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

+ Relatively easy to set up and easy to operate

- None so far

+ plays all my dvd's.. upscaling on star wars looks amazing on my 100mhz phillips ambilight - I fail to see how blue ray would be better quality

- Reviewer left no comment

+ Is easy to use. Have mainly used to copy from Sky + Box to HDD so far.

- You cannot copy DVD film to the HDD so that you can watch later. Don't want to copy the DVD, just wanted to be able to rent films and watch later then delete.

+ quite easy to use, smart looking

- No HDMI leads to connect to tv

+ Having the hard drive saves looking for blank tapes and then again, looking for the tape you had recorded something on.

- Just takes time to get used to it, read the instructions!!

+ Good picture quality and input locations.

- Can loose Timer progs loaded to record at later dates, Sony should sort this problem out!
Still not managed to record direct to dvd disc.

+ Ease of use, quallity of picture, speed of burning eg:2.5hour film 10 min burn time

- Reviewer left no comment

+ Sleek design. Clear menus. Easy operation following set up. Great reception and high quality recordings.

- Tricky to set up. Not as easy as Sky Plus to use. The Freeview programme guide is limited.

+ cheaper than sky+ / big storage / hdd functions

- 150 plus pages to operating manual

+ Very easy to use
Excellent picture quality of recorded programmes even when not using highest quality recording level
Love the ability to watch a previously recorded program on the hard disk whilst recording another

- Reviewer left no comment

+ Ease of use,simple timer recordings,easy setup,a great machine.

- twin tuner, only one being digital.

+ Reviewer left no comment

- Poor instructions with regard to recording on discs- how to format. It appears to be recoding but then isn't. Why show working when it doesn't record?

+ I found this machine to be very good both recording to H/D and DVD as a multi/ format, I found this machine
to be excellent plus the price to be off good value.

- I think it would be better if there had been an extra HDMI outlet

+ Good system if you don't want to pay for sky+.

- The signal is terrible, especially BBC channels. The external aerial runs into the DVD recorder and back out into my TV. The TV built in Freeview unit has no problems with signal quality at all. Every channel is absolutely fine. However, the signal quality on the DVD recorder jumps about causing the picture to freeze as well as the sound, which makes programmes unwatchable!! I am extremely disappointed with this as it makes the unit un useable on some channels, especially considering the price!

+ onc sorted basics are straightforward

- difficult setting up with bravia lcd tv

+ design and functions

- takes a while to get used to the miriad of options, but it's worth it

+ Very easy to set up to record and the picture and sound is excellent. one of my better purchases

- have not found amy yet

+ A quality product that works well ( at the moment).

- The instruction book assumes that idiots like me understand all the technical jargon which I don,t. It was therefore difficult to set up and could really do with a form of "technical dictionary" and more pictures/drawings to explain what is required ( an idiots guide ).

+ very easy to to use for the elderly ie: 65plus.
also fits it nicely with tv etc. Colour perfect

- none!!!

+ Image Quality & Sound.

- Instruction Manual confusing.Not as easy to operate as my two Panasonics.

+ excellent product all round at a great price

- Reviewer left no comment

+ Simple to set up
Easy to use
God results

- None

+ Good EPG

- None

+ Simple usage - quick and easy to pick up funtions - 160GB means you have large recording capacity before having to delete to make space.

- None really - Hemel is a bad Freeview area and can only get selected chan's on good weather days, not a fault of the machine. That said when you can get all Chan's the picture quality is breathtaking if used to Analogue only.

+ great product did what it said on the tin! goog value for money compared to the high street

- only bad thing is when recording other channels cant be viewed, but knew that before purchace

+ It is a cracking machine that does what is says but I just don' think its as good as the older Sony HDD machines

- System interface overly messy compared to older Sony units, things that you could in two steps now take 5. two tuners suggests can record analogue and watch digital, which isn't the case

+ Overall product looks good.

- Manual is vast and could be off putting

+ Well built
Configuaration options

- Initial set-up too complicated
Set up instructions could be improved
Ease of use

+ Excellent picture and sound quality. Fairly easy to set-up and use, intuative interface. Good control over the recorded programs.

- Some of the advanced functions hard to find in the manual. Design of remote a bit clunky to hold.

