Home > Consumer Reviews > Sony RDRGX350B DVD Recorder

A quality machine from a premium brand - what more could you ask for - If you want a DVD Recorder without the hard drive go for this one. The upscaling capabilities are amazing - I have a 1080p tv and this goes fantastic with it. You can tell the difference straight away when watching a DVD with a HDMI cable upscaled compared to using just a scart cable. It records and plays all - , +, and -rw , +rw discs, it will also (if you ask it to) reformat -R & -Rw Discs to( Vr mode) before use.

I have bought this to link to my new Virgin V box. The setup is quite easy, it searches for TV signals and although the original order had a weak chaneel 4 at position 4 it is easy enough to change the positions. The system seems to recognise and work with a range of DVD formats even the non branded ones I have used to archive old VHS tapes.

The display on the front is too dim to be of any use from your armchair but this does not detract. There is a fairly audible fan when recording but not disturbing.

Good product!

This machine represents a fantastic bargain, with a quick start up, HDMI and decent play back (also applies via Scart). Although it has only as analogue tuner, Sky etc can be looped through and recorded from using channel line 1. If you're after a no frills recorder but want quality, useability and reliability, this model should be on your shortlist along with the likes of Panasonic's DMR EZ28(dearer but freeview).

I ordered this for my Dad to use on his Sony Brava TV and very nice it is too -it took me a while to work my way through the 102 page handbook! I decided to stick to Videoplus to record off the TV. The picture quality compared to VHS is amazing. Although I haven't tried it, it appears you can connect a VHS player to it and copy on to DVD (and therefore also from a camcorder). To me this certainly makes it good value.
The downside is no freeview, you record off the 5 analogue channels - BUT you can record 1 freeview channel off a Brava TV, using a scart lead in line 1 and connect to line 1 on the recorder, then press input button on DVD handset and select line 1. You will only record one digital channel and cannot change to watch an analogue channel nor switch the TV off. HOWEVER if you have an ANALOGUE TV and a DIGITAL box you should be able to set up recorder via your digital box then be able to watch analogue TV while recording on digital and switch you TV off,but keep digital box on! It works with my LG TV/VHS. Despite what others have said, no freeview is a major minus point, some areas have already had analogue TV switched off and we all may have by 2012. However who knows what systems we will be using by then! Until then this is a good quality machine at a bargain price and its good practice for recording on DVDs until we all have to buy a more expensive machine!

I thought this was a good replacement for my Panasonic machines (which have both developed some weird faults and will not record on non RAM discs) until I tried to duplicate a DVD-R I made on the Sony on my PC. Yes, Ashampoo says it has copied it and the vob files etc are all there, but the copy will not play on the Panasonic or PC.
I have also tried to rip the files of Sony made DVDs using DVDFab (which worked fine on Panasonic discs) so I can post my home vids of bands on YouTube. No luck. I found an alternative ripper but that's another 30 quid.
A look around the web told me others had similar problems. It's something to do with Sony's filing system which dislikes your making back up copies of your DIY home clips etc.
It makes me worry about what happens when this model dies and I can't play all these discs. That should be OK because it's more a matter of the inability to copy rather than playback.
Other than that there's much to commend this well-priced machine.