Video Reviews

Just received the tapes and they were what I expected from Sony and Amazon. Would have given them 5 stars, but the tapes are not individually wrapped. They are wrapped as a whole. They are a bit cheaper in price here as compared to your local discount store. So if you are low on video tapes, this might be the product for you.

In years to come, we will look back at VHS tapes much as we do 8 tracks today. Big, clumsy and slow by today's standards, in twenty years we have gone from seeing them as miracles to third rate technologies.

But here is the problem. We have lots and lots of those third rate technologies in our houses with everything from the kid's first birthday party to that Alaska trip for which you even haven't finished paying. And there is still no easy, cheap transfer medium.

So that means the old VCR needs to be around, but the stack of TiVOs, Satellite receivers, digital cable boxes, and DVD players fill up the space under the TV with bulk and wires. A combination makes perfect sense.

And if you get one, get a good one, because the reality is the good ones don't cost that much more than the cheap ones. Progressive scan is a must, and so is 5.1 Dolby. Remember that the main thing you will watch on this is DVDs.

As to the VCR side, you may want VCR+ which this model has, but who do you know that actually uses it? If the problem is that VCRs are too hard to program, how does a feature that takes half a day to program for the technically savvy help the VCR illiterate?

Sony's STR-DE485 is quite a good entry-level A/V receiver. The sound is crisp and clean with little distortion at any volume level, and the FM tuner can lock on to even the weakest stations. With 6 available inputs, the unit is capable and a great component to build a home theater around.

Sony also offers the longest warranty in the industry -- competing receivers offer only a 1 year or 90 day warranty while Sony covers both parts and labor for a full two years.

Quality and warranty aside, however, the Sony name commands a price premium as opposed to competing products in its price level from Pioneer, Kenwood, and others. Competing models may include S-Video inputs and Doly Pro Logic II decoding, both of which Sony's STR-DE485 lacks. Most comparable receivers also offer an output of 100 watts x 5 channels, where the STR-DE485 only offers 80 watts x 5 channels.

absolutely wonderful. i cannot begin to explain the upgrade this tv is from bubble tubes. crisp, clear and so good that watching normal tv's will hurt your eyes

For what you pay you still get outstanding picture and sound quality for less than $2.00 for each video cassette. This is all you need for recording tv and music programs. Maxell video tapes may be a little bit better, but I think that they are too expensive. I can hardly tell the difference between the Maxell HGX-Gold and the Sony VF.

This combo unit has many quality features for the price, and the performance is excellent (so far). My negative criticism would have to be that the buttons on the face of the unit could have a more durable feel... And they could include an antenna... And why don't they just make it a 4-head VCR instead of a 2-head since the Sylvania 4-head VCR's are priced so cheaply already? Still, all negativity aside, this unit is performing well for my family, and I am rather pleased. Four out of five stars.

For years I had a 13" combination TV/VCR and when the VCR started to go, I decided to get a 13" combination TV/DVD. While researching, I found the Slyvania. The quality of the picture is wonderful. The remote control is designed with user functionality in mind and works great. I was able to hook it to my stereo very easily. Now I have surround sound. In my opinion, there are only two things on this product which could use improvement. First, you cannot watch tv and load a dvd. You have to first switch to dvd mode then the dvd will open. And second, although you are able to hook it up to stereo, it only works in dvd mode. If you are watching tv, you cannot play it through your stereo. This is a major bummer. Otherwise this is a great product and I recommend it to anyone who is looking for a 13" combination tv/dvd.

This bag is compact, very light, and cheap. It can hold your compact or mid-size camcorder, it's charger, and a few extra tapes. It's a nice bag to have if you just bring your camcorder on family vacations. It is also very durable. If you have a larger camcorder or use your camcorder frequently I suggest a larger more expensive bag.

This bag is compact, very light, and cheap. It can hold your compact or mid-size camcorder, it's charger, and a few extra tapes. It's a nice bag to have if you just bring your camcorder on family vacations. It is also very durable. If you have a larger camcorder or use your camcorder frequently I suggest a larger more expensive bag.