Panasonic PV-D4743K Progressive-Scan DVD-VCR Combo (Black)
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Manufacturer: Panasonic
Price at amazon.com:
List price $159.99
- DVD player/4-head hi-fi VCR combination unit
- Progressive-scan DVD video output offers flicker-free images on high-definition or HD-ready TVs
- Record a program and watch a DVD simultaneously
- Dolby Digital and DTS surround sound outputs (for use with compatible AV receiver and speaker system)
- Plays DVD-Video, VHS tape, CD, audio CD-R and CD-RW, and video DVD-R
Product Description:
The Double Feature PV-D4743K integrates a high-quality, progressive-scan DVD player and four-head, hi-fi VCR into a slim, affordable, and handsomely designed package. Format compatibility extends from DVDs, videocassettes, and CDs to recordable audio CDs and DVD-R video discs. Whether your living room is currently home to an HDTV or you're merely thinking of "someday," the PV-D4743K stands ready to deliver the full potential of DVDs. Progressive scanning, referred to as 480p for the number of horizontal lines that compose the video image, creates a picture using twice the scan lines of a conventional DVD picture, providing higher resolution and sharper images while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts. The VCR's four-head design ensures smooth slow-motion tape play (forward and reverse) and clear still-frame images, and with hi-fi sound the unit records and plays back stereo audio tracks. The unit even lets you record a TV show while watching a DVD at the same time. A set of left/right analog-audio outputs channel audio to Dolby Pro Logic receivers and stereo televisions. Both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround-sound signals can be routed through the player's optical digital-audio output for direct connection to a full-featured audio/video receiver.
Description from Manufacturer:The Double Feature PV-D4743K integrates a high-quality, progressive-scan DVD player and four-head, hi-fi VCR into a slim, affordable, and handsomely designed package. Format compatibility extends from DVDs, videocassettes, and CDs to recordable audio CDs and DVD-R video discs.Whether your living room is currently home to an HDTV or you're merely thinking of "someday," the PV-D4743K stands ready to deliver the full potential of DVDs. Progressive scanning, referred to as 480p for the number of horizontal lines that compose the video image, creates a picture using twice the scan lines of a conventional DVD picture, providing higher resolution and sharper images while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts.
The VCR's four-head design ensures smooth slow-motion tape play (forward and reverse) and clear still-frame images, and with hi-fi sound the unit records and plays back stereo audio tracks. The unit even lets you record a TV show while watching a DVD at the same time. A set of left/right analog-audio outputs channel audio to Dolby Pro Logic receivers and stereo televisions. Both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround-sound signals can be routed through the player's optical digital-audio output for direct connection to a full-featured audio/video receiver.Average Customer Rating: 
Comment: Nice Unit Rating:
I like the unit. It's fundamentally a mid-priced VCR combined with a mid-priced DVD player. You get the same basic functionality in the combined unit that you would get with similar mid-priced stand-alone components (e.g., progressive scan, 1 optical digital audio output, etc.)
I've owned 3 previous Panasonic VCRs over the years. They've all been different models as I've upgraded over the years. I've never had any problems with the transport/recording mechanism in Panasonic VCRs. I never needed any of them to be repaired. To me, this speaks highly of their manufacture. There's no guarantee, of course, that every Panasonic VCR will treat you as well as they've treated me, but the leading consumer magazine has already rated their quality as superior.
The DVD player looks good to me. No problems.
The remote is somewhat cluttered. I guess they could have done a better job with arranging the buttons so that it's completely intuitive, but I've given them a pass on this, because when I perused the buttons to see what I would have done, I couldn't come up with any useful recommendations. I think the clutter is the natural result of combining the buttons of two video components (a VCR and a DVD player) on one remote. I didn't sweat it, and I learned how to use it effectively over time, as I'm sure you will.
The User's Manual drags my rating from a 5- to a 4-star, because it's not very good. I'd say it's "fair". It's not designed very well, and the information is sometimes hard to grok. It's useable, but only just. If you've ever owned a Panasonic anything over the past decade, then know that the User's Guide for this product looks just like the user's guide you have...they haven't changed at all over the years. They probably have the same people writing, editing, illustrating, designing them. Don't get me wrong, it's not crud, but it's not great, either.
Despite this criticism of the User's Guide, I'd recommend the unit. Most people have some facility with video components by now, and that knowledge will help you set up the unit and operate it. It isn't rocket science, since this unit doesn't break much new ground in hook-ups or operation. You can do it, and then just chuck the User's Guide in a drawer where it belongs.
The only thing that might be new to some people is how to hook-up the unit to use Progressive Scan. Your TV will have to be compatible with progressive scanning, and the manual is a little dicey in this area particularly, but it's do-able and shouldn't really hinder you if you want the convenience of a well-manufactured combo unit.
Comment: Good vcr/dvd desk Rating:
I didn't have any problem with this product. The setup is easy. It has all relevant input/outputs (although I used it only to connect both vcr and dvd to the TV). DVD has progressive scan and DTS. You can use it as a cd payer and it also can play MP3 CDs (although I didn't try it yet). My only complaint is related to the remote. I use it as universal remote (it was easy - my tv is also Panasonic) and it's very easy by mistake to do something, for example, with VCR when you really working with TV. Happened to me already quite a few times. But all in all, this shortcoming is not enough not to recommend this unit as simple and reliable vcr/dvd combo.
Comment: DVD Player does not work Rating:
I bought this DVD combo because wanted to have 1 device that will play my old VHS tapes and didn't wanted a new device just for DVD's.
It turn out that I might need to buy separate devices since this is my second combo unit (different brand) and in both cases the DVD player was faulty.
Had to give them 2 stars since the VHS player does work.
Great unit if you can get the DVD player to work.
Posted at November 11, 2003 07:58 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
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