Sony SLV-D380P

We scanned reviews at Amazon.com, PC World magazine and Overstock.com for reviews of the Sony SLV-D380P DVD-VCR combo player. The consensus on the Sony SLV-D380P varies on each. The lowest overall ratings are at Amazon.com, but many of the harshest critics there say they were unaware they were buying a VCR with no tuner. The ratings are higher at PCWorld.com.

Most owner reviews give the Sony SLV-D380P DVD/VCR combo player high marks, with one note of caution: More than a few user reviews say they did not know the Sony SLV-D380P lacked a tuner until after they bought it. That's not a problem if you just want to watch VHS tapes rather than record, or if you want to record and have a cable box or satellite receiver, but if you get TV reception via an antenna, you can't record TV shows with a tunerless player like the Sony. Otherwise, owner reviews say the picture quality is good. It also plays audio CDs and photos on CDs and DVDs, and you can watch a DVD while recording a TV show on the VCR. The downside is that the Sony SLV-D380P is still a bit expensive considering that you could buy a standalone DVD player and separate VCR for less.