TV-VCR-Combination Reviews

Purchased this TV second hand. Had no real expectations. Had never heard of Broksonic. Turned out to have the clearest, sharpest, most colorful pictures of all of the TVs I have owned. Pleasant surprise!

WE purchased this item when our VCR went out. We decided instead of having a VCR and a DVD player hooked up with all the wires running to the TV just to get one unit with everything. It has been great. Great picture, DVD plays perfectly and the VCR is nice to have for all the VHS tapes we still own. Makes everything look so much cleaner in the family room. I definitely recommend this piece.

I just picked up this great little Toshiba TV/VCR combo for my brother who is living the dorm life.

He says it is perfect in that it takes up much less space than a TV and a clunky VCR, the reception, picture and color are good and it's easy to move around or bring to another dorm room to watch movies.

I say it's perfect because it cost less than a hundred dollars and made my brother so happy. Thanks Toshiba!

The television picture is gourgeous. The DVD features are wonderfull. I taped a program on the VCR and the re-play was virtually DVD quality. However, it is a very low price for a flat screen TV. And I think the low cost is mostly in the TV console. It seems to be tin and plastic. And it does not travel well. My set arrived with a couple of dings in the console. Then I notice there was a spot where it was cracked and compressed as if from being dropped.

Therefore I give the Toshiba MW20FN1 20" Flat Screen TV-DVD-VCR Combo 5 stars for quality at that price. Exceptional. - 2 Stars for ruggedness and shippability.

Like another reviewer, I received the unit with some dents in the frame along the bottom, front-right side. The box and packing materials were in good shape, so this appears to be a Toshiba quality control issue, unrelated to the retailer or shipper. On the positive side, it was very easy to connect and configure. The user guide is adequate, reasonably easy to understand, and well illustrated. If you have special connectivity requirements, you won't find any of the necessary cables in the box. Picture quality on the flat screen is excellent, and the sound quality is also very good, better still passed through my bookshelf hi-fi system. This was true for cable TV, VHS and DVD playback. I chose an old tape for VCR testing purposes, and I was very happy with the color, sharpness, and audio. I picked a "difficult" DVD disk -- i.e., dual-layer, "funky" color/surface/reflectivity factor -- and was surprised that it played flawlessly, first try. This "killer" disk has defeated a number of other players, so I've decided to keep the unit I received, dents and all. Like they say, handsome is as handsome does.

3-25-2004
I got this tv yesterday and it is great... but I noticed that it had wavy,bloby colors around the sides on dvd,vhs,and tv on all channels and a tiny crack in the corner. So I just emailed Amazon to ship me another one and pick up the broken one at the same time. They emailed back and said they would.I haven't receid it yet.

The picture is great, the sound is great BUT the very first VHS tape I played shut down the entire system. It is now going to the shop AND I get to PAY to have it picked up and delivered ! Toshiba is adamant that this 80+ pound is a portable for me. Customer service knows to say I'm sorry, but are unwilling and unable to change the no-pay-for-pickup warranty terms. I'll update this review post the repair. So far, it's nice but too expensive if it keeps breaking. Buy with caution.

I find the 24" size ideal for the bedroom. It does play DVD-R discs as stated in the specifications, but not all media play equally well. Titles burned using the 1x Verbatim media I purchased at Sam's Club play fine so far; however, the HQT 1X-4X DVD-R media I purchased from CDR/DVDR Media(http://store.yahoo.com/cdrdvdrmedia/index.html) hangs and glitches occasionally during playback. I believe the reflectivity of that media is near the lower threshhold of what the unit can read. The Verbatim discs probably have a higher reflectivity index which makes them easier to read. I'll just shop around until I find some 4x media that provides decent reflectivity and isn't too expensive.

Picture quality is quite good; more than adequate for use in my bedroom. My biggest complaint by far is with the remote control. The basic playback controls in the center split all the other buttons into an upper and a lower bank, with row after row of evenly sized and spaced buttons with confusing, unclear labels. The only functions you'll be able to operate by feel are Power, Play, Stop, Rewind and Forward Scan, and Pause. To skip chapters, navigate DVD menus, or even change channels or adjust volume, you'll have to look at the remote. Really one of the worst-designed remotes I've ever used; very frustrating. A couple of other minor complaints include the logic of the unit. For example, you can eject a videotape and the unit remains off, but try to insert a videotape or even eject a DVD and the TV turns itself on. Still, the picture is quite good, the sound is adequate, and even tapes recorded in my S-VHS deck are watchable (if a touch soft and oversaturated). A better remote, smarter logic, and higher quality sound would earn this unit a five-star rating.

