Sony RDR-VX500

[pbuscher]

Has anyone tried out the Sony RDR-VX500? It looks interesting! Plays DVD+R/RW, -R/RW, VHS, Progressive Scan, MP3, has an i-Link port, JPEG viewer (according to Amazon.com), and plays VCDs and SVCDs (according to Best Buy).

I'm looking for a good DVD-VHS combo that can also record DVDs in +R/RW and -R/RW. How is this Sony? Anyone have a review that they want to share? Is there any other one better?

Thanks

[squansurf]

I purchased the RDR VX500 for many reasons (mulitple formats, the VHS included in the same unit, iLink, the Sony brand name) - and have not had the greatest success with the unit. My original goal was to migrate my VHS video tapes and a combo unit seemed like a logical choice. If you want to do a direct dump the unit works fairly well - but if you want to add chapters to make finding clips easier, then either you must use the DVD-RW option - or stop and start the video tape to have the unit begin the recording of the next segment as a new video clip - you can't go in and add chapters with the DVD+ or -R option after recording the entire VHS tape. That made adding in chapters a chore as the VHS tape keeps playing when you stop the DVD burn process - so you have to change the remote to control the VHS and then rewind to where you made the previous segment end... starting from exactly the right spot is hit or miss. However, my biggest disappointment came when I tried to use the iLink connection to do a "DV Dub" - supposedly, my Sony digital camcorder with iLink should work flawlessly with the Sony VX500. Using the iLink (Firewire) cable, my images and sound were displayed on my TV through the VX500 - however, when I tried to do the DV Dub I was told that the cable was not connected. After numerous attempts to find out why I was getting this error - the on-line chat help from Sony is useless and their Email support is just as bad - I still have yet to resolve this problem. Today, the unit has begun to create DVD coasters - when I atempt to finalize the disc for viewing on any other system, the discs are not being finalized correctly - although they appear to be from the on-screen display. I can't play them in another DVD unit - or on my computer... although the first few I made work OK. I am really disappointed with this unit and with Sony in general - I will probably return it and purchase a Pioner or Panasonic model.