Best Reviewed
DVD Recorders
- Basic DVD recorder with tuner Toshiba DR570 *Est. $160
- VCR/DVD recorder combo Toshiba DVR670 *Est. $210
- Hard-drive DVD recorder Magnavox MDR515H/F7 *Est. $250
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Basic DVD recorder with tuner
- Built-in tuner
- Features
- DivX support
- Image quality at lower speeds could be better
- Remote control could be better
Users say the Toshiba DR570 is a great DVD recorder for most people. It includes a built-in tuner for receiving over-the-air signals as well as unscrambled cable channels without a box. Features include chasing playback, which lets you watch a program before it's finished recording; time slip, which lets you watch a previously recorded program while simultaneously recording a different one; and a commercial skip function that lets you jump over recorded ads. A few complain that the remote control could be easier to use. If your budget is a little bigger, the Magnavox MDR515H/F7 (*Est. $250) includes a built-in hard drive that can store up to 103 hours in its highest quality setting, and 620 hours at the lowest quality. The inclusion of a hard drive adds some DVR features, such as the ability to pause live programming, and it makes the process of burning recordings to a DVD much easier.
Professional reviewers don't provide a lot of coverage for the Toshiba DR570, but some feedback can be found at About.com and Bestcovery.com. There are many user reviews, however, with the bulk appearing at Amazon.com. Still more user feedback can be found at JR.com and Epinions.com.
Our Sources
1. Amazon.com
More than 200 users report on the Toshiba DR570 here and grant the DVD recorder an overall rating of 3.6 out of 5 stars. Though not impressive in general, that rating is higher than most similar DVD recorders attain. Many reviews are highly complimentary. The remote does come in for some criticism, however, and some say that their recorder froze up or otherwise failed after a few months.
Review: Toshiba DR570 DVD Recorder With Built in Tuner, Black, Contributors to Amazon.com
2. About.com
Robert Silva includes the Toshiba DR570 in his list of top DVD recorders at About.com. The review is brief and focuses on features instead of performance. Silva does say that it is a good DVD recorder with a tuner for those whose needs are basic. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
Review: Top DVD Recorders, Robert Silva
The Toshiba DR570 DVD recorder earns a fifth-place finish here, but it's in a category that includes TiVo DVRs. The brief write-up says that the DR570 is easy to set up and use, but the review doesn't really shed any other light on the DVD recorder.
Review: Toshiba DR570 DVD Recorder, Josh Tuliano
4. JR.com
Fewer owners weigh in here than at Amazon.com, but satisfaction is a touch higher -- 4 out of 5 stars overall. Some issues crop up, but most say they are happy with ease of use and image quality.
Review: Toshiba DR570 DVD Recorder with Built-In Digital Tuner, Contributors to JR.com
5. Epinions.com
There are just a few owner reviews here, but most are positive giving the Toshiba DR570 an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. The remote control does elicit some complaints, however, with one long and otherwise-positive review saying that buttons are not well marked and that their layout could stand some improvement.
Review: Toshiba DR570 DVD Recorder, Contributors to Epinions.com
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