Cyberhome CH-DVR1600 DVD Recorder
Terrible product, Should be taken off the market.
This was my first DVD recorder purchase (from Best Buy) to copy recordings from my DVR.  I purchased this as a low cost transition to the DVD recorder universe hoping to eventually copy old video recordings to DVD.  I returned it in 28 days.  Here's the skinny: <br /> <br />THE UNIT: <br />Thin, simple.  Appears to get warm/hot after 1 disc burn (1 hr, HQ mode). <br /> <br />THE MENUS: <br />Very cumbersome.  Takes up 3/4 of your screen (I have a 32\\" too) and not very user friendly.  I'm a 9-yr techie and I was gritting my teeth on every push of the remote buttons.  <br /> <br />DIRECT RECORDING: <br />[Media: Sony DVD+RW] <br />First try, not very promising.  I had some Sony DVD+RWs handy.  Disc error on 5 discs when formatting. <br /> <br />[Media: TDK DVD+RW] <br />Disc 1 - Recorded an hr of programming (HQ) and it worked.  Disc 2 - Recorded another hr (HQ) and worked.   <br />Disc 3 - Disc formatted, and began recording.  Failed before the end of the hour.   <br />Discs 4-5 - See Disc 3.  Gave up for the day thinking it was just overheated. <br /> <br />Next day, I checked the manual for info.. Nothing.  Went to Cyberhome website.  Downloaded 3 firmware updates and updated the player as instructed.  Tried recording again switched between failing before the end of recording or just would not format the discs. <br /> <br />On website, found out that this player doesn't accept all brands of DVD+RWs (like TDK).  Good to know AFTER blowing through 2 different sets of discs. <br /> <br />Media: Sony DVD+RW (purchased new set of discs).    <br />Recordings worked fine after that.. until timer recording. <br /> <br />TIMER RECORDING: <br />Tried it 3 times, and failed all 3.  This was with the working Sony DVD+RWs! <br /> <br />REMOTE CONTROL: <br />Horrible design.  Small remote.. hurt my palm just to grasp it.  Buttons were small and layed out in a grid with no obvious grouping by function so it was easy to press wrong buttons.  Buttons were spongy and felt like you had to push the button really hard in order for the player to respond.   <br /> <br />PLAYBACK: <br />The very first successful recording...  Plays back in the DVD player fine and even played on my computer (using Nero ShowTime) the first time.  But not anymore.  I did nothing to the disc except store it in a CD wallet in the interim. <br /> <br />OTHER NOTES: <br />I lost nearly 15 blank DVDs, but the cost is not just in the unusable discs it leaves but also the purchase of the entire spool.   <br /> <br />I was ready for a replacement after week 1! I only held onto it for so long to clear up space on my DVR as needed until I replaced it.   <br /> <br />Sony was releasing the RDR-GX330 (for $229) a week after I returned the Cyberhome.  It's been only a day with the Sony and it not only performed way better, but it showed me what other functionality that the 1600 was lacking. <br /> <br />The Cyberhome box states that on the inside flap of their box, \\"(paraphrase) before you return the product, to contact their support because there may be a simple fix.\\"  Um.. that alone throws up red flags. <br /> <br />I used only DVD+RWs because I was trying to save money by reusing the discs for my desired recordings after testing. <br /> <br />OVERALL: <br />Do not buy.  If you're on a limited budget, try another brand or save up an extra $20 for the next brand up.  You'll spend that much anyway on the DVDs you'll probabaly have to replace.