Samsung DVD-VR325 DVD/VCR Recorder
Good, but not great
I bought the VR325 because my old VCR was no longer working well, I wanted to copy some videocassettes to DVD, and I wanted a DVD player capable of playing CDs and displaying photo JPGs on my TV. This machine satisfies me on all counts, though not without some minor annoyance.<br /><br />DVD movies look even better with this machine than they did with my old DVD player. I notice no difference between the HDMI interface and S-video; both produce gorgeous results for movies. There is a difference when I look at photo JPGs: When I used the HDMI interface, I had to adjust the aspect ratio on my TV to 4:3 so that the pictures wouldn't be cropped; with S-video they display properly at 4:3 or 16:9. Since photo quality is the same, I've opted to stick with S-video. The machine comes with an HDMI cable, and I'm sure I'll find a use for it someday.<br /><br />It's very easy to record to DVD from VHS, though as a previous reviewer noted, you need to turn off the progressive scan feature and there's nothing in the manual about that. VHS output is excellent; our videocassettes look much better than they did on our old VCR.<br /><br />What don't I like about this machine? First, it takes it several seconds to load a DVD; my Sony loaded DVDs almost immediately. It also takes it several seconds to load a CD. I assume part of the delay is due to the machine deciding what kind of disc is loaded, but it seems rather long anyway.<br /><br />Second, the remote isn't very responsive (and I've used a couple of sets of new batteries to make sure it isn't due to low batteries). I have to hit the open/close button a couple of times to get the DVD tray to come out (it works right away when I hit the button on the machine), and I have to aim the remote much more accurately than I did with my old machine.<br /><br />Third, the menus illustrated in the manual don't look much like the menus I get on my TV screen. I haven't been able to find a couple of things in the manual at all, and some things discussed in the manual don't seem to correspond to anything I can find on the machine or on the menus. The manual is definitely a one-star item; it's incomplete and misleading. It's pathetic.<br /><br />Overall I think Samsung has come up with a pretty good product in this machine. For the basic tasks of playing DVDs, CDs, and VHS cassettes it's superb. It's nicely styled. It makes recording from VHS to DVD easy. Startup is slow, the remote is annoying, and the manual is crummy. Those are things that should be easily and cheaply fixed. If they are, this will be a five-star product.nd some things discussed in the manual don't seem to correspond to anything I can find on the machine or on the menus. The manual is definitely a one-star item; it's incomplete and misleading. It's pathetic. <br /> <br />Overall I think Samsung has come up with a pretty good product in this machine. For the basic tasks of playing DVDs, CDs, and VHS cassettes it's superb. It's nicely styled. It makes recording from VHS to DVD easy. Startup is slow, the remote is annoying, and the manual is crummy. Those are things that should be easily and cheaply fixed. If they are, this will be a five-star product.