Samsung DVD-VR350 - VCR Recorder & DVD Recorder Combination - With Freeview

December 12, 2007 | By Doug In DVD Recorders |

Toshiba DR160 DVD Recorder
Amazon Price: ?89.99
Customer Review: Adequate basic recorder
I was looking for a second entry-level -R/RW recorder, having already got a Funai 2737 (which does the job fine). Decided to try the Toshiba as it had the benefit of Chase Play. In actual fact, this Toshiba seems to be the same underlying chassis as the Funai, with a different (somewhat more attractive) fascia. All rear ports and the user interface are all identical. The only difference is the addition of chase play. If you are drawn to this machine because of this feature then beware. Chase play can only be used when recording in quality setting of long play, or lower. This is tolerable on a small screen TV, but the quality when viewed on a large screen is barely acceptable, more or less making chase play a feature you will never use anyway. Apart from that, the unit looks and works fine, however, it might be worth considering the Funai and saving yourself ?25.
Customer Review: Not a bad machine, just too noisy
This machine has some very good points, but its too noisy to be used in a living room. Ours was RMAed. On the plus side: - Discs are initalised quickly, you can be recording on DVD-R within 20 secs. - The menu system is clear and easy to use - The DVD playing machanism is very quiet, you can’t hear the disc spinning at all - The DVD-R disc recorded played perfectly in Pioneer DVD (Dv464), Argos in Car DVD and PC. - It can play CDs of Jpegs. However the downsides out weight these good features: - Its very noisy, there is case fan at the back, that is always on when the recorder is. Watching Planet Earth with the DVD recording is, unconfortable, there is a constant whiring. Its 3 or 4 times noisyer than my AV reciever and I thought that was noisy! - remote control is “boxy” and square, hence unconfortable in the hand. - DVD-R take a LONG time to finalise, over 20 Mins. - It cannot play DVD-R discs of photo JPEGs burnt on my PC, that my Pioneer DVD player plays fine. Hence only 3 stars I’m afraid ….