My combo VCR - A good choice.

(SEE NOTE BELOW)

I was replacing a broken 13" TV-VCR Sylvania combo I had for the spare room. The grandkids use the spare room when they come to visit. I wanted a separate TV & VCR this time since the combos don’t seem to last long. It just lasted long enough until the warranty expired. I trashed it and decided now my children can buy it for me for Christmas it's going to be used in the room that mainly their children use. I already had 2 other TVs in other rooms.

Well, Christmas came and I got both the TV and the VCR. Nice! Except, I hate learning how to operate any electronics equipment. I tend to read too fast and skip steps. I’ve never learned or operated my other Panasonic VCR which is in the den with the 32” TV because my husband mainly used it and I never had to learn how to use it. But that is only for VHS tapes and they are becoming obsolete soon without the CD-DVD.

When I opened the box and saw the book, I thought I could never set it up myself. The book has 82 pages all in ENGLISH. I know this is NOT top of the line, but it’s only to be used occasionally when someone is in the bedroom. It seemed a reasonable selection. I wasn’t expecting much from it.

The main features I liked about this is it could playback VHS tapes, DVDs and audio CDs. These were basically what I needed to learn. I had someone connect the wires, which I probably could have done, if I had read the book, but figured someone that has done it before will get it connected faster than it would take me to study the book. My job was to learn how to operate it since I would be the one to set it up for when the children brought over their tapes or CDs. I liked the this dual VHS & DVD/CD. While I only have VHS tapes of home movies of my children growing up, I know the grandkids have DVDs and CDs so it will be useful.

Getting to know my new VCR
Naturally the first thing we did is check the book to make sure all the pieces were there. Then we inserted the 2 AAA batteries to the remote. Then I stepped out of the room and let my helper connect all the wires. Within a few minutes, the VCR was ready to be tested and it worked fine.

The front of the VCR is simple to understand which is basically all same as the remote buttons such as EJECT, PLAY, STOP, video connector (yellow), audio left & right (white & red).

The VCR is silver and matches the new TV, and the VCR remote is gray. The buttons are easy to press they feel rubberized. The power and RECord buttons are red. It is 6" and comfortable to hold with a groove on the back to rest your finger so the remote does not slide off your hand. Some buttons have dual features.

On the on-screen menu you can select the language to English, French and Spanish and then follow the steps to set up the features necessary to use the VCR.

Features
~ Plays back DVDs, audio CDs or VHS tapes.
~ Hi-Fi stereo VCR, Dolby Digital DVD.
~ Watch a DVD movie while recording to the VCR.
~ 7-event/1 month timer recording.
~ 4 rotary head helical scanning.
~ Disc compatibility: CD, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-Video, CD-Digital Audio.
~ DVD - features: 10-bit video digital to analog converter and 54MHz advanced digital filter, playback of 96KHz/24 bit sources, DTS digital output for DTS enhanced DVDs.
~ Time remaining counter, real time counter.
~ One DVD disc loading at a time.
~ Front Panel Display - for DVD, VCR & VHS digital display.
13.8 lbs.
~ Warranty - 1 year Parts, 90 days Labor.

Summary
I have used it since last Christmas (2005). I have not had any difficulty operating it. The picture is as good as the tapes used for taping and the TV being played on. I have not had any problems with it.

While I don't know anything about Technical Specifications, I do know how to use it. I turn my TV on and have it on the channel to view VCR tapes, turn my VCR which displays "HI" and I place a VHS on the right side which had the word "VHS" on the opening. I then use the remote for play, rewind, fast forward and tracking. When I'm finished, I rewind and wait for the rewinding sound to stop. When I shut the VCR off, it will display "Bye".

I have also used the VCR to transfer my camcorder digital cassettes onto my VHS tapes. I have aready a large collection of home videos and wanted to use the blank VHS I have to keep them all in one type of tapes. I thought that was going to be difficult, but all the wires are color coded on the front of the VCR and I followed the instructions from my camcorder. I was proud of myself to be able to transfer them without anyone's help. But I know the next time I need to replace this VCR, I will have to go through the steps of learning this all over again. So I feel there's no need for me to know all the details on the technical stuff only for using the basics "play, pause, record, rewind and fast forward". I do not use the VCR for frame by frame or other types of fancy viewing options.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

NOTE
When I visited the Samsung's website, I did not see this VCR model V5500 which I received 10 months ago as one of their current model numbers listed, although they do have support for it. Therefore, it may not be available any longer but possibly it can be purchased in a store that has some hanging around or as a used VCR.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Samsung Headquarters:
105 Challenger Road
Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660-0511
Tel: 1-800-SAMSUNG (726-7864)

http://www.samsung.com/Products/DVDPlayer/Combo/DVD_V5500XAA.asp