Sony SLV-D100 DVD-VCR Combo

• DVD player and 4-head hi-fi VCR combination unit
• Plays DVD, CD, Video CD, CD-R, CD-RW, CD-Rs, MP3s
• S-video and high-quality component-video output terminals (for use with compatible TVs)
• Front A/V inputs for easy game system or camcorder connection
• Virtual surround sound for theater-style audio

First let me tell you why I buy this. It's a Sony right. I found out that I was wrong. This lovely Sony SLV-D100 DVD/VCR combo is ACTUALLY made by Samsung Electronics Corporation. This is the electronic corporation that manufactures Go Video VCRs and DVD/VCRs combo. Don't waste your money in buying this. I highly recommend a Samsung or Go Video DVD/VCR combo for less. The brand names may sound funny BUT they perform the same picture, quality, and reliability as the Sony because the two are made by Samsung. How do I know this, try looking at the vcr mechanism and see the similarity of Samsung VCR's design. So don't blame on Sony for this poor design and unreliable product. Sony only designs and markets this DVD/VCR combo and let Samsung Electronics Corporation do the rest. Thanks for reading this review.

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Before you buy this first edition of a DVD/VCR combo from Sony I would like for you to know some of its rather disappointing shortcomings. I'll quickly list them as well as give you a comparison to another DVD/VCR I've tested.

1. DVD portion

The built-in software & functionality falls far short when compared to Sony's entry level DVD player (DVP-NS315). The SLV-D100 has only an on/off surround option, no adjustment of the picture quality, and it's method of handling MP3s will often not allow for easy picking and choosing of selections.

2. VHS portion

The VHS portion of the player is suitable, but just from the look & feel from the first few hours I wouldn't compare it favorably in any way to my Sony SLV-701HF.

3. Comparison

The first DVD/VHS combo I tested out was the Sansui VRDVD4000. It's software & functionality is superior to that of the Sony. It provides many more options and displays (it can even indicate the bitstream rate that the DVD is performing at!). I wouldn't say the VHS portion was too bad either. Also, it seems that the remote-control eye was better at picking up the signal from its remote control. The Sony control on the other hand would need to be directly pointed at its eye in order to get a response. Lastly, when the Sony tray is left open it will cease to allow any remote control switching between DVD and Line input unless it is closed. No such thing on the Sansui model, you may have the tray left open and not struggle with the loss of any functionality on the remote control . A major drawback on the Sansui model is that it ONLY has front inputs

If you are a Sony enthusiast like me, you will find that the SLV-D100 will miss your expectations entirely. Good luck.

Read Best Reviews of Sony SLV-D100 DVD-VCR Combo Here

I wish I had read some of these reviews before I bought one of these. I experienced two of the problems experienced by other reviewers. Hookup was easy and I liked the Auto Setup feature. However, I bought 5 new DVD's to watch and they all skipped at various places throughout the movie. At first I thought the disks were dirty, but they all did this just like another reviewer wrote. The picture quality was great but I would rather watch a VHS tape than sit through all these pauses and skips. Its like the screen freezes for a second or two. The other problem I experienced was slowness of the remote. I would push a button to navigate through a menu and it would take a second for the unit to respond. The audio and video quality was great but these two problems are causing me to send my unit back. Very disappointing as I have 100% Sony equipment in my Audio and Home Entertainment Center. I have been waiting for the Sony combo DVD/VHS unit to come out, now I'm sorry I did. I will send this unit back and continue to use my old Sony VHS deck and buy another brand of DVD player. Sony lost a customer on this deal.

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I have a Sony DVD player. Sony claims a 1 year part/90 day labor warranty. First, the machine simply stopped working after 5 months. Second, to send it in for warranty repair, Sony wants for labor, upfront, plus I have to pay for the cost to ship the item. They don't assess the problem and then give you an estimate, permitting you to decide whether or not you want to go through with a repair. Third, when I noted that the cost to repair closely approaches the cost of a new machine, their customer service representative told me I should have purchased the extended warranty.

My suggestion is, buy a more reliable product, not a Sony. Check out what the warranty, when you purchase. Select a product with 1 year parts and labor. Otherwise, find out what the manufacturer charges for warranty service.

Sony will probably charge more for labor for a more complex, more expensive machine. Watch out for deceptive warranty policies.

I love the convenience of a combo unit, and I've had no problems with the DVD player. After just a few months, however, the VCR portion of the unit broke down. I play many more DVD's than tapes so this is pretty alarming. The picture looks exactly like what you get when you have dirty heads, so I used the same cleaning method that I use for the other VCR units that I use, (in the kids rooms). I have one of those tapes that you insert and play after putting a few drops of cleaner in it. Well, that didn't fix the problem, (how could the heads really be dirty after a few months of very light use anyway?). Be forewarned about this unit. I bought it since it had good features and didn't have the cheap "feel" of the lower priced units available in the market. My mistake. I'm ditching the thing, (will probably hook it up with my kids TV/VCR combo so that he can watch DVD's too), and going with a better brand.