Lite-On AllWrite LVW-5005 DVD/CD Recorder
VCR  your days are numbered!
Ok, so you want to record from TV, but the idea of recording to VHS tape just makes you feel \\"so 80's\\"?  Come on, this is the 21st century, it is time to upgrade to burning your own DVDs.    I purchased another brand of dvd recorder before this one.  It worked for about a week, then died.  I was so lucky!  When I took it back I decided to purchase a different brand, I did some searching and found the LVW-5005 to be a better alternative.      When I received the LVW-5005, I found the set-up to be painless.  It was much like setting up a VCR for the first time. If your VCR clock is not perpetually blinking, you should do fine.      I set up the recorder without reading the manual, I know you aren't supposed to do that, but didn't have any problem getting it up and going.  I did read the manual and would suggest that you also read through it.  There are a lot of features that are available that are not readily appearant.    The LVW-5005 records on both of the predominant types of blank DVD media (+R and -R).  It also has the ability to record onto DVD+RW and DVD-RW, which can save you money if you like to watch something, then record over it.  You will also have the ability to record onto blank CD media in the VCD (Video CD) or SVCD (Super Video CD) format.  The VCD format is not bad for recording a 1 hour program from Television, but the quality is not very good.  The SVCD format has a better quality, but if your program is much over 30 minutes you will not be able to get it all on one disc.    The remote control is relatively easy to use, it has about half the buttons of the remote for the previous brand of DVD recorder I had.     To record programs from television the DVD recorder walks you through the process with built in 'wizards' similar to the wizards built into Windows.  Alternatively you can just \\"push the record button\\" to start it recording.  Pushing the record button repeatedly starts timed record with lengths in 30 minute increments.  You can also set uptimers to automatically record shows, just like you did that old VCR.    I guess the biggest test of someone's satisfaction with a product is the question of \\"Would you buy it again?\\".  My answer to that would be (without reservation) Yes!