Editorial Review:Item Description:HDMI / Easy Record / Component Video / Composite
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
-
* Weak DVD player. ...
I thought it would be convenient to have a DVD player, DVD recorder, and VHS all in one cheap machine so I could save space in my house and not have to buy multiple machines. Turns out I STILL have to get another DVD player because this dumb thing doesn't recognize a number of DVDs still. I have a lot of Region 0 DVD's that don't work at all on this machine. Usually any DVD player should be able to play a Region 0 DVD release. VCD's (which usually every DVD player can play, even my old one did) do not work at all on this machine either. The VHS to DVD copying is the only thing it has a practical use for, cause it's one lousy DVD player.
Rating: 
-
* Good for the price but some drawbacks ...
I bought and returned one. I could see how in some situations this would be a good buy, especially if on special, but for me it didn't work out. The dealbreaker was that either my cable settop box S-Video output (from which I intended to record) or the Samsung S-Video input (I'm not sure which) didn't work, and I wasn't happy with using the RCA jack because the video quality suffers. If it worked, I'd probably still have the unit, but like I said, it could be my cable box.
The other issues I had, that I could live with if not for the S-Video problem, were that the fan was a little noisy in the smaller room my (open-air) entertainment center is in, and when a video tape is in the drive it gets even noisier, to the point of distraction. If I were only going to copy tapes to DVD-R, it wouldn't matter, but we have a large collection of kids videos that they still watch. Also, there was no input selector or channel up/down buttons on the front of the unit. The remote is pretty good, but if you can't find it...
Overall, the feature set is good for the price - it has plenty of in/out options, the settop box IR extender is helpful, and the quality is good. If your situation is different than mine, this could be a good value purchase.
Rating: 
-
* Great unit for the price ...
This machine is exceptionally easy to hook up and use. It reduces both component and cable clutter, combining two quality machines into one. I was able to navigate the menus and create a disc with little or no references to the manual, so it's quite intuitive. I have not tried the editing features yet (yes, I did eventually glance through the manual) but they seem straightforward and complete, especially for a unit in this price range.
The lack of a tuner is a valid point, although since I have satellite TV this actually simplifies the process for me and virtually eliminates ever recording from the wrong source.
I was especially impressed with the machine's speed in recording and, yes, even finalizing a DVD. It's quite impressive and creates DVDs that play in every machine I have tried.
As is somewhat uncommon in relatively inexpensive electronics, the build quality is also excellent. It feels solid. If I were using the remote on a regular basis I would probably find fault there -- I have a universal remote. I am still configuring some of the settings there but it works well.
Regarding remote usage - the IR receiver seems VERY directional on this unit. At times it seems unresponsive, both with the in-box remote and the universal (Harmony). Keep this in mind if you're going to install it where your normal sitting position is not in a direct line of sight from the unit. (I suppose this could be unique to my unit, but I don't know...)
Rating: 
-
* It does not have a tuner. ...
Despite the notation in the Amazon page describing it, this device does not have a tuner, analog or digital. Good machine, though, if you have cable or sattelite. Easy to use.
Rating: -
* Samsung DVD-VR357 ...
This item is good, but it has no direct cable connector, so I have to use my old VCR to connect to the cable and use that old VCR output as DVD-VR357's input.
Otherwise, it works fine.
