10 Best JVC DVD VCR Combos
for June 2023

The JVC HRXVC26U DVD/VCR combo is one of the best budget DVD/VCR combos available. Its video performance is outstanding, with sharp, detailed video and excellent color saturation and contrast. Its audio performance is also very good. The HRXVC26U's audio is crisp and clean and has excellent dynamic range. Its video performance is outstanding, with sharp, detailed video and excellent color saturation and contrast. Its audio performance is also very good. The HRXVC26U's audio is crisp and clean and has excellent dynamic range. It has several video format options. The HRXVC26U has progressive-scan video output for DVD and VHS sources, which produce seamless, flicker-free images on HD-ready TVs. It has Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround outputs for enveloping sound. It has two HDMI inputs. It has two HDMI outputs. It has composite video output. It has component video output. It has stereo RCA outputs. It has stereo RCA inputs. It has video output for camcorders. It has composite video output. It has component video output. It has stereo RCA outputs. It has stereo RCA inputs.

The JVC HR-XVC20U DVD-VCR combo player is a terrific value that performs well both as an audio player and a disc player. The HR-XVC20U can play MP3, WMA, and JPEG CDs as well as DVDs. It also plays DVDs and CDs in dual-layer format, which means it can play up to 8 hours of DVD or 26 hours of CD on a single disc. The HR-XVC20U's audio performance is excellent, especially for DVDs. Its Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround outputs provide an immersive surround sound experience when used with compatible receivers and speakers. The HR-XVC20U's video performance is also good. Its RF output allows you to connect the HR-XVC20U to older TVs without installing a video cable, and it includes a multi-brand remote control. However, the HR-XVC20U lacks an HDMI port, which would allow you to connect it to newer TVs or to a player with an HDMI output.

The JVC HRXVC11B Progressive Scan DVD Player and VCR Combo is the best deal we've seen on a combination DVD and VCR. Both components have high-quality audio and video, and the combo's remote is backlit, so it's easy to see and use in low-light conditions. The combo's DVD drive offers 5.1-channel sound, which is very good, but the picture is a bit muted. The VCR's picture is brighter and crisper than DVD's, and you also get 5.1-channel sound. The HRXVC11B can play both DVD-Video and DVD-R/RW discs, and it can also record analog video tapes. The combo's USB port lets you watch and record videos from your home network, and it has a headphone output if you want to watch your DVDs without bothering others. The combo has an HDMI output, so you can connect it to an HDTV to watch your movies in high definition. The combo's chassis is sturdy and well-made, and its remote control is compact and easy to use. Overall, the JVC HRXVC11B is a high-quality combo that offers great value, and it's our Editors' Choice for combination DVD/VCR players.

The JVC HRXVC27U is one of the best DVD/VCR combo players around, and with good reason. It's easy to use, has a sleek, modern appearance, and it's packed with features. The display is bright and sharp, and the menus are easy to navigate. The player comes with six pairs of stereo earphones, and its remote has a headphone jack. The player supports DVD (both DVD+R and DVD-R), VCD, CD, MP3, WMA, JPEG, VHS, and S-VHS playback. It has built-in speakers, so you won't have to buy a separate sound system, and it supports Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. The player also has a playback timer, a feature you won't find on some other DVD/VCR combo players, and it's compatible with most remote controls, including Sony's. The player has composite video, S-video, and component video outputs, and it comes with a remote control, a power cord, and a remote control cable.

The JVC HR-XVC1U DVD-VCR Combo offers impressive picture quality and excellent audio, but its poor navigation and thin menu system make it less user-friendly than the competition. The DVD-Video picture quality is quite good, though it's a bit on the soft side. The VHS video quality is decent as well, but it's noticeably worse than that of the DVD-Video. The audio, however, is exceptional. The HR-XVC1U's three-channel digital surround-sound processing does a great job of reproducing the ambience of a movie or TV show, and you can use Spatializer virtual surround-sound processing to block out unwanted background noise. The HR-XVC1U's audio clarity, power, and dynamic range are far superior to those of most DVD-Video players. The audio is also quite impressive for an analog player, with no hiss, fuzzy, or crackling sounds. The HR-XVC1U's lack of navigational features, however, is disappointing. In addition to a dial for volume adjustment, the player features a small, monochrome display that shows the current track, but that's it. There is no menu system, and the player's remote controller feels cheap and flimsy. The HR-XVC1U's buttons and display are so small that they can be hard to see and use. There are better players with more features, such as the Panasonic DMP-BD80, the Pioneer DVC-8126, or the Sony DVP-NS500.

