Lite-On AllWrite LVW-5005 DVD/CD Recorder
Great Recording Quality + Good Value
LVW 5005 is easy to setup/use and has very good recording quality. I have been using it over a week primarily to backup my DV tapes to DVDs using the FireWire connection. So far I successfully transferred 10 tapes without much hassle. I have been using TDK DVD+R 4X. Note that there is a recommended list of writable DVDs for this product - you cannot use any cheap variety you find in the store. Once it corrupted a DVD+R after I tried to pause recording several times -- but largely I have been successful with pausing while recording to skip unwanted parts of my tapes. Also, I could play all the DVDs it wrote on my PC. However, there was one quirk - I had to change the name of the default title before I could play any DVD+RW on my PC.  <br /> <br />I did my online research before buying it. You can download the manual and have a look at it. Also there are many reviews online and a separate online forum to discuss issues concerning 5005. You can also upgrade the firmware that controls the device easily. <br /> <br />Note that you cannot connect 5005 to a computer. If you edit a movie on a computer, you have to transfer it to a DV tape before burning a DVD with it. Also, the support for editing is minimal - you can change the name of the title.  <br /> <br />Even after so many updates, the firmware of the device still seems to have some bugs. I updated the firmware to the latest version as soon as I got my unit. However, sometimes,it did not recognize my FireWire input if I connect the camcorder before I started the easy guider (the interface for recording). However, oddly enough, if I connect the cable half-way through the easy guider menu, it did fine. Therefore, sometimes, you should have some patience to try out different things. May be a later firmware version will fix those problems. Anyway, I am happy with it - it's worth the money.