How to Buy a DVD Recorder

DVD recorders are often the subject of scorn from users. Many owners are frequently frustrated by hard-to-understand instruction manuals. Disc formats, disc compatibility, copy restrictions and player capabilities only add to the complexity.

If you don't need to record programs to a disc -- if, for example, you mainly want to record shows temporarily and then delete them after you've watched them, your best bet is a DVR, not a harder-to-use DVD recorder. In the long run, monthly fees can make DVRs like TiVo and those offered by cable and satellite TV companies more expensive, but given the user frustration we found with DVD recorders, a DVR might still be a better way to go. See our separate report on DVRs for more.

Here are some things you should be aware of when you shop for a DVD recorder:

• Picture quality is affected by recording time. DVD recorders give you several quality settings, and much like a VCR, the best quality takes up the most space. The highest-quality setting on a DVD recorder will result in one hour of material on a 4.7 GB DVD; the second-best setting will give you two hours, and so on. Reviews say the top two quality modes are generally a good bet, and using anything lower than those results in a precipitous drop in image quality. Some reviewers say recording at the lowest-quality setting, which nets about six hours of recorded programming, produces picture quality that's worse than images recorded at the lowest-quality setting on a VCR.

• Avoid a tunerless DVD recorder if you get TV over the air. While tunerless DVD recorders are less expensive than DVD recorders with built-in digital tuners, they can't tune in broadcast TV. If you get all of your programming through satellite or cable (using a set-top box), however, a tunerless DVD recorder -- or even an older DVD recorder with an analog tuner -- will work just fine.

• Be aware of copyright restrictions. Disc and tape makers typically place software on their products to prevent the duplication of copyrighted material. In addition, content protection included in DVD recorders can, at the discretion of the broadcast or cable channel, restrict or even completely disable the recording of some programs.

• Digital format compatibility is limited. While it's possible to get a CD player with broad digital file compatibility, current DVD recorders are generally very limited in that regard. Some can only play back MP3 files, for example.

• Peruse manuals of DVD recorders that interest you. It sounds tedious, but several reviewers say it's not a bad idea -- especially because experts and users often complain about confusing and poorly written product manuals.

Recordable DVD formats

Recordable DVDs have different functions, and confusion about what each type can and can't do is a continual source of user frustration. DVD-R and DVD+R are the two most widely compatible disc formats. Both types of discs need to be finalized before you can play them in other DVD players. These are write-once formats, meaning you can't reuse the disc.

DVD-RW and DVD+RW are re-recordable disc formats. That means you can erase and reuse discs over and over. DVD-RW discs have two recording modes, Video and VR. The VR mode has more editing options and copy protection for removable media (CPRM) compatibility (the copy protection system used to determine which programs can be recorded to DVD). However, while CPRM compatibility is a must for recording programs with copyright restrictions, VR mode recordings can't usually be played back on any DVD player except the one originally used to create them. DVD-RAM discs have the most recording flexibility, but few current DVD recorders support that disc format.