Customer Reviews

Toshiba SD-V290 DVD-VCR Combo

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I have 3 TV's and VCR's in my home and I needed a DVD/VCR combo because I did not have enough space in my Sony TV cabinet to fit separate units along with tons of VHS tapes. I was worried that I would be compromising the VCR performance and features with a combo unit. The Toshiba V290 exceeded my expectations. The DVD, of course, works perfectly with great picture quality. The VCR slow motion, freeze frame and overall playback is very good quality. The display includes time remaining, time used, tape speed, and current time/date. The timer works perfectly. Instruction manual is 46 pages long (all in English), very complete and understandable. The remote control looks expensive - has 4 nice big buttons for the most frequently used functions. Why not 5 stars? The VCR tuner could be a little better. Some cable channels do not appear as clear as the I get thru the cable box. Overall, a great buy, looks great, and I would recommend it.

The front exterior of this unit is made by Toshiba but the insides are manufactured by LG Electronics, which makes Zenith products.

I had to return mine within a week. The DVD player worked fine, and so did the VCR, except for the fact that the timer record function proved unreliable. Sometimes the machine would simply not record when it was supposed to; other times it would not turn off after it was finished recording.

Also, the timer recording screen was very tedious to use.

Amazon.com makes returns extremely easy, so I did not get stuck with a unit that I might have otherwise been forced to send to a service center and wait who knows how long to get repaired.

Hi,

I purchased the Toshiba SD-V290 DVD/VCR Combo for $136.94 on
8/27/03. It is now 1/4/04.

It broke this week. Less than four months of proper use.

When I put a VHS tape into the machine it is automatically ejected. Therefore I can not play VHS tapes at this time.

When playing a DVD there are pauses throughout playback.

Now I have to deal with calling support and probably paying to send this machine in for service. Then I believe I'll be going through the following process throughout the remainder of the warranty.

First I'll return the machine to Toshiba.
Then Toshiba will repair it.
Next, Toshiba will return it to me.
Then I'll use it.
At some point it will stop working again.
Finally, I'll send it back to Toshiba for repair.
Then Toshiba will repair it...

I can see this going go on for the life of the warranty.

This adds up to a lot of time and aggravation. Stay away from this product.

I believe this machine is poorly made. Poor parts, poor quality, and poor design.

IF YOU ARE IN THE MARKET FOR A COMBO UNIT,AND ARE NOT GOING TO USE WITH H.D. TV,THIS IS A GREAT PERFORMING UNIT.VCR PERFORMS EXCELLENT.PLAYS PRERECORDED TAPES EXCELLENT.THE VCR ALSO RECORDS EXCEPTIONALLY WELL IN EP AND SP SPEEDS.THE DVD IS EXCELLENT ALSO.
TOSHIBA HAS A GREAT PRODUCT HERE.IF YOU WANT TO GO WITH H.D. TV, BUY TOSHIBA,S SD-V390, BECAUSE IT HAS PROGRESSIVE SCAN.THIS UNIT IS THE SAME BUT DOES NOT HAVE PROGRESSIVE SCAN.PROGRESSIVE SCAN CAN ONLY BE USED WITH H.D. TV'S.EITHER UNIT IS AN EXTREMELY GOOD CHOICE FOR A COMBO UNIT.I LOVE THE ONE I HAVE.
TOSHIBA GAVE US A GREAT UNIT ,IN EITHER MODEL YOU PICK.
.

This combo unit would have received atleast 4 stars if it wern't for a pretty big problem that has already been identified by [another reviewer].

The first machine I had would not record from the timer all the time. Hoping it was just a lemon, I returned it but after a few weeks it failed again to record from the timer. Luckily it is under extended guarantee so I hope to return it for a DIFFERENT MODEL.

My VHS loading mechanism broke after only 4 months of use. I'm now trying to negotiate a return.

After having this unit for a month and only using it once it died on me. The DVD would not open at all. After I unplugged it and plugged it back in both the DVD and VCR button stayed on and the clock wouldn't work. This all happened a month after I purchased it. Thank goodness Amazon has worked with me in returning the item.

Instead of being mindful of warnings about combos not to mention failing to read a single on-line review of said player I purchased Toshiba's SD-V290 DVD-VCR combo.

I immediately regreted my decesion, despite being in need of a VCR.

The picture quality is less than stellar as far as the DVD portion is concerned. Unlike my old JVC XV-523GD (a great player by the way) on any given disc a thin layer of grain lays on top of the picture and some of the colors seemed overly bright while others were dull and lifeless. I have spent the last two years fiddling with my television settings -- mostly in vain.

The day after the basic warranty expired the DVD player began acting up. I would receive disc errors and had difficulty opening the tray to retrieve my DVD. This continued for the next 24 hours before I let it rest an additional 48. After that it behaved as if it was brand new...until last month.

More of the same, only this time it was accompanied by an internal clicking sound that mellowed as the picture froze and eventually shut down in error.

I never had a problem with the VCR, which I used a fair amount of times, and I'll more than likely keep it around for those purposes. Suffice to say I'll be looking for another DVD player after spending the last two years in agony.

You've been warned -- and judging by past reviews -- clearly by more consumers than just myself.

If I had paid money for this thing, I'd be upset, but it was a gift, and it's worked reliably well for a year.

VHS side still works fine for the kids movies, but the DVD player started having trouble reading disks, and you'd have to push the button to have it try, try again... After it tries to read the disk about 3 times, the whole unit powers itself off. Static is loud!

That DVD roulette game went on for about a month, until, one day, it stopped reading any disk at all. We used to flip through photos from CDs on the television all the time. What a great feature.

Now the DVD door won't close at all. It is perpetually waiting for us to insert a disk it can read or recognize. Every since the days of VHS-TV combos, I have been VERY wary of buying 2 things in one box, because you if half stops working you lose both components to a repair shop.

Anyway, chances are this will be the last Toshiba product we buy. I don't hold a grudge against the company, but my wife is sworn off them entirely.

Any suggestions on a stand alone DVD player would be graciously accepted.

mail@bushiva.com

We have this at the office, and use it about once a month. It only took a year for the DVD tray to jam, and refuse to open. I would not recommend that anyone purchase this appliance.