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.
