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I bought my first one of these back in 2003. It was high tech then as DVD were just starting to go viral and the idea that this was a DVD-VR compared to the still being used VCR was like from out of this world. I have burned well over 10,000 DVDs and a year ago the drive took a dump. I pickup a lower grade version of this model that lasted until I found this like new exact copy of my 2003 model. Works perfect. I'm bum that SONY has not come out with a Blue-ray version of this. With new resolution 1080P and up a Blue-ray would be great. Limited to 480/720 with the old one.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Sony's RDR-GX7 cost $699.95 at Crutchfield, a major mail order vendor, when introduced in 2004. It is solidly built. It is not, however, on of the newer generation, all-format recorders that Sony and other major manufacturers are selling for around $200.00. I bought this recorder without a remote -- but one is not needed: all essential programming functions can be handled on the front of the unit. I do own a 2005 vintage Sony RDR-GX315 recorder -- you need the remot incidentally to program it -- and its remote works fine with the RDR-GX7. So, there's no need (if you insist on using one) to pay the $85 Sony parts charges for a replacement remote for the GX7. Here's another, final, plus: the clincher: The 2005 Sony 315 shuts down while recording HBO and other new movies - tells you the material is copyrighted. The RDR-GX7 and other earlier Sony's don't shut down this way. I found this out in a CNET review of the 315 -- many angry people brought their 2005 vintage 315s back to dealers because of this deliberate crippling of the 315's record function by Sony. One CNET reviewer even said he bought a 2004 model Sony to replace it -- and it works fine recording cable and satellite movies. (He wrote, incidentally, that he bought his "new," used, 2004-vintage Sony DVD recorder on eBay!)Read full review
I bought one of these machines new seven years ago for over $600, and I doubt there is any DVD recorder since that is as good (disregarding upconverting and the like). I bought a later model Sony two years later, and it was much harder to use. A local shop repaired the GX7 once and told me to keep it going as long as possible, because there is nothing like it available any longer. Recently the machine would no longer read DVD-RW disks I had made on it (and a playback-only unit won't read them). Sadly, parts are no longer available to repair this machine, so I looked for one on EBay. Although the one I bought was described as "like new," it would not play DVD-RW disks, nor would it play most other disks I tried, including commercial DVDs. I was able to return it and get my money back. I found several others, but they were all "as is," "no return," or the seller did not know the condition, so I bought a new one of a different brand. Here is my advice: Do not buy a used RDR-GX7 unless it comes with an unconditional money back guarantee, because you probably can't get it repaired. Several sellers that I corresponded with mentioned problems with the units they were selling. These machines have reached the end of their life span and the odds are against getting a satisfactory unit. I did fine one said to be "brand new" and unused, but the seller had a no return policy, so I did not take a chance. If you get one that really is in great condition, you will be delighted as long as it works. My original still records, and DVD-R disks I make on it play fine on other units. However, it sometimes “locks up” a disk, at which point I can’t add any more recordings and can’t finalize the disk. They can then be played only on that unit or the other Sony I bought. In fact, it has done this maybe twice a year since I bought it. Someone told me this problem is caused by disks with a defect, not the machine. I am now copying these "locked up" disks to the new Toshiba I bought. Note that the "below average" rating I assigned applies only to the defective unit I bought, not to this model in general.Read full review
When this unit first came out in 2004, I bought mine at Circuit City for close to $600.00. Since then, I have bought several more on Ebay, mostly for friends and family, as gifts, and one more for myself, for backup. This product is beautiful in every way. So easy to use and the recordings are far, far better quality than anything you can produce on your computer. I have connected my Hi-8 videocam to it and copied all my home movies onto DVD, with no loss of quality that I can detect, either video or audio. It also has the fantastic plus of being free of the dreaded chip that all the new DVD recorders come with. It's a chip that does not allow you to record any movies from any of the movie channels like HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, Starz and all the rest of the commercial-free movie channels. The new DVD players will give you an error message when you try to record movies from those channels. The Sony RDR-GX7 does not have this problem. It records beautifully on a timer or with One-Touch control. If you want, it will give you automatic segments so you can navigate your finished recordings more easily. You can choose to record 30 minutes of programming, or up to 6 hours of programming on a single DVD. And you can record one show today, and add another one or two or more in bits and pieces until your DVD is full! The best quality is at the lower record times: 30 minutes to 2 hours. But the quality does not degrade too badly even on the longer record times. It has a built-in TV tuner and lots of input/output areas on the back, so you can hook it up to several different components. I have a VHS player hooked up to mine and I have hooked up the DVD recorder/player to my stereo system for increased audio performance. I have had my unit for over 3 years now and it has always worked great. I can not recommend this product highly enough.Read full review
This unit is the best there was ever made. SONY makes the best. This unit was produced back in early 2000's, very advanced for the time. The only issue with it was the laser unit that does the reading/writing to the disc. For some unknown reason there must have been a slight defect in the lens or sensor affecting the reading of discs, this was an unfortunate thing to happen to such an advanced design. Once I realized how advanced the unit was I decided to do a little investigating, do have an electronic background. I purchased a unit that was not working reading discs. When I received it I took the hood off, checked that there was no loose or mechanically broken parts floating around. Once satisfied I thoroughly cleaned all dust, dust bunnies etc out and powered the unit up to see what would happen. It powered up and acted like it was ready to go, well, sorta. It would not read discs. I took the burner drive out, by the way is not an easy thing to do, SONY built this thing like a tank and you have to be very careful because you can damage the delicate cabling if not careful. Cleaned everything very carefully, put it back together, no go. So checked the burner for a part number for the laser unit itself. Done some research and found a supplier of the part, which by the way is not available as a new part. I found a source that had some slightly used guaranteed laser units. I purchased one and replaced the one in the burner. After getting it all put back together and making sure I didn't leave anything disconnected I fired it up, inserted a commercially produced disc, best to see if it will read or not, it did, viola! Then I went on to try recording and that worked also. So if you are mechanically/electronically capable of going into something this deep and want to experiment, ENJOY! This is my experiment with this unit and am happy to keep a few SONY RDR-GX7 DVD Recorders alive and still producing perfect DVD's. Sure wish SONY would make a modern unit as well as this one. I will keep mine forever, it is the only way I can put my VHS tapes on DVD, as a matter of fact the DVD's I have done so far look better that the VHS tapes they were copied from. Come on SONY let's get more of a great thing going!Read full review
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