Sony SLV-D300P Progressive-Scan DVD-VCR Combo
I've gotta say pass on this one.
After debating, I must say to others to pass on this unit.  While not enough for me to return my item to the store, if I knew what I know now, I'd pass on getting it.      I've not had most of the problems posted in previous reviews.  No problems with the VHS deck, no blue lines, no physical damage done to tapes.  My only real VCR concern was an odd entry in the options setup where you tell the tape size, 120, 160, etc.  Why?  Shouldn't the unit ONLY care about the tape size when it detects the clear leader tape at the beginning and the ending?  If not, then, it appears to me this option is for some kind of fast rewind, which I've always hated in VCR's.  They did nothing but tear up my tapes because they never recognized the leader tape.    Main points that stick out that potential buyers should know.  First is the included remote.  Unfortunately, should you need a replacement, you probably won't be able to ever control the unit again.  The buttons on the console itself are few.  The remote commands are too numerous, meaning a universal remote probably will be useless on this, though I've not tested this.  The remote buttons are fairly small, and, you will need a full light source to see what buttons are where and what they do.    Next, the manual is surprisingly lacking.  Several set up options weren't covered anywhere in the manual I could see and key areas that should have been included in the Index at the back were not listed.    Finally, the main reason I believe people should not buy this unit.  It does accept DVD writable discs, however, it is WAY too picky!  Within the manual itself, it warns the unit may not be able to play discs that have label stickers on the label surface.  While it is not recommended to use labels as they may peel off in the drive, to have the drive somehow detect labels or the drive bay have so little space for a margin of error that it physically prevents the disc from playing is simply outrageous to accept!  The manual also warns that scratches on a disc may prevent playback.  While this is certainly acceptible, IF scratches are what were causing my discs not to playback, then, this unit is too sensitive to them.  When I read here of the DVD being picky, I loaded all of my library, disc by disc, to see the results.  11 discs simply refused to play with the drive's \\"THIS DISC CANNOT BE PLAYED!  CHECK THE DISC!\\" error.  No other explanation.  Just a generic error that blames you for it.  Were there more detailed error messages, it might be tolerable.    No, the laser within the disc reader is simply too picky.  Using rewritable DVD discs, I was able to rebuild these 11 discs into a format the drive liked.  However, all 11 of these discs played before, and I tested them again, STILL played fine in four other test players that they had passed in before!  A Panasonic DVR, 2 PC drives (One of the the Sony DRU-500, amazingly!) and the Playstation 2.  (Another Sony reader!)      Bottom line, 2 other Sony drives played them fine, but, this unit didn't even want to read them.  The DVD drive is just too picky here.  Not enough for me to return it because it has yet to fail on any DVD pressed discs, just writable ones.  Granted, there are a lot of miracles involved, more than people realized, in getting a writable DVD disc to work.  But, for discs that worked before in drives that still work, including 2 from the same manufacturer as this combo unit, that's simply something a buyer shouldn't have to accept.    A few annoyances that can be lived with, but, were I someone else knowing what I know now, I'd pass on the drive.  Again, not enough for me to return it yet, but, I also cannot recommend anyone else getting it.      EDIT: I DID end up returning it.