GoVideo DVR5000 DVD-VCR Combo

by GoVideo

Product Details

Product Manual [8.32mb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 14 x 17 x 4 inches ; 12.5 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 18 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B000053HKI
• Item model number: DVR5000
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #360,380 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great idea and a great DVD player too, January 17, 2001

By 

John Ingle - See all my reviews

This review is from: GoVideo DVR5000 DVD-VCR Combo (Electronics)

This is a nice combination...just don't know what to do with my fairly new VCR now...that has so far performed wonderfully.

I recieved my GO-Video player for Christmas and it is my first DVD player but so far I have not been disappointed, with the one exception of the player to skip on occassion but this is fairly infrequent so it has not really hampered my viewing pleasure. The setup was quite easy as the console basically sets itself up from the info on your TV and the instruction manual is laid out quite nicely if you need to make any changes yourself. The button configuration on the player itself is laid out nicely as well and is not cluttering or confusing. Operation of the DVD player is smooth and quiet.

As for the VCR side it performs just as well and is just as quiet and smooth as its DVD counter-part. The operation of the console from the remote control is easy to figure out and the button configuration is well organized and also giving you the freedom to use as your TV remote. I usually have trouble with console remote controls as they are generally too small for my hands but not so with this remote. Button size and spacing makes it easy to operate for us big handed people.

Overall this is a great system and while not as sleek as a normal DVD player, it is a dual system afterall, it has a great design and looks quite nice (alot better than its older dual-VCR siblings of yester-year). However for its price there are a lot better DVD players I am sure you can get BUT if you are replacing a VCR or have a lot of VHS tapes and wanting to step up to a DVD system without getting rid of all your old VHS tapes then this is the system for you.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A combo with no compromises, both units are great, February 27, 2001

By 

Douglas Welzel (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: GoVideo DVR5000 DVD-VCR Combo (Electronics)

The DVR5000 is a great idea that is also well executed. At first I was skeptical that the idea of a combination DVD/VCR would result in a good product. Not so with this system, both units are very nice. First, the DVD supports just about everything you'd want in a decent quality player (Dolby Digital output/decoding, S-Video outputs, etc) as well as some nice "extra" features such as the MP3 CD support. The VCR side of the box also supports everything you'd expect out of a VCR these days.

Hooking up the unit is pretty simple and the instruction book does a good job of guiding you through just about any configuration.

Using the unit is also pretty easy. Controls for both units share the same remote, and in many cases the same set of buttons on the remote. Usage of the remote is generally intuitive. The only downside is in the on screen menus. While they are pretty easy to navigate, some menus aren't accessible at certain times (for example, the DVD setup menu is not accessible while a DVD is playing). Neither the menus nor the instruction book give any explanation behind this -- you kind of get the hang of it as you use the machine. Finally, if you are using the S-Video output for the DVD player you'll find that the on screen menus are not viewable via this output. To see the menus you'll have to switch your TV to the VCR input. The documentation is actually very clear about this, but it is annoying nonetheless.

My only other concern is about Go-Video's customer service. I sent them an email via their website and never received a response. It wasn't a major issue so I haven't pursued it any further, but it makes me worry about the overall quality of their support.

Overall I recommend this box. It combines two great units into one space saving, high quality device.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Built to last a very long time - needed a fan installed., July 20, 2003

By 

gavin curtis (Henderson, NV United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: GoVideo DVR5000 DVD-VCR Combo (Electronics)

I work on DVD players.. actually I diagnose the problem, inform the owner and then dispose of them. Virtually every DVD player under $1000 has a disposable brush type spindle motor which will often fail after about 1500-2000 hours disk spin time. These motors are not replaceable. The machines are designed to last typically 2-3 years before replacement.

The DVR5000 has a digital brushless spindle motor. A motor not found in DVD players unless you purchase a Pioneer DVD-V7400 $1400 Industrial rack mount machine. What gives the DVD-V7400 reliability is the brushless motor... the near identical motor found in the DVR5000.

The DVD spindle mechanism...the most critical part of any DVD player... contained within the DVR5000 will probably outlast the DVD format altogether. Meanwhile, you will go through 4-6 Toshiba or Pioneer machines in the same timespan.

Unfortunately, the DVR5000 has too much stuff crammed into too small of a space. The power supply is almost three times the size of a standard DVD player.. and likewise generates 3 times as much heat. The VHS deck takes it share of power as does the high torque DVD brushless motor.

Go-Video made a mistake of not allowing sufficient ventilation of the chassis AND the inclusion of a forced air cooling system (a fan). They also placed the DVD decoder board directly above the power supply. When things heat up, electrical alignments of the decoder board drift, laser output diminishes and then the DVD stutters.

I installed a cooling fan tapped off of the power supply. The fan turns on automatically when the unit is on.

Since the fan installation, all skipping problems have gone away. The machine runs cool inside, the laser now tracks properly. FYI, DVD lasers are very senstive to heat; their output drops significantly with rise in temperature.

It is very unfortunate that this overheating issue was overlooked by the engineers. Otherwise this could have been a flawless and easily the most successful and reliable machines on the market.

I give the machine a 5 rating despite the temperature problem due to the exceptional quality and longevity incorporated into the DVD mechanism. Truely independent thought from an independent company from the disposable thought of this day and age.

The DVR5000 WAS NOT designed to have a 2 year lifespan like the "quality name brand" consumer grade equipment. Looking at the componentry and exceptional construction of the DVR5000 machine, it was designed to have a trouble free 10 year lifespan.