The TV DVD combo has a built-in DVD player, which means that it enables you to combine the television with a DVD or other devices such as Blu-ray or any other disk format. This saves your space at home as it does not require much wiring.
When buying your TV DVD combo, you should understand many of the basic features. It would be a frustrating experience to buy a TV and DVD player and then discover that it does not have the necessary features like sound quality, imaging, resolution, or the necessary wires are not there and you will need to buy additional wires and cords. When buying the TV DVD combo, make sure that everything is in place and whatever additional thing to be bought is really necessary and compatible with the appliance.
TV DVD combos are the newest Panasonic innovation. A less featured model from Sylvania is also available.
In this category we found just two products:
- The VCR/DVD recorder TV combo from Panasonic, which they also call “Triple Play Plus Combo”: PV-DR2714
- The TV/VCR/DVD Recorder from Sylvania
The “Triple Play Plus” Panasonic Combo
Panasonic was the first company to introduce the idea of DVD recorder TV combos, and even that of triple VHS/DVD recorder TV combos. Unfortunately, since Rich Warren’s review of the International Consumer Electronics Show 2004, where the first ever TV/DVD recorder combo PV-27DR84 was presented by Panasonic, everything remained quiet. At this moment, Panasonic only sells the PV-DR2714 VCR/DVD recorder TV combo. See features below:
The TV Features
- 27″ screen size
- Pure Flat™ Picture Tube
The DVD Recorder
- writes DVD-RAM and DVD-R/RW formats
- playbacks DVD-R/RW, CD, CD-R/RW, and MP3 CD
DVD-RAM Advantages
- One-touch two-way dubbing lets you record from video tape to DVD-RAM and vice versa with one touch of a button;
- Simultaneously record and play (You can play the beginning of a show while the unit finishes recording it. This feature is called “chasing playback”; you can also play a recorded show while the unit records another);
- Time Slip feature is similar to “skip back”, when, let’s say, you’ve missed a scene of the show and still want to watch it;
- Direct Navigator helps you easily find the show you want to see.
VCR Unit
- Commercial skip
- VCR lock
Connectivity
- Analog and Digital (optical) audio outputs
- S-video inputs
Sylvania’s 27″ Flat Screen TV/VCR/DVD Recorder
This model from Sylvania has some minuses vs. the previous combo from Panasonic:
- The DVD recorder burns only DVD-R/RW discs
- No ambiance surround sound
A General Overview
Before making the decision whether to buy a triple VCR/TV DVD combo, be sure the bet is convenient for you.
The Upsides
You’ll save some space; you’ll need less external connections, and benefit from all the nice combo features like “one-touch two-way dubbing”.
The Downsides
DVD recorders or TV upgrades might become appealing in the near future, and you’ll be forced to replace all three units instead of one. Or, if the unique remote control breaks, you might not be able to use it either for the TV, DVD or VCR unit.
About the costs, buying the devices separately or a multi-combo results in insignificant price-differences.