GoVideo VR2940

To be honest, I just could not ever really get all that behind these combo-players. This one from GoVideo, seems cool I guess. But I still fail to see how CNET was able to get behind the review they gave it. Not my style I’m afraid.

If you have a pile of aging VHS tapes that you want archived to DVD, GoVideo’s VHS/DVD combo recorder makes it easy. The GoVideo VR2940 ($350 list) produces impressive VHS-to-DVD copies, eliminating much of the video noise you’ll find on older tapes. But its most-convenient feature is the ability to automatically create DVD menus complete with thumbnails for the chapter stops. On the other hand, videophiles will cringe at the lack of S-Video inputs–for them, we recommend an S-Video-equipped VHS/DVD deck such as the older GoVideo VR3930 or the RCA DRC8300N.

Measuring 17 by 3.5 by 14 inches, the dull-black VR2940 doesn’t look like much; your visitors could easily mistake it for a garden-variety VHS deck. Nonetheless, the front panel provides most of the controls you’ll need, including Play/Pause, Stop, Rewind, Fast-Forward, and Channel Up/Down buttons. The DVD/VCR button toggles the controls between the DVD and VCR decks, while a pair of handy one-touch Copy buttons let you begin VHS-to-DVD or DVD-to-VCR dubbing. A small section of the front panel flips open to reveal a set of A/V inputs, including a single FireWire input.