DSE R100A

Terrible – Avoid if you are not comfortable with quirky/weird technology. Compared with the worst DVD recorders: it is still "working" after 2 years. It still plays DVDs. I have Dick Smith's extended warranty on this product - thank goodness!! New intermittent fault: the drawer refuses to open, it doesn't even bother to attempt to open or twitch. Have to power off/on to knock some sense into its logic circuits.

Terrible – Any unit that can't even make it through the warranty period without breaking down twice should seriously be avoided. It's cheap and it's multizone (able). I liked the 30sec skip button and the mechanical on/off switch on the front panel. Scart in, scart out, RCA video in, RCA video out, RCA video in on front, S-video in/out (ie. multiple inputs/outputs). The remote has a button on it for just about every function so you won't have to fumble through menus. From a user friendliness perspective, it's one of the recorders that doesn't switch automatically to TV/AV when you press stop. There's a button to do this on the remote control but not on the front panel. Ergo, without the remote, you're stuffed if you want to record.

Broke down after 6 months. The display would show loading for 5 minutes then error. Also had various other faults/difficulties such as bad TV colour and insensitive Remote Control reception (had to be pointed exactly at it). Replaced with new under warranty.

Broke down after 12 months. Again the display would show loading for 5 minutes then error. Also often claimed there was no disc in the drawer when there was. Replaced under warranty.

Broke down again after 18 months. Drawer would not open. Local Tandy store had it repaired "under warranty" (although it had only 12 months). Needless to say I didn't get my DVD back that was left stranded inside it.

Broke down again after 24 months. Difficulty opening drawer. I opened it up and it turns out this time the problem only happens when the drawer is empty (magnet hanging on to drawer). Workaround: leave a DVD in the drawer.

Broke down again after 25 months: will not record on DVD+RW. Tried several blanks. Display indicates that it is recording and it appears to write to the DVD at the end of the session but the DVD is still blank.

Also, several of my blank DVD+RWs are developing "faults" where they appear to record OK but they skip several chapters on playback. Don't know if this is normal for DVDs or if it is a condition being caused by the R100A/G1598. The blanks are a variety of different brands.

Good – It’s better than the Digitrex and for this I am thankful It works! Had a problem with a rolling scan when placing a recordable DVD in the drive but put it down to interference between the drive and tuner. Connected SCART in to my SCART out on the Foxtel digital box - result - brilliant!!!! The manual is beyond useless - I have a knowledge of electronics anyone who has not could be in trouble.