iLO DVDR05 Personal DVD Recorder
Will this Jeckyll recorder turn into a Hyde nightmare?
I just bought this yesterday at Wally World.  It replaced a Liteon 5101 piece of [censored] that worked when I first got it, but gradually stopped recognizing even the \\"starter\\" DVD+RW that came with the unit!  For $98, I decided it was worth the risk. <br /> <br />So far I've been satisfied with the unit - it records and plays back on media the Liteon simply found unacceptable.  My main reason for owning a DVD recorder is to be able to move old TV programs recorded 25-30 years ago (or so) onto a more durable medium; the iLo seems a bit more tolerant of video quality than the Liteon, which would too often stop altogether on a jumpy signal.  Unfortunately, I've noticed a tendency for the video to lag behind the audio when I record, which is unacceptable to me. <br /> <br />One nice feature, which is unadvertised on the box or manual - this unit will play back DivX-encoded video files, just like the Philips DVP642.  In fact, its DivX playback is much nicer than the Philips, being rather more forgiving of badly-encoded files and allowing you to search freely through the file (the Philips generally won't let you reverse). <br /> <br />On the complete other hand, the remote control is one of the worst I've ever seen, and I've seen many.  About the size of a giveaway pocket calculator, the buttons are not arranged intuitively and cannot be seen in the dark.  Worse, its tiny size is very uncomfortable to use for those with larger than child-size fingers.  The range of the unit is also suspect.   <br /> <br />Editing features are a mixture of good and bad.  On the good side, it allows for editing of commercials and such after recording, something most recorders on the low end of the price range don't let you do.  However, two features my Liteon had that I consider essential - manually inserting your own chapter breaks and changing the index thumbnail of your recorded file - are absent.  You're stuck with the automatic chapter stops the unit can put on while recording (every5, 10, or 20 minutes), and the index picture is always the first frame of the file. <br /> <br />The negative review below is hardly the first I've seen of this unit, though.  I'm worried that my good experiences (well, reasonably good at least) with the DVDR05 so far will lead to frustration later on down the road.  At present, I'm trying to decide if it's best if I just take the unit back as a pre-emptive strike, or if it's better to take the chance that I have a good unit that won't go sour on me in a month's time like the Liteon did, and like other iLo recorders have.   <br /> <br />You do get what you pay for, though... <br /> <br />Pros: <br />* You can't beat the price for an entry-level unit. <br />* Unadvertised bonus feature: Will play DivX/AVI files. <br />* Small size. <br />* Menu system is easy to use and navigate; there's even an integrated help system. <br /> <br />Cons: <br />* One of the worst remotes on the market today - too small, cannot navigate by touch, and powered by a button battery. <br />* Cannot edit chapters or thumbnails. <br />* Video occassionally noticeably lags behind sound. <br />* Cannot set default source, and doesn't remember last source after playback or recording.