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Zenith XBV342 Progressive-Scan DVD-VCR Combo

Zenith XBV342 Progressive-Scan DVD-VCR Combo

List Price: $179.99
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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 1 stars
Summary: The audio quit in 3 weeks
Review: Bought this as a replacement for a 20 year Toshiba VCR that finally bit the dust. Worked fine for 3 weeks, then the audio output circuitry for the DVD player went south. The sound would die after playing for an hour and the only way to get it back was to shut the player off for 15 to 20 minutes. I suspect an overheating problem in the circuitry despite more than adequate clearance and airflow. VCR continues to work fine. The store (Circuit City) gets this one back today.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Returned same day
Review: I bought this and returned it the same day it arrived. The picture was jumpy and the color kept shifting to purple.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Zenith DVD/VCR Combo
Review: I bought this unit for a child's room. Having both DVD's and VHS's this is the perfect solution. It is very easy to use and set-up. I don't use the remote much because we just pop in a DVD or tape and enjoy, which makes it easy for the kids to do themselves. I did not give this a 5-star because you are suppose to be able to record DVD's over to the VCR. I thought this would be really handy because I have a VCR in my vehicle and it would have been nice to record the DVD's over to VHS for that reason. Everything is copyright protected so that is not possible. So the "copy" button is pretty much worthless. This isn't Zenith's fault, but it shouldn't be considered a selling feature either. I'm not using this unit for anything special, but if you're looking for a combo player that's easy to use, this is it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Zenith DVD VCR XBV342
Review: I received item in only 4 days after purchase. I was not familiar with operating a DVD as I had never owned one before. The instructions in the Installation and Operating Guide were thorough and easy to understand. The item also features a VCR and C D function all of which I would recommend to anyone. A remote control also came with it along with cables. The product is brand new, reasonably priced and well packaged for shipping

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Good value
Review: I would agree with the other reviewers that this is a quiet unit. VHS autotracking left a bit to be desired playing back tapes recorded in other VCRs but this is a common problem with most VCRs out there. What I do like about this unit is that it played DVD+R/RW and DVD-R media. I did not have any DVD-RW media to try. My main complaint with this unit is that it does not play VCDs and had trouble reading at least one brand (generic) of CDR media that I have. It did not claim to read VCDs though but my old cheap Apex played VCDs fine. Otherwise, compared to the other offerings of DVD/VCR products, I picked this because it seemed to be the best value of the bunch. I recommended the Toshiba SD-V391 to a friend prior to buying this one for myself. The Toshiba is a cheaper looking and smaller unit but the technical specs are better. I still think the Zenith is a better value but would order the XBV343 instead for a few bucks more. The 343 was out of stock when I ordered the 342. At the time of this writing, both are showing OOS. The 343 appears to be a cosmetic refresh and one previous reviewer (maybe from another site) had both and claims that the specs are equivalent. Another thing to note about the 342 is that it does not come with component cables.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Mine worked well for a while
Review: It's possible that I just got a lemon, but my XBV342 crapped out after less than a year of use. The warranty covers one year on parts and 90 days on labor, but I have no proof of when I bought it (my fault, but it still sucks.)

I took the player to a local electronics repair shop who told me the laser needed replacing, and that a new one would cost just as much as buying a new player. What a waste.

Until it quit working, this was an excellent player. It would have been nice to be able to play VCDs or DVD-R discs, but it could do neither. I thought I would use the VCR quite a bit, but truthfully, I used it maybe 4 or 5 times out of 6 or 7 months. Next time I get a DVD player, I'm going to get a non-combo player that plays DVD-R and/or VCDs - this time I'll keep my receipt, ESPECIALLY if I buy a Zenith.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Mine worked well for a while
Review: It's possible that I just got a lemon, but my XBV342 crapped out after less than a year of use. The warranty covers one year on parts and 90 days on labor, but I have no proof of when I bought it (my fault, but it still sucks.)

I took the player to a local electronics repair shop who told me the laser needed replacing, and that a new one would cost just as much as buying a new player. What a waste.

Until it quit working, this was an excellent player. It would have been nice to be able to play VCDs or DVD-R discs, but it could do neither. I thought I would use the VCR quite a bit, but truthfully, I used it maybe 4 or 5 times out of 6 or 7 months. Next time I get a DVD player, I'm going to get a non-combo player that plays DVD-R and/or VCDs - this time I'll keep my receipt, ESPECIALLY if I buy a Zenith.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Junk
Review: My player lasted only 6 months and was used very little. The DVD player would freeze up after 10 minutes of use. Zenith said they would repair it for 45 dollars. Looks like it was designed to last long enough to get past the 90 day warranty. I'm done with Zenith products.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great Inexpensive Alternative
Review: On day in August my eight year old Panasonic Hi Fi VCR died. I was going to get a new HiFi VCR but they were about $80. I had an original Toshiba DVD which worked fine, but I wanted to shrink down the space for components.

This unit is all in one. I hooked it up in ten minutes to the TV, Digital Cable Box and Receiver. What is nice is that you can watch TV, DVD or VCR throught the RF output (LESS HASSEL). When you watch a feature film you can route it throught the receiver and Component Video in on the TV for clearer picture and great sound.

The unit is very quiet (even rewinding tapes). It doesnt whistle playing DVDs and I tried an MP3 CDR of 10 hours of Jimmy Buffett Music (through the TV Speakers or Receiver). It is great with onscreen display.

If you are worried about the price don't be. The next step up offers a few more features but not worth the extra $20 unless you need it.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Customer Service nonexistant
Review: Out of the box, the unit would not play a DVD to the end due to over heating and the audio dropping out. Tried several DVDs over a couple of days with same results. Plays for about an hour then audio drops out. By the third DVD the color was shifting to red images, back and forth. Zenith customer service doesn't pick up their phones either! Careful with this one!


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