Sylvania DVR90DE DVD Player / Recorder

Rating:
Summary: Has Alot of Features
Review: This DVD Recorder accepts the DVD-R / -RW format (does not accept DVD+R/+RW). So far its pretty damn good, even better than the $299 magnavox model that was out last year which didn't have as much features and was $100 more. This DVD Recorder has up to 8 program recording up to a year in advance, daily or weekly recordings are also avail, just like your old vcr. One touch timer recordings, as well as other nice features. Comes with a full functional remote control as well as buttons on the unit itself. The recorder has 6 recording speeds they are XP 60MIN, SP 120MIN,LP 240MIN, EP 360MIN, SLP 480MIN, SEP 600MIN in other words from 1 to 10 hours, the 10 hr recording mode (SEP) looks sort of like vcd quality but just a bit less and I do not recommend it very much. EP mode looks like Vhs quality, XP, SP & LP modes are very good quality to record with. You can even preview it before making the disc how the picture would look like in that particular mode. The manual is very handy and tells you everything in complete detail step by step.

The unit has your basic audio/video inputs and outputs as well as component and RF input and output. It also plays CDs & CDRs. The discs recorded on this player also played on my Panasonic a120 dvd player which is more than a few years old.

The only possible bad thing about this recorder is the 'CPRM' (copy protection system) which ofcourse means you cannot make copies of copy protected broadcast materials, unless its made once on dvd-rw media, and then you cannot make a copy of that recording on the dvd-rw media and all of this is dependent on wether the programmer wants to copy protect its material or not, they may opt to do so (or not do so) in the future. But so far I've recorded many programs off the tv without any problems on regular dvd-r media, but I suspect many other newer dvd recorder nowadays have this feature. The older recorders that I know of didn't have this feature, which is good you might want to stock up on those discontinued dvd recorders since newer dvd recorders will have this feature. But all in all a good player/recorder seems like its worth more than $199 but since it didn't have progressive scanning (not that i needed it since I use it only for recording) it fits the price.

Rating:
Summary: Sad discovery
Review: Unfortunately this product will not record many shows played on cable or satellite, probably because of some security or privacy protection technology. I had a Bruce Lee special that was recorded in my Tivo but when I sat through the 2 hour program, the disc just showed a blank page. Or maybe I am doing something wrong. I am not totally computer illiterate and the instructions seemed easy enough to understand but I must return it since it appears to be of no value to me.