Gateway AR230 Progressive-Scan DVD Player / Recorder
It's simply a better value
My AR230 was purchased as a replacement for a Panasonic DVD recorder that died on me. I use it mostly for time shifting TV programs. Quality is very good on the 1 and 2 hour settings good on the 4 hour setting and just slightly better than good VCR on the 6 hour setting. It's got a simple menu system that even got my wife recording some of her soaps. I've only recorded camcorder to DVD-R using the firewire port twice but the quality was good and it was easy to do. Be sure to finalize DVD-R's so they will play on other DVD players. I use brand name media and have not had a bad disc yet. This unit doesn't have a hard drive or the bells and whistles of some of the high-end units but at less than $300 it's a way better value than the others I considered. If you need a good replacement for your old VCR this is it.