Electronics : Sony RDR-VXD655 VHS DVD Recorder Combo with Built In HD Tuner |
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Rating:  - * Reliable But Difficult To Use ... 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. Rating: - * Inconsistent Performer ... I researched DVD/VCR combos for weeks. My husband wanted a new DVD player for our new digital TV and I wanted something to record our TV shows that could be watched on our other TVs - hence, the VCR. The QAM/digital tuner is also important because we often record when watching another program. We first purchased a Magnavox but just watching a DVD was torture. This Sony was a great improvement in viewing but disappointing in one major aspect: the tuner preset. We have cable without a set top box of any kind so the hookup is simple. However, each time the lengthy auto preset was initiated, the Sony would only add about half of the digital channels available. You cannot manually add channels to the lineup, only delete. The auto preset takes at least 40 minutes for the digital channels (even though I only have 11 available) so it is pretty frustrating when you get a different batch of channels each time. Then, when I decided to record a digital channel (the only one that the unit consistently added during the setup), it only recorded in black and white, not color. It recorded analog channels fine. In addition, the unit did not like my DVD-RW discs, freezing the recorder each time so that I had to turn the unit off and then eject the disk. As far as DVD playback, it was beautiful and dubbing from our VHS tapes to DVD-R was simple to do and they look great. I was also able to record one program while watching another - a big concern. After finalizing the disks, they play on every DVD player we have. Finally, I bought a JVC combo for $150 less than the Sony. The JVC unit added every digital channel during the 10 minute auto setup and records digital and analog broadcasts flawlessly. I took the Sony back immediately. I don't know if my cable line is at fault or if it is a flaw in design but I would not buy this unit without a reasonable return policy. One last caveat: the Sony does not come with any cables other than an RF cable - if you wish to hook it up to your TV, you will need to have an HDMI, S-Video, or other audio/video cable. I give it 3 stars because of the dubbing and DVD playback but you'll be reorganizing your DVD collection while it looks for your channels. Rating:  - * Great Recorder ... Sony RDR-VXD655 VHS DVD Recorder Combo with Built In HD Tuner This is an excellent choice for near hi def quality picture and sound, especially for those who want to avoid the additional fees and constraits of TIVO, a cable company hi def recorder or a high cost stand alone hi def recorded if one can currently find one. I have it linked to my SONY Bravia XBR 720 LCD Set. I can record my favorite shows and view them on my own schedule once again. My old standard VCR recordings when linked to the my Bravia did not even come close in quality. I could not watch the recordings they were so poor. I have recorded and watched on DVD so far, and I like the option to play my VHS tapes. The set was relatively easy to connect, and it was helpful that I had already set up my Bravia with my home theater ("with a little help from my friends" at SONY). Rating: - * This is the one to buy! ... Needed a machine to copy tapes to disks. Bought a brand other then Sony. After following directions (5 times..thinking my fault) there was no way it would copy. I read other reviews on that brand and found out that it wasn't MY fault. Audio Beach accepted this return even though it had been more then 30 days...full return. I ordered the Sony and no frustration. Easy to hook up, easy to follow directions. Spent more money, of course but well worth it. I could use a couple of VCRs with digital but cannot find any. Are they THAT obsolete? Rating: - * Won't disply CC on network channels ... Everything seems to work well except I found that the closed captioning from the network channels only will not display on my TV (Sony XBR4. It will record CC and display when played on any other VCR connected to this TV. But it will not even display CC on network channels that were recorded on other VCRs. Called Sony and they could not help. Said they often get this complaint on this model but blamed it on the cable provider. This makes no sense as the Sony TV and all other brands of VCRs display CC on these channels. It may be a design fluke that Sony just does not want to recognize. |
Critics and audiences didn't seem too happy with Back to the Future, Part II, the inventive, perhaps too clever sequel. Director Zemeckis and cast bent over backwards to add layers of time-travel complication, and while it surely exercises the brain it isn't necessarily funny in the same way that its predecessor was. It's well worth a visit, though, just to appreciate the imagination that went into it, particularly in a finale that has Marty watching his own actions from the first film. --Tom Keogh
Shot back-to-back with the second chapter in the trilogy, Back to the Future, Part III is less hectic than that film and has the same sweet spirit of the first, albeit in a whole new setting. This time, Marty ends up in the Old West of 1885, trying to prevent the death of mad scientist Christopher Lloyd at the hands of gunman Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen (Thomas F. Wilson, who had a recurring role as the bully Biff). Director Zemeckis successfully blends exciting special effects with the traditions of a Western and comes up with something original and fun. --Tom Keogh
