Sony RDR-HXD870 160GB Storage, Upscaling DVD Recorder Reviews

+ Reviewer left no comment

- Guide book too advanced. Sony need to issue a Dummies book for purchasers to understand how it works.

+ GOOD QUALITY OF BUILD AND PERFOMS WELL.

- WHEN A TIMED RECORDING STARTS IT AUTOMATICALLY CHANGES WHATEVER YOU ARE VIEWING OVER AND DISPLAYS THE PROGRAM YOU ARE RECORDING.

+ Lots of features. Can record onto the HD and watch another programme from the HD at the same time.

- Does not play any of my burnt DVD's - even though they are very high quality, transcoded using Adobe Encore DVD. Also picture quality can show artifacts due to poor compression of the image.

+ fairly easy to use after reading manual hdi is brilliant design of model very good it sits well with other components freeview and recording is good

- till i got used to it menues were a bit difficuilt but once learnt it is ok to use

+ Does all it says on the box.

- Can not record while looking at other station.

+ Divx,picture and sound good

- We had another dvd hard drive that didnt cost as much, and you could put divx onto hard drive this model does'nt let you. Dont like the way you loose your recordings if you setup weekly or daily recordings of a programe.

+ This machine is so easy to use.

- None

+ Sony build quality and ease of use

- Maybe the fan is a touch noisey for a bedroom

+ Very useful in recording programmes and even whole series of programmes

- Reviewer left no comment

+ Value for money.

- The hard-drive a bit noisy when the sound is low.
The instruction manual poor!

+ USB & firewire connections. Digital tuner

- Limited folder options when storing photos on HD or reading off USB device

+ Excellent easy to use recording, series link and live watch whilst record facility. Incredibly good editing options with chapters added automatically making it easy to skip or remove commercial breaks in a recorded programme. Also has an excellent alternative programme facility to resolve time clashes in recordings i.e it will search for repeats through out the week if you are unable to record a programme. A highly recommended product and very good value for money despite coming from Sony.

- The digital EPG is probably very poorly design when considering how well other features have been designed. Unlike most digital receivers the television veiwing is not possible whilst in the EPG - I know some might say thats like Sky but at least Sky's is a lot easier to follow and you can listen to music whilst using the EPG.

+ Easy to use once you get used to operating.

- Would have been better with a digital twin tuner i.e. being able to watch one channel whilst recording another.

+ Good quality sound and picture, flexibility to record on hdd and dvd.

- Cannot record and watch digital tv at the same time, can only watch channel being recored.
Or only watch analog tv... extremely useless in this regard.

+ i was very surprised at what this machine could do,and if my wife can work it anyone can. great machine.and i will be purchasing another one for my son,as he can't afford to but one.

- none.

+ Easy to set up. Pause live TV facility is great.

- There are so many features that it can get confusing and I am unlikely to use most of them.

+ Works well and impressed with built-in Freeview. (I only have a loft aerial) Seems quick to start recording compared with my old DVD recorder.

- Manual is a nightmare which is a shame as the product is excellent. Sony should try harder. My Sony digital camera manual is just as bad.

+ Easy set up if you follow the instructions on first set up. Plenty of connections, s-video, hdmi, scarts. Looks good.

- Can be a little tricky connecting older machines (VHS) and recording on to HDD. Manual does help if you cut through all the blurb. Like everyone pointed out, only one tuner but then I knew that when I bought it.

+ Once you understand how to use it, it is very simple and excellent quality on video

- slightly complex to start with, need to read handbook several times

+ Reviewer left no comment

- No dual Tunner

+ Recording from the digital tv guide is so easy, it also allows for recording of series. Recording from the hard disc onto DVDs is incredibly flexible and it automatically sets the quality standard to fit the DVD if you want to squeeze two or more films onto one DVD. We were blown away by the ability to watch a programme before it has finished recording. This is probably the best investment I have made for a long time.

- The initial set up wasn't as easy as it could have been but I got there after only two attempts.

+ A very good all round product.

- once times has been set not that easy to canncel

+ Easy to connect with sky box (scart) and lcd tv (hdmi). Good design and very functional especially jacks at the front as we are currently copying from video tape recorder onto disks. With regards to sound quality we have connected via audio coaxal to a seperate amplifier and speaker system. Useful with having 2 tuners (1 digital/1 analogue) until we get a digital aerial.

- Manual leaves a lot to be desired and a fair proprtion of the setup, recording, dubbing, editing etc has been done by trial and error.However this would appear to be the norm with imported electrical goods.

+ Excellent product - so easy to use.

- None as yet!

+ SLICK DESIGN AND BRAND

- GENUINELY DIFFICULT ON SCREEN MENU, SINGLE TUNER IS PROPERLY BAD AND WE COULDNT GET A GOOD RECEPTION OF E4

+ Having had a Sony DVD before, it was easy to get to grips with. It is full of features and options that were not available in my earlier model. I have yet to use many of them. Recording to DVD is a lot easier with this model as there are so many options for controlling the recording time/quality. Considering that it has built in freeview and a harddrive and cost less than my previous Sony I can hardly fault it.

- None noted.

+ it works, simple to use with aid of program listing

- none

+ Almost instant access to recorded material.
Massive storage.
Ease of use.

- You can't view the EPG while it's recording something else.
Would be much better if there were two (or more) tuners.
Would be nice to be able to organise the recorded programs into groups (folders). All you get is a single list of all programmes recorded which would make it difficult to find the programme you want if there are too many.

