Product Description

It is the component moment you have been waiting for. Sony's RDR-GX7 DVD Recorder is available now! Record to DVD from your television and see the difference digital technology makes. You'll experience the benefits of DVD+RW/-RW/-R DVD Format Recording Compatibility, Precision Cinema Progressive 480P for Playback, One Touch Dubbing for DV/D8 Via i.LINK Interface, and a User Friendly Graphic User Interface. The Timer Recording feature and Adjustable Recording Times (60-360 Minutes) enable simple TV to DVD recording. Additional features include a Variable Bit Rate for Linear and Non-Linear Editing, Video DAC with 108Mhz processing w/NSV, a 192 kHz 24 Bit Digital to Analog Converter, a Dolby Digital and dts Optical/Coaxial Output, and TV Virtual Surround with 4 Surround Modes. Invite your family into the digital age with the RDR-GX7.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #40225 in Consumer Electronics
• Color: Silver
• Brand: Sony
• Model: RDRGX7

Features

• DVD+RW/-RW/-R DVD Format Recording Compatibility
• Precision Cinema Progressive 480P for Recording and Playback
• One Touch Dubbing for DV/D8 Via i.LINK Interface
• User Friendly Graphic User Interface
• Variable Bit Rate for Adjustable Recording Times (60-360 Minutes)

Amazon.com Product Description
Sony RDR-GX7 component DVD recorder is the world's first standalone, dual-RW (DVD-R/-RW and DVD+R/+RW) home DVD player/recorder. Its format versatility gives you nearly complete recording and viewing freedom--the flexibility to create or view optical media for or from most computer DVD recorders. Further, the machine can accommodate the recordable optical formats required by any of your friends and family, regardless of their DVD players (though some older players do not play recordable media).

The RDR-GX7's sophisticated camcorder control capabilities lets you manage a range of dubbing and editing functions when you connect a Digital Handycam or Digital8 camcorder through the i.LINK (IEEE 1394) interface. One-touch dubbing fosters easy tape-to-disc conversion, and you can delete unwanted scenes or make a compilation of your favorite scenes with flexible editing functions such as program edit and advanced program edit.

Several picture-enhancing technologies are aimed at creating high-quality recordings, especially when transferring images from video sources such as VHS or 8 mm camcorders. The unit can play back DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-R, DVD+R, CD, CD-R and CD-RW discs--offering a wealth of musical enjoyment alongside its extensive video capabilities.

The playback capability of the DVD recorder is said to be comparable to the high-end DVD players in Sony's acclaimed ES line. The player/recorder delivers stunning home-theater effects through a variety of high-performance features that optimize picture quality and effectively remove noise, such as a 12-bit, 108 MHz video digital-to-analog converter with Noise Shaped Video technology, motion-adaptive field noise reduction, pre-frame noise reduction, and pre-video equalizer technologies. Variable bit-rate MPEG encoding ensures maximum efficiency and recording time (60 to 360 minutes) for all applicable DVD media.

Whether your living room is currently home to an HDTV or you're merely thinking of "someday," the RDR-GX7 stands ready to deliver the full potential of your DVDs. Progressive scanning, referred to as 480p for the number of horizontal lines that compose the video image, creates a picture using twice the scan lines of a conventional DVD picture, giving you higher resolution and sharper images while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts. Using Sony's Precision Cinema Progressive technology, the recorder also encodes your DV (digital video) input sources in pristine 480p formatting.

During playback, the RDR-GX7 also performs 3:2 pulldown. DVD mastering introduces a common distortion when adjusting 24-frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video; 3:2 pulldown digitally corrects this distortion, removing the redundant information to display a film-frame-accurate picture. Top-of-the-line component-video outputs help minimize digital and line-scan artifacts on compatible advanced televisions, while composite- and S-video outputs bring compatibility with nearly any television.

Two sets of left/right analog-audio inputs and one set of outputs channel audio to Dolby Pro Logic receivers and stereo televisions. Both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround-sound signals can be routed through the player's digital-audio outputs (one each of RCA coaxial and Toslink optical) for direct connection to a full-featured audio/video receiver.

