Sony RDR-HX900 DVD Recorder with 160 GB Hard Disk Recorder
This unit falls short
Looking to get another unit to go with my Toshiba RD-SX32, I went for the HX-900. This unit falls incredibly short in comparison and has me scratching my head, why did I get this unit! I have a great basis for comparison as the Toshiba does so many things that the SONY either cannot or does much worse.    I keep scouring the manual thinking I'm missing something, but I will just have to deal.     If you like your sports, sorry, this is where the separation starts to happen, the slow motion stinks, you have to press 2 buttons, pause and then slow forward / back, it is seriously to slow, one speed! You have to be kidding SONY. The Toshiba has variable slow motion speeds all using one button - slow to a speedy slow motion. Fantastic for sports, the commercial skip is even worse, fast 1, 2 and 3 doesn't skip past it runs through the commercials the Toshiba truly skips past instantly at totally programmable intervals.    I find its better using the fast forward 2 to get past the commercials as opposed to the not so) instant skip, problems are forward one and 2 are too slow, for some unknown reason Sony figured if you keep forward 3 depressed it rips past everything progressively faster leaving you with no control over where you are going to stop like the movie the time machine, making forward 3 useless for fast forwarding past commercials.     So, in other words after 2 years with the Toshiba, I can get through the commercials in about 5-8 seconds, with the Sony its about 15-20 seconds having to watch the stupid things on fast forward.     No playlists on the hard drive, if this is your first DVD HD you may not know how valuable they are for sorting the shows and editing them, I am kicking myself for buying this unit. Playlists on the HD are used everyday, playlists on the DVD are not. You can only use playlists on one type of disc and that disc is  -RWvr and it's not usable on all DVD players after finalizing. Editing and dubbing large lists /scrolling through each showseparately without grouping them in playlists, I am not even going to get started on that, its futile and in in the stoneage of editors.       But one of the biggest things (how the heck did I miss this in the specs) no picture in picture. AAAAHHHH. It's a must for watching recordings while watching live tv, so you know exactly when the commercials are over.    Like I said, if you have not owned a DVD with these other goodies, you may not know what your missing until you read this.    We all know about this but I feel its worth mentioning one more time, the on screen guide is useless, you have the option to program the channels manually, as I did you will too, painstakingly moving the channels to the correct position and channel number, only see your 1 hour of work disappear with the next tv guide download.    SONY, I am surprised, but moreso mad at myself for after owning a superior in features DVD player, (and much less expensive unit) I should have known better.     On the positive side, I normally upgrade every couple of years and until then I will make sure not to record my sports on this stinker. If you're a movie file and don't care about these type things this may be a good unit for you as the picture quality is very good in HQ, not on SLP however, so forget the 200+ hours on the HD if you want a good picture.    I see these glowing reviews except regarding the guide and I am stunned. This unit needs lots of work what ever the price you pay.