Sony VRD-MC6 Is NOT All That it promises to be
First off, this is not the 1st DVD Recorder that I've owned. It is however the weakest performer.
Pros: Small footprint, Cool Mini-Monitoring screen, Big Buttons
Cons: Limited Menu Labeling, Problems Recognizing Incoming Signal, Inconsistent Performance
We've had two full-sized versions of this technology. Our 1st one was a Symphonic and died after four years. Our 2nd one is a Magnavox that performs flawlessly to this day. Our problem is that we use it to back-up our favorite TV Shows and movies from our DVR, but my wife has her own DVR that she records programming on that she often wants to back up, which means pulling the Magnavox out of the rack in the living room and hooking it up in the bedroom to archive her soaps and episodes of Dr. Phil. I decided to buy this small seemingly easy to operate version for her needs. I also thought it would be a great solution for when someone wants a copy of footage from my Handycam, whenever we capture life's moments.
The Sony VRD-MC6 is a sleek and sexy little number that accepts multiple video inputs (composite RCA, digital in, SD Cards, Sony Memory Stick, etc.), but has very limited menu labeling. Our other DVD Recorders have intuitive labeling systems so that you can type in custom labels (up to 80 characters) of the content of the finished video. This little Sony does not.
It also does not always recognize the RCA composite input for record, though it displays the incoming image on it's monitor screen. This happens most often when it's hooked up to the DVR output. Sure, like most other units, it won't record copy-protected content from video tape or even DVR, but it does not recognize nor will it even record just the news consistenly. And there's no predicting when it's going to act up.
Both my mother and I are fans of the series "V". I record all episodes on DVR and back them up to DVD for later viewing in my den - at my leisure. I recorded two episodes to DVD on the Sony VRD-MC6 and finalized them. I then tried to make a copy for mom, and after unplugging & re-plugging the input several times and loading both a blank DVD-R and then a blank DVD+R discs, I still could not get it to record. I even turned the unit off and tried again an hour later to no avail. I saw the episode of "V" playing back on the Sony's little monitor but it displayed "waiting for input signal" or something like that. I backed out to make sure it was in VIDEO-DVD mode (not DV-DVD) and still nothing, so I just turned the unit off. The next day when I turned it on, it recorded the 2nd copy - no problem.
For use with my Handycam, it's flawless. It reads Sony memory sticks, SD card and composite inputs from the handycam like a champ. In fact, it takes to anything Sony like a champ, however not gear from other manufacturers.
Another annoying factor is that it has to format each disc before it will record on them, which can take up to a minute or more, so good luck catching something on the fly. Our other DVD recorders are pre-formatted for DVD+R and DVD-R, and only has to be formatted when using DVD-RW discs.
Either my unit is defective, or there are some serious issues with the VRD-MC6. In any event, I'm seriously considering returning it. It works great as a field DVD recorder for my handycam, but it is otherwise frustrating when we try to use it for the purpose for which it was purchased. I still have to move the Magnavox to the bedroom to get my wife's stuff on DVD. EgadRead full review