+ freeview recording
photo album
picture upscaling
easy use of record function

- Reviewer left no comment

+ Ease of use
Large HDD for storage

- Reviewer left no comment

+ fantastic quality

- little difficult to use

+ Generally a well built product - sturdy!

- Cannot record two programs simultaneously!

+ Ease of programming. Very good freeview tuner in an area where the signal strength is not good

- Recorder has failed to record programmes on a couple of occassions for no obvious reason. Maybe finger trouble.

+ Reviewer left no comment

- The information given by the digital guide is very limited. It only shows the programme title and type (e.g. movie, news etc) with no further details.

+ The picture is very clear and it is very easy to use once after the initial set-up.

- It was very difficult to set the dvd up with my existing TV and Cable box. Especially, when the default language is in Spanish and I had to try and work out how to turn it into English just from the one page handout as the hand book did not address this issue. Then, once that was completed the hand book and installation is very complex.

+ Very easy to set up and use with the remote control. The hard drive is very useful and makes it easy to record and transfer to disc. setting up a recording is very easy from the title list, and the remote is compatible with the TV.

- non as yet

+ hard drive easier to use than recordable dvd's.
When set up and running does the job expected.

- Found extreme difficulty in setting up. Manual next to useless. had to contact Sony help line.
OK for programming same or next day. A100% failure when attempting programme recording any more than two days in advance.

+ Works well, but takes a bit of working out the instructions - why do they never write them simply?

- Reviewer left no comment

+ Much more user friendly than others; ability to edit from hard drive & then record to disc; dubbing from camcorder is great - best machine I've had

- Only 1 digital tuner

+ Versatile

- Difficult to know everything this unit can do, due to unclear hand book.

+ very easy to set up
very easy to use
one touch recording using digital programme guide
large hard disk and huge range of recording formats
very easy to trim recordings down and dub your own DVDs, which is great if you've got kids who like watching DVDs in the car
having a SONY TV, I find the TV controls on the remote very useful!
automatically updates at 3am, saving you the hassle of looking for new channels

- can't watch and record different channels - I suppose this is a common problem with HDD/DVD recorders
the advert seemed to suggest you can playback DVD-RAM, you can't
the user manual could be clearer in places
some of the on-screen menus could be laid out better
one touch recording option is a great idea but quite restrictive - it only works if the programme starts and finishes bang on the advertised times which, let's face it, they rarely do.

+ Brand image and ease of use.

- Slightly bulky compared to other makes/models

+ Ease of use

- Restricted to Region 2 DVD playback

+ THE FREEVIEW SIGNAL IN MY AREA IS NOT THAT STRONG FOR CERTAIN CHANNELS SO HAVING THE TWIN ANALOGUE/DIGITAL TUNERS IS A GREAT BONUS.

- NO BAD POINTS. THIS IS A FANTASTIC PIECE OF KIT.

+ Excellent features, looks good and great value.

- I didn't like the EPG setup. It isn't as easy to use as my other Sony HDD Recorder.

+ It does what it says on the tin - and we are very happy with it. Would recommend it to others.

- Instruction manuals these days are difficult to write given the multiplicity of tasks possible and volume of information to disseminate - but this 172 page guide is a masterwork in how NOT to do it. No attempt seems to have been made to get into the mindset of non-technical users. The writers need to understand their customers and 'talk' to them - not simply cover their own agenda of getting it all down on paper.

+ ease of use,looks good

- none

+ Easy to use for basic hardrive recording, not tried recording to disk yet, convenient,

- screen refreshes itself when you select the menu (a bit annoying), can't watch (reduced size) image of current TV prog when viewing the EPG

+ series record is a very good feature, upscales well on large TV

- clock on display too small

+ great machine - loads of space to record hours of TV

- bought for elderly gran - who does i admit find it a "tad" confusing! - but over all - GREAT machine

+ Upscaling works well. Easy to use and transfer items from HDD to DVD. Remote can also control your TV (even if it's not a Sony)

- No multi-region support available (even with Hacks)

+ easy to set up

- none as yet

+ Quality of picture and sound is first class

- Quite complicated menu - much more difficult than its predecessor but I'm getting used to it

+ To be fair, I haven't had it long, so I should be able to work out and around some of its perks.

- The manual is utterly, utterly, hopeless.

