Home > Consumer Reviews > Sony RDR-HXD870 - DVD Recorder With 160GB Hard Drive - With Freeview - Black

Once you've cracked the instructions, this machine will transform your TV viewing, but until Sony can write a decent manual, what is a potentially 5-star product can only justify 4 stars (what's the use of a fantastic product that people have difficulty understanding?). After all, it's only a gadget to get more out of watching the telly!
This machine is almost bloated with features, to the point that virtually no one will benefit from everything it offers on day-1, and for many users some features may remain unused forever (rather like some of those obscure programs on our washing machine!). For the person who is used to the latest digital TV functions, getting used to this unit will be easier, but someone making a leap from analogue to digital and replacing a VCR with a hard drive machine, initially it may seem a leap too far!
Something I really like is that by entering a code, the unit's remote control now operates (basic functions only) my Toshiba TV as well.
To get the most out of this machine, you need a good user manual, and I have to agree with other reviewers that the manual is probably the worst I have ever come across. It may all be in there somewhere, but finding it is another matter. For example, something as simple as setting the TV's aspect ratio is hidden away in a small table on page 144, with no reference to it in either the Table of Contents or the Index. Also, much of what is written is poorly explained. Terms are used that are not made clear, so you just hope you've got it right!
Some reviewers say that you can't record one programme and watch another. This is wrong, but tends to confirm that the user manual could be better.
The machine itself has 2 tuners - 1 digital and 1 analogue. The analogue is presumably mainly for those who still live in an area where they can't get a decent digital signal. But it also serves another function, which is to provide the signal to the Electronic Programme Guide (EPG), GUIDE Plus+, which is only updated by an analogue channel. If you don't connect your aerial via the unit's analogue tuner, then the EPG will always be blank, unless, during setup, you change the EPG option to digital. I experimented by disconnecting the unit's analogue tuner and opting for the digital version of the EPG. However, this is much less sophisticated than the analogue GUIDE Plus+, so I returned to using GUIDE Plus+. None of this is properly explained in the user manual. My unit also has a minor fault with the manual setting of the recorder timer, but at the moment there isn't a firmware update available from Sony to fix it (I've discussed this with Sony technical staff). Maybe now you can see why some users get confused!
Our TV is an old analogue one, so you can record one digital channel while watching one of the 5 terrestrial channels. What you can't do is record a Freeview channel (using the unit's digital tuner) and watch another digital channel at the same time. To do this you have to have a digital TV, or another digital set-top box. As people replace their old analogue TVs with new digital ones, this limitation will disappear, but again, it's not made clear in the user manual.
However, you can start recording a programme, then watch it from the start a bit later, while it's still recording the rest of the programme. You can also watch a previously recorded programme, while it records another, plus all the other good things that a hard drive recorder offers. Then you can dump old programmes you want to keep from the hard drive onto DVD, to free-up space on the hard drive.
I believe this machine offers just about everything that most people could ask for, but don't bother trying to get everything out of it on day-1. Start by using the basic functions and learn what else it offers as you go along. Also, visit the Sony web site for more information - it seems that they realise that most people are thoroughly confused, so have published some additional info. While you're there, you can download firmware updates for the unit and also use their feedback page to complain about the dreadful user manual and tell them to provide a decent one, which can be downloaded.

Hard disk recorder with upscaling DVD recorder at a reasonable price. Best features for me are series record and 1080p HDMI output (DVDs look great even with a cheap HDMI cable). Most of the complaints I've read on Amazon seem to fit into 4 main categories:-

1. An expectation that it is a PVR. It does not claim to have twin digital tuners. Most modern TVs usually have an internal Freeview receiver, which is fine if simultaneous recording isn't required.

2. Trouble reading the manual. It's true the manual tends to go into unnecessary detail about advanced settings and modes. I rarely have any need for the manual because I find the recorder and the remote control intuitive. I recommend just playing around with it for 20 mins. It's easy enough to setup (suggest using a SCART cable initially and then migrating to HDMI), it scans all the digital channels automatically. The only option I had to set was the choice of EPG.

3. Weak reception. I don't have any specific problem so cannot comment. It performs just like any other Freeview receiver I've had.

