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: Poor Technology Not what I expect from a SONY product
Summary: 2 Stars
We do not have cable in our area. Use UHF antena only. Tuner OK, not as good as my older Sony Monitor/TV. Great there are 4 inputs!!! Front and back.
Too small buttons for Mens fingers. Very poor button VERY SLOW action on remote. Not the latest in picture size choices for our large monitor.
Our town is small. All 4 channels are same digital and analog. I found could not delete ALL the analog channels completely. I had to leave the lowest and highest analog channels for the channel select button to search correctly. You always have to click past the analog channels. Should be a way to specify ANALOG and Digital or DIGITAL only. Can't ADD Digital Channels with out doing a scan. Some of us gotta move the antena to a different alignment to get the other farther out channels. Should be able to program in the correct Digital station numbers to use. Some digital channels are only active during the day.
No station info and schedule buttons!!!!!! A very desirable buttons. So desirable that my husband bought a Digital converter box just so he did not have the problems of (what he now calls MY) Tuner/DVD/VCR remote. Which is ok because now we can record and watch a different channel.
VHS to DVD is great has improved the picture of many of our old VHS tapes. VHS tape advancement is very SLOW and cumbersome!
I looked and tried 2 other VHS/DVD record/tuners. Sony is still better than the other 2 products currently on the market, but it should be better, its a Sony!!!!!
Digital camera Review: Problems from day one
Summary: 1 Stars
My Sony RDRVXD655 was a problem from day one and I haven't even used it for what was intended-transfering VHS tapes to disc. Using DVD's, the picture would stop & skip. This problem went away and now the picture has, frequently, a fast vertical 'jerking'. Totally unacceptable for viewing. Now to have to go to the trbl of repacking and returning for repairs/replacement. Heck, I should have bought one of this model that was used and saved some $'s. (I had to click on one star since 0 stars is not available)Digital camera Review: Quit after third use
Summary: 4 Stars
THIS IS REALLY 1 STAR - NOT 4. The four stars were given too soon and apparantly can't be edited. VCR half worked great. However, only 40 days after purchase, and using just 3 times, it won't load any dvd or cd. I was told by seller (Electronics Expo) to get a lens cleaning kit - a useless trip because it turns out that the dvds are not even being rotated. Since it's 40 days old, it's off to Sony for repair - shiipping at my expense. Not what I expected from Sony.Digital camera Review: Recorder-player-converter box
Summary: 5 Stars
With the conversion from analog to digital TV signals to be completed by 2009, I wanted to extend the life of my 5-year old analog set. I had read that some of the newer digital recorders have tuners in them, enabling them to function as the converter box that will eventually be required when the signal switch is complete. Moreover, the recorder will still be useful when the analog TV is replaced with a HDTV. Since I did not have a digital recorder, that would be another benefit.
The VXD655 turned up during my search. Since my TV is a Sony, I thought it would be a good match. This DVD/VCR recorder combo also would enable me to get rid of my old tape player and save space.
The unit has exceeded my expectations. I had been receiving a very good quality picture with a modest roof-top antenna, but going digital really kicked the quality up a notch or two it terms of more accurate colors and picture sharpness. I am fortunate in that all of the local over-the-air signals come from the same direction, the transmission towers all being clustered on a high spot about 15 miles from my home. I do have an antenna rotator but do not have to touch it. I am receiving all the local stations with great quality plus some secondary channels the stations operate. With the resulting high quality of my TV picture, there is no reason to hurry into getting a high def.
DVD and VCR recording and playback are accomplished easily, and there are several recording quality or duration choices. The unit handles Rewrite DVDs and I am using them much as one would use a hard drive. The recorder also provides for easy dubbing back and forth between tapes and disks. Editing recorded media is a bit slow using the remote to select letters from an on screen keyboard. This is a function that can more easily be done on a computer.
Setup was painless. A quick start guide is included. I do recommend spending a few bucks extra for an s-video hookup cable if your TV provides an input socket. If there is a downside, it is the remote control. The buttons seem to require much more pressure to activate them than the two older Sony remotes that I have. Consequently, I find it frequently necessary to give the remote control a second squeeze.
In sum, the unit works great for my needs.
Digital camera Review: Reliable But Difficult To Use
Summary: 3 Stars
This product is a solid and reliable DVD recorder. There is no instability as there is with some other DVD recorders;It's a great workhorse. If you want to record television to watch later, or to dub all your old vhs tapes onto DVD, this is a great choice. However, the editing totally, royally sucks. I have another DVD recorder from Toshiba that I can edit stuff on in 1/10 the time it takes on the Sony; However, it doesn't have Sony's stability. It doesn't always record what I ask it to record, it freezes up and so on, but the editing is a breeze. If you want to save one of those TV shows on that DVD, cutting out the commercials...be prepared to spend a long time editing with the Sony. I don't know what Sony is up to with their editing. Another family member has another Sony DVD recorder that is a couple of years older than the one I just bought, and the editing is much easier on the older model. It also doesn't limit the title length the way this unit does. I'm actually baffled that this unit is worse than the older model. I've always had wonderful experiences with Sony, and their models have always gotten better with time and development. I was tempted more than once today to cut my own head off just to have something to throw at the dvd recorder. The editing is really THAT BAD. I can't totally dismiss Sony, however, because it may be slow as a tortoise.....but it won't fail to finish the race.