Rating: 
Summary: Cannot Recommend This Machine!!
Review: I have to agree with all of the negatives talked about in the earlier reviews. I have just encountered my third "disc error".....which is the kiss of death for this machine. It has already been in the shop twice for this problem, and it is not going to be worth my time to get it fixed again. The "bleaching / white-out" problem is also something that you have to be on top of at all times. I have had to do more than a few re-records to correct this problem. Anyway, I am heading out to look at the Sony unit. I should have started with that one!!
Rating: 
Summary: Phillips DVDR985 Progressive-Scan Recorder/Player
Review: I bought this dvd recorder through Amazon.Com about 1 1/2 years ago. It worked pretty well at first. I was able to transfer some of videos to dvd(personal use). They, Phillips company sent me an extended warranty policy offer for $200+ just before the warranty expired. I then began having problems with it. Did they know something that I didn't? I have been in contact with the company and their trouble shooters(in Jamaica). The person I spoke to says it is a software problem. I was sent an upgrade disk which it didn't recognize and the dvd kept running like it was on a loop. It says it doesn't recognize a disc and will not record nor will it play any, for a while the door wouldn't open. They won't fix it but gave me the phone number and address of a company that will. That company is 200 miles away in Portland, Oregon. First of all the machine cost over $1000.00 at the time I bought it. Second, how can I be assured that it can be repaired if it's a software problem. Third,why should I have to pay for a software problem that seems to be causing enough trouble that they have to send out update disks? Fourth, I don't think this Phillips dvd recorder is worth the powder to blow it to hell. Fifth, I have not received a word from the company as to how they might want to resolve this. Any body want a PHILLIPS DVDR985 hardly used dvd recorder? I'll sell it for a lot less than I paid for it and you will now just exactly what you are getting. Amazon.com I am not happy!!
Rating:
Summary: DVD RECORDER HMHMHMHMHMHMHM ????
Review: WELL AT FIRST I WAS GOING TO BUY THIS RECORDER FOR 60.99 ON LINE BUT AFTER I SEE ALL OF THESE REVIEWS ABOUT THE PRODUCT I DON`T THINK SO NOT FOR EVEN 61 BUCKS I THINK I MIGHT BE JUST WASTING MY MONEY AND TIME BUT I GOT IT TODAY AND IT REALLY WORKS IT RECORDS AND PLAYS ON THE MACHINE BUT IT DOES NOT PLAY ON ANY OTHER DVD PLAYER THAT I HAVE SHAME ON YOU MR.PHILIPS
Rating: 
Summary: scared off by bad reviews
Review: I bought this unit as an open-box special for what seemed like a steal at $250. Got it all hooked up with minimum effort and it worked just fine as advertised. Picture quality was great, could not tell a recording from the original Digital cable input. DVD playback was outstanding, probably due to the DCDi chip.
Then I started reading all the horrible reviews here on Amazon about the product failing after a few months. Couple that with poor customer service and expensive repairs, and it didn't take me long to realize I needed to take advantage of the 30 day return policy and get rid of this unit. So I did.
I surfed over to the reviews for the Panasonic DMR-E80, and they were like night and day difference from the dvdr985. Most owners of that unit love it's built in 80Gig hard drive and intuative user interface. Luckily I was able to get one on sale and using a friend's employee discount, brought it home for $450. After one month I can say I too love this piece of equipment.
Rating:
Summary: shame on philips
Review: It worked OK for a year then the disc error messages started.
Sent it to be repaired and they told me the laser needed to be repaired for $700. I cannot understand how it would cost as much to fix as it did to buy. This is the last philips product for me in this lifetime. I will pass my feelings along too.
Rating:
Summary: $800 mistake
Review: The idea of being able to record your own DVD's was too tempting to resist. I bought one of these products a little over a year ago and have had problems ever since. If you enjoy spending a lot of money on a product and then buying expensive blank discs for it to destroy, then this is the right product for you. Customer service is also very poor. They send you an upgrade package that adds more problems rather than remedy the existing ones.
Rating:
Summary: No Longer a Devoted Philips Customer
Review: For the last 3-4 years or so, I have been a devoted Philips customer- bought a TiVo when they were brand new, 2 different Philips/Magnavox TVs, newer Series 2 TiVo, and this DVD Recorder. After my experiences with this DVD recorder over the last year or so, I will never buy another Philips product again (if I can help it). I am completely unable to watch DVDs on this unit, much less record them. It doesn't matter if the DVD is a brand-new store-bought commercial DVD, or a DVD I burned ON THIS VERY SAME UNIT, nothing plays properly. They skip, freeze up, get repeated error messages and stop during play, or flat out won't even read to begin with. The product must be crappy indeed to not be able to record, play or even READ DVDs without problem. When I first purchased this product (about a year ago), it worked fine for several months. Soon, I began to get intermittant error messages, and the problems have all snowballed down hill from there. I am now looking to buy a new DVD recorder since this one is completely worthless, and you better believe my new recorder won't be a Philips.
Rating:
Summary: Not a long term performer
Review: I've had this DVD player for less than a year and paid $500 for it here at Amazon. It just recently started to give errors when playing commercial DVD's (even brand new ones!). I swore off Sony after theirs stopped working after one year, now I'm swearing off Phillips. What next, Panasonic?
Rating:
Summary: A Major Disappointment
Review: I have to echo many of the bad reviews here. I bought this recorder in June 2003. After about 5 months, I noticed it had trouble playing regular DVDs (could not locate PBS clock, disc error, etc.), then it starting shutting off when recording DVD+Rs. Now it seems its only use is a doorstop. What a shame, and shame on you, Philips, for promoting such a defective product. I will never buy another Philips product again.
Rating:
Summary: THIS PRODUCT SHOULD BE RECALLED!!!
Review: When I first purchased this product a little over a year ago, I paid about $800. I had thought the price was justified by all the slick features, quality and the recording capabilities. The unit worked fine for the first 3-4 months and then it started displaying error messages that gradually got worse over time. I would be recording my favorite TV show and then suddenly, the unit would stop recording. On other occasions, I would time a show to be recorded while I was away from home and then when I returned I would discover that the unit failed to record the show. Now the unit won't even play a DVD let alone record one. I took it in to get it repaired thinking I would have to pay a high repair cost of $100-$200. The repair cost is over $1000!!!!! If Philips has any integrity, they should recall this clearly defective product. Based on this experience and Philips' unwillingness to stand behind their product, I won't be buying any more Philips products. They've lost my business for life. Read the other reviews. I think you'll be able to spot the pattern. You'll be sorry if you buy this product.
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