Sony RDR-GX7 DVD Recorder

THE RDR-GX7 IS GREAT PRACTICAL ARCHIVER

The Sony RDR-GX7 is perfect for archiving non-copy-protected sources, such as wedding videos, home-made videos, and tourist-related VHS tapes that are not copy protected. It has electronic circuitry that actually cleans-up VHS tape images, so that the resulting DVD recording looks better than the original VHS tape source.

The RDR-GX7 has a large, easy-to-read manual and a quick-start poster. It also has an easy to follow on-screen menu system that resembles that of the MS Windows and Apple Macintosh computer operating systems. The menus are logically organized by function. The Disc information screen is especially useful because it tells you how much recording time and space is left on the disc. If you can operate a VCR, you can operate this recorder. One curious design decision: recording can be started manually from an on-screen menu, but can only be stopped by pushing a button on the front panel of the recorder itself.

The RDR-GX7 records in all current formats, so compatibility with existing DVD players is not an issue. If you have an older player, you can probably playback DVD-R discs on it. I have a Sony DVP-S7700 and it works perfectly with DVD-R, but not DVD-RW.

The RDR-GX7 has is well constructed. It has three sets of composite and S-video inputs, including one set on the front panel, and two rear-mounted sets. It also has a set of component outputs and the usual optical connections as well. I always prefer two sets of composite and S-video outputs on recording equipment because I prefer not to have to keep unplugging and replugging wires to satisfy my changing needs. The RDR-GX7 also has a cooling fan, which is a key component to extending the life of the machine. Heat is a big killer of electronic components, especially those in tight-fitting entertainment centers. By the way, the RDR-GX7 is deeper dimensionally than most other stereo components, so it may not fit in your furniture.

THE RDR-GX7 IS NOT A PRACTICAL VCR REPLACEMENT AT $650 EACH

High quality VCR's ($400 ) have a life expectancy of around 14 years. How long will a $650 RDR-GX7 last? I asked Sony tech support this question, and was told that they didn't know but that that they could only warranty it for one year.

I decided to ask the repair technicians at my local Best Buy how long the DVD burners in computers last before needing replacement. I felt that this was a valid comparison because the the RDR-GX7 is basically a DVD burner with VCR functionality. They told me that DVD burners in computers typically last from two to four years before the drive motors fail. Lasers seem to fail when they become covered with dust and their beams reflect off of the dust and burn-up the laser emitters. However, the vast majority of the DVD burner failures are motor related.

In my opinion, $650 for four-year's worth of time-shifted television shows is too expensive. And consider this: Broadcast TV is only 330 lines of resolution, while HQ VHS is 300 lines of resolution, and Super VHS is 400 lines of resolution. Why pay so much more for DVD's 480 lines of resolution?

If this recorder had a hard drive and you didn't need to playback recorded shows using the DVD drive, then it would probably be a practical alternative, assuming that the hard drive would last longer than the DVD drive. However, the RDR-GX7 does not currently have a hard drive option.