DVD Recorder Reviews and Buying Guide:

Are you in the market to buy a new dvd recorder? Much like DVD players a few years back, the latest dvd recorders are fairly expensive and have technology that is not always easy to use or figure out (even with the manuals). The first confusing issue are all the various formats available on DVDs - DVD+R, DVD+R DL, DVD+RW, DVD-R, DVD-R DL, DVD-RW and DVD-RAM. The DVD-R/RW and DVD+R/RW formats can run on almost all the dvd recorders but it does appear that moving forward the DVD+R/RW will win out. As for those of you with older dvd players, the DVD-R/RW discs will still run just fine. As for the Dual-Layer (DVD-RAM format) discs, they can store up to 8.5GB of data (double the capacity of older formats). The DVD-RAM standard is slowly gaining popularity due to its incredible storage capacity, but limiting factors remain it's high price and its inability to be read on the majority of dvd players in stores.

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Beyond all the different disc formats for dvd recorders, there is a solution. DVD recorders with built-in hard drives are a great invention and long overdue in the entertainment world. Certainly basic dvd recorders are still the cheapest device, but the hard drive dvd recorders allow you to record up to 650 hours of video footage on 400 GB hard drives. You can also record onto a dvd with those types of recorders. The big advantage of dvd recorders that offer hard drives is that you can record your favorite shows while at the same time playing back recorded material. HDD recorders are still considered a luxury item and you will pay much more for them compared to basic models. A must have feature to many is the "time shift recording" function which lets you pause a live TV program when it is being recorded. The higher priced HDD recorders and DVD-RAM recorders have this option built in. The biggest complaint amongst all consumers who either own or want to own a dvd recorder is that they are "way too complicated". The early models were overly confusing and there still are some dvd recorders that could confuse the average user, but many newer recorders have better onscreen menus and straight forward manuals. The recording capabilities of dvd recorders is certainly their selling point, so be sure to have a salesperson thoroughly go over the remote and menu choices on the screen so that you can see what goes into recording and playing back programs. When looking at recording times take into consideration that most manufacturer #'s (hours of recording) are for the lowest quality recordings which may not be what you want to have. Look at the better quality recording modes to figure out what your recording time will be. Finding a dvd recorder that has plenty of connectivity options is another must. If you want to download video from your camcorder or digital camera (photos to) to your dvd recorders hard drive, you will want a Firewire/USB connection or a memory card reader. The top brands for dvd recorders are Panasonic, Toshiba, Liteon, Sony, Pioneer, Philips, Samsung, LG, RCA, and Magnavox. Prices have come down considerably over the last year for these devices, but you are still looking at $400 or more for a hard drive dvd recorder and over $300 for a good dvd recorder. We went online to find consumer reviews and expert ratings for dvd recorders and compared the results we found to list only the best down below in various categories. CNET and PC World do a wonderful job of testing recorders and Consumer Reports as usual gives their unbiased input. Sites like Amazon.com and Circuity are great for finding out what consumers think of their new dvd recorders since they list user comments and feedback online. For technical help (without waiting on a phone for hours) you can go online to Videohelp.com or Avsforum.com where you will find 1000's of postings on how to troubleshoot or figure out your problems that are specific to your dvd recorder.

Best DVD Recorder:

Want a dvd recorder that has 160 GB of hard drive storage space and is easy to use? Go with the Pioneer DVR-640H-S DVD Recorder ($320) and get up to 340 hours recording capacity (lowest quality mode) and up to 10 hours of dvd recording on a single DVD (almost 18 hours on the DVD-R DL format and SEP mode). Users say the Pioneer and Panasonic model (listed below) are the 2 best dvd recorders available. The Pioneer DVD recorder can record on any media (DVD+RW and DVD-RAM and Dual-Layers) although the onscreen menu is not as user friendly as say that of TIVO. You can record from a VCR (VHS tape) to the HDD or a DVD which is what most people want from their DVD recorders so that they can copy over older home movies and videos onto a permanent format like a DVD. Instruction manual is over 100 pages long, but with all the functions this DVD recorder performs, you will need it. We did find several sites that listed this product as "out of stock" so be prepared to search for a vendor that carries it. Seems that its popularity is keeping it off the shelves.

Hard Drive DVD Recorder:

As with computer hard drives, you'll want sufficient hard drive space on your DVD recorder since audio and video files take up a lot of space. Toshiba has a HD-DVD recorder with a 1 terabyte hard disk only available in Japan that would most likely retail well over $3000 in the US. Ok a terabyte of data is a lot, so how about something more reasonable like the Toshiba RD-XS55 ($700) DVD-RAM/DVD-R 250 GB HDD recorder. You get DVD upconversion via HDMI video upconversion and multi-drive playback and recording features. Comes with time slip capability as well as Chase Play and Live Chase Play. Chase Play lets you start watching a recording of a show that is already in progress. You can also pause "live" tv recordings and return to them later without missing a moment of your favorite show. The TV program guide and on screen menus are intuitive and easy to follow. As for downloading your video clips from your camcorder to the hard disk, it's easy with the Firewire connection. The Toshiba RD-XS35 sells for under $400 and offers 160 GB of storage space as compared to the larger XS55. We assume that HDD recorders will keep offering greater and greater hard drive storage at cheaper prices much like what you find in the PC market.

VHS/VCR/DVD Recorder Combo:

The Panasonic DMR-EH75VS DVD Recorder/VCR Combo ($430) is a special machine since it also offers an 80 GB hard drive for programmed recordings. The recorder upconverts to almost HD resolution via HDMI and it's easy to copy from VCR to DVD with one touch. The Panasonic DVD recorder plays back dual-layer DVD-R/+R and CD-R/RW and records onto DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, and DVD-RAM. Connections include Firewire, SD card slot, HDMI, RF, S-Video and composite. Many reviewers say they bought this model specifically to transfer old home movie VHS tapes to DVDs and they are not disappointed at all with the performance of the Panasonic. The EH75VS lets you easily transfer movies to the hard drive and then select certain scenes to actually copy to your DVD. Great for compiling home videos without including all the wasted scenes that no one wants to watch. One user says "recording to HDD is a breaze" and another exclaims "I love the one-touch recording". If you want the Panasonic quality without the hard drive capability, take a look at the Panasonic DMR-ES45VS DVD Recorder/VCR Combo ($200). It will still record tv shows to DVD and allow you to transfer VHS tapes to DVD format. Great buy if you don't want all the extras of the DMR-EH75VS.

Budget DVD Recorder:

For a basic player, we found 2 models that stood out in consumer reviews - the Samsung DVD-R135 and the Panasonic DMR-ES25S. The Panasonic got excellent feedback on Amazon.com and for under $200, this DVD recorder offers plenty of features to satisfy the average user. Owners say the LP recording mode is good and disc compatibility is impressive. Plays back dual-layer DVD-R/+R and CD-R/RW and records onto DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, and DVD-RAM. The remote is decent but doesn't include an open/close button for the machine. Includes an SD card slot, DV input and a commercial skip button but lacks an IR blaster. If you want the basics in a DVD recorder go with the Panasonic over the Samsung for overall performance and recording quality.

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