Samsung DVD-V 6500

Author's product rating:   

Picture Playback	Excellent
Sound Level	Excellent
Range of Features	Above Average
Durability	Excellent
Value for Money	Satisfactory

Advantages:	CLEAR PICTURE AND WONDERFUL SOUND .
Disadvantages:	A COMBINATION THAT ONLY WORKS ONE AT A TIME .

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

I am not sure why this is listed as a DVD player only, as the V6500 Model is a combination DVD/Video player.

My reason for buying it was to save space, rather than having two units, although I am disappointed, both in myself for my lack of expertise in knowing what to look for in a combination unit, and hopelessly failing to buy a combination that fills my expectations.

Coming from the middle of the range available to me, I thought that the Hundred Pound mark was reasonable for a combination, taking the stance that the expensive ones were beyond my means, and the cheap ones probably below my expectations.

Samsung have been around for a while so I trusted the name, and was comparing them with Phillips and Thompson within the same price range, and I wished I had looked further into the specifications that the combination affords its user.

From start to realisation, I shall tell you how I found the machine to perform, once all the wiring had been sorted out by a qualified television man, as this really is beyond my scope.

Set up for DVD player and Video player is easily fine tuned to your needs, by carefully planned and easily followable menus, so this part of the package is good. The choices of personal preferences are also adequate.

Playing a DVD is simple, and the handset switches from DVD player to video player easily. The picture quality is amazing and one feature I was particularly pleased with was that I could get rid of that horrible black bit at the top and bottom of wide screen films at the flick of a button. The DVD player supports MP3, photo DVDs etc, so is not a complete waste to me.

Playing of a video is also simple, and I particularly like the menus that take you through recording possibilities, setting up times of programs and end times, and feeling fully in control of this function, which in effect means that it is easy and simple to use.

Adding on extra features.

Now here, you have the choice of adding surround sound, via cables to the back of the unit, and even of connecting your PC which was of no use to me, since my PC is in another room, although I can see the use that this would give others, i.e. being able to record DVD's onto a DVD writer.

As for the surround sound, I am not keen on this option, as I believe the speakers on my television are adequate for my needs, but it does have the possibility which may interest those who want to use it.

Guarantee - one year, and since the first unit I bought disappointingly sent only sound and not picture on the DVD recorder, the guarantee was honoured, and I was given a new set straight away.

Now we come to the bit where I should have looked at specifications but did not.

I was under the impression that I could record whilst playing a DVD, and here the unit fails miserably, because this really is not a possibility. What happens is that you can play either a DVD or record from television, but that you cannot have the two functions, i.e. DVD player and Video, working at the same time.

This really did disappoint me, as with today's technology, I expected better.

Another disappointment, but not one that worries me that much is that I was under the impression that the set was multi region, and it is not. Here, I fail to understand why there is a mixture of so many languages on the menus when in fact the only DVDs that you can play are ones that fall within the region you bought the machine, or multi region DVDs. This just means that I shall have to take care in my choice of purchase with DVD's as American ones and other regions do not function.

The recorder records from terrestrial television and satellite and both give wonderful results, the pictures being crystal clear, and the sound quality unquestionable.

What Sansung provide is a cheap tool for watching DVD or Video. With the additional features of surround sound, picture angle, and easy menus and remote control, I guess its good value though as I say am disappointed not to be able to record from the DVD player itself.

The handset is not at all cumbersome, takes two standard batteries and is easy to follow, although I have recently bought a multi function remote control, making this one obsolete.

The set comes with all the cables necessary, the remote control and batteries and very detailed instruction leaflet, although here I would say that the wiring diagrams are confusing, since most of the settings shown in picture form did not match my existing equipment, thus forcing me to pay someone to connect it all up.

My impression overall. Within the same price range, there are sets available where you have both the functions of DVD player and video that can both be turned on at the same time, and I wish I had looked further.

For the time being though this will do the job of letting me play DVD's, or using the Video, though as I said, not both at the same time.

Recording quality to the Video is excellent, and playback superb as is the playback on the DVD, although my honest advice to anyone searching for the ideal would be to check amidst the host of combinations available to see which one will allow you to do the things that you wish to do, rather than being restricted by not asking the right questions.

The build is solid, and buttons discreet, and I do like the styling of the combination more than other makes because of its simplicity of style. I am a minimalistic person in my tastes in electrical goods, and this one is sleek and discreet which suits my style.

Overall, I guess you get what you pay for and I really cannot question the quality of sound or image, menus or ease of use because with menus available in many languages, it really is a doddle to use.

It will be in constant use, and I shall update after one year to see if it fulfills its promise, though so far it has.

Rachel