Sony RDR-VXD655 VHS DVD Recorder Combo with Built In HD Tuner by Sony
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Digital camera reviews of Sony RDR-VXD655 VHS DVD Recorder Combo with Built In HD Tuner
Digital camera Review: Another good machine from Sony
Summary: 5 Stars
This recorder has met all my expectations. I've been using it since March and have had zero problems.Digital camera Review: Avoid SONY DVD recorder
Summary: 1 Stars
I bought this recorder to record programs while I'm not home. Isn't that why everyone buys them? It won't let me record cable programs to a dvd. I get a message saying that I am not allowed to record copyrighted material, but it lets me record the same program to the built in VHS recorder, which is NOT in high definition. So I spent all this money on high-def cable and the best SONY tv, and I have to watch grainy video for anything I can't be home to see at broadcast time. Buy some other brand folks. Now I see on-line that not all brands do this.Digital camera Review: Combo unit's tuner works fine with my antenna
Summary: 5 Stars
Ordered this combo unit 3mos ago. Was easy to set up, including the Sony's auto-scan recognizing all the analog and digital stations' signals picked up by our antenna. I've had a tunerless Sony combo for a year which has to use a digital converter box for the air wave digital signals. I didn't want more converter boxes, so for my 2nd VHS/DVD recorder I purchased this one because of the built-in tuner. So far both combo units are working fine. (Still have 2 "old style" analog tuner Sony VHS recorders, both several years old and working fine though they also now have to have digital converter boxes connected to them.)Digital camera Review: DVD Recorder/player with VHS capabilities + Cable tuner works out OK
Summary: 3 Stars
I bought this Sony mainly for dubbing VHS archival material onto bullet-proof DVD's. For the most part, I am pleased.
Hook-up and set-up are about as time-consuming as any other electronics toy, but it sure helps if you are reasonably familiar with back-side TV connections and cable paraphenalia. The sketches in the instruction manual did not match my unit. Channel-seeking was speedy and trouble-free, less than twenty seconds.
As for the main reason I got this unit: it helps to use SONY blank DVD's; generic blanks frequently hung the recorder. My computer had no problem with such generics; they recorded just fine.
I do have one complaint, due to my advancing age and declining visual acuity. The remote is silk-screened white on black, in very tiny letters. Getting familiar with control functions took a while. Back-lighting of strategically-placed button functions and better ergonomics would really help in getting fumble fingers properly oriented. To this day, I still pick up the remote upside-down, a real inconvenience.
There are limited special effects capabilities with this Sony, as it is primarily a basic recorder and playback unit. Fortunately, I use the burned DVD's in another dedicated playback-only unit with full special effects. Also, this playback unit is not all-region; the European standard PAL discs will not play on this Sony.
I am satisfied with this SONY. I am a bit concerned with SONY's manual; if you are a neophyte, an electronics klutz with no previous knowledge of toys, SONY's instructions will frustrate you.
Digital camera Review: DVD VHS Recorder combo by Sony
Summary: 4 Stars
This is the shi&t. Made a copy of an old movie onto DVD and it looks as good as the orginal. Would love to talk more but I've got bunches to convert from VHS to DVD.
Tim
P.S. The HD Tuner is a great bonus. I didn't realize it was included. See it's important to read all information.