Lite-On LVC-9016G DVD + VHS Combo Recorder (Silver)
Unit never functioned right
Had high expectations on this Lite-On LVC-9016 DVD Recorder/VCR Combo. I've used plenty of Lite-On DVD/RW drives for various computers with absolutely no problems whatsoever, so I was expecting to have a good experience with the VHS->DVD recorder feature. Coupled with the fact that it had a built-in firewire socket in it for ease of transferring digital video from a camcorder to the unit for editing / recording, I was sold. Lots of good features came with the unit (one-touch DVD->VHS or VHS->DVD recording, easy setup-menu, ability to record to DVD+/-R and DVD+/-RW), though the remote isn't the most user-friendly remote that I've used (text is hard to read). <br /> <br />Before I could even try the recording features on this unit, I already had one severe functional problem: the unit would freeze unexpectantly while on tuner mode. The unit would be on a TV channel, and a few minutes later, the screen would turn blank, audio would be cut off, and the unit would become unresponsive to any user input from the remote or the buttons on the unit itself. The only way to get the system to power down would be to press the \\"Power\\" button on the remote. (The \\"power\\" button on the unit does nothing to remedy this situation, which I found to be really odd). I tried to look on their website for any information regarding this problem, but none is available. I did try updating the firmware on this unit with what was on their website. Though updating the firmware was a breeze, the problem still remained, so I think it might be other software-related issues with the unit. I'm not sure whether this is an isolated incident, but after reading some of the reviews for the previous model (LVC-9006), I will most likely be returning this defective unit for a full refund and be looking at purchasing a combo unit from another manufacturer.