JVC DR-MV80B - DVD recorder/ VCR combo Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this from HSN a couple weeks after getting a 65 in Mitsubishi HDTV from them as well. I was thinking about getting a blu-ray player. When I saw this unit on air last weekend, I decided to try it. I really don't want to replace my movies again. I'm still replacing the VHS ones with DVDs as I find them on sale. This upconverts the regular DVD very nicely. The other bonus was that I could record my personal VHS tapes on DVD. I have my wedding and family functions that I would hate to lose. Not only was this easy to do, the DVD came out better than the VHS version. Just make sure you finalize the disc so you can play it on any DVD player.
I personally don't record anything from TV. But, there are several ways to set this up either with an HDMI cable, directly to your TV, thru a home theater system, or your cable/satellite box. It's not point and click to set up. You have to manually set it up to work, but it will record. As another reviewer stated, this will not record protected material. It's not the machine's fault. It's actually against the law to do so. Why would they allow you to record something for free when the production company wants to sell you their series on DVD?
For me, I got this to watch my current DVDs in the best high def format possible and transfer old VHS to DVD. So, this totally meets my expectations and then some. It does a fantastic job of upconverting DVDs and the VHS tapes look pretty good too. If you are looking for a great upconverting DVD player, that is a DVD-R, and has a VCR, too, this is the unit for you.
PS-I was able to use Sony DVD-R without any problems. This was not one of the recommended brands but [...].

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JVC JVC DRMV80B 701

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Magnavox DVD Recorder/VCR Combo, HDMI 1080p Up-Conversion, No Tuner (Manufacturer Refurbished) Review

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(More customer reviews)UPDATE: SINCE I WROTE THIS REVIEW THE ITEM DESCRIPTION INCLUDING THE MANUFACTURER HAS CHANGED AND THE refurbished MODEL ATTACHED TO THIS REVIEW DOES NOT HAVE A TUNER ON IT. A refurbished VCR - DVDr combo with a tuner that appears to be the newer version of my model (which is still working great a year later) can be found here : Magnavox ZV457MG9 Dual Deck DVD/VCR Recorder
I bought this after returning a similarly-priced tunerless player-only combo product made by Samsung. That one would only output VHS over the composite line. No component. No HDMI. Apparently some upscaling or signal processing is involved in making the VHS play over those outputs, but the Magnavox outputs VHS over all three types of cables. I don't need to use two inputs on my tv, and I don't need to find my tv remote to switch inputs if I want to watch a tape.
Picture quality is excellent for dvd, VHS, and the cable-box signal I'm running through the player. The VHS picture is not as good as dvd, but I didn't expect it to be. It's still a high quality four head VCR/VHS player that looks tons better than my now dead one from 2001.
I tested the recording functions, which I don't generally use, and they work great, even with cheap dvds. Set-up was easy, and I didn't have any trouble figuring out the remote.
The long and short of it is that I was able to replace my dead vcr at a reasonable price with something that suits my current needs and home entertainment configuration.
Please note that I ordered this model refurbished. The manual that came with it indicates that it is a class A. I recommend that you contact the seller to make sure that you're going to get the A model.

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Magnavox DVD Recorder/VCR Combo, HDMI 1080p Up-Conversion, No Tuner

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Philips DVDR3576H DVD Recorder with 160GB Hard Disc and Built-In Tuner Review

