JVC HRXVC26U Progressive-Scan DVD/VCR Combo , Black
A Poorly designed product.
I thought this unit was going to be a good space saving replacement for my old vcr and non DVD-R/RW compatible DVD player, but I was wrong.  All around this product is poorly designed, especially the remote control and user interface. <br /> <br />Although this unit boasts it is DVD-R/RW compatible, DVD-RW discs that work properly with almost every other player skip during high motion scenes and during scene changes.  Since I bought this player to play back media recorded on my computer, this makes the player rather useless to me. <br /> <br />I didn't like the remote control layout at all.  Since many buttons are shared between the vcr and dvd player, most have two labels on top of them which is confusing. When performing certain functions the buttons you need to press are located far apart from each other.  Buttons with similar functions are not clustered together.  The remote can supposedly operate a TV.  The instructions make no mention what brands of TV the remote can operate or how to program it to operate them.  This leads me to belive that the remote can only operate a JVC brand television. <br /> <br />This player has many annoying little quirks.  Powering on the unit will first power up the VHS deck causing wear and tear on the components, and then the unit will automatically power up the DVD deck switch over and start playing the disc before it will let you switch back and use the VCR.  Ideally the unit should remember what deck you used last and only power up that one instead of both.  <br /> <br />For VCR timer recording, not only does the VCR deck have to be powered off, but the \\"timer mode\\" has to be engaged by pushing a button on the remote.  There is no button on the front panel to engage \\"timer mode\\".  Worse yet, if you lose your remote and timer mode is engaged, there is no way of turning the VCR back on again. <br /> <br />The front panel display is just a simple LED display.  Virtually every other DVD player on the market has a dot matrix display.  Instead of saying \\"No disc\\" it crudely says \\"No dc\\".  The display is constantly on which is annoying if the unit is in a bedroom.  For DVDs switching between displaying the elasped time and time remaining is a complex menu operation. <br /> <br />Although the tape counter can be reset, there is no function to automatically rewind the tape to the zero mark. <br /> <br />The open/close button has to be held for a long time before the disc tray opens.  There is no button on the remote to open/close the tray. <br /> <br />This unit can play SuperVCD's, but forget about searching backwards through them.  It will take you 30 seconds to go backwards 1 minute. <br /> <br />As another reviewer mentioned, the automatic clock set simply does not work, even though that feature works properly with other VCRs in the house.  Setting the clock is frustrating since the arrow buttons don't behave as you might expect them to. <br /> <br />On the positive side, the video quality of the VHS deck was excellent.  The VCR had the rare feature of selectable sharpness settings, and video stabilization. I liked the ability to do VHS index searches via the DVD chapter buttons.  The unit can also automatically guess the amount of videotape left on a cassette.  The ability to customize  DVD/VCD picture brightness, contrast, sharpness, color,tint,gamma was a welcome addition that is noticably absent on my Sony DVD player. <br /> <br />Overall the media incompatibility, remote control, and user interface issues earn this player a solid thumbs down.