COBY DVDR1000 DVD Recorder / Player

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Manufacturer: Coby
Price at amazon.com: Used & new from $237.16

List price $465.99



Product Features:

• Also playback capable for DVD, DVD+R, DVD+RW, CD, CD-R, CD-RW and MP3 discs
• Built-in TV tuner for scheduled program recording -- watch your favorite shows when you're ready, not when the network prefers!
• Built-in A/V inputs for recording from any A/V source, including your VCR and camcorder
• Compatible with NTSC / PAL sources (proper format TV / Monitor required for each format)
• Multiple subtitle / viewing angle options

Product Description:

Average Customer Rating:

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Comment: Coby DVDR1000 Rating:
I am an Electrical Engineer with some experience with electronic consumer products, and I have even repaired many of them. This is the only DVD recorder that I have owned.

The price was very low and was an incentive to try it. I took the first unit back to the store when it failed to read most of my prerecorded DVDs. The second unit worked better, but was still having trouble some of the time. After playing around a little, the unit began to work quite well, for some unknown reason.

I have noticed in the month that I have owned the product that it can be quite temperamental, but more often than not, works pretty well. I believe that there are firmware (internal software) bugs in the product.

I initially bought some low cost +RW disks before I read the manual. They wouldn't record! I then got some Memorex disks which were recommended in the manual, and things got better.

To make a long story short, I've learned to live with a very temperamental product because of the low cost. For example, when recording movies with the timer, they often don't come out, at first. My next step now, is to record an additional short segment after the movie and, "BOOM", the disk now works properly with the original recording. I can erase the additional recording with no problem.

The manual has excellent English, but is missing a lot of key information. For example, it tells you how to format a DVD, but there is no explanation as to why, or when, you might want to do that. There are still some set-up functions where I haven't a clue as to what they do. Again the manual says nothing!

The quality of the recording is very good as most other reviewers have stated. The DVDs also play OK on another playback machine that I have. There are some internal adjustments, I would have to say, however, are not set correctly - the black level, for instance, but they are not too far off. And I agree with the other reviews that the TV tuner is poor.

This is a simple, basic, machine that lacks a lot of features that could be nice (editing functions, for example). But the simplicity means less complexity for the average user and could be viewed as a benefit.

In conclusion, if you are willing to fiddle with some of the temperamental nature of this machine, it may be worth the low cost. However, I would think that someone with little patience won't like this machine. A lot more money is probably in order for that person!

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Comment: Small Expense, Great Performance Rating:
I have tried Pioneer und Sony DVR's for twice the price of this one and believe me, they don't perform anything like as well as this !
OK., the tuner isn't the best, but if you're using a satellite or cable box and connecting via the composite/component or SVHS inputs/outputs, NOT the RF (bypassing the tuner), then this baby is for you !
No problems with both 2x and 4x RW+ and R+ media...used several brands, burnt then everytime, no problems. Quality is better in high or best mode, noticed anything less pixilates a lot.
I took out the extended warranty, just in case - but for the money, you can't go wrong !

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Comment: Coby records fine, has many extras Rating:
One day's use so far, and it works with all the media I have thrown at it (mostly memorex brand DVD-/+r/w).

The recording is as good as cyberhome and other less expensive DVR players--at least my unit was good (not dark or pale, except on super high contrast cartoons). Perhaps those getting dark/pale recordings were trying to record something with macro/copy protection, or just got bum units.

Some bonuses:
It plays MPG files straight without authoring.

Plays JPG slide shows without authoring, though with no user-select of time between slides.

Plays DVD-R even though not listed on specs.

Have not tested commercial editing yet, but other basic functions were simple enough.

The manual is written fairly well.

Only giving it a 4 because:
It does not allow for real-time play and record concurrently (allowing you to pause while recording and continue recording as it is paused)

It does not work with DVD-R/W (only +).

It does not play WMA, nor give ID tags on mp3 (though it does play down to 32kbps spoken word files).

But for the price, $237+tax, it was the cheapest DVR I've seen.

Comparing to the cyberhome 1500 DVR, it is better looking and has essentially the same features.

Posted at October 11, 2003 01:58 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)