Price Paid:  $280.00 from Walmart

Summary:
I really don't have much to add to the other reviews except there also seems to be a problem with the tuner. I owned the unit 5 months before the tuner went out. It will also no longer play VHS tapes, but it will play DVDs. I've owned quite a few Sharp products, which seem to have about a 10-year live span. I have also experienced the overheating problem.

Strengths:
Easy to use. It's not hard to used something that doesn't work... it just sits there.

Weaknesses:
This product is a lemon. Please don't wait to look at reviews until after you have purchased this product. If you have already purchased the product, I would suggest you try to return it while it still works. Phillips knows all about these problems, but THEY DON'T CARE.

Price Paid:  $300.00 from Wal-Mart

Summary:
The only difference between my story and the 3 previous ones described in the "reviews" section for this product is that I never noticed any "burning" or "heated up" DVD's. However, I will add that the DVD's sometimes took FOREVER to load in this unit, more than a minute, sometimes, and they often misfeed. I had the EXACT same problem as the other reviewers, though, as the unit, just a few short months after it had been gifted to me, started eating tapes. Eventually, a tape got lodged in there and never came back out. I actually took the unit to a local electrician who got the tape back out, but soon again, the unit retained another tape. When this unit retains tapes, or starts eating them, the "cst" light (meaning that a videotape is in the system) will start blinking, blinking rapidly, will stay on, or stay off. This often causes the DVD sub-component to stop working altogether, hence the unit is totally unusable. Also, like another reviewer or two, we paid $129.99 and got a new unit which, a few months later, did the EXACT SAME THING and eventually became totally unusable like the previous unit. In all, we wasted at least $500 on this experience. This time, we sent the product back to Philips and they sent us the new, updated model the DV910VHS, which, as I have read on another site, has the EXACT SAME PROBLEM. Philips has NOT worked out the glitch!!!!! Go to http://www.televisiondepot.com/wwwboard/messages/292.shtml and read all of the posts on that thread (I have written one there, as well). I did not touch the DV910VHS and I decided to try to sell it (am still trying) to offset the cost of what I now have (a Daewoo DVD/DVD-RW, CD/CDR/CDR-W, MP3, VCD player, which is also reportedly region-free, which I have not been able to verify as I only have region 1 discs, so far). Also, customer service is bizarre. Once, I couldn't address anyone who could tell me anything about my case as when you call their toll-free customer service number, you are randomly queued to a service center - it could be in the U.S.A. or in Jamaica, and apparently, they don't communicate with each other AT ALL!!! Advice: AVOID Philips DVD/VHS components, esp. the DV900VHS & DV910VHS. They have another totally different model which should also be suspect. Samsung has one which might be ok. BEST BET: get separate DVD and VHS components

Strengths:
Audio and sound quality are GREAT (especially if your TV has an S-VIDEO input, and you buy an S-VIDEO cable for this unit) if the unit would work.

Weaknesses:
This unit, as well as the new one (DV910VHS), is totally unreliable. Do not buy!!! Weaknesses: EVERYTHING!!! Even if the unit worked right, think about the fact that the DVD/CD technology on the unit is VERY limited. It will not play CDR or CDRW, MP3's, DVD-R's, and certainly not VCD's. Why buy this in the first place, if it's so limited, anyway?

Similar Products Used:
Philips DV910VHS

Price Paid:  $210.00

Summary:
Purchased in Dec '01 as gift - BAD CHOICE! Worked well the first 3 or 4 times, though DVDs did get warm to touch. First time with DVD player so we didn't recognize this symptom at first. Home VHS tapes showed lousy tracking, not correctable - again we made the mistake of assuming this was the fault of our old VCR (16 years old, so...) DVDs started producing erratic sound quality and skipping scenes or flat out locking up at points, DVDs were too hot to hold after play. Turns out that sound quality and scene problems are likely all symptoms of overheating problem. VHS side started eating tapes and, at present, we have a (fortunately) blank tape that has become one with the machine and cannot be removed. Kind of leary of playing rented DVDs as I'm not interested in explaining to the store how it came to be melted.

