Home > Consumer Reviews > Philips DVDR3455H DVD Hard Disc Recorder 160 GB with Instant Replay

After reading all the reviews of this product, my expectations weren't very high at all. However, when I received the unit and installed it, I spent only about 1 hour figuring out the remote and setting up all the features. Very user friendly. I have been using it daily now for about a month, transferring home movies over to DVD, recording TV and watching DVD movies (I have an expensive JVC DVD player hooked up also, but have yet to find the need to turn it on.) The Phillips 3455 does exactly what it says it does and has exceeded my expectations so far. The only problem I have experienced (once only) was that after leaving the unit on for a couple hours w/ the screen saver on, the unit froze and I had to unplug it.

This appears to be a common problem with this unit. It is very annoying! DVD will continue to play, but no buttons will work (including power button), so I have to unplug and reboot. Remote is absolutely horrible! I would highly suggest you stay away from this unit.

You can't copy DVDs to the harddrive. There is no "Menu" button on the remote to go directly to DVD menus when playing. There is no TV guide listings as another poster has wrongfully posted. You can supply VCR+ input codes to record TV programs, but they are always off by 1 hour, and I don't receive any publications which have VCR+ codes so I have to get online to retrieve them. All menus for this hardware and channel changing is sluggish with annoying delays. I am returning this product.

The Philips 3455 does what it supposed to do. records about 80 hours in SP mode which is more than enough and the picture doesn't look recorded like it does in slower speeds. All in all, this came from that famous "discount store with a star in the middle of the name" I'll probably switch it out before the ninty day period for a panasonic. Here's the cons: The dvr needs the software update right out of the box, thats no biggy because you can download it from the website. 2) The buttons on the remote are recessed, but your fingers get used to pushing them "just right" in the center. 3) A twoyear old universal remote from ratshack does not work with this unit, yes every possible code combination was entered. 4) It froze up once while copying a DVD from the HD, after the software update no problem.

I have owned mine for about a year and a half. I have had no major problems with the unit itself (I did perform the update offered at Philips' site a while ago).

My biggest complaint is the remote. Without the remote you cannot play DVDs. (I moved across country and the remote was packed separately from the unit. I could not play movies until I found the remote.

My other complaint about the remote it there is no MENU button on it. You cannot jump back to the menu when you like during the playback of a DVD. I have to skip through the video to the end and let it go back or turn it off and then back on.

One last issue I have once in awhile is if I leave the unit on for days on end, it will freeze during layback forcing me to shut the unit off by unplugging it (won't respond to anything else) and then replugging it in and re-powering. Once finished, it works well again.