A VCR/DVD combination, VCR/DVD combo, or DVD/VCR combo, is a multiplex or converged device that allows the ability to watch both VHS tapes and

DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kind ...

s. Many such players can also play additional formats such as CD and

VCD Video CD (abbreviated as VCD, and also known as Compact Disc Digital Video) is a home video format and the first format for distributing films on standard optical discs. The format was widely adopted in Southeast Asia, Central Asia and the ...

VCR A videocassette recorder (VCR) or video recorder is an electromechanical device that records analog audio and analog video from broadcast television or other source on a removable, magnetic tape videocassette, and can play back the recording. ...

DVD player A DVD player is a device that plays DVDs produced under both the DVD-Video and DVD-Audio technical standards, two different and incompatible standards. Some DVD players will also play audio CDs. DVD players are connected to a television to ...

combinations were first introduced around the year 1999, with the first model released by Go Video, model DVR5000, manufactured by Samsung Electronics. VCR/DVD combinations were sometimes criticized as being of poorer quality in terms of resolution than stand-alone units. These products also had a disadvantage in that if one function (DVD or VHS) became unusable, the entire unit needed to be replaced or repaired, though later models which suffered from DVD playback lag still functioned with the VCR. Normally in a combo unit, it will have typical features such as recording a DVD onto VHS (on most), record a show to VHS with a digital-to-analog converter device (unless a unit has a digital TV tuner), LP recording for VHS, surround sound for Dolby Digital and DTS (DVD), component connections for DVD (although some may lack the connection), 480p progressive scan for the DVD side, VCR+, playback of tapes in a variety of playback speeds, and front A/V inputs (VCR only). To help the consumer, they will have one or more buttons for switching the output source for ease of use. Usually, the recording capabilities are VCR exclusive, while the better picture quality is DVD exclusive, but some models include S-Video, Component, or HDMI output for VCR as well. These devices were among the only VCRs alongside some VCR/Blu-ray combos to be equipped with an HDMI port for HDTV viewing upscaling to several different types of resolutions including 1080i. Shortly after the turn of the century, combo devices including

DVD recorder A DVD recorder is an optical disc recorder that uses optical disc recording technologies to digitally record analog or digital signals onto blank writable DVD media. Such devices are available as either installable drives for computers o ...

s (instead of players) also became available. These could be used for transferring VHS material onto recordable blank DVDs. In rare cases, such devices had component inputs to record with the best connection possible. In July 2016, Funai Electric Co., the last remaining manufacturer of VCR/DVD combos, announced they would cease production at the end of the month due to supply and manufacturing costs, causing the demise of the combo after 17 years of production, but many models could still be found on store shelves.

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Film and video technology Video hardware {{Electronics-stub

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