At a guess, I'd say Philips pushed this product through the line too fast and didn't ensure proper system cooling, being too focused on slim design and compact features and, of course, wanting to be one of the first on the market.

In summary, I'd suggest passing on this one and find one that works - Samsung apparently has a solid recommendation for their version - maybe try that one?

Strengths:
Nice compact system, easy to use

Weaknesses:
Eats tapes, poor quality sound on DVDs, poor tracking on VHS

Similar Products Used:
First time for this type combo

Price Paid:  $299.00 from Wal-Mart

Summary:
I purchased my first DV900VHS in February 2001. It worked well until August 2001 when the VHS component would "tilt" or shut-off when a tape was placed in the machine and the "CST IN" light would blink... Other times, the tape would play fine. It finally started "eating" VHS tapes all together.

Since I purchased the uinit at Wal-Mart I called them. Since it was past 90 days since the purchase, they told me I would have to call Philips... After contacting Philips, I was told that I would have to pay $129.99 + shipping/handling and tax to replace my unit with a NEW unit as (I was told numerous times by Philips Customer Service) that they (PHILIPS) do not repair the units they only replace them with new. All this even though my unit was still under warranty which itself is a JOKE!!! (There really isn't ANY warranty as Philips only REPLACES the unit at the cost shown above and doesn't REPAIR the unit)!!

Against my better judgement, I paid the cash (mind you 9 months after my initial outlay of $300 and shipped it off.
It took almost 1 month to receive my replacement and that was after an almost daily call to Philips customer service to check the status of my shipment.. They would tell me the replacement had shipped and gave me a tracking number. When I'd check the UPS tracking website, it would show that it had not been picked up by UPS... I told Philips that and they said it had (UPS was apparently lying)... This went on for two weeks until one day it actually was picked up as evidenced by the change in activity on the UPS tracking website.

I finally received the replacement right before Christmas 2001. After hooking it up, it had the same exact problem as the one I sent in!!! Nothing had changed!!! I called customer service and told them of the problem and even replicated the problem while on the phone with customer service.. The guy apologized and told me to send the replacement unit back again and they would send a replacement again.. I sent the unit back immediately and just today (01/14/02) received the 2nd replacement.

After hooking it up and checking the functionality, I have determined (so far) that this unit works completely... However, the smoked plastic piece that covers the DVD display is smashed in 3 places and at least 4 scuff/scratches are viewable on the controls!!!

Did I also mention that NEITHER time did Philips replace my original unit with a NEW unit even though that is what I paid for and also what they told me!!!

Long story short.. DO NOT PURCHASE THIS DV900VHS (or anything else for that matter) from Philips Magnavox!!! They have the CRAPPIEST customer service along with laughable replacement products!!!

All I have to show for the almost $450 dollars I have given them ($300 to Wal-mart for the original and $144 to Philips for the replacement) is a USED DV900VHS with a badly cracked faceplate! All this and I haven't even owned the product for a year!!

I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANY PHILIPS PRODUCT AGAIN!!! I HAVE LEARNED MY LESSON!!! PLEASE HEED THIS WARNING!!!

Strengths:
One Unit for both DVD and VHS. Allows less cable hookup than having two separate units..

Weaknesses:
PHILIPS!!! This is a product I will NEVER purchase again from PHILIPS! In fact, I will NEVER purchase another PHILIPS product EVER again!

Similar Products Used:
None

Price Paid:  $299.00 from Wal-Mart

Summary:
I thought it was a great deal. Compact to fit in the cabinet and all in one. The features were superior, clarity and simplicity. Well, I lived and learned.
Dvd's were too hot to touch after sitting in the player for more than a few minutes. The burning smell was noticeable from two rooms away.
I took it back to the store and replaced it with another unit. This one kept a video tape. So...I returned it and replaced it.
This THIRD one kept the video tape as well.
So, I took it back and bought a Samsung.
Sorry, it was a great idea and I thought it would work well, but it has some glitches that need to be worked out.

Strengths:
One Componenet and has the features I want

Weaknesses:
Cd's were too hot to touch after viewing, burning smell came from the unit, and it ate two vcr tapes!