What is a "combo unit" and should I get one?

What is a "combo unit" and should I get one?

Jeff Colen (President, A Sharper Home, Inc.) gives expert video advice on: Do I still need a VCR?; What types of DVD players are available?; Will Blu-ray and HD DVD players work with my current set-up? and more...

A combo unit is a combination of a VCR and a DVD player, and now more and more frequently we see a recordable DVD player with a regular DVD player. The single biggest advantage of a combo unit is the ability to copy content. If you have a favorite DVD - your Aunt Millie's wedding, for example - and you want to burn that into a more permanent format, you can go ahead and take that old VHS tape, play it on one side and store it on a DVD. Conversely, a lot of the DVD units out there, you drop a DVD in, you can record it to VHS tape.