Panasonic DMR-E20S DVD Recorder and Player, Silver
Good Unit for the Money!
I'm sure that more advanced DVD recorders will come on the market soon, but the Panasonic DMR-E20 is good enough for me.  I have used it to make back up copies of laserdiscs and VHS tapes, and also some DVDs (Digital Video Editior is required for this to bypass Macrovision and CSS.  See \\"Prospec DVE 773\\").  The quality has been very good (in 2 hour speed, I've not tried the other speeds yet), and the recorder was very easy to use!  I would put the manual away after you've set the clock, it will only confuse you further!<br />I've used DVD-Rs made by Optodisc [money], Apple [money], and Legacy/Ritek [money] all with success.  I would point out to potential buyers that your TV must have a dedicated \\"video channel\\" for this unit to display on your TV.  I had to purchase a new TV because my 20 year old Zenith didn't have a video channel (time for a new one anyway!) I've had success playing back finalized DVD-Rs on my portable DVD player (Panasonic DVLA-95) and my Pioneer 525 with no problems.<br />In short, if you have laserdiscs or VHS tapes (including camcorder footage) that you want to preserve of make portable, this unit is a good choice.  The only real con is a lack of digital inputs, but that's all I've found so far!