We have been looking and evaluating TV/DVD/VCR sets for over a year.
I waited until the price went down as when it first came out it was $599.
I am glad we have it. It does have the very best picture and is also the best looking. This is my first Toshiba.
It is so nice to plug it in and go.
Notice: as with most of the combos, you cannot watch another channel when recording another. You have to watch what is recording or turn it off as it will record when the TV is off.
It will also copy DVD's to tape if the DVD is NOT copy protected.

The one I got has a poor-quality DVD player; it keeps skipping and hanging on brand new out-of-the-box DVDs. Plus after a year the remote control sensor in the TV itself broke and had to be replaced - out of warranty, of course.

Other than that the picture is sharp and clear, the sound is excellent, the on-screen controls are excellent, and the remote control is well-laid out and easy to use. I'm just knocking it down 3 stars because of the remote control sensor problem and the mediocre integral DVD player.

bought item in the store after weeks of research on comboTV's. i feel this was the best bargain ever in comparison to what is currently on the market. i am waiting for the catch to reveal itself. there MUST be a catch because this tv is too good to be true. the speakers fully surround the tv & project great quality sound with DVD's, CD's & CD-R's. i have not used the VCR for movie watching yet, but the test revealed it works nicely, too. TV fite perfectly in entertainment center & the flat screen projects a picture that is too good to be true! this purchase was a dream come true. this is a BIG television so i recommend it for people that have entertainment centers & tons of CD's! no need to spend thousands of dollars when there is a product like this one on the market! pure sound, pure picture, pure perfection!

I bought the PV-DFWhatever 27" two years ago and sold it when we moved--bought the PV-DF2703 last year (that was a major improvement--they shaved off 9-10" from the depth of the previous model (probably because of complaints that it wouldn't fit in entertainment centers unless they were away from the wall). Just bought the PV-DF2704 as a gift for my parents--and they love it! These are easy televisions to fall in love with--the quality is excellent, they're easy to set-up, you can run TV/DVD/VCR and most cable/DSS with the Panasonic remote. One plug in and one cable/DSS/antenna lead and you're all set--no need to run wires and speakers and stuff if you don't want to. The sound quality is far superior to ALL the other televisions I looked at (I think manufacturers assume everyone's just going to hook up a home theater system anyway.) Great product for technophobes and anyone that hates tangles of wires. Be forewarned--it's heavy and the dimensions are somewhat outsized because of the speakers to either side of the screen. If you have a 27" inch entertainment center it may not fit. I like it and my family likes it! A real value!

This is a great TV with great features. The only drawback is poor user-interface design.

I've seen more intuitive, easy-to-read and just plain BETTER on-screen menus on TV's from 10 years ago!

On the set itself all the control buttons are small, and look-alike. Each time I approach set I need to "figure-it-out" again. This isn't a problem for people who are tech-minded and can and undestand standard TV/VCR symbols. Toshiba is really showing their lack of polish and refinement by rushing this set to market in such a utilitarian configuration.

The remote control suffers from the same deficits. Most of the buttons look and are shaped the same way making it non-intuitive. Even more troubling is the way buttons are shared between the VCR and DVD functionality. To distinguish, there are two sets of colored labels. It's very hard to determine if the label is meant for the button above or the button below.

Lastly, I could find no-way to program the remote control to change channels on my Cable-box. I bought this TV/CD/DVD combo to SIMPLIFY things somewhat. With all the people these days with Cable, it's really annoying that you *STILL* need two remotes to work with this TV if you use a cable box.

Combo units sometimes get a bad rap because people assume that having everything together in one box compromises the quality one could have by buying a TV, VCR and DVD as separate components. With this Toshiba unit, there is absolutely no compromise, because everything is first rate. The flat screen TV renders an outstanding picture and the quality of the VCR and DVD are as good as if one would have purchased them separately. The remote, however, could be improved. The DVD controls are non-intuitive, and difficult to read. It took me watching about six movies before I could navigate my way easily around the menus. Thus, because of the remote, I can't give it a five-star rating. Otherwise, this is a great purchase, and kudos to Amazon[.com] for shipping it about a month before I expected it!

