Buyer Tips

Why you should avoid DVD/VCR combos!

Many customers are attracted to DVD/VCR combos, mainly because of space saving. These customers are not aware of the disadvantages of the combo systems. So, before you make a purchase here are some points you should consider:

1. General Quality

To reduce the cost of DVD/VCR combos most of the manufacturers design shared circuits systems. Because DVD and VCR are different technologies the result is compromised quality mainly on account of the DVD part: Low video and sound qualities.

On the VCR part, many of the combos have 2 heads only and not 4 heads as required for full S-VHS resolution and stereo sound. Consequently the DVD part, sharing the audio circuits, will be "mono" only. Some units have 4 heads but still are not stereo nor S-VHS video resolution.

In the event of technical issues in one of the VCR/DVD components that require service, you will be left without any playback device because BOTH will be sent for service.

The DVD part is usually built with a cheap DVD drive. In many occasions the tray will not open/close properly.

2. Multi-Region and Multisystem Playback

The VCR part of the system will never convert PAL to NTSC !

We have inspected most of the combos currently in the market. All of them do not have a built-in PAL/NTSC video converter.

Because an external converter will not work with the VCR part, and in view of the cost of such converters, using it with the DVD part only make the whole system economically expansive.

Harware modification to install an internal converter is unpractical.

3. Archiving and Backup

Due to the nature of the combo units it is impossible, in most cases, to install a backup enabler like the Videographer, the Eliminator or the Archiver on this system.

If you already own a combo machine the only way is to use it as a DVD recorder. The VHS must be played on a different VCR.

The backup enabler must be installed between these two components as follows:
  external VCR   --->   Videographer   --->   DVD recorder of the combo.

4. The Alternative

We strongly recommend to use 2 components system: 1)The DVD recorder side (can be also a multi-region DVD recorder) with an external backup enabler, 2)On the play back, any simple NTSC VCR (or a multisystem VCR like the Multisystem VCR "A" if you backup foreign tapes.)

If you already own a combo unit, you may use it for tapes playback OR DVD recording but not the two functions at the same time.