Despite its advanced functionality, the RDR-GX7's intelligent onscreen graphical user interface (GUI) is entirely user-friendly, helping you create personal DVD titles with thumbnail pictures and operate the recorder through the sophisticated Remote Commander remote control. There's no need to cue or rewind tape here, so accessing precise points in your programming is nearly effortless.

What's in the Box
DVD player/recorder, user's manual, audio/video cord, 75-ohm coaxial video cable, Remote Commander remote control, and two AA batteries.

From the Manufacturer
It is the component moment you have been waiting for. Sony's RDR-GX7 DVD Recorder lets you record to DVD from your television to see the difference digital technology makes. You'll experience the benefits of DVD+RW/-RW/-R DVD format recording compatibility, Precision Cinema Progressive 480P for playback, one-touch dubbing for DV/D8 sources via the i.LINK (IEEE 1394) interface, and a user-friendly graphical user interface.

The timer recording feature and adjustable recording times (60-360 minutes) enable simple TV to DVD recording. Additional features include a variable bit rate for linear and nonlinear editing, video DAC with 108 MHz processing with NSV, a 192 kHz/24-Bit digital to analog audio converter, Dolby Digital and DTS optical/coaxial digital-audio outputs, and TV Virtual Surround with four surround modes. Invite your family into the digital age with the new RDR-GX7.

• DVD+RW/-RW/-R DVD format recording compatibility
  
• Precision Cinema Progressive 480P for recording and playback
  
• One-touch dubbing for DV/D8 Via i.LINK interface
  
• User-friendly graphical user interface
  
• Timer recording feature
  
• Pre-frame/post frame noise reduction
  
• Variable bit rate for adjustable recording times (60-360 minutes)
  
• Linear and nonlinear editing

Customer Reviews

The New Cornerstone of My Home Theatre
I've had my Sony RDR-GX7 recorder for two weeks now, as of the date of this review. I decided to buy it in part because of the raves it got from consumers here on the amazon.com website. Let me tell you, they didn't steer me wrong! This recorder has already become an indispensible asset to my home theatre system.

As a devoted film fanatic, I've been wondering for years how I was ever going to replace some of the scarcer titles in my movie collection once my old hardware players die (I own movies in several now-defunct formats). It's no longer a worry - I'm transferring everything to DVD-R discs! And the new DVDs look incredible, even on my 57" widescreen TV ... the Sony DVD recorder is cleaning up some of the video "noise" on my old software, and the results are amazing. I also have an extensive library of home movies featuring loved ones who are no longer alive, and it's such a relief to be preserving my cherished - but fading - VHS tapes onto DVDs! I'm even doing some re-editing with my new Sony Recorder, and although I'm strictly an untalented amateur, I'm very happy with the results I've achieved so far.

The RDR-GX7 has some very cool special features that I wanted, but didn't think it had when I bought it. You can set up the recorder to automatically make Chapter Stops on your DVDs, at either 6 minute or 15 minute intervals, making the discs easy to search. You can record several programs onto one DVD, and then create a menu - including the names of each separate title - using a simple feature on the remote control. There are six recording modes, allowing you to control the quality and total recording time of each disc you make. If you make a mistake while starting to copy something onto a disc, it's no big deal! Just "erase" the bad footage using your remote control, and start over - your mistake will still be on the disc, but it will be permanently "hidden" and unplayable, so no one will ever guess you're not the perfect DVD-masterer. If you want to record raw footage and then edit it later, you can do so by using a DVD-RW disc and recording in a special editing mode.

The Sony RDR-GX7 is also very easy to set up ... I was afraid it might be a nightmare to integrate into my existing home theatre system, but the Quick Start Guide made it simple. I had never used a DVD-recorder before, but I had it hooked up to my DSS dish, AV receiver, TV, VCR, and LaserDisc player - and was creating my first disc - within an hour of unpacking the box!

I'm admittedly not familiar with all the other DVD-recorders on the market, so I really can't compare them all. However, I can tell you that I debated making this purchase for about four months while I debated formats and features and prices, and that I have aboslutely no regrets about choosing the Sony RDR-GX7. It's everything I hoped it would be ... and much, much more. Good luck making your product decision, and I hope that whatever your choice, you end up being as completely satisfied as I. Happy DVD recording!

