I love my Zenith XBV343 DVD/VCR Player!
Written: Feb 07 '04 (Updated Feb 07 '04)
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Pros: DVD/VCR combo all in one
Cons: none
The Bottom Line: If you are in the market for a DVD/VCR combo you should check out the Zenith XBV343.
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| wifeofvolsfan's Full Review: Zenith XBV343 DVD Player / VCR Combo |
We were in the market for a DVD/VCR combo when a friend recommended the Zenith DVD player Video Cassette Recorder Model Number XBV343 to us. We have really enjoyed using it.
Appearance:
Measuring across the front of the player was 17 inches. The height measured 3 ½ inches and it was 11 ½ inches from the front to the back. The DVD side is on the left. It has an open/close button beside it. The VCR side is on the right and it has an eject button beside it. The buttons on the front panel control are: power, line 2 (video in/audio in (left/right) ), left/right/up/down, enter, copy, display window, dvd/vcr indicator, dvd/vcr (output select), record, stop, pause, reverse skip/scan, play and forward skip/scan. Other features can be done with the remote control.
What it can play:
DVD, Audio CD, CD-Rs, CD-RWs that contain audio titles, MP3, JPEG, or WMA files.
The Remote Control:
The remote uses the same buttons for VCR and DVD functions. There are many features on the remote. I have found it very easy to use. When I first got the player I couldn’t find my instruction book. I wanted to record a television show. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to figure it out. It was so simple to do. I did it right the first time without having the instructions in front of me.
The remote measures 8 inches in length and 2 inches across. The buttons on the remote are: DVD/VCR button, power, TV/VCR, 0-9 numericals, Audio, Zoom, Angle, Display, left/right/up/down ring, setup/menu, pause, stop, record, repeat, random, A-B, SP/SLP, title, eject, input, program, clear, subtitle, marker, search, disc menu, enter, return, play and forward.
Connections Panel:
You hook up the player through the back. I am not a technical person so I don’t know what a lot of this means, but for those of you looking for technical information here is what is on the connection panel.
Antenna Input, RF Out (DVD/VCR OUT), S-Video Out, VCR in Line 1 (Video in/Audio In (left/right)), DVD/VCR Out (Video/Audio (left/right)), Component/Progressive Scan Video Out, Audio Out (left/right) (DVD OUT), Digital Audio Out (Coaxial) (DVD Out), AC Power Cord,
It was easy for my husband to hook ours up. We have cable, but do not have a cable box. He hooked the cable into the ANT.IN outlet that is on the far left on the back of the player. He hooked the round cable, which is a 75-ohm coaxial cable into the outlet very easily. You then connect the RF.OUT jack on the player to the back of the TV using the 75-ohm Coaxial Cable that is supplied.
On-Screen Menus:
There are 4 things on the Main Menu:
1. Clock Set
2. Program
3. Tuning
4. Setup
Setting the clock is simple. You use the up/down arrows to adjust the time. You can use the daylight savings time option if you chose and pick your time zone. Programing the player to record is easy as well. Make sure you set the clock first though or the programming will not work correctly. Just follow what the menu shows you and it is a breeze to record. You can program it to record once or make it a weekly or daily event.
Progressive Scan:
If you have a high-definition or “digital ready” television you can use the DVD/VCR’s progressive scan output. This will give you the highest video resolution. If your TV doesn’t take the Progressive Scan format your picture will look scrambled if you select the Progressive Scan output. If you have the correct type television you hook up the Component/Progressive scan video out jacks to the corresponding in jacks on the TV. You then must set the Progressive Scan option to “on” through the Setup menu.
General Specifications:
Power Requirements: AC 120V, 60 Hz
Power Consumption: 23W
Dimensions: 430 x 97.5 x 293 mm (16.9 x 3.9 x 11.5 inches) (w x h x d)
Weight: 4.8 kg (10.58 lbs.)
Operating temperature: 41 F to 104 F
Operating Humidity: 5% to 90%
Signal System: NTSC
Accessories Included:
1 Video Cable, 1 Audio Cable, 1 RF 75-ohm Coaxial Cable, Remote Control, 2 AAA Batteries
Warranty Information:
Labor: 90 Days from the date of purchase.
Parts: One Year from the date of purchase.
Call 1-800-984-9349 (Monday – Friday)
Be sure and keep your receipt so that you can prove the date of purchase.
Misc. Information:
~ has 3D Surround effect, which you can play from two speakers instead of five or more
~ has Zoom which lets you enlarge the video image
~ remote will work about 23 ft from the front of the remote sensor
~ display screen on the front panel shows the amount of time the DVD or VCR tape has been playing/has the time showing when not playing a disc or tape
~ can change the language for the disc’s menu, audio and subtitle
~ can copy a DVD to a VHS tape
Final Thoughts:
I am very happy with our purchase of the Zenith DVD Player/VCR Recorder. It is very easy to use. I have recorded many television shows using the VCR and have been able to do so very quickly. I love having the DVD and VCR all together in one box. It fits nicely on top of my Philips 50 Inch Television. The sound and picture are both great when using the DVD or VCR.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 140.00
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