Gateway AR230 Progressive-Scan DVD Player / Recorder
Gateway drives down prices, but with a substandard recorder
The Gateway AR-230's release in late 2003 ushered in a significant drop in prices for DVD+R/RW recorders. Since that initial release, Gateway has twice released firmware updates that correct various problems that users encountered. To apply a firmware update, one must burn the file to a CD-R on a personal computer and allow the AR-230 to read that special data disc. As of this writing, though, no update has been issued since December 2003 which is beginning to leave some growing problems unaddressed. <br />  <br /> The device has the basic features one might expect including support for cable or over-the-air broadcast tuning, S-Video and RCA inputs, S-Video and RCA outputs, timer recording capabilities, 3 time/quality levels from 2 to 6 hours per 4.7GB disc, and a remote control. In addition, the unit has some nice extras such as a front panel IEEE-1384 input for direct playback control and DVD recording of a DV source and component video outputs. <br />  <br /> The AR-230 only supports DVD+R (for record once) and DVD+RW (for multiple record/erase) media and this is where the major problems emerge. <br />  <br /> Without any clues in the simplistic product manual or on the Gateway support site, the unit is very sensitive to the media used. Many vendor's DVD+R media do not work in the unit although the problems do not become apparent until after recording is completed: the created disc is completely unreadable by the AR-230 and all other playback devices. <br />  <br /> Most recently, with the rapid proliferation of 4x and 8x DVD+R media, media which works in the AR-230 is getting very difficult to find. It will only record correctly to media rated as 1x-2.4x (sometimes listed as &quot;Upto 2x&quot;) and not even to all such media. <br />  <br /> Over the course of 9 months, my successful recording rate is about 60%. All of the failed discs were worthless and had to be discarded. Possibly a firmware release may address the 4x and 8x media issue, but there is no indication from Gateway that such a fix is forthcoming. <br />  <br /> Other problems encountered include the device's inability to play DVD-R media recorded on other equipment, it's quirky requirement for always needing an RCA video output to work when the device is reset (as a complex set of menu selections must be made to direct video output to S-Video or Component outputs), and its destruction of all discs that are recorded to the end and not manually stopped with recording time available. <br />  <br /> I would never buy this device today, but it has helped shift the marketplace and it does a nice job of recording when all of the (many) obstacles are avoided. <br />  <br /> pros: <br /> + low cost. <br /> + auto menus and chapter marks work well. <br /> + has IEEE-1384 input for direct-from-DV recording. <br />  <br /> cons:  <br /> + can not use 4x or 8x media. <br /> + destroys recordings if not manually stopped. <br /> + can not play dvd-r discs. <br /> + will not include closed captioning data on programs recorded from any source.