Home > Consumer Reviews > Sony RDR-HXD890 Freeview+ 160GB Hard Disc Drive DVD Recorder - Black

On star for the build quality, it's brilliant, and one star for various functions to record to DVD etc.

However it is the most complicated piece of equipment I have EVER used. The manual is appalling, around 140 pages that do not help you understand how to use what is a complex piece of kit. I spent 2 hours trying to get the DVD player to integrate with a set top box, in the end trial and error got it working as the set up in the manual is actually wrong.

Another complaint is that it can only record the programme you are watching. Not much use unless you have another set top box. For the price I thought it would be similer to Sky+ with the ability to record and watch another channel.

If you want a DVD recorder there are cheaper and easier to use bit of kit out there. This is fantastic quality, but only really for people who want to copy to DVD a lot. Too complicated for it's own good.

I, like a lot of people, trust Sony to produce a quality product, but this is the exception to the rule. I decided on the sony to replace my old/faulty Philips DVD recorder, but on first switch-on I noticed the intrusive fan noise. It was not this that put me off, but the very poor freeview reception did. I have many freeview TVs/Boxes and none of them break up the picture like this Sony. On most stations, the blocking/pixelation appears every few seconds and makes a clean recording impossible. I decided to return it straight away. Looks like Panasonic for me in future...or wait until this Sony is replaced by a newer model.

Hi Rodders, when you transfer films from video to dvd does it do it fast speed??