Many of us have large VHS collections left from adolescences and young adulthood, that are still in great shape; DVD/ VCR combo machines combine the best of both movie worlds (at least until Blu-ray becomes affordable) in the space of one.

The Panasonic Dmr-es45vs DVD/VCR combo is a handy machine that supports VHS as well as all major DVD and DVDR media. It can also support MP3 tracks, CDs and DivX video. It has HDMI output, A/V composite and S-Video inputs and includes an SD card memory slot and video up conversion.

One feature highlighted by critics is the ability to copy from VHS directly to DVD; great for decades of home movies that have been collecting dust. However, they found that disc compatibility was quirky and inconsistent.

The Panasonic Dmr-es45vs DVD recorder and VCR combo is a decent piece of equipment for those looking to do some basic television recording and watch their favorite old VHS tapes.