i've gone thru two of these in a couple of years they are combo dvd/vcr recorders/players...one panasonic and recently samsung....they both become picky about what they play (samsung claims to play near anything but often doesn't)......and often needs to be reset........can anyone make a recommendation for a high quality dvd/vhs recorder player??

Try looking here, and then google other reviews on players.. http://www.avsforum.com/

We have a DVD Recorders/players forum on CD Freaks that you might like also to try, since there's probably some information there too.

I'll transfer this enquiry there.

The BEST is PHILIPS brand.
This is the best DVD player you will ever find:
http://www.amazon.com/Philips-DVP642.../dp/B000204SWE
hope it helps

I am having good results with a relatively inexpensive VCR/DVD Recorder:
Magnavox MWR20V6. I bought it about a year ago at WalMart. My purpose is solely to dub VHS tapes to DVD and have used it a lot for that. The only 'hitch' I have encountered: if I dub to a DVD+R disc, the finalized disc will not play on a separate Panasonic DVD player I have; however, if I dub on the Magnavox to DVD-R, it plays fine on the Panasonic. Oddly, the Panasonic will play DVD+R discs that I have burned on my computer DVDRW drive. The Panasonic unit is about five years old; so it may not be a problem with the Magnavox unit, but more that the Panasonic may predate the DVD+R specification.

What I recommend you do is change the DVD bookmark to DVD-rom, in order to make this possible, you will need to use DVDfab and copy the disc. And, will play on all DVD players. Hope this helps

Some of these Stand Alone DVD/VCR Recorder are very picky and sensitive to some brand of DVD Disks. Buy the one which RW ain addition works with CD,CD-RW, VCD,and SVCD. Sony, Samsung, Pioneer and Sharp will do the job.