Sony VRDMC5 DVDirect DVD Recorder
Sony VRDMC5 DVDirect DVD Recorder
Welcome the Sony VRD-MC5, the next generation DVDirect DVD recorder. Transfer home video and digital photos to DVD, quickly and easily - without a PC. Connect virtually any camcorder, VCR, even Digital Video Recorder (DVR) and record video to DVD in real time. Insert a supported memory card into the VRD-MC5 recorder and record digital pictures directly to DVD as a slideshow, or for photo storage. Transfer High Definition video in native 1080 resolution from Sony AVCHD HDD/Memory Stick Handycam(R) camcorders to discs that playback in Blu-ray Disc players. Enhanced connectivity to Sony HDD/DVD/Memory Stick Handycam(R) camcorder family will record video to DVD at up to 6X speed and even span” multiple DVDs if the video exceeds the capacity of a single DVD. Capability, flexibility, and ease of use make the VRD-MC5 a DVD recorder you should seriously consider. Records on 4.7GB DVD+R/+RW and 8.5GB DVD+R Double Layer Discs 5 recording quality modes allow up to 12 hours of video to be recorded per disc
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars VHS to DVD. Worked perfectly the first time out.
I had already transferred all my 8 and super 8 tapes to VHS. I purchased this item to transfer my VHS tapes to DVD. The setup is very easy, and the process was flawless. Make sure you finalize. Everything is clearly explained in the manual. My only problem is that I forgot how poor the quality of VHS tapes is, compared to what we have today. I’m trying to borrow a working Hi 8 camcorder, so I can input via the camcorder, and get better copies. So if you have VHS tapes to turn into DVDs, this is a great item. This item will pay for itself quickly.
The manual makes it clear that most discs are acceptable. I used Maxwell, DVD +R, 4.7, 16X, 2 hrs. It appears that DVD-R DL is not supported. DVD+R DL is also only partially supported. Also, CD-R, CD-RW, and 8-cm DVD are not supported.
I think a cost effective approach will be to purchase a Sony 60 GB, standard definition Hard Drive camcorder, and then use this machine to record everything onto the disc. Probably saves a lot on memory sticks, or whatever. I’ll be watching Thanksgiving sales for the camcorder.
3 Stars A pain but works
This was a compromise for saving videos off our already loaded hard drive. Has no HDMI input but rather video, composite and S-Video plus audio input. No output. Built-in video screen was handy but somewhat hard to read. Does not record from all cable stations … you will see a waiting for signal message if a channel is copy encoded. Bad news since my JVC and Phillips recorders do not balk at these channels. A regular burner will not put you through a pre-formatting phase … this one does. Encoding of videos was not bad but all wound up in 4:3 aspect ratio that had to be forced to 16:9 ratio on playback on another player. Video processing was clear however the codec that Sony used was not my liking as even at the highest quality level one could see jagged lines. Not my choice but the only one at present due to size, making it easy to place in an already crowded gear tray under our large 70″ Sony HDTV.
3 Stars Amazon’s Technical Details Incorrect >>> Sony VRD-MC5 Has No 320GB Hard Disk or Other Critical Features
Amazon’s technical details for the Sony VRDMC5 as of July 16, 2009 are grossly inaccurate. According to the Sony link below, there is:
- No 320GB hard disk
- No 7200 RPM hard disk spin rate
- No capability to burn DVDs from a PC USB connection
- No capability to serve as an external PC burner
Amazon needs to be more careful when posting product details. I almost bought one of these based on the technical details Amazon listed.
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1 Stars Way to big for travel
While this is a nice product, it is not a good one for travel because it is bulky, heavy and you have to carry way to much. I would suggest a Wolverine card reader and storage as a better product.
5 Stars Worth Buying
This Sony VRDMC5 DVD Recorder is very easy to set up and very simple to operate. I am using it to copy my VCR tapes to DVDs. Hooking up to the VCR to this Sony DVD Recorder is simple enough. Put a blank DVD into the recorder, format the disc and press the Record button, it is real time recording and you can watch what you are recording on the Sony DVD Recorder’s small screen. The quality of the recording is as good as the source. In other words, if your Video tapes is recorded in high speed, the result will be better than the tapes recorded in slow speed (6 or 8 hrs). Overall, if you have the time and patience, it’s worth the money specially if you have a big collection of old video tapes to be converted to DVDs.
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