new dual format recorder $139.00 @walmart

[JimLely]

Based on information on the WalMart site which said that the Balance could RECORD CDs (like the LiteOn 5005), I ordered it. Well, it doesn't record CDs. I recently checked the WalMart site which now states that it PLAYS CDs. Also the tuner is mono and in my particular machine was emitting a hum on the right channel.

I returned it to my local WalMart and got my charge card credited (however, they did not credit me for shipping despite the false advertisment on their website.) I think this is a very unsatisfactory DVDR.

Jim

[canadateck]

(however, they did not credit me for shipping despite the false advertisment on their website.) I think this is a very unsatisfactory DVDR.

Jim

My wife would have raised hell..
and got the shipping refunded or arrested...

[D'oh!]

Anybody still tinkering with this unit? More reports please! Did everyone who got one return it... or did anyone decide to keep it?

How well does it compare to the ILO DVDR04?

D'oh!

[crazythunder]

i understand that some people are on a budget and not everyone can afford top of the line. but over the years, i've learned to never buy electronics from a no-name, brand x company. if i can't afford the device i want, i save up for it. i had a panasonic dvd player die on me recently. only 3 months old. bought it for the kids. got a sony replacement. should have known better, thought even panny was decent.. even stuff for the kids , i'll get decent stuff. i can't remember the last time i was disappointed by investing a little more money and having a little patience. if noone bought the units that are crap, maybe they'd catch on and make them a little more satisfactory to the users. then again, maybe not. but companies like that will never get my hard earned money. i work outside all year, rain snow etc... and i'll be damned if i'm going to give my money to "brand x", only to have to return it in 2 days. sorry, just my rant. i guess i just can't understand why people say things like "my cheap, no name brand x, with no manual and no support" is giving me problems.

[newlife]

Hi All,
I have good and bad news! The good news is, I spoke with tech support (1/28/05) at Balance Digital http://www.balance-digital.com/contact.htm, (800) 242-1922 and they stated that a new model will be release sometime the next four to six weeks that will fix all of the reported problems.

Bad news:
Anyone who purchase the unit within the one year warr. will have to send back the old one for a replacement.

Hopefully this will help!

-Kevin

[vhelp]

BJ's (if you have one in your area) has the Lite-On for $109 (no rebates)
And, it's a DL. the speed for this model, if I understood the packaging, was:

* DL @ 2x

Other featues were 4x and 16x burn speeds of (I guess) other formats.

-vhelp 3071

[D'oh!]

Kevin... thanks for the info. I e-mailed Balance tech support 3 times over a period of a month with not a single reply.

Did this guy who told you this seem to know what he was talking about? I see that the DR4111 is no longer sold by walmart (for the past 2 weeks).

I have this recorder and it's a total pile of crap. It has all the features that I want... but it just doesn't work properly at all.

I would feel better if they posted some kind of official statement on the website... then again, their website is crap too.


D'oh!

[newlife]

Hi D'oh!,
I ask the tech support rep about any fixes for this unit and he stated no, but need to check with his manager about how the company was going to deal with the reported problems. After checking with his manager, that is what I was informed.

-Hope that help. You can call them.

Also, the next time anyone goes to BJ, please get the model # of the DVD recorder. Thanks

-Kevin 8)

[lumeng]

My short experience with a Balance Dual Format DVD Recorder:

I bought this unit because I liked these two feature
1. Dual format
2. Editting capability

And I sacrificed my frugality by ordering it online and paying shipping and tax because Walmart.com website gave me an impression it's in a short supply. First time I saw it, I didn't buy it. When I looked at the website next day, it's out of stock. The second time I saw it, it's gone before I could finish typing my info. I finally got it after checking it everyday, especially in the evenings.

After a week of waiting, the unit arrived, on the last day of the promised delivery time frame. That was last Friday. I immediately began to test it. Meanwhile I found this videohelp website, and pleased to read the comments made by all of you. Thanks.

After hooking up with my TV, nothing was showing up. I was puzzled. I read the manual, again and again, for half an hour, trying to find a clue what's going on. Thanks to my engineering training, I found out that, despite of a coaxial output, the signal actually came out of the composite instead! I didn't blame the manufacturers for not doing it the same way as the VCRs, but I had to blame whoever wrote the manual. It's terribly written. I just don't understand how they could manufacture a complex product without being able to tell me clearly how to use it (No wonder Cisco was sueing a Chinese company for copying their manuals.) I could do a better job than that.

Now I had the signal, it's time to try a disc. But no matter what kind of disc I inserted, VCDs, DVDs, even brand new blanks, it always said NO DISC. This time, I couldn't use either my engineering smart or the manual. I had to wait till today, Monday, to call the tech support (which phone number is on the registration card).

Unfortunately, the answer from them was that I had to return the unit to Walmart. That's the end of it. I took it to the local Walmart, which refunded me everything, including the shipping. The lady who processed my return took over the box, turned around, and threw it on the floor, as if it's really a piece of trash that needed no fix anymore.


Follow-up:
Few days later, Costco had a new shipment of Lite-on LVW5005, for $159, so I grabbed one. I'm going to test it soon.