Sony RDRGX315 DVD Recorder
I Beg To Differ
[...]    Here is my review:    Copyright Protection  You can't blame this on Sony. Most of the industry uses the same form of copy protection in their products--it's been around since the beginning of the DVD ([...]). However, it's true--the GX315 will not record protected media, including PPV/HBO/SHO/etc. movies from most satellite/cable providers. Frustrating, but not limited to the Sony brand.    Recording/Playback Quality  I was surprised to not find any problem with the recording quality whatsoever. Perhaps Sony has revised the product recently. The reviews actually reminded me of the first DVD recorder (a Protron brand) we got for Christmas that I sent back because the quality was so poor (the Sony is the unit we bought to replace it). I am impressed with the recording quality, and like one of the previous reviewers, I too have a background in video production/graphics. The only complaint I have regarding the quality is that progressive scan playback is limited to 420p, which can get edgy. The playback quality is not quite as good as that of our Sony DVP-NS725P DVD player.    Pause; Resume-from-Stop  For those that have never owned or used a DVD player, resume-from-stop is a nice feature that remembers where you stop the playback and resumes from that point the next time you press play. Some units, like our Sony player, take it a step further by remembering the resume point for individual DVDs even after powering down or changing the DVD.    I tested the resume feature and found that it does work (as long as you only press stop once). If you press stop a second time, as with most other players, playback will start at the beginning of the DVD. However, powering off the unit or ejecting the DVD will erase the resume point.    Pausing the DVD for an extended period of time; I didn't bother testing this. I have never used pause on a DVD player since all or most players have resume on stop.    Remote  I had no issues with the remote. There is a slight delay (less than a second) for certain functions, but maybe I'm more patient than others. And yes, the buttons are somewhat spongy.    Delays, delays, delays  The tray does take its time opening. Loading a DVD is also a relatively lengthy process (about 10-12 seconds) when compared with our Sony DVD player. However, the speed is a 2x improvement over the Protron DVD recorder we returned. I can live with it.    Editing  I don't have any DVD-RW disks to test, but I did test some features with a Sony DVD-R (editing features are limited on non-RW disks, obviously). I found the menus very user-friendly and intuitive. I also like how the the video clip for the selected title will play in a small window, giving you a better idea of what is in that clip.    Screen Saver  There is no flashy screen saver. Instead, you are presented with a light gray screen. It's not pretty, but it does the job of preventing \\"burn-in.\\" It gives the impression of being cheap, but screen savers annoy me all the same. I usually turn off the TV anyway.    Summary  I'd really like to give this model 3.5 stars, but that option isn't available. I chose to give it 4 since the quality, for the money, is very good in my opinion. The features are probably lacking over more expensive models, which makes perfect sense to me. For the price, I think it's a good value.