Toshiba DVR3 DVD Recorder/VCR Combination
Great recorder/player; few minor but not "deal breaking" flaws
The Toshiba DVR3 is a great DVD recorder. Toshiba VCR's and DVD players have always worked great for me; they have been in working condition after years of use when I decided to upgrade and sell the old model. I purchased this DVD recorder/VCR for $139 from OneCall as a refurb which is a steal. The DVR3 is hard to find new any more as it has been replaced by the DVR4. However, the DVR4 does not have firewire input, like this model has. The DVR3 is packed with features, including firewire input from a camcorder, and other things you can read about in the specs. But it does have its flaws, none of which are deal breakers, but something to be aware of before you plop down your hard earned cash. <br /> <br />First, their is no S-Video input on the back. This was corrected in the DVR4 but I have my HDTV outputting via S-Video to the DVR3, so I need to always have my S-Video and audio cables connected in the front, which is a little unsightly. Recording HDTV via the S-Video produces a very nice picture, and it retains the 16:9 widescreen format and plays back as widescreen. <br /> <br />Another thing is the front display is nice and large, but I wish the display was not in the color orange but the more common neutral/blueish hue used by most electronics. <br /> <br />The remote is horrible! The range is terrible. I can get up to 12 feet where my couch is, but even then, it is spotty. Even at closer range it doesn't always work when you push a button. And the buttons are placed in non-logical places, unlike all my other Toshiba products. But fortunately a universal learning remote I own works well with the DVR3. <br /> <br />The manual lacks a lot of detail, like specifying when you hook up the S-Video out that that output will not work for the VCR but only the DVD player. <br /> <br />If you can find the DVR3, like I did, for under $140, I'd highly recommend it. That beats almost any DVD recorder price, plus this has a VCR and the backing of the Toshiba name. I rarely usea VCR but bought this unit as a DVD recorder and to play an occasional VCR tape, so I could get rid of two stand alone units. I plan to do some VCR to DVD dubbing in the near future. <br /> <br />Lastly, it is interesting that the menu system is different than previous Toshiba DVD players I have owned. The menu on this DVD recorder/VCR is very similar to a Samsung unit my workplace uses. In fact, in the Toshiba manual, one screen shot it shows the disc being recorder as having the name \\"Samsung disc.\\"