I've always wanted to try out a DVD recorder/VCR combination. I've got a lot of old VHS tapes that I would like to archive to DVD, and using a DVD recorder/VCR combo seemed like the perfect way to do it. But how well do they work? This week I finally got a chance to play around with one: the Samsung DVD-VR330.

DVD recorder/VCR combos like the Samsung DVD-VR330 play and record a variety of formats.

Getting started

Upon unpacking the DVD-VR330, I noticed it comes with the standard accessories — remote, batteries for the remote, some rather short composite audio/video and RF "coax" cables, and the usual paperwork including the owner's manual, warranty card, and quick setup guide. I opted to not use the cables included with the unit, and chose to hook it up using an S-video cable for picture and a coaxial digital cable for sound. I assumed that these connections would only work with the DVD section of the deck since they're not found on VHS VCRs, so I kept the A/V cables that came with the unit handy. However, the owner's manual, which was quite easy to follow, did not include any "DVD only" warnings when discussing these outputs nor were there any such labels on the outputs themselves. So I immediately became curious: would the S-video and coaxial digital connections work with the VCR section? More on this later.

When I turned the 'VR330 on for the first time, it immediately tried to auto-set the clock. This wasn't possible since it wasn't connected to my cable system yet (the VCR/S-video/coaxial digital connection question was still burning in my mind), so I hit the "MENU" button on the remote and set the clock manually. The menu was easy to navigate and most of the options were self-explanatory. Anyone who has set up a DVD player should not have a problem. While I was in the setup menu, I made some other adjustments like setting the digital audio output to "bitstream" and setting DTS to "on" so the unit would pass Dolby Digital and DTS signals through its digital output. Properly adjusting these settings to fit the application is covered in the manual. I exited the menu and reached for a VHS tape.

A variety of outputs allow you to connect the DVD-VR330 to any home theater system.

VHS playback

The tape started to play automatically after being inserted into the tape slot (you can also set it to not start playing tapes automatically via the setup menu). To my surprise, I did get both picture and sound. I was amazed that the S-video and coaxial digital connections worked with the VCR portion of the DVD-VR330, and relieved that I would not need to run another set of cables. Some other DVD recorder/VCR combos need to be treated as two different units, requiring the user to run separate connections for each. This wasn't an issue with the Samsung. After watching a few minutes of a tape I haven't seen in years, it was time to try out the DVD player.

DVD playback

I popped in a DVD and hit the play button. DVD performance was good in both picture and sound quality, and was on par with my stand-alone DVD player (a higher-end unit purchased six years ago). I wanted to go back to the DVD's main menu, and it was here that a minor issue arose with the button labeling on the remote. On the remote for many stand-alone DVD players, the "MENU" button takes you back to the DVD menu. Pressing this button on the 'VR330's remote takes you to the unit's setup menu. Getting back to the DVD's menu requires pressing a small button on the lower right corner labeled "TITLE MENU" in small print. When watching a DVD, those used to operating stand-alone DVD players may inadvertently bring up the setup menu quite a few times before getting adjusted.

Recording DVDs

I finally connected my cable box to the 'VR330 so I could try out the DVD recorder with an external source. I used the standard RF "coax" connection because this was simply a test and I didn't need outstanding picture quality. However, higher-quality composite video and S-video inputs are also available, as well as stereo RCA connections for audio. I chose to use a re-recordable DVD+RW disc for the first recording. This format can be erased and rewritten, so it would give me a chance to play around with the 'VR330 and erase any mistakes I might make. After the disc drawer closed, a menu popped up asking if I wanted to format the disc. After confirming that I did, it began the formatting process, which took a little longer than I expected. However, it wasn't long enough to be a major inconvenience. This process isn't necessary for write-once DVD-R and DVD+R discs since these discs don't need to be formatted.

