Panasonic DMRE85HS Progressive-Scan DVD Player/Recorder with 120 GB Hard Drive Recording
Superb even for us amateurs
After our 8 year old DVD player finally began to have problems, I decided to get this DVD recorder despite my fears of quirky behavior in fairly new technology.  All my fears were unfounded, and I love this new piece of electronics.  For us cheap guys with just basic cable, the TV Guide feature worked immediately to provide us with both great show info and great ease of recording shows.   It's just as easy to watch the recordings, and the DVD player quality is wonderful with our home theater setup.  I highly recommend this Panasonic to anyone who can afford the price (nicely improved upon by Amazon, of course).