4. Missed timer recordings. I recommend checking the firmware is at least version v1.65. Easy to do - full details are on Sony's website.

My only gripes are minor:- I'd love to move HDD recordings into folders and the EPG just looks a bit dated compared with the one on my Sony TV.

An undocumented feature is that it is also capable of reading DVD-RAM disks, so I was able to dub recordings made on my old Panasonic machine with no trouble.

Having had this for a week now I can heartily recommend it. I spent some time researching these machines as I wanted one that had the following features:
1) HDMI output
2) 1080p upscaling
3) S-Video and iLink (Firewire) input for converting my camcorder footage to DVD
4) Digital Freeview Tuner (and analogue back-up)
5) Decent size hard drive
Not only does it provide these it also has a great user interface, lots of advanced features and makes recording and archiving camcorder footage and off-air recording a cinch. I had also heard that these fan cooled devices created a high level of ambient noise (like a PC). This Sony is damn near silent! Picture and audio quality is excellent. Overall - very highly recommended, and because of its usability a real bargain.

Just bought this through amazon market place.

Good points:
- This has a fantastic quality freeview picture that blows my old pvr80 out of the water.
- its quiet for a hard disk recorder and starts quickly too
- Straight forward to use but you do have to read the manual
- You can watch or edit a recording on the hard disk while recording another channel
- Easy to make great dvds with your own chapters and theres a few different index themes to choose from
- Upscaling DVD playback is good but not quite as impressive as some of the high end upscalers (but then I am comparing it to a top end Denon that is three to four times the price)
- looks like a quality piece of av kit
- freeview playback is the feature I bought this for. Being able to automatically record a whole series of my favourite programmes is great.
- connectivity is great: hdmi, component, scart, usb for pictures/music and you can hook up a printer
- PRICE!!! 160gb hard disk, fantastic freeview tuner, freeview playback, dvd upscaler, dvd burner, usb port for pics and music from Sony. That is a lot of machine for your money.

Bad points (or why its not perfect and looses out on that fifth star)
- Only one tuner, why do all manufacturers of hdd/dvd recorders only include one tuner with their machines? However Sony have made up for this (a little bit) with their great remote that can be used with other brand tvs which means that I can easily switch to my Toshiba tv tuner with one button press when I am recording something.
- The tuner is fantastic but it doesn't appear to have a built in signal booster so sometimes weaker signal channels can have some artifacts and stuttering. This is very rare for me and doesn't affect the major channels but I am sure if you have a weak freeview signal it would be worth investing in a signal booster.
- Early batches of the machine lose recordings unless you turn off EPG link when setting a recording. If you have an early machine contact Sony and they will send you a cd with software that will fix this bug
- Some people don't seem to like the EPG, I think its fine as it looks similar to Sky. However if you don't like it Sony have also included Guideplus which means you don't have to put up with it.

So overall I am very happy with this unit and can highly recommend it, the quality and features make it a steal at current prices. Even the bad points are just minor niggles rather than anything to worry about. The only competitor would be the panasonic ex77 but it doesn't have freeview playback and is more expensive.

Having had this for 2 months now it is a brilliant piece of kit and will change the way you watch TV if you haven't used a PVR before. The picture quality from the DVD is superb and the Freeview tuner is a hundred times better than my existing Philips one. The unit is completely silent, very easy to use and has some excellent features.

But there are a couple of minor niggles.

When switching to EPG, you lose the picture completely unlike most digiboxes which keep a picture of the current channel in the corner of the screen, so you can still watch while checking the schedules. Can't understand why they didn't include this.

You need a seperate freeview box if you want to watch a digital channel while recording another. Simple to connect as the aerial feed simply passes through the recorder to the digibox.

The editing of recorded programmes is not very flexible. You can chop bits out, but that's about it. Can't keep the original version, can't select bits to keep. So for editing camcorder stuff it won't replace a pc.

It has a lot of input formats but they aren't as flexible as they seem. USB can only take music or still picture, not video files. Only way to input video is to play from a DVD or camcorder.

While it will play video CDS it won't record to them, only to DVD discs. Annoying if you want to burn a 20 min video.

These are fairly minor points however - it is a brilliant unit which I don't regret buying.