JVC HRXVC26U Progressive-Scan DVD/VCR Combo , Black
Buyer beware !
I bought THREE of these things over the last two years ... at least two of them from Amazon. (The actual model number was different -- XVC20U in black -- but it's basically the same combo deck they've been selling for several years now. Now they've added progressive scan and DVD burner, other than that it looks like the exact same thing that I bought.)<br /><br />They worked fine at first, but after a while, DVDs started freezing up on them. Oddly, I have absolutely NO trouble playing music CDs in the very same drives.<br /><br />DVD freezing has happens on ALL THREE of them, but it is worse on the unit I have used most. It seems to do it less when the machine or the DVD has cooled down. It gets worse over time.  Lens cleaning with a disc-brusher, lens cleaning via taking off the case for direct contact cleaning, and air-pressured dusting -- all do no good.<br /><br />Anyway, thanks to JVC I have several hundred dollars worth of DVD players that don't play DVDs ... other reviews (under various model numbers) suggest there's not a chance JVC will make good on them.<br /><br />I have had, in the past, good luck with JVC TVs and car stereo units, and I try to stay loyal to brands, suppliers and what not. But I seriously doubt I will be making any other JVC purchases due to these things. I suppose JVC doesn't place much value on their brand or image or they wouldn't have dumped this stuff into the marketplace.<br /><br />It seems to be getting harder and harder to find companies that bother to make products that are actually worth what you pay for them. I suppose companies that rip-off customers and laugh their way to the bank must be part of the \\"new economy\\" I keep hearing about.