Page 1 of DVD Recorder, so what is the verdict now that you have had a play?

Panasonic? Mico? Yamada? Compacks 101? Sony? Pioneer? Liteon? Etc, etc.

What are your plus and minus points of the recorder you have bought?
Please advise us about to take the plunge, a list of 3 or 5 plus and minus points on your purchase will probably help others (or not :/ )

As previously advised I am seriously looking at the Panasonic E55 (imminent house move may delay this), but this is still at or near the top of my list. Pioneer looks like a good bet also.

I know you probably don`t need this warning, but I thought I`d preempt Phelings ;) Whatever you do, don`t buy a Philips. Although they could be fantastic machines if you could rely on them, you can`t. I`ve had a 99.9% success rate with my machine, but there have been hiccups and failures that I can`t attribute to duff media. It has been off to Philips for a laser refit, and touchwood it works fine currently. However, so many people have similar stories to tell, I suspect I`ve got one of the few good ones.

J Mark Oates

Hard to really compare models against the others (not rich enough to own more than one at a time).

Also quite hard for me to make any indepth comments as the wife has custody of it 98% of the time.

IMO the following points:

[list]The Mico bought last December has worked well, does what it says on the tin = 5

Good picture quality in use (usually on the 3 hours setting) budget machine may count against it = 4

DVDs have played without issues on other players we have = 5

Media accepted without issues Memorex +R\+RW, JVC +R(Poundland special) & PC Line +RW = 4

Styling (hate its black front panel) = 3

Occasional aversion to backup discs = 3.5[/list]

I would certainly buy another one of these if I could locate a Sainsburies that had one @ £90 (Refurb\Customer return).

This item was edited on Saturday, 31st July 2004, 12:25

I have had my Panasonic E50 for just over a year now and very pleased with it :)

Good points :)

Picture quality - I use 4 hour mode for most programs which is fine with my 25" TV)

Time Slip - I`m always using this - either watching the beginning of a program before its finished recording the end or watching another program on the disc when recording another.

Ram discs - I think the case idea is good as it does protect the discs well. I have a ram writer in my PC and its easy to take a disc out and transfer the video to my PC. If i know I`m going to transfer video to PC I use un-cased discs.

Timer - Recording from TV tuner you get program information for each program

Quick - Quick and easy to find a program and free disc space ( unlike VHS)

Bad points :(

Recording from Digital box I only get a time for the program but no name.

Track Names - Changing the track names is long winded. ( Thumbnails sound better on E55)

Discs! - I still cant remember what program is on what disc so a disc library would be better.

Would like a hard drive one next but need to come down in price.

Hi, I`ve just got the Liteon 5001 from Currys, does what it says on the tin

Picture very good (on SP - 2 hour mode) haven`t tried the others yet
Ease of use - excellent, foolproof
Good looking machine, good build.
Manual good
Plays all disks (only records on DVDR+(RW) although somewhere it does say that it records on minus aswell, but mine doesn`t.
If you don`t want your recorded material to be used elsewhere have a look in Currys at the 40 gig hard \drive recorder including freeview tuner for £149, don`t know what it`s like though,

Regards

The Liteon machine is a bargain basement model,but it DOES record to -R and -RW.Although it does not offer editing features normally available with -RW(or +RW come to that)it should record to all formats.Although without each formats unique features the whole point of the machine is wasted

nope-the 5001 is a +R/RW machine..it`s 5005 that will write to -R/RW as well