Sony SLV-D350P DVD / VCR Combo
I Expect More From Sony
I have many items from Sony, including a separate component system consisting of TV, VCR, and DVD player, which I have been very happy with. Because of that experience I bought this combination VHS/DVD unit, and honestly, if I had to do it over again I would not have done so.<br /><br />Many people have had horror stories about reliability issues concerning this unit, and thankfully, I have not experienced those, but my issues concern fundamental design constraints. This is one of the least logical pieces of consumer electronics imaginable. I am used to dealing with high tech gear, but this thing is a mind-bending experience to operate. The remote control is hands down the worst designed remote I have ever seen. All the buttons are tiny, and are identical or nearly so, and many are extremely counterintuitive to use. As a specific example I cite the fast forward and reverse functions here: there are six tiny buttons with nearly identical functions adjacent to each other, and they all work completely unlike any other piece of electronics I have experience with. Just getting the unit configured for play is a maze of keystrokes, which I have definitely not mastered yet.<br /><br />In a nutshell, the picture quality has been fine for me (thankfully), but this unit is highly exasperating to use, and I would recommend against it on balance. Sony has done, and can do, much better.