Review on 📼 Powerful and Versatile Magnavox ZV457MG9 Dual Deck DVD/VCR Recorder: Record and Playback Functionality in Sleek Black Design by Matthew Baltimore

Replaced a 15 year old Magnavox (when Magnavox was owned by Philips) 2 head mono VCR which has worked great all along. It was starting to have trouble tracking the tape and the timer only got to *2009. When I was looking for a standalone VCR I found new ones were running out so I resigned myself to getting a dual core to buy device. I first heard about this product from a flyer from Radio Shack (priced at $279.99). I checked out Revain and was surprised that not only was it affordable, but it cost a hundred dollars less. Since this item only has a 90 day parts and labor warranty (9 months parts only after 90 days), I also purchased the Square Deal 3 year warranty. We've been using it for about a month and at the time of writing this article. it worked perfectly. And when an HDMI cable is connected, it will be converted to 1080i (DVD only). It was easy to set up and use. The instruction manual was very detailed and not at all difficult to understand, despite what others may have experienced. Divided into sections related to the capabilities of each recording device, it pretty much walks you through how to operate the device. A minor inconvenience: when you turn on the device to watch a recorded tape, the default setting is DVD, and it takes about a minute to prepare the DVD function even if you want to watch a taped program. Tip: If you want to burn to DVD, set the recording start time to about two minutes before the actual program start time so that you don't lose the first part of the program. Again, this is a DVD feature in the making. I had actually set the wrong clock back. But after reading the reviews, I remembered that an owner who had the same problem called Funai and was advised to change the clock setting function from Auto to Manual. After that I had no more problems with the watch. All in all, this is a good device at a reasonable price. One of the great features is that it has a built-in digital tuner that allows automatic timer recording from cable or broadcast. There are many recorders that only allow you to record TV programs when you are present and press the record button - this really defeats the purpose of shifting watch times. One note, and it's not a complaint - the unit doesn't record to VHS and DVD simultaneously (if you want to record two different programs in the same time interval). Since I have an older LiteOn DVD recorder with tuner and timer functions, this is not a problem. If you're looking for a full-featured VHS/DVD combo with a built-in digital tuner at an affordable price, this Magnavox box is hard to beat. But do yourself a favor and grab Square Deal's extended warranty. It costs reasonable and appears to be from an honest company. * Do you have a working VCR with calendar for 2009 only? Can't program a timer recording because the day of the week and the date don't match? Here's a workaround. In the setup function, set the year to 1999 (days and dates are the same as 2010! Voila, you're done. In the future - 2011 etc etc just find another past year with days and dates that Adjust the current year and set this year on your computer.