David Smith Reviews Archive

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Results 1 to 10 of 10.

Panasonic DMR-ES15 dvd player
Panasonic has built a fine reputation in the DVD recorder market, with a range of excellent models so can the latest 7 April 2006 0:16 GMT

The Good
14 hours recording time; Progressive scan output

The Bad
No RGB input; no Freeview tuner

Verdict
There is an awful lot to like about this DVD recorder

Price
£180
Sony DAR-RH1000 home cinema system
Sony has put a steep price tag on this all-in-one home cinema system, but have some serious omissions been left off the spec sheet? 26 January 2006 22:31 GMT

The Good
Excellent picture; attractive design

The Bad
Average sound system; no HDMI output

Verdict

Price
£900
Philips DVDR3305 DVD recorder
With plenty of HOT deals floating around this Christmas, is it wise to opt for the cheapest model? We take a look at Philips' moderate offering hoping to last you longer than up to the January sales. 1 December 2005 0:00 GMT

The Good
Excellent recorded images; solid playback images

The Bad
No progressive scan output; limited editing

Verdict
Those on a budget should ignore the ultra cheapies and opt for a model like this, which combines value for money with genuine quality

Price
£150
JVC TH-R3 Home cinema system
25 October 2005 0:21 GMT

The Good
Good recording and playback

The Bad
Fairly average sound; some operational foibles

Verdict
A system that fails to deliver in all areas

Price
£450
Funai DRV-B2737
21 September 2005 0:05 GMT

The Good
Simple dubbing to DVD; good DVD playback

The Bad
No RGB input; few editing options

Verdict
An affordable deck with a few rough edges

Price
£200
Sony RDR-HXD910 HDD recorder
24 August 2005 0:37 GMT

The Good
Excellent recordings; huge hard disk

The Bad
Twice the price of some rivals

Verdict
This is a stunning combi that delivers in all areas

Price
£500
Pioneer DV-380 DVD Player
28 July 2005 0:59 GMT

The Good
Very good picture; excellent feature count

The Bad
Plain looks; Poor setup advice

Verdict
An excellent picture provider, with a superb list of features

Price
£90
Yamaha DVD-S557 DVD player
5 July 2005 0:27 GMT

The Good
Excellent picture; excellent sound

The Bad
Manual is sometimes difficult to understand

Verdict
A very impressive DVD deck that is class above today’s ultra-budget models

Price
£130
Pioneer DCS-232 home cinema system
30 June 2005 11:20 GMT

The Good
Excellent picture; pleasing design

The Bad
Speakers are average; limited volume on offer

Verdict
The sound system is distinctly average, but the excellent picture (and the price) will still convince many

Price
£200
Panasonic DMR-ES30V VCR DVD recorder
14 June 2005 0:09 GMT

The Good
Easy dubbing of VHS to DVD; excellent DVD picture quality

The Bad
HDD decks offer even more editing flexibility; design is ordinary

Verdict
An excellent DVD recorder in its own right and a fairly easy way of dumping that VHS collection

Price
£350