Sony RDR-VX500 DVD Player/Recorder with VCR
Full-featured, multi-format, reliable
I've been using this for about 3 weeks now - about 30 movies copied on DVD-R and DVD+R - and am quite satisfied.  I previously tried the Philips DVDR600VR, which had problems and I returned it (see my review of that product).  This Sony's only real issues are matters of preference, and it does record on more formats than most other recorders I've seen.  I like the menu it creates, but I can't figure out how to remove or prevent the time/date stamp automatically added to every title.  Also, if the VHS tape being copied is of extremely poor quality, or has sections with severe interference or maladjusted tracking, the Sony puts out a white screen so you can't see what's being recorded, if anything. Plus I don't like that when you press \\"record\\" it seems to take a couple seconds before it starts recording. Other than that, it's working consistently well.<br /><br />I'm also working with a new Panasonic ES10 (which I'll review later), which is not a combo - you have to connect another VCR to copy from, but it is full-featured and mult-format (DVD-R and DVD+R) and has at least one or two features better than the Sony RDR-VX500. For one thing, you can change the thumbnail picture added to the menu by playing the title and scanning forward or back for an appropriate picture.  You can't do that with the Sony, as far as I can find out - you're stuck with the first frame.  Also this new Panasonic shows you what's recording even if it's garbage or the tracking's off.  However, I would still recommend the Sony RDR-VX500 because of the convenience of the combo VCR and reliable operation.<br /><br />REVISION:  After writing the above, I've had a couple problems with the Sony.<br />First, The VCR portion has trouble playing many tapes. The  whole picture bounces or warps at the top or bottom, even after adjusting the tracking carefully and repeatedly.  The same tapes play fine in other VCRs.<br />Second, trying to copy from a vhs tape in a separate VCR through a GoDVD device won't work without substantially degraded video. The tapes aren't copy-protected, just old black-and-white ones.  I've tried 2 VCRs and every combination of connections available.  It does make good copies from a separate DVD player with the same GoDVD device, just not from a VCR; I don't understand why. See my review of the Panasonic ES10 for more details.  That unit will make perfect DVDs from the same tapes from the same VCR through the same GoDVD, so I recommend it over this Sony.ially degraded video. The tapes aren't copy-protected, just old black-and-white ones.  I've tried 2 VCRs and every combination of connections available.  It does make good copies from a separate DVD player with the same GoDVD device, just not from a VCR; I don't understand why. See my review of the Panasonic ES10 for more details.  That unit will make perfect DVDs from the same tapes from the same VCR through the same GoDVD, so I recommend it over this Sony.