+ Very simple to record off tele

- HDD to DVD dub took a few attempts, it needs more explaination of finalisation

+ easy to set timed programs to hard drive.Easy to find for playback.

- Reviewer left no comment

+ Reasonably priced HDD/Recorder for the price.

- Picture quality not 100% from HDD playback. Because the front sockets are hidden !!! it makes the unit look clumpy.

+ Easy set-up

- None so far

+ Easy recording

- Reviewer left no comment

+ does many things,

- need a degree to understand the manual although once youv'e mastered it, it's all systems go

+ As with all Sony products, quality of build is spot on. It was simple to set up, especially the smart link feature that auto tunes to the same channel order as your TV. Getting to grips with all the other functions is relatively easy too - even without reading the instruction, but you will need instuctions for some of the more complicated features. Overall 10/10

- None!

+ Brilliant! Easy to use, the upscaling on picture quality makes my non-digital/CRT TV look nearly as good as an expensive Sony LCD.

- Reviewer left no comment

+ ability to record onto hard drive a great advantage. Very good quality of picture.

- Often difficult to understand instructions and so many different instructions make it complicated and time consumming.

+ HDD recording from TV is easy using the TV Guide, and playing back is easy to use from Title List.

- Instruction Manual complicated to follow but very comprehensive. However recording to DVD disk involves several menu choices, and for long recordings, ie films over 2 hours only "real time" seems to be the only option.

+ Good build and look quality

- Niggly setting up instructions

+ lived up to all expectations.

- Reviewer left no comment

+ Great all in one package - up-scaling (1080p) dvd recorder, 160Gb Hard Disc Drive and Digital Freeview.
Can't comment on the Image & Sound quality, not found the right telly to go with it yet, still watching on a portable CRT.

- WHAT A NOISE!!! When it's on it's noisy and after it's switched off IT'S NOIIIISSSSY!!!!!!
I wouldn't recommend it for use in a bedroom - like I do, duh...

+ does everything it says easy to use good design picture quality excelent

- none

+ Freeview guide makes recording very simple.
Choice of recording options is impressive.

- None

+ simple progamming through EPG, ability to watch Freeview without buying set top box, size of memory approx 70 hours recording on hard drive

- design slightly dates although high quality

+ DIGITAL TUNER/HARD DRIVE/DVD RECORDER.....Image!!!!

- ONLY ONE DIGITAL TUNER--2 WOULD BE HANDY!
OPERATING LOGIC, ESP HARD DRIVE OPS COULD BE SIMPLIFIED MORE LIKE SKY+ REMOTE!

+ HDD has fantastic capasity at normal settings and recorded picture quality is better than my LG I had before. menu listings easy to understand for HDD and DVD. DVD side of things is great and plays DIVX with no hassle, have yet to try the 1080 upscaling but it has it. looks great to.

- When editing you can only divide not merge, which is a pain (unless i've just not discovered how to do this yet). It doesn't want to play a DVD whilst Recording on HDD which the manual says it can do (this appears to be my TV settings though). Manual is a bit vague whilst initially setting up to accept SKYbut freeview setup easy. Can't record from SKY and watch freeview. Lets face it, nothing is 100% perfect but it's still a top unit.

+ easy to use and has lots of features

- Reviewer left no comment

+ Divx playback straight from DVD
Record and play at same time
Ir Blaster control for external STB
Plenty of input SCART and two rf inputs

- Overly complicated -- Manual is 170 odd pages !!!
Can't copy from video content from usb to player
Can't record from external input and watch integrated freeview

+ easy to use

- have'nt found any yet

+ Reviewer left no comment

- noisey cooling fan can be heard over the top of tv

+ Excellent instruction manual with clear diagrams for each operation, and written in a logical sequence.
Best I've seen.
Operationally, have only had it a month but again everything seems logical which is a great help. Have not had time to explore all it's clever bits.

- nothing found yet apart from being slightly expensive, but that is Sony.

+ excellent features

- none

+ It was really easy to set up and use and I've never missed an episode of the West Wing since!

- Reviewer left no comment

+ Reviewer left no comment

- poor menus
will not let you watch a recording whilst recording
upscale not that good
cost
not enough connectivity

+ Fairly straightforward to use HDD & DVD parts.

- Missed a couple of recordings - stalling at the end. There is a SW upgrade from Sony site but haven't done it yet.

+ easy to use when set up.

- Complicated to set up.

+ simplicity

- none

+ Quality of build
Image quality

- Initially complex to understand controls

+ it's a sony

- manual could be made easier to understand

+ Reviewer left no comment

- The program guide is poor compared to the one on my TV so I tend to use it more to find what I want then switch on the recorder to record.

+ Lots of features. Quick to respond. Set up easy.

- None that I have found so far

+ Good design. good quality. Reasonable price.

- None.

+ Reviewer left no comment

- Very complicated to operate

+ Plays all DivX movies full frame regardless of their encoding, unlike the 860.

- The EPG and recorded program list are no where near as good as that on the previous model, the 860. A big disappointment if you're used to that version.

+ easy to use, upscales standard sky to HD sky with HDMI lead,gives option to record to disc or memory

- not found any yet

+ very clear picture, great & troublefree with subtitles on all the time special for my deafness

- count time display is dim and small

+ series link dvb

- only record what u watch

+ relatively simple to use, good recording both HD and DVD.

- Needs a twin digital tuner so you can watch one channel whilst you record another

+ Easy to use.

- Can't set a programme reminder. If recording on hard drive, can't watch anyother chanel onless on normal tv.

+ Easy to set up and use

- Reviewer left no comment