All I can say is that I wish I would have found this site sooner. I checked out consumer reports and shopped around before I settled for this particular DVD/VCR recorder. I just wanted the capability to record to DVD inside of VHS. I knew that copyprotected material would not be copyable. I have been experiencing trouble with my unit. What amazes me is everyone seems to be having trouble with 8X speed discs. I didn't know there were problems. I bought the correct discs and have recorded without any problems. Unfortunately I have experienced problems with the unit keeping time on auto-set (a couple minutes lost here and there). So, I got around it by manually setting the clock. I have had a VHS tape get stuck in the player for no reason. I have experienced trouble playing Region 1 discs. Mind you this is Region 1 (the US) and I have had no trouble with my original DVD player. Last, I have experienced trouble with the unit recording to VHS. Sometimes the tape will advance, but the show I thought I had recorded wouldn't. I don't know if it taped another channel or just played what was previously recorded. My problems seem different because I do not see how an update what help me. I didn't know that one was even available. I would personally tell anyone to run the other way. Do not get this unit. It is crap.
I have the Sylvania version of this same unit, and I find the DVD part of it to have alot of features, and work very good for the price, at this time I find it impossible to find just a DVD recorder in any brand name made by it's parent company Funai, so I plan to only use the DVD part. By the way, You can always connect an external VCR to do what you need.
I guess I could plug in an external VCR but the whole point was to get rid of two units for one. I can mainly live w/o the VCR, but the unit is not even a year old. Technology has been rapidly changing and I'm waiting for the DVR's to gain some ground. I can then not worry about storing disc's or tapes. I can record to a hard-drive and then decide if I want to put it on disc or delete. Also, a feature that sounds cool is time-slip. I tend to record a lot, and a lot of times I have to wait for the recording to stop before I can watch from the beginning. With time-slip one can watch the same thing being recorded, but start playing at the beginning while the recording is taking place. These units are just starting to hit US markets, and I am waiting a little while before I take the plunge. I did see a VCR/DVD recorder combo for sale at CircuitCity online that allowed the user to watch a DVD and tape a show at the same time, but they sold out quickly. I do not even know the brand. I would settle for that option. Current DVD players do not allow this. If I watch something the unit can not record on the other device. The last thing I want to complain about is that if I decide I want to stop recording of something I can't. Normally, one just hits stop on the remote or unit and recording stops. With this Emerson (if the timer is set) I have to wait till the recording is finished or unplug the unit or hit stop rapidly two or three times. Again, I think the unit is crap. Even the DVD player seems to display less color, and sometimes the volume doesn't seem great on a rental or purchase. Thank you for your response.
Hey you haven't seen my posting of the emerson ver 05 well looky here. http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/235603 Check this out you can record a show on vcr or the dvd and watch on the other side have done this.
