work properly for a long while before needing another cleaning. They do require regular disassembly and cleaning to stay in working order: those interested can use the excellent illustrated instructions posted by DigaDo over at AVS forum in threads with titles like "Panasonic Recorder Spindle Cleaning".

The DMR-EH75V is of the same generation as the above but includes a hard drive.

Its also the rarest and most highly-sought-after recorder on the planet. If you find one second hand, be prepared to pay upwards of $400-500 for it. Amazing unit, and worth the money if you can afford one, but pric-ey indeed.

[trhouse]

The ES30V, ES35V, and ES45V are very popular

That is why I edited the response to include the ES46V. That model is not as well known. One person I know bought two of them off ebay for about $35 each on the same day. No one bid against him. They worked perfectly although one unit had a slightly damaged door for the DV and SD card inputs on the front panel.

Its also the rarest and most highly-sought-after recorder on the planet.

I got lucky, not realizing what was about to happen to the hdd recorder market in the US and bought a new one at less than MSRP.

[handyguy]

My Sony does dual layer disks.

Sony RDR-VX515

[sanlyn]

Someone omitted the Toshiba RD-XS34 and 35. MSRP $499 new. Last seen selling used on Amazon for $800+. I have two. When they finally break, I'll stop watching movies on TV. No way I'm inflicting dumbed-down oversaturated BluRay spectacles and HDMI on my eyes and ears.