Once the formatting process was complete, it was time to select a recording speed. The DVD recorder gives you various recording speeds similar to those found on a VCR. You can select from four different speeds ranging from one hour to six hours, with the shorter recording times offering better picture quality. A push of a button on the remote cycles through the four speeds. I opted for SP (standard quality) which gives you two hours of recording time with a picture quality comparable to pre-recorded DVDs. After choosing a speed, beginning the DVD recording process was as simple as pressing the "RECORD" button on the remote. It was no more difficult than making a recording on a VCR. After I recorded approximately 30 seconds worth of TV, I stopped the recording, hit "PLAY," and watched my new creation. The picture quality of the recording was perfect — it looked exactly like the original cable signal.

The DVD-VR330 also gives you a front-panel IEEE 1394 port (also known as FireWire® or i.LINK®) for dubbing home movies from a digital camcorder. I wasn't able to take advantage of this feature since I don't own a camcorder, but those who do will definitely appreciate this input. It offers a single-cable connection that carries both picture and sound. Also, it carries the signal digitally, so there's absolutely no loss in quality.

The front panel inputs allow you to record from other devices, including digital camcorders.

Dubbing VHS to DVD

Now it was finally time to transform my stack of VHS tapes into DVDs and free up some space in the bottom of my entertainment center. I popped a home movie into the VCR slot and a blank DVD-R into the other side. Dubbing from VHS to DVD can be done two different ways. You can simply press the "TO DVD" button on either the remote or the unit's front panel, or you can do it from the on-screen menu. Pressing the "TO DVD" button immediately begins the dubbing process.

I decided to do it from the menu since it allows you to select specific start and stop times, which is great for recording specific portions of a VHS tape. If you choose this method, the tape plays in a window in the upper left corner of the screen, allowing you to find the exact starting and stopping points you would like to use. You can also create a "recording list" for dubbing different sections of a single tape. Once you create the list, you can record each section one at a time or select "COPY ALL" to copy them all (go figure?). The latter option records the first section, stops recording, fast forwards or rewinds the tape to the beginning of the next section, then resumes recording. This process is repeated until all sections have been recorded.

The only downside to copying a specific portion of a tape is waiting on the VCR section to fast forward and/or rewind as you search for the starting and stopping points. Of course, this has everything to do with the VHS format and should not reflect negatively on the DVD-VR330. If anything, it was a firm reminder of why I wanted to put everything on DVD in the first place.

After the starting and stopping points were chosen, a push of a button immediately got the recording ball rolling. I was on my way to eliminating my VHS library (which admittedly is bittersweet) and moving headlong into the 21st century. Since dubbing needs to be done in "real time" and I was making a two-hour recording, I left the 'VR330 alone to do its thing.

Two hours later and my new DVD was done. The 'VR330 had stopped automatically because I had selected the stopping point in the menu. If I had used the "TO DVD" button, the recording would need to be stopped manually. It was now time for the final step: finalizing the disc. This basically "closes" the disc so no more content can be recorded. More importantly, it's necessary for the disc to be able to play in other DVD players. The option to finalize the disc is easily found in the Disc Manager section of the menu. It only took a few seconds for the disc to be finalized. After that, playback of the new DVD began automatically.

I stopped playback of the disc so I could try it in my other DVD player. The disc loaded up just like any other DVD and the picture quality was equal to that of the original source tape. This brings up one thing to keep in mind when discussing DVD recorders ? although DVDs are capable of a better picture quality than VHS tapes, dubbing a tape or any other source to DVD will not improve the quality of the picture. However, it does maintain the picture quality of the source material, so anything recorded to DVD will look just as good as the source (assuming you use the SP recording speed). There's no loss in quality like there is when you record to VHS.

Conclusion

All in all, the Samsung DVD-VR330 makes a welcome addition to a home theater system. Its ability to archive VHS tapes alone makes it well worth the price for anybody with a large VHS library. It's also a great choice for anyone who would like to transfer movies from a camcorder to DVD or VHS, or for those who want the convenience of a DVD player/recorder and VCR in one unit. DVD performance is good enough that it can be used as your primary (or only) DVD player. The fact that it doesn't require separate connections for the DVD recorder and VCR sections makes it stand out from the crowd of other DVD recorder/VCR combos. And even after you've dubbed all of your tapes to DVD, the 'VR330's VCR section still has an important use — playing copy-protected tapes which can't be recorded to DVD.