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(More customer reviews)This excellent unit is truly powerful and capable. It's a real bargain if its price does not climb (see paragraph 3). It combines 3 different functions in one slim package, any one of which alone would have cost more than its sub-$300 price not so long ago: a 160 GB hard disk recorder, an ATSC digital tuner (and an analog NTSC tuner too), and a DVD recorder. Additionally, it breaks the DVD +/- format war by its ability to record on both.
This unit is one of the surprisingly few hard disk-plus-DVD recorder devices available today that has a digital tuner. It eliminates the high cost of monthly charges for a TIVO. No monthly charges at all! It can do two things at once, allowing playback from either DVD or HDD while recording to HDD. It has a fan but it's quiet, and turns off about a minute after turning the unit off. And, of course, you can watch live TV via your TV's tuner as well.
NOTE ON PRICES: In 2009 the Philip's price has increased, sometimes substantially above what it was last year, although you may still find it at a good price. It may be in limited quantities and/or about to be deleted: I do not know. If you can only find it at an elevated price you should also consider other units. Gary S. reports recently that the newly-available Magnavox H2160MW9, now at Amazon too, is essentially identical to the Philips and is at a sub-$300 price, so investigate that. At higher prices, there are other units that, unlike this otherwise excellent Philips, can record in high definition instead of standard def (albeit on hard drive only): the Moxi MR 1500 (for cable only, cannot be used with an antenna; 500 GB hard drive); or the TiVo TCD658000 HD XL DVR (for both cable and antenna; 1000 GB hard drive). TiVo imposes service charges, unlike Moxi or Philips, so the HD XL effectively costs about $900 for the unit + "lifetime" service fee. However, unlike the Philips, both Moxi and TiVo need an adjunct DVD recorder in order to download keeper programs to a DVD (in SD not HD, at least until Blu-Ray recorders are available). Otherwise you lose your recordings if/when the hard disk crashes.
Recording TV programs
I use a roof antenna, and receive both analog and digital TV signals. Programming to record TV shows is very similar to programming a VCR manually. There is no automatic programming system, but it's really not that hard to do manually. It records HD signals as SD (standard definition).
The listing of programs ("Titles") that you have recorded are clearly shown and easy to navigate to. But it is best to put at least a rudimentary title on the TV programs right after you record them. Otherwise all you have is the date, time, and channel of the recording. You have to add titles by a clunky texting method, requiring multiple presses of numbers 1-9.
Playback
I use an HDMI cable between this unit and my TV. Playback from the hard disk is a joy. Access is immediate. The unit remembers where you left off watching last time on each program individually. You can manoever around the recordings with an (adjustable) 30-second skip forward/backward button, or with an adjustable-speed fast forward/rewind, or with a chapter-jump ("next") which uses the (optional) 10-minute auto-chapters that are inserted.
Playback from DVD is fine, but loading a DVD is slow (perhaps because it can handle so many different DVD formats).
Aspect Ratio (edited 12/08--thanks to Arnold E.)
This will require fiddling with from time to time to display the picture properly.
When recording DIGITAL programs you get 16:9 playback with very good SD definition on a widescreen TV with the following settings: Setup/General/Video/TV Aspect/16:9. AND set the "HDMI" toggle button to 1080p (or 1080i if your 16:9 set doesn't have p). The TV should then choose the correct aspect ratio setting automatically.
If you play back a 4:3 ANALOG program (until June 2009) with these settings, it will play back stretched sideways: reset "HDMI" to 480p to fix this.
AND if you are recording some digital programs which are not broadcast full-screen (e.g. BBC News) you may wish to press ZOOM on your TV to fill the screen.
User-friendliness
Most functions are well thought out and the software is good. But you will have to read the manual.
The remote control has the buttons needed, but several important ones are badly laid out. The STOP button is tiny.
Since it's a multifunctional device, you have to tell it what component you want to use. If you have been watching a TV show recorded on HDD, and then insert a DVD, if you just press "play", it will resume playback of the HDD unless you press "DVD" first. It's not smart enough to realize you want the DVD now.
The 122-page instruction book is detailed. It is fairly well written. Mine is very well-thumbed and dogeared. To get the most out of this complex unit, you will need to read it carefully.
Editing
For copying from old VHS tapes or home DVD's, I find it best to record first onto the HDD. Then use "deleting a scene" to remove unwanted sections. The software for this is pretty user-friendly. Then transfer the cleaned-up version to DVD. You can in theory record directly to DVD from VHS, and delete unwanted sections on the DVD directly, using "Hiding Chapters" but this is clunky (first you have to define the section as a chapter). Worse, these deletions, and added chapter headings, were ignored when played back on another unit.
Upsides
An excellent, low-cost, way to record digital and analog programs over the air or on cable.
No monthly fee.
Good quality SD 16:9 recordings.
Versatile: able to transfer recordings either way between DVD and HDD.
Downsides
It can't record HD programs in HD--it downgrades them to SD.
It's slow to load a DVD.
The remote buttons are poorly laid out.
Titling tracks is tedious.
DVD edits may be ignored in other DVD players.
Summary
This is a really fine and extremely versatile unit, at a good price. It is a leapfrog into the digital age. Finally here is a device with the versatility to fully supplant S-VHS VCR's.
The next step will be when this kind of device is upgraded to record HDTV on its hard disk AND to record Blu-Ray DVD's. Don't hold your breath.
(This review is based on the predecessor model, DVDR3575H, similar except for the tuner).

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Philips DVDR3576H DVD Recorder with 160GB Hard Disc and Built-In Tuner

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