+ Subject to the comments below, the little use the equipment has had up to now the simple functions are proving very satisfactory. Reliability so far - as one would expect is fine.

- Very unclear and confusing instruction manual. A "quick set-up" supplement would be an advantage.

+ Everything, very high quality in all areas

- None

+ Very easy to use when the instruction booklet has been deciphered!

- I found the instruction booklet too detailed and not easy reference. The language needs to be more user friendly! I have bookmarked the pages relating to the most frequently required functions.

+ Great product and easy to use.

- None

+ A lot of research has gone into the product.
It is 7th generation Sony expertise!

- Not bakc light on remote control - how can i see it in the darK!

+ i purchased this for my father as a christmas present and he is absolutely thrilled with it.

- he hasnt mentioned any !!!!

+ We are back to one remote control for our living room.

- None!

+ GUIDE + For quick program record setting
Edit recordings before burning to DVD
Can record to HD whilst watching a DVD

- Adjusting recorder settings (start + stop times) not easy, increment the minutes from 19 and it becomes 10 not 20.

+ very easy to understand operations
Can watch a previously recorded programme while recording a new programme
Easy quick timer operation

- None

+ Easy to use for recording programmes anologue and digital. With digital you can watch another digital programme whilst recording. Updates everyday several times for the programme guides. Compact and not obstrusive, fits cabinet nicely

- None really

+ So easy to use even for someone who is rubbish with technology

- Reviewer left no comment

+ I'm not technically minded but found this product very easy to use.

- Not found any yet

+ Very easy set-up, and easy to use. Good on screen display revealing what you have already recorded, when and how long (and which you have watched before). Great that you can watch what you are recording, or watch anything else recorded on the HDD whilst recording onto it aswell.

- Having a single decoder means that once you start recording something, then you can't watch or change anything else.

+ Good quality picture and ease of program recording set up and play back

- Manual takes a lot of time to fully understand
needs simplified instruction on basic operations

+ Built-in slide show with music, free view, usb connection, firewire connection

- you can not play divx files from usb, you can not combine video files together.

+ Free view proglam and timer setting are so easy to use.

- still i can not set plus guide.
I'm worry about recent news about blue ray.

+ EASY TO USE AND SUPERB QUALITY

- Reviewer left no comment

+ Ease of use. Very easy to record something, you don't need to be a techno wizard! Plays every DVD we have including those that won't play on other peoples DVD players. All round good product.

- None.

+ It is so easy to record with and then to find your recordings couldn't be simpler. It has so many useful functions, like signal quality/strength indicator for setting your optimum aerial position.

- Can't think of any.

+ Straight forward to setup and use, if you use the manual,

- if recording from program guide it doesn't track changes to program times.

+ Quality of image and easy to use.

- Found it difficult with the initial set up.. It isn't clear in the instructions about digitsal and analogue signals. O feel that prior knowledge is needed.

+ Looks good, easy to use

- Instruction manual is very poor

+ Dependable, seldom needs to be reset, unlike some other PVRs.
Image quality is very good.

- Has one each digital and analog tuners, but a second digital tuner would have been of more use to me.

+ Good performance. Once you've worked out how to use it controls are easy. Access to programs on Hard disc easy.

- I found it quite hard to work out how to use it initally - it wasn't immediately intuitive.
Need a second digital tuner to watch one channel and reord another at the same time

+ Easy to programme, good quality picture, improved signal strength.

- Unable to watch another free view programme whilst recording

+ Sony recorder as expected, good picture.

- Instruction booklet - difficult to understand. Connecting-up not explicit enough. Some digital channels not tuning-in, particularly BBC1 & 2.

+ ease of use,and quality of components,plus sony reliability.i have purchased a similar product from samsung and it no way compares to the sony in any category.i think you would struggle to find a better product at that price anywhere.

- the only thing i could criticise,and it is a very minor point,is that the clock is very difficult to see if the machine is switched off.and that's it.

+ Looks good, easy to use once set up

- Was very hard to set up and manual wasn't clear

+ Easy to program

- A bit too complicated to burn material to DVD
Takes a long time to start up and shut down

+ Once set up is simple to use and also makes it easy to transfer from tape to DVD

- Not clear that you can download tv guide on analog terrestrial for satellite chanels as well