Home > Consumer Reviews > Sylvania ZV450SL8 Dual DVD / VCR Recorder with Digital Tuner

With all the hype of getting the next wave of electronics, we're only thinking about getting HDTV's. While that might seem like the only thing we need to change, we would also need to change our DVD and VCR's as well. The new signal, ATSC is what we're going to have to go into in all our electronics, as of 2009. Although it isn't as much of a hastle if we have HD in cable or other services like Direct TV. Sadly though, there are some of us who are unable to afford the services, and have to rely on just the antennas. Fortunately, there are new waves of DVD recorders that are capable of the new needs.

The Sylvania ZV450SL8, is a DVD/VCR recorder that takes full advantage of the new digital tuner, ATSC that is compliant, at a convient price. You can playback your favorite DVD's and record your favorite shows onto DVD's. Not only that, you can also dub your favorite shows from your old VCR tapes, and copy them onto the DVD discs. It is simple, and easy to operate, and you can easily set it up, without too many problems. You can record your favorite shows on DVD in either the standard Video mode, which is compatable to all DVD players, or the specialized VR format, that you can easily use to edit commercials and explicitive content from your certain movies.

Sadly though, like most DVD recorders, there are a few disadvantages with this DVD recorder Sylvajnia made. The first one is that you cannot playback certain DVD's that are in the DVD+RW and +R capable. It also doesn't playback Blu-Ray or HD DVD discs, because they are both new formats that aren't completely standard yet. They also aren't compatable in any of Sylvania's DVD recorders. The second problem deals with discs recorded in the "VR format", or specifically displayed "RW Compatable". Although you can easily record onto these discs and finalize them, they really aren't compatable in most DVD players, unlike the Video format. You'd have to look at other DVD players and specific brands like Zenith and JVC that are specifically capable of playback and recording in "VR mode". Otherwise, it might damage other DVD players.

Still, Sylvania does make some excellent DVD recorders that do deliver not just in price, but in convience. I absolutely recommend the ZV450SL8 a whole lot. It records great High Definition TV, at a affordable price. It delivers great quality and convience for anybody who is looking into a new way of simple recording, that is worth a single push of a button.

Price: B+

Convience: B

Playback: B

Recording: B+

Overall: B 1/2+

I have owned this unit for 4 months. Product worked fine up until now. Then strange things began happening. I began fast forwarding the VHS tape and after a few seconds the VCR stopped and shut down. I tried to rewind and it did the same thing. I removed the cassette and attempted to reinsert it into the machine and it wouldn't go in. I turned on the power and it reluctantly inserted itself. I attempted to record a program and after 5 or 10 seconds the machine stopped and turned itself off. The warranty period is one year for parts and 90 days for labor. I contacted customer service and was on hold between 10 and 15 minutes. They agreed to pick up the machine for repair at their cost but I have to send them $45.00 with the product to cover the labor charge. After 4 months and a cost of $200 I have to pay $45 to repair a machine that should work for years without a problem. Anyone interested in purchasing the DVD/VCR should reconsider. I am really disappointed with this item. Previously I owned a cheap DVD recorder/VCR player combo ($60.00) and it lasted for a number of years. What's happening with quality control?

We have owned this machine for less than six months...recently started having funny problems. The machine shuts off automatically while watching TV after 5-10 seconds. It completely rejects our VHS tapes and shuts off after 5 seconds when we attempt to play them. Unplugging the unit will occasionally correct the problem with the TV signal, but not with the VHS tapes.
Otherwise, we really like the unit. But these problems make it nearly useless to us...can't watch TV or play VHS tapes or DVDs.

We've had two of these recorders in a row. First one lasted seven months, second one lasted ten months. With both, we started getting DVD disc error messages "Cannot record on this disc." Of course, we got the message AFTER "recording" a program, so: a) we wasted our time, b} we lost the recording. We record a lot, and probably ran 300 discs through the last one. On both machines, this started out as an occasional problem, and then kicked into high gear, where nothing could be recorded on DVD. VHS works fine (who cares?) They were both DVD brand finicky--working only with Maxell discs. Now, no brand works. Smartest thing we did was to invest an extra twenty bucks for an extended warranty (this at a Fred Meyer store.) We keep all our machines meticulously clean and run a cleaning disc once a week. The extended warranty is essentially a side bet that you believe the machine WILL die. It's a good idea and well worth the investment, because: a) the machine WILL break, and b) you can bet on it. Oh, and we now buy only Verbatim brand discs. Another good investment.

My last analog tuner VCR/DVD combo unit lasted for two years after recording hundreds of DVDs before showing DVD Error messages. This unit started showing DVD error messages after one month. At first it would occasionally show DVD error messages in the middle of a recording and stop recording. That recording was then rendered unaccessible while still taking up space on the DVD. Now after three months it's failing to finalize DVDs making the entire DVD unaccessible even on this machine. In addition, the audio pass through volume is only a fraction of the volume on the TV with the unit turned on. That is, with the unit turned off the audio is much louder. Also, the remote is a poor design. Most of the buttons are tiny and the same size including the play, record, stop and pause. I'll never buy another Sylvania product again. I'm giving this one star only because you can't give it a zero.