Samsung DVD-V3650 Progressive Scan DVD/VCR Combo

Whether your living room is currently home to an HDTV or you're merely thinking of "someday," the DVD-V3650 stands ready to deliver the full potential of your DVDs. Progressive scanning, referred to as 480p for the number of horizontal lines that compose the video image, creates a picture using twice the scan lines of a conventional DVD picture, giving you higher resolution and sharper images while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts.

The VCR delivers digital auto tracking, hi-fi stereo sound, and quasi-S-VHS (SQPB) playback, which lets you view S-VHS cassettes--normally only playable on high-end S-VHS machines--in standard VHS resolution. A handy feature called Jet Picture Search maintains a clear image while whizzing through tapes at seven times normal speed for SP tapes and 21 times normal speed with SLP recordings. Intro scan, meanwhile, locates the start of each separate recording on a tape and plays the first five seconds before fast-forwarding to the next start point. This handy feature simplifies the process of assessing and labeling unmarked tapes (admit it: you have several, at least).

Top-of-the-line component-video outputs (for DVD only) help minimize digital and line-scan artifacts on compatible advanced televisions, while composite- and S-video outputs bring DVD compatibility with nearly any television. The VCR output is composite-video and RF only. A set of left/right analog-audio outputs for both DVD and VCR components channels audio to Dolby Pro Logic receivers and stereo televisions. Both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround-sound DVD signals can be routed through the player's digital-audio output for direct connection to a full-featured audio/video receiver.

Another handy feature is EZ View letterbox eliminator, which lets you enjoy full-screen pictures on 4:3 aspect-ratio TVs--even when you're watching widescreen DVDs.

What's in the Box
DVD/VCR combo unit, IR remote control, two AA batteries, user's manual, stereo analog audio interconnect/composite-video cable, and warranty information.

I purchased a Panasonic Home Theatre system 3 years ago and have had nothing but problems with it. It got so bad, in fact, that we needed to buy a new DVD player because the Panasonic would only recognize ANY DVD about 25% of the time.

Enter the Samsung DVD-V3650. We had an old Phillips/Mag VCR which had its nasty quirks, too. It made sense to get one unit.

I don't care much for the Samsung DVD-V3650's color. But that's not the important thing. I digress. We thought our TV was giving us "Wavy refresh rate things" going up and down our screen, but found with the new Samsung DVD-V3650 we no longer had them.

I like the fact that it has digital audio out jacks (optical and component). When I record a show, I like that I have a 30 second FFW button. I like that I can record and watch a DVD at the same time. Easy set up, yet pretty thorough.

We are very happy with this Samsung. My first with this company.


Disappointed in Samsung DVD3650 combo unit   March 30, 2004
 2 out of 3 found this review helpful

I am disappointed in the unit. It was advertised to have VCD playback ability. It will not even recognize any VCD's at all. I give it 2 stars only because the progressive component output is a feature I was after too. It is a very quirky unit though. When using the progressive DVD output you are only able to program or view the VCR menu from the DVD component output even though the VCR is only output on composite or RF modulated outputs. Big dissapointment for a Samsung product. Had counted on it playing back VCD's so now it is only good for a guest bedroom.


Close, but no cigar   March 8, 2004
 5 out of 5 found this review helpful

It took me a while to make up my mind about this unit. In general, I've had good luck with Samsung products (printer, cell phone) so I thought I'd give the DVD-3650 a try. I wanted to add DVD capability to my family room system, but didn't want to add another box. So this unit went in, and the VCR I was using went to the bedroom.

At first, I liked the unit overall; I'm fine with the remote; the buttons aren't too small for me, and I have big hands. The picture on the DVD is as good as necessary for a 30" TV. The VCR picture with pre-recorded tapes is OK. I like the access to manual tracking adjustment on the remote. And I haven't had any functional problems with it (over 3 months).

But little things bug me. I use VHS index search a lot, since I make compilations of several kids films on one tape to reduce bulk on trips. On the Samsung, you have to go deep into the menus to get to index search, instead of it being directly on the remote. When you finally do get to it via the menu, it is only available as introscan fwd or rev; you can't set it to search, for example, two indexes forward and start playing. Plus, it only searches at about 8x playback speed, so it's not much faster than just using scan during playback and searching manually. Its a totally lame implementation of what should be a standard feature.

Other minor quibbles; two vertical ribs on the VCR tape door that are apparently for aesthetics make it HARDER to insert a tape correctly. Not a big deal for an adult, perhaps, but a major frustration for a 4 year old, and there is NO good reason for them to be there. When the remote is in the VCR mode, the mute button becomes the VCR audio input select button. Since I use the VCR tuner for watching TV on a regular basis, this is a pain; I have to switch the remote back to TV function, press mute; press it again when the commercial is over, then press VCR again if I want to channel surf. And how often does the average person want to switch the audio input on a VCR anyway? Ever? THAT is something that should be in a menu.

Also, not a problem for me, but could be for many purchasers are the very limited number of TV brands controllable via the remote, far fewer than most other multibrand remotes I've seen. It would be a good idea to download the manual from the Samsung site to make sure your TV is listed before purchasing if you want to use this feature.

More significantly, I've recently discovered the VCR seems to be abnormally sensitive to anti-copy schemes; tapes I made from a DVD on another VCR using a Sima video stabilizer that play perfectly on that and every other VCR I own, have horizontal purple stripes on the Samsung.

All in all, if it played copied tapes properly, I'd be willing to put up with its other weaknesses. But as it is, even though I'm now stuck with it (didn't discover that problem until after Amazon's return time limit expired), I regret this purchase.


Just Aggravating   February 18, 2004
tuner works fine, but will not pass through a useable signal to tv when the unit is on (ie, recording one show on vcr tuner, watching another on tv), though the signal is fine if the unit is turned off. Some sort of interferance, I guess. Really nasty, noisy and unwatchable.

Can't play tapes taped on this unit on other vcr's (two high end Hitachi's)even though they play prerecorded video fine - well, ok, the tapes will play but the picture is very bad with a line of sparkles six inches wide through it, and you have to double the sound volume from normal tv listening to hear it, and then it hisses. Also, the audio flutctuates in volume from word to word.
Also seems to be a short of some kind in the "video in" connection in the vcr (no, it ain't my cable, i checked)because moving the unit no matter how slightly can go from signal to no signal and back again.

I put one star because there is no minus star rating.

Samsung does answer thier phones after the usual voicemail jail, and two customer service reps told me it sounded like I had a defective unit, then passed me over to a tech who tried to convince me there was no problem, blaming it on my other vcr's (they play other tapes fine, including prerecorded, why not from this vcr ?)to my cable connection (hmm, works fine with my other vcr's and tvs)to everything he could possibly think of and then finally admitted he couldn't figure out what was wrong.

The only bright spot in this whole experience is Amazon's return policy. I think. First time I've used it.