Any comments on the Toshiba DVR620 VHS/DVD recorder?

The Toshiba 620 is a "garden variety" Funai similar to low-end tunerless Magnavox and Sylvania combo recorders. As combo recorders go this should be a decent product.

During my ownership of several Funai-built VHS/DVD combo recorders of 2007 and 2008 manufacture, I've observed that the Funai VHS mechanism is flimsy, quite fragile and subject to early failure. Perhaps a Toshiba 620 might be satisfactory for a small dubbing project, say, fewer than fifty videotapes--but not for larger dubbing projects.

The common advice is that one's money is better spent on a Magnavox 513 or 515 HDD/DVD recorder than a "garden variety" Funai combo recorder.

Decent used or little-used VCRs are plentiful on Craig's List, usually at near give-away prices ($20 or less).

For dubbing videotapes connect a VCR's composite output to a composite input on a Magnavox HDD/DVD recorder, play the videotapes on the VCR and record to the HDD/DVD recorder's internal hard drive from the composite input. This will allow for editing/dividing recordings and high-speed dubbing to DVDs.

I purchased the 620 in Jan 2012 to replace 2 separate boxes in my updated HT rig. I had a small number of old VCR tapes that I wanted to transfer (perhaps 100 or so), and I also intended to transfer content from the FiOS DVR to disc. After about 7 or so months of use, I find that this deviice certainly meets my needs (as listed above). I cannot speak to the playback quality very well, as frankly I don't quite get the whole upconverting thiing, but this box does "well enough." Seems reliable to date.

So far my Toshiba DVR670 VCR/DVDR comb has performed perfectly since I bought it in 2009. I still get analog cable so I do a lot of taping
using the VCR part. I have used its ATSC tuner to record from an OTA ...yes, it records digital to the VCR part as well as the DVD section.
Actually I actively use 3 VCRs, the Toshiba, a Sony and an old Phillips..all are still going strong. I would have no problem recommending
a Toshiba (although I would not buy a 660..that did have CP problems which were non-existent CPs).

So far my Toshiba DVR670 VCR/DVDR comb has performed perfectly since I bought it in 2009. I still get analog cable so I do a lot of taping
using the VCR part. I have used its ATSC tuner to record from an OTA ...yes, it records digital to the VCR part as well as the DVD section.
Actually I actively use 3 VCRs, the Toshiba, a Sony and an old Phillips..all are still going strong. I would have no problem recommending
a Toshiba (although I would not buy a 660..that did have CP problems which were non-existent CPs).

When it comes to VHS conversion, the two big questions are "how many tapes we talkin about" and "how important, HONESTLY, will these dvd copies of VHS be to the person's life?" If the answers are "less than 100" and "I'll probably never watch the dubs again after making the DVDs" then a combo deck can be an excellent choice. If the person has hundreds of tapes and they're mostly irreplaceable content that they watch with any frequency, DigaDo's recommendation of a Magnavox 533 + external VCR will be more likely to give satisfactory results.


You need to elaborate on the technical sophistication of your friends. Using a DTVpal external tuner with a VCR does take a certain level of technical savvy, but a DVD recorder is a quantum leap in aggravation if they have never used one before. Gastrof, as a huge Magnavox DVD/HDD proponent, you of all people should well know the stark contrast between direct-to-dvd recording and using a recorder with HDD feature. Migrating from a VCR to a direct-to-dvd recorder is a curse I wouldn't inflict on my worst enemy: migrating from a VCR to an HDD recorder is far less stressful. As their friend, you need to assess their primary usage pattern: if its timeshifting of off-air TV, the Magnavox 533 is the only "pleasant" solution. Tell them to just keep the old VCR and play the actual tapes whenever they actually have an urge, or hook it up to the 533 to make DVD copies as the need arises. It would be MUCH easier to learn how to occasionally copy tapes from an external VCR than it would be to deal every day with a DTVpal connected to a tunerless direct-to-DVD recorder like a 620. They would probably get so disgusted with recording directly on DVDs that they default back to the 620 VCR section for daily use, which defeats the whole purpose of replacing their old VCR.

All that aside, if you or they feel it MUST be a combo, you don't have much in the way of choice today: about all thats left are Funai's Toshiba/Magnavox twins. Of the two combos, I'd opt for the Magnavox version since it usually offers a couple more recording speeds over the Toshiba version. Per DigaDo and others, they are reasonably reliable but the VCR section is flimsy: chances are 50/50 it would break down under frequent use.
Edited by CitiBear - 9/8/12 at 8:57am

 

But can it record from that external tuner in fullscreen 16:9?

 

If not, it might not matter to them now if their TV's 4:3, but it could if they have a 16:9 television set someday. In which case, getting something with a built-in, ATSC tuner might be better.

Edited by Rammitinski - 9/9/12 at 3:24am