Fantastic DVD Recorder
I purchased the Sony RDR-GX7 DVD recorder in June. Since June I have used the recorder daily, sometimes recording two or three shows a day. The more I use the RDR-GX7 the more I like it.

First, it is very convenient to use. Just pop a recordable DVD (+RW, -RW or -R) into the tray and set the timer. The timer is very easy to set (it even has the VCR+ feature.) The RW discs are used like VHS videotape because you just use them over and over again. Plus you never have to Fast Forward or Rewind the disc to find a place to record and you always know how much space is available with very nicely laid out on-screen displays.

Second, this unit has two noise reduction circuits. One for the incoming signal and one for the outgoing signal. This means that even if the TV signal coming into the tuner is not good, the recorded DVD is watchable. The recording is usually better than the incoming signal even when recorded in the SLP (6 hour) mode.

Third, the discs you record on this unit in the +RW mode are immediately watchable in another DVD player. I often watch one +RW disc I've recorded on my 'GX7 with my Sony DVP-NS700P player while my RDR-GX7 is recording something else. I've also used -RW discs formatted in VR mode to record on and that mode is great for editing the disc, but very few players will playback -RW VR mode. You can format the -RW discs in Video mode and they playback in other players. -R discs, once finalized, playback fine on most other players. Be aware that some older DVD players may not playback RW discs, regardless of format.

Fourth, recording from a camcorder or VCR is very easy and the final product is VERY good. I've already transferred several older family video tapes over to DVD and I'm very happy with the result. This unit is easier to use for dubbing VHS, Hi8, Mini DV, etc. to DVD than my computer. However, the computer does allow for fancier editing than is possible with the 'GX7.

Finally, this recorder is also a great player. It has progressive scan, Dolby Digital and DTS. It also plays back CDs, CD-Rs and CD-RWs. It has very flexible outputs so you should be able to hook it up to your system without difficulty. One note, however, there is no RF converter, so your TV must have video or component inputs or you will need to buy an RF converter. The RF input on the recorder is only used to receive the signal for the antenna feed and then pass the signal through to the TV and/or VCR. Also be aware that there is no hard disk drive in this unit but that it DOES have advanced editing features when used in conjunction with a miniDV camcorder. I'm very impressed with the flexibility and quality of this unit. Sure, you pay a little bit more for the Sony, but in this case it is worth it. I'm a long time Sony fan and customer and this unit continues to hold up their high standards of excellence. If you buy this unit, you should be very happy with it.

Happy DVD burning . . .

Great product. I am loving it so far...
After fruitlessly trying to set up a miniature movie and DVD burning studio on my computer, I broke down and bought this DVD Recorder. I absolutely love it so far, and I plan on eventually converting my massive sports event collection to DVD.

The product comes with a huge user manual, but I don't know why, because it is extremely easy to use. It is no more complicated than a new VCR. All of the menus and commands are intuitive. Most commands only require you to press three or four buttons to get to a command. To start using it, you just pop in a DVD, start recording, pause to edit out the commercials, and stop when you come to a natural break in the program. When you are done, you can name your chapters using the on-screen menus. I use DVD-R disks, and they are extremely cheap if you get them 25 or 50 at a time, which you will most definitely want to do.

This weekend I zapped a football game from my satellite to two DVDs using the HSP recording mode. I watched a few minutes of the DVD with a buddy of mine, and we both couldn't get over how wonderful it looked, and how crisp the recording was. I can get 90 minutes to a DVD on HSP mode, and it almost perfectly reproduces a satellite or digital cable picture (if you squint real hard, you can sometimes see rough edges around small objects on the screen when they are moving - that's about it.) You can get up to 3 hours on a DVD with the LP mode, but you can see the slight decrease in quality from a satellite picture.

Before you buy, MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE RECORDING MODES! The technology does not allow you to reproduce a 150-minute movie yet on one DVD (it requires two). That is, unless, you want to take a quality hit. If you can get over this, then this is a product that you will want to get.