I bought this set to replace a JVC unit that I did not like the color or sound on. We have been pleased with the flat screen picture tube which has less distortion on the sides than other tubes and the sound and color are great. You can make fine adjustments via the menu driven controls on the remote. The VCR and DVD units are also easy to use and high quality to view. Everything is easy to control via just one remote. I would buy another one.

This is a great TV with great features. The only drawback is poor user-interface design.

I've seen more intuitive, easy-to-read and just plain BETTER on-screen menus on TV's from 10 years ago!

On the set itself all the control buttons are small, and look-alike. Each time I approach set I need to "figure-it-out" again. This isn't a problem for people who are tech-minded and can and undestand standard TV/VCR symbols. Toshiba is really showing their lack of polish and refinement by rushing this set to market in such a utilitarian configuration.

The remote control suffers from the same deficits. Most of the buttons look and are shaped the same way making it non-intuitive. Even more troubling is the way buttons are shared between the VCR and DVD functionality. To distinguish, there are two sets of colored labels. It's very hard to determine if the label is meant for the button above or the button below.

Lastly, I could find no-way to program the remote control to change channels on my Cable-box. I bought this TV/CD/DVD combo to SIMPLIFY things somewhat. With all the people these days with Cable, it's really annoying that you *STILL* need two remotes to work with this TV if you use a cable box.

Combo units sometimes get a bad rap because people assume that having everything together in one box compromises the quality one could have by buying a TV, VCR and DVD as separate components. With this Toshiba unit, there is absolutely no compromise, because everything is first rate. The flat screen TV renders an outstanding picture and the quality of the VCR and DVD are as good as if one would have purchased them separately. The remote, however, could be improved. The DVD controls are non-intuitive, and difficult to read. It took me watching about six movies before I could navigate my way easily around the menus. Thus, because of the remote, I can't give it a five-star rating. Otherwise, this is a great purchase, and kudos to Amazon[.com] for shipping it about a month before I expected it!

I bought this set to replace a JVC unit that I did not like the color or sound on. We have been pleased with the flat screen picture tube which has less distortion on the sides than other tubes and the sound and color are great. You can make fine adjustments via the menu driven controls on the remote. The VCR and DVD units are also easy to use and high quality to view. Everything is easy to control via just one remote. I would buy another one.

I currently own several Panasonic TV's and TV/VCR Combo's and they have been for the most part trouble free. In September 2001 I bought a 27" flat screen TV (CT-27SX11) from Panasonic and it has been nothing but trouble as of April 2002.

The major problem has been with support. Yes, I own a good deal of A/V gear including some Pro A/V gear, but the support problem has been with the warranty periods offered by Panasonic on large heavy screen TV's. Don't be fooled by the warranty you see here or at a retail store. The labor is only for 90 days, and they'll charge you big time for labor.

Almost everything I have from Panasonic has been trouble-free, but if you do have a problem, be prepared to throw away and re-purchase because it would cost less than the labor charges.

Reasonably priced, hassle free entertainment system that works well if you're not hooked on DVD. The sound and picture are relatively good, the FM stereo is an added bonus. The VCR is basically idiot proof. As a moderately sized screen TV it fits the bill as a unit that won't dominate too much space in your living room.

if you're really not into "huge" screens for your TV viewing, this might be for you. The VCR is very nice, playback looks great, and so does programs you record. Great picture, sound could be a little better, but for a TV/VCR, it ain't too bad. It has many features. Video games look great on it. My only complaint, it's not multi-standard!

I purchased this unit off of Amazon.com and discovered only later that it will not work with any DVD players. If connecting your television to a DVD player is important to you, do *not* buy this unit.

I bought this tv for my Mother when she insisted on a white tv, I was a little concerned because it was so reasonable. When I opened the box and plugged it in I could not believe how crystal clear the picture was. The sound is great too, I recommend it highly.

I bought this for my 89 year old mom and she loves it. She watches her videos, listens to the radio and sees all her shows without much fussing at all. She enjoys television more now that she has access to close-captions. Recently I needed to replace a television of my own and opted to purchase this same unit. I tried the Toshiba 19" tv/vcr combo, but it gave me grief after three days. This is the one I'd recommend.