Philips HDRW720 DVD Recorder with 120 GB Hard Drive
Philips HDRW720/17 is very disappointing
This unit has some serious firmware bugs.  It can/must be upgraded, but I suggest you obtain the CD from Philips as you may be making multiple CD's and still not have success (they offer the upgrade software on their website but you must burn your own CD).    My unit had serious \\"freeze-up\\" issues.  While archiving (the process of writing a DVD from the recorded video on the Hard Drive) it often locked up.  Finally it locked up so tightly that the disk would not eject and even the hard reset would not free it.  Needless to say the unit was shipped back to Philips for repair.  They had the machine for longer than I had and returned it today.    It looks as if a child had worked on it.  There is something loose inside, probably a screw.  The metal case at the top is bent as if someone either pried it open or bent it while re-assembling it.  They returned it in a single box with minimal padding whereas I had sent it back double-boxed and at a cost of $35 - not to be refunded.    The customer service line is poorly run and most people at their call center cannot effectively help you.  For instance they have no way of telling you where your unit is nor can they give you a tracking number when it is shipped.    I am asking them to replace my machine with a new one, but I can tell that initially they are not going to agree to this.  They may need to be convinced it is a lemon - which it is in my eyes as they have ruined the looks and have left things loose inside.  I certainly don't want to pay to ship it back again.    By the way, if you are even remotely thinking of buying a Philips product, read the reviews here at Amazon on the DVDR80.  They speak volumes.