I've always had good luck with Sony products, so 6 months ago I bought a Sony DVD / VCR Combo model SLV-D281P. Now the DVD is getting intermittent, even though I don't use it more than a few hour a week. Since it's out of warranty, I don't think it's worth repairing.

An equivalent unit that is currently widely available is a Samsung V9800. The specs are good and the price is reasonable. But the user reviews are awful in terms of reliability. Apparently people are happy with it when it works, but many owners claim that it has failed in a short period.

I've been hearing that Samsung make a quality product, so I was surprised to read these bad reviews.

Has anyone had any personal experience with the Samsung V9800 DVD / VCR Combo?

Thanks...