Sony DHG-HDD250 30-Hour High-Definition Digital Video Recorder (250 GB)
Too clever for it's own good?
I've owned and used the RCA Scenium DVR for several years so switching to the Sony was a bit of an adjustment.<br /><br />The Sony is not quite as intuitive and takes a while to learn how it works.  So far the Sony hasn't \\"glitched\\" on me (which is my only disappointment with the RCA Scenium which has malfunctioned every once in a while ever since we first bought it).<br /><br />Channel management is \\"poor\\" and slightly confusing with the Sony (an issue I didn't have with the RCA because it didn't pick up HD / Antenna channels in addition to our cable channels).<br /><br />The Sony is harder to \\"one touch\\" record whatever you happen to be watching.  Otherwise, once you get used to using the \\"TV Guide\\" system it works well and in many respects is a *lot* easier to use.<br /><br />The layout of the buttons on the remote is poor.  With the RCA all the time I'd be hitting \\"Fast Forward\\" and then \\"Play\\".  The button layout of the Sony remote makes this a bit tricky. Reaching the pause, play and fast forward buttons and then going to the channel up down buttons requires moving your hand (clumsy).<br /><br />Give the Sony a bit of time and you'll fall in love with it. Once familiar with how it works you'll grow to appreciate the intelligent design Sony has built in. (odd quirks like Fast Forward at 30x speed and then hitting play results in an intelligent \\"rewind\\" to compensate for slow human reaction times)<br /><br />I still find the \\"TV Guide\\" system very clumsy.  In many respects it's great but it takes \\"learning\\" to effectively use it and checking \\"tomorrow\\" is difficult/clumsy.<br /><br />Also Sony's tech support is clueless!  Online support did not know ANYTHING about the device and gave incorrect advice and suggestions.  E-mail support only said \\"use online support or call our phone support\\".  Terrible!<br /><br />If you accidentally enter the wrong cable service (poorly identified by numbers) do NOT follow tech support's advice to unplug it and wait over night to start from scratch.  If you are clever you can find the place in the (poorly worded) menus to select different cable listings.<br /><br />It's quite annoying that upon first plugging it in or unplugging (to move and change your physical setup) results in the Sony going \\"stupid\\" and a potentially *long* wait until it receives the correct time (and starts getting the programming info downloaded).<br /><br />Probably the only real feature I miss from the RCA Scenium is the ability to just press a single button to start recording (which fails often on the RCA) and then hitting \\"stop\\" when you are done recording.  The Sony wants to do it far more \\"intelligently\\" (and sometimes I don't like my electronics trying to outguess what I want to do).<br /><br />This review may sound negative overall, but really the Sony is a great device.  And having a DVR is wonderful.  A DVR is the single greatest and most appreciated device in our entire house.t over night to start from scratch.  If you are clever you can find the place in the (poorly worded) menus to select different cable listings. <br /> <br />It's quite annoying that upon first plugging it in or unplugging (to move and change your physical setup) results in the Sony going \\"stupid\\" and a potentially *long* wait until it receives the correct time (and starts getting the programming info downloaded). <br /> <br />Probably the only real feature I miss from the RCA Scenium is the ability to just press a single button to start recording (which fails often on the RCA) and then hitting \\"stop\\" when you are done recording.  The Sony wants to do it far more \\"intelligently\\" (and sometimes I don't like my electronics trying to outguess what I want to do). <br /> <br />This review may sound negative overall, but really the Sony is a great device.  And having a DVR is wonderful.  A DVR is the single greatest and most appreciated device in our entire house.