Panasonic PV-D4762 DVD Player / VCR Combo

Pros: Works
Cons: Too many short-comings and design trade-offs

I've owed the PV-D4762 for about 6 months now and am extremely disappointed.

I needed a new VCR and I brought this unit because I wanted a VHS with automatic "commercial advance" like my previous unit. I also wanted a DVD. A combo of both...

Pros: 3-in-one Home Theatre Player,
Cons: Bulky

Pros: Quality VHS and DVD playback, stylish appearance, Progressive Scan
Cons: Poor remote, channels cannot be programmed, lacks S-VHS, bit pricey!

As an A/V tech person I need to scrutinize and compare many components. I generally opt for Sony but on occasion Panasonic has a more competitive product. I personally prefer the black finish but as metallic goes the Panasonic 4762 is nicer on the eyes...

Pros: Progressive scan DVD, commercial advance VCR, excellent picture, very fast scan, fwd and rewind
Cons: Cannot tape any DVDs and VCDs, remote is worse than OmniVision, noisy tape advance

The VCR is similar in function to the OmniVision 8664 in program setup and commercial advance. I use the OmniVision VCR in the bedroom and swap tapes between the two. The CA features let's us watch an hour show in 45 minutes, and saves wear & tear on the ...

Pros: Space saver, Home theater ready, Stylish, Easy setup, Multi function remote, Super fast rewind,
Cons: Price could be lower

I bought this combo unit for space reasons and was surprised at how superb the picture is when playing DVD's and VHS tapes. Its everything I wanted in a combo unit.Lacks Super VHS if thats important to you. Plays your audio CD's too. Also has progressive...

Pros: DVD worked well, when it worked. Commercial Advance option is very nice.
Cons: When it broke, it was cheaper to buy a new player.

I bought the VCR/DVD player 1/22/03. Approx. 2 weeks ago, 3/15/04, the DVD player quit working. I had a local repair shop look at it (since it was 2 months out of warranty) and was told that the optical pick up (laser) portion of the player was bad and the replacement part would cost $130 + labor. It would be cheaper to just buy a new player. I have since learned that this is a chronic problem with Panasonic DVD players (see http://www.hometheaterforum.com/bbs/archive/23342.html). Obviously, I am not happy about this and would like to know what Panasonic will do to correct the situation.

The unit itself is a little high. at 4 5/8 inches I could not fit it in my family room entertainment center so I had to put it in my living room. I am now looking for a unit that will fit in my family room but it has to be less than 4inches high. I absolutely would buy another Panasonic PV-D4762 if it would fit on my entertainment center. I love this player. I would not give it up for anything. If you are looking for a combo unit this is the one for you. It is a heavy unit, not a cheap piece of plastic. It is well formed and designed for optimum use. And it is a good looking piece of equipment.