Sony RDR-HX900 DVD Recorder with 160 GB Hard Disk Recorder
Well worth the price
The price of this device is a little on the high side, but it is a freakin' excellent machine that has met or exceeded all of my expectations. <br /> <br />I bought this DVR about a month ago, primarily to free up my aging and slow PowerMac G4 from the VERY time-consuming task of rendering iMovie projects into DVD format. Now, I export edited projects to DV tape (which I was already doing for archival purposes) and quickly and easily dub them to the Sony DVR's hard drive. With my \\"titles\\" assembled there, I can subsequently dub them in any combination to as many DVDs as I want. This is better and far cheaper than the alternative I hd been considering -- a new dual-processor G5 -- and by itself more than justifies the cost of the DVR. <br /> <br />The fun doesn't stop there, however, because the unit has also enabled me to begin converting my collection of off-air recordings to DVD, with quality that seems better than the originals. <br /> <br />I very much like the fact that, unlike many DVRs that only work with one or two disk formats, this unit can write to R+/- and RW+/- disks. That's comforting when your disks may be played back on computers or DVD players with format restrictions.  <br /> <br />I was not especially interested in the TV Guide feature when I was shopping for the DVR, but after trying it out I have found that it works fine and is very convenient for time-shifting broadcasts. Everything else works perfectly and smoothly too. My only worry is how well the 160-GB hard drive will hold up; only time will tell. The unit has a quiet fan in the back and throws off a fair amount of heat, even when not turned on, so I've been leaving the glass doors open on the cabinet in which it is stored. I don't have cable, satellite or a surround-sound system, so I have no comment on the issues that have been raised regarding them.  <br /> <br />I would like to commend Sony for having packed this unit with a huge array of features without making it incomprehensible. Both the remote conrol and the controls on the set are thoughtfully laid out, and the on-screen user interface is logical and consistent. Working with video is inherently complex, and you will need to refer to the instruction booklet for the first week or so, but the manual is clearly written with no machine translation gibberish and the answers are all in there. <br /> <br />This recorder may be expensive (I paid $600 + shipping), but it is NOT overpriced. If you own a camcorder, it's definitely the only way to go!