Some consumers avoid buying VHS/DVD combination units because they fear getting inferior versions of both elements. While this fear may be warranted for some other hybrid electronic products, the good news is that most DVD/VHS combinations do indeed feature the best of both worlds in one convenient package. VHS reproduction is generally solid, with the clarity of a four-head VCR. DVDs and musical CDs are also treated well in most high-end combination units, although lower-end products have the same problem of excessive heat build-up as any other laser-based player. Proper ventilation is essential for any DVD player- performance will suffer after a few hours of extreme heat.
Installing a VHS/DVD combination unit is fairly straightforward. The cable coaxial cable can be fed into the unit's inbound antenna connection much like a standard VCR. One end of a shorter coaxial cable (usually provided with the unit) is then attached to the outbound signal port. The other end should reach the cable receptacle in the back of a cable-ready television. If the television is not cable-ready, the end of the coaxial cable may need an cable to UHF/VHF adapter (available at any good electronics outlet). The UHF and VHF ends should be securely screwed into the appropriate receivers. As with most video systems, the television itself should be tuned to VHF channel 3 or 4.
Many VHS/DVD combinations also feature connectors for home stereo systems. Some may only have two connections for basic two-channel sound reproduction, but others may have the latest 5.1 surround sound technology. If you want to enhance the basic sound through a home theater system or stereo system, use the set of speaker wires provided with the unit to feed the audio into the auxiliary settings of the sound system. In general, this is a matter of matching similar audio or video outlets- left output with left input, right output with right input and so on.
The VHS/DVD combination should now be ready for operation. The television should be tuned to channel 3 or 4, depending on the relative signal strength and factory setting. If your reception is poor on channel 3, look for a selector button on the unit which will allow tuning on channel 4. This is most likely to happen in areas with an active VHF station using channel 3.
The combination unit itself should now be turned on by using a remote control or pushing a power button on the unit. Whenever a unit is first installed or power has been off for several hours, the VCR unit may need to be initialized. This means setting the unit to display the VCR option. A button on the remote control should be labeled VCR. Depressing that button should allow the user to pull up a display screen for the VCR through another MENU or DISPLAY button. Users can initialize the VCR, set the clock and date display, set recording times and other general VCR operations through this MENU function. The key is to remember which function (DVD or VCR) you wish to use and press the matching button on the remote control before attempting any other operations.
If the remote control for a DVD/VCR unit is not available, most models will contain basic operation buttons on the front plate. These buttons allow owners to select the DVD, VCR, cable or broadcast television options and change channels manually. The VCR options may include play, pause and rewind functions, but usually not programming ability. The DVD/CD options may include play, pause and eject, but not zooming or chapter selection options. A quality combination player should offer enough onboard control buttons to ensure playability without the remote, but most models only offer the bare essentials for operation.
The remote control for a DVD/VCR combination must perform a number of tasks using essentially the same keypad elements. Depressing the button marked VCR allows the user to use the standard play, pause, rewind and pause features of a standard VCR, along with some extras such as programming and tape speed adjustments. When in VCR mode, use the channel up or down buttons to change the cable television selection or use the numbered keypad to dial a channel directly. Function keys such as 'menu' and 'display' should pull up all of the options for setting the internal clock and programming the recording timer. Most remotes will also allow for pausing and slow-motion play. There is one feature in single unit VCR not always present in DVD/VCR combos, however, and that is tracking control. Owners may have to consult the manual for alternatives to tracking control. Sometimes tracking problems can be corrected by depressing the 'forward' and 'rewind' button simultaneously, but every model is different.
If the remote control is set for DVD/CD use, then the numerical keypad can be used for selecting individual tracks or scenes. The same operation buttons for VCR play can also be used for DVD viewing. The 'play' button should start the movie and the 'stop' button should bring it to a halt. Unlike VHS tapes, DVDs can usually be rewound or forwarded at different speeds- depress the appropriate button several times for varying speeds. The DVD image onscreen may jump from one still shot to another instead of a continuous sped-up sequence, depending on the rewind or forwarding speed selected.
DVDs can also be divided into separate chapters for faster selection. These chapters can be changed with the channel up and down buttons or through a main menu button. Remotes usually contain several directional buttons which will highlight different elements of the menu screen. If a certain chapter is desired, the owner should use the arrow keys until the chapter is electronically highlighted. Pressing a centralized button should cause the chapter to start playing normally. Other options on a DVD player allow users to zoom into a scene up to a 4X
enlargement. Direction keys can help focus on a specific area and an electronic map will show the user which part of the image is being enlarged. This is a useful feature for movie buffs who enjoy the details of individual scenes. The zoom button will not work with VHS tapes, however. The enlargement process is digital, but standard videotapes are analog.
Many of the adjustments to DVDs depend on the available features of individual DVD titles. Many DVDs feature bonus footage and secondary tracks which must be activated by the remote control. Owners looking for bonus material or added features should depress the 'menu' button first to call up an onscreen list of options. Scrolling through this list should reveal all of the extras available. There may be a director's commentary or subtitle option, for instance. Highlighting these options with the arrow keys should be followed by depressing the center key to verify the selection. Some features will remain active even after the DVD has ended, so owners may have to check their menu settings between viewings.
