Sony RDR-VXD655 DVD Recorder / VCR Combo

Pros: Easy setup & use! HDMI output! Multi-disc format compatibility!
Cons: Bare minimum editing options.

I got this unit free, using points I had accumulated on a credit card I had. I had a whole library of live performances on VHS that I have wanted to transfer to DVD for quite some time now. Originally, I had been using my MiniDV camcorder with the ...

Pros: Upconversion, ease of use, nice VCR, great digital tuner, tons of recording speeds.
Cons: DEFECTIVE DVD player signal processor. Digital artifacts in ALL DVD output.

I purchased this DVD recorder/VCR from B&H. Item was NEW, not open box or refurb, and was DEFECTIVE. The signal processor for the DVD player was defective. ANY DVD, whether burned by me or a purchased movie, showed "digital artifacts" in the ...

Pros: Good quality picture with S-video and HDMI. Easy to setup.
Cons: DVD recording component sub-par. DVD playing is poor with many interruptions with most DVDs.

We have alot of Sony equipment and this one has performed the poorest of any that we purchased. Right out of the box, the DVD player was ultra-sensitive to playing discs often hanging on a scene or temporarily pausing. This would occur for almost all DVDs. Recently, trying to record and have had many disc errors trying to record DVD RW. Recently took back to where we purchased as it is still under warranty.

Pros: Wonderful reproduction of commercial DVDs to our Pioneer Plasma.
Cons: Very slow to load. Minimal manual control of playback without remote and screen.

After a few hours over two months of CD play, tracking errors began: about 10 minutes into a cut. Moving back and for the did not help, nor did cleaning. DVD disc reproduction not affected by this problem. It'll have to go back for warranty repairs.
UPdate: this problem was caused by a (cheap) HDMI connection. Sony was good about servicing the product for only shipping costs. (I discovered the true problem when the unit came back still not working).

Seeming deceptive claims by Sony that unit will throughput HD: not true: only analog composite or s-video inputs available. (Lots of discussion of this issue on various forum boards).