Home > Consumer Reviews > Sony RDR-HXD995 Freeview+ 250GB Hard Disc Drive DVD Recorder

This recorder / player is excellent and lives up to the good reviews I read before purchasing this unit. The basic record / play functions are simple and easy to get to grips with and menu easy to navigate around. You can watch DVD's/HDD programs whilst recording live TV broadcasts and pause live TV etc. The upscaling of DVD's produces a much better picture on my HD TV than my previous DVD player. Hi speed dubbing from HDD to DVD is quick with simple editing function available. I was considering some other slightly cheaper units before purchasing the Sony HDD/DVD and negative feedback put me off. I definately recommend this model.

We have had this recorder for over 1 month now and we still haven't got it working right. My husband is quite a techno guy but even this has caught him out! We live in an area which is changing over to digital in the next month or so, so maybe this is the problem? We are unable to get the guide plus system to work even though we have followed the book instructions and online instructions numerous times, and all the channels wipe themselves off occasionally, we have been unable to record programmes more than being able to record them! We have a sony bravia tv and we thought we would be able to link the two together very easily, "ha ha" say sony fooled you!!! Next step contacting sony direct for help! Has anyone else had this problem?.... My husband would give it 5 stars if and when it works properly!
just to let you know Guide Plus problem is now sorted! According to Sony Store the Guide Plus is a government run system for freeview and all DVD recorders need to have it on, but Sony also do their own type of Guide plus which is GUIDE DIGITAL and this is the system they recommend you use! Its quicker and more efficient, we now have a successfully working DVD recorder and my husband has requested we change the star rating to 5! We got their in the end well done Sony!

I had a previous SONY RDR HX510 recorder, which had been reconditioned and had a serious problem with it right from the start. Unfortunately the remainder of the one-year guarantee didn't transfer. But I persevered and managed to live with the problems.
Subsequently I decided to take the bull by the horns and buy a replacement.

The new one - RDR HXD995 - seems to be far more complicated, although it has a few improvements. If I could have got the previous one I'd have selected it in preference though.

No doubt I shall grow to love this one in time?

This is a good machine. It is easy to setup and use. However, it has one big fault, it does not play picture discs. My old Sony DVD player did and there was nothing in the write-ups that mentioned this problem. I am happy with the machine but might have considered another make had I known.

The machine worked quite well for just under two years. Then, without warning, the hard drive stopped working. I would expect better from a machine of this supposed quality and cost!
Frank English