Price Paid:  $213.00 from Aaxes

Summary:
Aaahh! Finally a DVD/VCR with progessive scan for under $200. What a bargain. Think again. I received my unit from Aaxes on time as promised, quickly unwrapped it and hooked it up. It was great! The DVD was superb. My CD's sound great and the VCR works without a hitch. Life was good. On Tuesday night I began watching my Goodfellas DVD and enjoying the rich sound and great picture. It was getting late and I decided to finish the movie on Wednesday night. Sometime between Tuesday night and Wednesday night, my DVD just stopped working. No, I didn't leave it on all day. I put my Goodfellas DVD back in the player and ....Nothing. So I tried another DVD that worked fine on my old player and....Nothing....So I grabbed a third DVD that also worked fine on the same unit two days earlier and...You guessed it....Nothing. It kept giving me a No Disc error. I decided to check the motor by putting in a CD and perfect sound came through my speakers. I tried the VCR and my tape tape played fine. I've powered on and off many times and loaded 10-12 different known good DVD's and...Nothing! What the heck happened. One night I'm enjoying a less than weak old unit which is working superbly, the next....Nothing! Oh, yes this baby is going back to where it came from. The land of cheap, non-conforming, 'slightly out of specification components' Japan. Being a component engineer the electronics industry for over 10 years has led me to some fascinating realizations. Have you noticed that since electronics Mfg. in the USA has almost all moved offshore that the length of consumer warranties has gone from 3 years to 2 years to 1 year to 90 days? Why do you think that is? Because contract manufacturing in Asia provides cheap labor, and Oh Yes cheap components. Don't worry about ESD handling, or tolerances. Just stuff into the unit and ship it. Hopefully by the time it fails the 90 warranty will be up. Don't get suckered in to this unit. It has some very attractive features, like the Memory Stick slot and the DVD/VCR combo feature, which No you cannot record from DVD to VCR. Whaaat! I very disappointed, and did do a tremendous amout of review reading and surfing before I purchased. I should have known better. I had a 27" Samsung TV that quit working 5 days after the warranty expired. Samsung is the Cincinnati Bengals of the electronics industry. I've often heard people try to compare them with Sony and just laugh.

Strengths:
Looks pretty

Weaknesses:
DVD died after 6 days. Can't record DVD to VCR at all. Samsung (Which in Asia relates to crap in a box)

Similar Products Used:
JVC DVD player Panasonic VCR Sherwood RD-7108 Receiver Boston Acousics Acoustic Research Klipsch Polk Audio

Price Paid:  $250.00 from Best Buy as a presen

Summary:
I just wanted to respond to the previous review. I don't understand what he means by not being able to watch one station while taping another, I just did that 30 seconds ago to test it. I did not believe that setup was that difficult and even though I've only had it a month, I am impressed with it's abilities. The only thing I am concerned with is that you have to run video out through either components or S-Video (coax cable works also but lower quality). So, in truth, it forces you to use the better method of video transfer.

Strengths:
Progressive Scan, can use Sony Memory stick on it, has an Mp3 jukebox mode so you can program the order your Mp3s are played, can watch one program while taping another, can fast forward or rewind at x128.

Weaknesses:
Forces you to use component video or S-Video cable, actually a strength

Similar Products Used:
DVD player on computer, 3 other DVD players, can't even remember how many VCRs I've gone through

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
Great idea with great features - memory stick; combo vcr and dvd with progressive scan. HOWEVER, had to return to seller. I tried to hook this up through a Digital Cable Box. YOu CANNOT. After spending 3 phone calls with Samsung Tech Suppt, I learned the V2500 cannot read the channels into memory from a Cable Box. That's a LOUSY FINDING as so many of us have Cable TV. IT's not mentioned in their literature. You cannot time shift taping a program. You MUST be on the same station as the cable box. Even with a splitter, Samsung tells me it cannot be done. Am back to my Panasonic VHS which can store all the Cable box channels and which allows me to watch one program while taping another. Too bad Samsung. you had a great idea. Next time, put the deficiencies in the product literature.

Strengths:
Space saver; memory stick; combines VHS and DVD.

Weaknesses:
Cannot store cable box channels either via auto or manual. It just will not do it. The SETUP is a bit complicated and the manual is not logically organized.

Similar Products Used:
Panasonic VHS - 3 of them. Magnavox VHS. Toshiba Progressive Scan DVD