Philips DVD755VR DVD/VCR Combi

The dvd plcture on this model is superb and also the dvd loader fitted is great. It works very well with interactive dvds. The video recorder is good but a bit clunky compared to something like a Panasonic or Sharp.

Anyway here's a couple of tips for anyone buying these.

One thing you may come across using scart rgb is a vague patten over the screen, basically a weak translucent image. You can cure this by cutting one of the scart plug pin connections at the tv end. Basically you want to disconnect the composite out connection from the tv's scart. This will give you a crystal clear rgb image.

Secondly if you want to run region 1 or other region discs rather than region 2 you can do it in the following way. Insert your foreign dvd. Wait to the region lockout appears. Press 'display' on the remote. You'll get a little box come up like 1/2 or 1/3 etc. Use the right key to move it to 2/2 or 2/3 or even 3/3 and press enter or play and it will skip the region lockout! A simple hack to enable you run any dvd you want. This unit will convert all ntsc material to pal playback so you won't have any problems displaying films not in pal format.

Also just in case you haven't noticed it. To picture search you have to hold in the skip chapter button. It will then go to 2x. Hold it in again and it wil got to 4x etc. You have to keep doing this and it will top out at 100x picture search. Its an awkward system.

Because of its easy multiregion hack and superb dvd picture I think this is one of the best dvd/vcr combi's out there.

That said - the actual quality of VHS recordings are flawless, even on a crap tape (which is why I kept it) - it also has 1 button dub from DVD 2 VHS - VHS also includes I.P. (intellegent play, SP/LP/IP), this is great feature which records at best quality at all time 'until' it calibrates there's not enough tape left on the spool, at which point it automatically switches to Long Play to fit the programmed recordings on - neat! (this all suggests the vhs is aware of tape positioning, it just doesn't tell you grrrrr)

The DVD includes an increadible 6 stage (manual says 4) ZOOOOOOM - and all stages maintain pixel ratio (no stretch or squash) - these are also fully functioning zoom modes (support play,still,pan,scan,ff,fr) - which is perfect for watching wide screen on square TV & vice versa, or just zooming for the helluv it (and unlike other manufacturers that advertise "zoom" or "3:4 compatability" (but only 'stilled', squashed/distorted))

The DVD virtually ignores layer changes ( blink and you'll miss them) - even some top brand DVD's hesitate for almost a full second when they hit a layer change.

Unlike the previous reviewer comment, I find you can certainly scan DVD'S (x2, x4, x8, x16, just hold down FF or FR button) + search by time + user defined marker searches + it even remembers where you watched upto on a DVD disc (even if you take it out and play upto 6 different ones in between)

I would give it 10/10 for performance in every way, but misrepresenting the VHS search means i can give Philips 3/10 best