RCA DRC8005N Progressive-Scan DVD Player/Recorder with USB Port

• DVD player/recorder stores up to 8 hours per 4.7 GB DVD+R/DVD+RW
• Progressive-scan video output renders seamless, flicker-free images on high-definition and HD-ready TVs
• Flash-memory access through front-panel USB input; front AV inputs accommodate camcorders and VCRs for easy-access direct recording
• Onscreen keyboard allows disc/program titling; uses MPEG2 video encoding
• Measures 17.5 x 3.3 x 13.8 inches (W x H x D)

Bought about a month ago. I have already made 46 DVDs. They have all turned out great. They work in our other 3 DVD players (including one that is 7 years old). It uses +R and +RW discs. My DVD recorder on my computer uses -R discs. Unfortunately the -R discs don't work on all of my DVD players, so the addition of this recorder has been great.

Pretty easy to use.

If you buy this, you have no reason to buy a $900 Sony DVD CamCorder. Just use your existing CamCorder (VHS-C, VHS, etc) and connect it to the front RCA connectors (S-Video Input available as well). Select input from front connectors, press play on transmitting device and record on the DVD recorder and your making a DVD!! Couldn't be much easier.

Only downside, no digital audio input (only analog through RCA cables). You cannot copy commericial DVDs. They are copy protected. Remember that commerical VHS tapes are copy protected, as well. Interestingly enough, this recorder recognizes this and gives you a message warning you. Recording then promptly stops. But this is still great for home videos. I have also used it successfully to archive several laser discs so that I can get rid of that player. I have also taped numerous movies off of the movie channels. Not quite the same quality as commerical DVDs. It might be if you had a HD receiver. Regular (and digital) cable doesn't come across in 525 lines of resolution like a commerical DVD. Like I said, I don't know if it would be different with an HD converter box. Still better quality than a VHS tape.

When choosing to record something, always use the highest setting (to get the best quality) and be sure to know how long the program is your taping. I ran about 2 mintues short on one movie.

It allows you to hook up compact flash etc via a USB port in the front. You can view JPG files and archive them to disc.

This has been absolutely a great experience so far. Being that we are early in the manufacture of this technology, I am very impressed.

These units will probably get even cheaper in a few months, but if they follow the path of the VCR, as the price gets cheaper, so does the quality of the product. I didn't want to wait until the case, etc. was so cheaply made that it became a throw away. Who fixes a VCR? You just get a new one (and expect it to make it only a couple of years). I didn't want a DVD recorder that cheap!!

You won't need a VCR after you buy this. Does a great job with TV. It shows you what is playing and the rating so that you know if you want to watch or record the show.

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Pros: Features; functions; style

Cons: Defective on receipt Horrible experience trying to get warranty work.

I purchased my product on Sam's Club auctions which shipped the product in factory box (sealed and undamaged). Product received but when playing DVD would only transmit sound and occassionally a picture. DVD R and DVD RW disks could not be recognized stated "Bad Disk" on brand new disks one of which included with product. Owners manual instructs you to call 800 number for service center but when you select DVD product from extensive automated attendant choices, it tells you that the warranty is an exchange warranty then it hangs up without telling you where/how to exchange. To get more information, found another number to call (long distance) and the first two times I was given a service center and phone number to call, the service centers stated that they were not authorized to work on the product. Customer care had stated that second service center was authorized to repair ALL RCA products. Repair center said that this was not true and would require RCA to preauthorize repair before having me ship the product. After 45 long distance minutes invested over three calls, I was told I would have to call back the next day because the service technicians at the repair site would have to be talked to personally to ensure they could work on the unit, and they had gone home for the day. There is a POOR warranty service network, with lots of misinformation and communication issues between the company and actual repair sites. I believe that I could obtain a new Social Security card easier, having lost both my drivers license and birth certificate than dealing with these people. I would advise you to consider the entire ownership cycle before purchasing this product, despite the features or price.

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This product had a number of problems: (1)When playing a disc with 4 TV program episodes, sometimes it would work fine and other times it would not let me select a program. (2) After playing an MP3 disc (which played fine), I tried to watch a movie and while the video was fine, the audio would not play. After shutting down and starting back up 5 times, the disc played fine. (3) The unit would not hold the correct time. After setting it multiple times the results were always the same--as soon as I turned the unit off the time jumped exactly 3 hours into the future. Amazon was great and agreed to take it back. I already ordered a Panasonic from Amazon and will be shipping the RCA back this weekend.

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This is a very nice unit for the money, and I would recommend it to certain consumers, but personally, I've decided to return it.

The "dealbreaker" was the fact that while it has a USB port for viewing media (pictures) cards through a card reader, it lacks a firewire port to transfer movies from your digital camcorder! This is a serious lack of judgement in having the "fru-fru" option and not the "basic" option (better would have been both). I suppose I could use one of the SVHS connectors, but what's the point of having a digital camcorder?

Now for the pluses. First off, everything worked out of the box. I admit to be "techno-savvy". I'm quite comfortable with audio and video components. Still, I think it was nice that I didn't have to read a single page of the manual to hook the thing up and start recording. Other DVD recorders have been reported not to be so "user friendly".

Next, I found the 3 hour recording mode (on a DVD) to be equal to VHS 2 hour mode. I think this would be a great unit for those looking to replace their old VCR's.

Along those lines, I also found it no problem to record programs from my TiVo onto DVDs. Again, if this is what you want, this would be a good unit for you.

I suppose that if I were to spend 2x+ the money, certain things would be better. I found, for example, the remote control to be poorly designed (although not the worst I've used) and the system generally lacked responsiveness. When I press a button, I want something to happen NOW.

I'm giving it 3 stars because:

3 stars for being what I expected and everything worked.

+ 1 for good price

1 for the lack of a firewire port, which I would consider to be a basic feature for a DVD recorder.

I'll make this one short, because I'm po'd right now. Like all these "inexpensive" units, the things have quirks. This one, like some others, has a tendancy to lock up. RCA is aware of this, as they have the problem, and solution, in the trouble-shooting section of the manual. The only solution that has worked for me; unplug the unit. (If it had the 'ol ctrl-alt-del thing available, I'm sure you'd have to try that first).

Has it freed up and come back? Yes. But tonight, it did it with a caveat. I was finishing a disk where I was moving several shows from Tivo to DVD. I'm anal about labeling, setting title frames, etc., so I had invested about 10-12 hours in this disk. 48 minutes of space left, recording one last show and guess what? Lock up. The caveat? Everything was lost. Even erased all the shows/titles from the internal disk library.

And of course, the reason I was moving from Tivo was to free up Tivo space, meaning after recording to DVD, I erase from Tivo. NICE.

THIS SUCKED! How can I have any confidence in this unit again?

I replaced a Lite-On unit with this one, thought it was an improvement, but it just took a little longer to show it's true character.

If you just want to record some things on DVD, and don't invest much time in it, and don't mind if things don't work out, get this unit.

Otherwise, wait for Amazon to have a special when they bundle it with a nice size hammer or baseball bat.