The JVC HR-XVC25U is a multi-format DVD player/VCR combo player that packs a lot of features into a small package. In addition to playing DVD and VHS video (via RF video output), it can play MP3, WMA, and JPEG CD discs, and it converts those CDs and DVDs to MP3 and WMA audio files on the built-in hard drive. The combo player's DVD drive is compatible with DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM, and DVD-R DL discs, and it offers upscaling capabilities. The HR-XVC25U has HDMI and component video outputs, and you can connect the player to older TVs via RF video output. The combo player also has dual-channel, 5.1-channel, and stereo-output audio-routing capabilities. The combo player's remote is full-featured, but it's a bit small, so it's best used with a TV-stand remote. The HR-XVC25U's sound quality is on par with that of our previous top pick, the Pioneer VSX-525, and it offers upscaling capabilities, too. The combo player's Blu-ray drive is not compatible with Blu-ray discs, but it does play DVD-Audio discs and 4K-resolution DVDs. The HR-XVC25U's playback performance is excellent, and it's one of the better-looking combo players we tested. The HR-XVC25U's battery life is disappointing, though, lasting only about 2 hours.

The JVC HR-XVC15 DVD/VHS combo player is a step up from the HR-XVC10, and it's our favorite budget DVD/VHS combo player. The added features, such as HDMI out, dual HDMI inputs, and USB connectivity, make it a better choice than our previous top pick, the Insignia NS-VH232 (which lacks HDMI out and USB connectivity). The HR-XVC15 has better picture quality than our previous top pick, the Insignia NS-VH232, and it produced brighter, clearer colors than the NS-VH232. The HR-XVC15 also plays DVDs and CDs as well as VHS tapes. The HR-XVC15 has a 13-zone electronic volume control, which is better than the NS-VH232's 8-zone electronic volume control, and the HR-XVC15 produces more volume than the NS-VH232. However, the HR-XVC15's remote lacks infrared, so you can't control the player with your TV's remote. Also, the HR-XVC15's remote is smaller and less comfortable to hold than the NS-VH232's remote, and the buttons on this remote are harder to push. The HR-XVC15's speakers are louder and a better match for its video quality than the NS-VH232's speakers, but the NS-VH232's speakers are more versatile. The HR-XVC15's USB port is more useful than the NS-VH232's USB port, but the NS-VH232's USB port is more convenient. The HR-XVC15's aluminum casing is more attractive than the NS-VH232's plastic casing, and the HR-XVC15 is lighter and more compact than the NS-VH232. The HR-XVC15's remote is easier to use than the NS-VH232's remote, and the HR-XVC15's buttons are easier to push, so you'll probably use yours more often than the NS-VH232's remote. The HR-XVC15 produces more volume than the NS-VH232, and the HR-XVC15 offers more features than the NS-VH232.

The JVC DRMV5S is a feature-rich recorder/player at an affordable price. It's the only recorder/player we tested that offered progressive scan output, which is necessary for displaying image quality in older games and movies. It also offered automatic thumbnail creation when recording to DVDs, a feature that's particularly convenient for backing up videotapes, and the DVR's remote control makes it easy to skip through commercials. (The JVC DRMV5S's remote control is also among the fastest we tested, making it a breeze to operate.) The recorder isn't as versatile as our readers would like, however. It doesn't offer multi-format playback, and it can't record to USB drives, which is common on more affordable models. It also lacks a USB port for connecting an external Blu-ray player. That said, the JVC DRMV5S is still a solid choice for recording and playing back movies and games from old VHS tapes.

The JVC HRXVC12S combines a DVD and VHS player into one unit. It features dual disc players and supports DVD-R/RW, DVD-RAM, DVD-R, DVD+R/RW, DVD+R, DVD-RAM, and CD formats. The DVD and VHS players each feature progressive scan for sharper images. The VHS player includes 5.1-channel surround sound. The HRXVC12S comes with remotes for both players, and the unit also has a HDMI output for connecting it to a large-screen TV or monitor. The HRXVC12S has high video quality, good vertical resolution, and decent color reproduction. The VHS player has a 2-hour recording time, and the DVD player has a 4-hour recording time. The HRXVC12S supports DVD-Audio and DVD-Video, and it has a 7-second loop function. The HRXVC12S is also a good-value purchase; it's less expensive than most standalone DVD and VHS players, and it performs well.