Product Description

Samsung DVD-AR650 DVD Recorder and Player is a component for your home-theater system. It will let you record from analog as well as digital TV channel sources on DVD-RAM and DVD-R - RW discs. It is also dual-layer record compatible. HDMI upconversion 720p/1080i Dual layer recording on all available formats Progressive scan DVD One Touch Recording EZ record function Auto chapter creator Auto fit recording Compatible with DivX Front DV input for digital camcorder transfer Plays DVD/R/RW/RAM - CD/R/RW/DA - MP3/MPEG4/WMA/JPEG 2 video inputs / 1 video output 1 S-video input / 1 S-video output 1 component video output Analog audio input/output Optical and coaxial digital audio output

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11688 in Consumer Electronics
• Color: Black
• Brand: Samsung
• Model: DVD-AR650
• Dimensions: 2.32" h x 16.90" w x 12.00" l, 7.10 pounds

Features

• Multi Layer Recording RAM/+R-R+RW-RW --records and displays in standard definition only
• Dual Layer Recording on -R disc
• HDMI Selectable Upconversion, DIVX, Cable Box Control
• Auto Chapter Creator, Auto Fit Recording
• One Touch Recording Electronic Program Guide (EPG)

Customer Reviews

Very happy/works great!
I bought this unit and have been using it for about 3 days now. Everything seems to be working well! I have it set up with my Samsung 32 inch LCD HDTV (780P) using the HDMI output. I also have standard cable with no cable box just coaxial coming in from the wall. (thus the need for the built in tuner) So far I've recorded from TV (using DVD-RW) and also watched a DVD.

Positives-Easy set up and use, great picture and sound, excellent menus for set up and programming, cool design.

Negatives-Low level hum at all times even when power is off, Digital stations take a long time to scan (50 min although it does warn you of that in the manual) EPG only works with Digital stations, which I don't use anyway.

Overall, I love this unit! The purpose was to replace the old VCR/DVD combo and get an upconversion DVD player. Both tasks have been accomplished very nicely. It runs very quiet, although it is all the time. I assume it is the built-in fan. Picture quality and sound are great. I definitely would recommend this unit. I give it 4 1/2 stars.

Other info-I ordered it through Amazon from J&R music world ($209) and it arrived in 3 days no problems. I also bought the HDMI cable through Amazon from Eforcity ($3.30 + shipping $8.00 total) It works great as well, and you can't beat the price.

nice machine, but only records on DVD-R/RW
The Philips upconverting DVD recorder records on both DVD-R/RW and DVD+R/RW, but this Samsung only records on DVD-R/RW, which means you have to finalize the disc before playing it on another player (which takes about 10 minutes). This player also costs about $50 more, but the menus and front panel display are much nicer than the Philips, and it plays discs without a hitch. The Philips stalls for 5-10 seconds whenever you try to skip a chapter or FFWD (I tried 2 players, and they both had the same problem). I got both players at Wal-Mart, which means a good price, cheap extended service/replacement plan, and 3 months to return it. I've tried playing discs I recorded on the Samsung on several other DVD players, and they played fine. However, you need to make sure you use the EZ Rec mode, so that the disc automatically gets recorded in DVD-video format, and not DVD-VR, which seems to be the default format otherwise. DVD-VRs only play on the PC. Also, the digital tuner doesn't give the same channel numbers as my Cox digital cable box. The Samsung tuner lists channels as primary and sub-channels if I select 'cable' as my source, so that it's hard to program it to record because it uses different channel numbers. If I select 'antenna' as my source instead, the channel numbers are correct. But it doesn't receive all the digital channels that my Cox cable box does. But it appears that this is the overall best upconverting DVD recorder I can get.

A Nice DVR
I have had this a few days and it is nice.
I do not have cable or dish so I needed to get a unit with a tuner built in. If you have cable or dish you may not need the tuner and can save a few bucks. The tuner works good and it will get regular analog and HD digital stations. The reception is good. It takes a second or two for stations to come in on digital which is normal because the signal needes to be processed/accessed. The unit is pretty easy to set up and use. It does take a little getting used to the menus because it does so much. You can set chapters, titles, change record speed from 1 2 4 6 or 8 hours. The timer is easy. It even gives you a gudie on HD channels where you can just click a show and tell the mackine to record, or you can program timed recording normally. One note I almost did not buy this since people were saying the fan runs all the time, but THE FAN DOES NOT RUN ALL THE TIME. The unit is quiet and the fan only runs constantly if you set quick record to on, otherwise3 it only runs when needed. It has many inputs and outputs including S video in and out, component out, coax in/out, and HDMI out. I recommend getting whatever cable you need to take best advantage of all these connections. The unit comes with composite 3 wire rca cable. If you have component video get a component cable, S vid get a S cable and for HDMI get that cable. Buy a decent cable not the cheapest, but you do not need the best either. It is a 200 buck machine so buy a 30 buck cable and you'll be fine. Do yourself a favor, and order it now so you can hook everything up when it comes. Ask me how I know to say this. This uses DVD-R or DVD-RW do NOT buy DVD+RW, again ask me how I know.

Overall a nice unit I would buy again.