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Zenith XBV243 Dual Deck DVD-VCR Combo

Zenith XBV243 Dual Deck DVD-VCR Combo

List Price: $299.99
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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Waste of Money
Review: Stay away if you want a unit that works. This is my second unit and both of them died within weeks of purchase.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Disappointing!
Review: The best things you can say about the unit is that it's very quiet. However, the response to commands from the remote is extremely slow. By the time the VCR unit stops either FF or REW you're so far past the point where you wanted to be that you have to do it all over again. The Commercial Skip feature sounds great in theory but in practice you have the same problem as with the FF or REW, and you have to use it 4-6 times together with REW. Programming the VCR to record a program can take forever because you can't set the hour and mins independent of each other. There are many other shortcomings with the VCR but too many to list. The same also holds true for the DVD player. Also, since the remote isn't a "universal" it has no volume controls so you have to switch to your TV's remote every time you need to adjust the volume. I've had better performance from very inexpensive VCR and DVD units than from this "high end" unit.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Excellent & Poor Quality
Review: The first one I received from Amazon was defective. The clock would not increment, thus I could not set the timer to record programs. After returning the first one and receiving a replacement, it works flawlessly. The DVD picture quality is great and the quality of VCR recordings in EP mode is fine. Only annoying part about the VCR playback is that the first 5-10 seconds are always a bit fuzzy along the bottom of the screen. The auto-tracking feature has always cleared it up though.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: ZENITH XBV243 COMBO DVD/VCR
Review: The Quality of workmanship and finish is first rate.

The mechanism is smooth as silk.

Very satisfied with the results, and think that the price to satisfaction ratio could not be better.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: A moody machine
Review: This cheap south korean import has big mood swings. 90% of the time i can't get it to play my mp3 discs, and for no apparent reasons. i thought it was my particular one, so i went back and exchanged for another sealed box, but same problem. after 2 months, the door on the vcr came off loose! i total regret this purchase, esp. since i could have gotten a jvc one for only ten bucks more.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Small problem
Review: This combo player seems to work great. The one issue I have with it is the mirrored/reflective front. During the daytime or when lights are on, it is somewhat difficult to see the display due to reflection.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: First time DVD buyer
Review: This is a GREAT player. Selling factors of this unit were versatility, some of which are connections including component, composite, S-Video, digital audio out, RF in and RF out. This is especially great for folks with older TV sets wanting to go DVD. I can also attach it to a newer digital quality TV when I'm ready. I happened to like the silver and mirrored front, esp. if your going for that monochomatic, mirrored, sleek look for a smaller area or bedroom. It has played every disk that I have put in it, DVD, CD, CD-RW. You can switch between DVD, VCR, or Cable TV all with one button on the remote!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Glad we bought it!!
Review: We shopped many, many, on-line sites and stores.Comparisons and price brought us back to Zenith. We haven't seen this model in any store. The hook-up was easy. The DVD plays wonderfully, as does the VCR!! The whole system is quiet and fast in fast-forwarding and rewinding. The VHS playback is better than the Samsung VCR we had been using. The price was UNBELIEVEABLY LOW for this product!!!!! The only reason for 4 instead of 5 stars is the remote is not universal....a VERY SMALL complaint for the quality of this VHS/DVD Combo. Thanks Amazon!!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Its ok, but not for the money
Review: Well after being a hard-core zenith fan for many many years I decided to go with this machine when my old Zenith VCR ate a tape after 15 years and a few quirky ejections.

This one seemed like a good choice, ...the few problems I did have were caused by those annoying people putting thier grubby dirty fingers on the DVDs at Blockbuster that messed up the player reading them. after a quick rub on the DVD it worked fine.

The remote is a bit small for peopel with big fingers, but not impossible to use.

My biggest qualm with it? The buttons on the front are very hard to read and see which button you are pushing. This is due to the reflective backing the buttons are set through. If you have this unit set low and in a dark spot you can pretty much forget seeing what you are pushing, best choice is to the use the remote.

I can't testify to the programing of this unit since I've trying to figure out how to get the best picture throgh a cable box comming from a new HDTV and all the other boxes and cables, I haven't had time to bother trying to record something.

If I had the chance to buy it again? I think I would pass and go for something a progressive scan capability. I would consider a Zenith in that yes, but this no. Especially since I saw how going from the RCA connection to the S-Video improved the quality. Maybe using the component output would kick it up to change my mind, maybe not.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Met All Expectations
Review: When I first decided to buy a DVD/VCR combo for Xmas to replace my 15-year old Panasonic VCR, I expected to buy a Sony or Panasonic since I have had good results from these brands for TV and audio components. After reading the reviews, however, and looking at the models, I decided to go with the Zenith. I have had it now for more than a month, and am very pleased with the capability and apparent quality of the unit, not to mention its price. It does everything advertised, and the quality of reproduction is very good. Of course I can't know about future reliability, but at this point I would recommend it to anyone.


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