Customer Reviews

Samsung DVD-AR650 DVD Recorder

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

I bought this unit and have been using it for about 3 days now. Everything seems to be working well! I have it set up with my Samsung 32 inch LCD HDTV (780P) using the HDMI output. I also have standard cable with no cable box just coaxial coming in from the wall. (thus the need for the built in tuner) So far I've recorded from TV (using DVD-RW) and also watched a DVD.

Positives-Easy set up and use, great picture and sound, excellent menus for set up and programming, cool design.

Negatives-Low level hum at all times even when power is off, Digital stations take a long time to scan (50 min although it does warn you of that in the manual) EPG only works with Digital stations, which I don't use anyway.

Overall, I love this unit! The purpose was to replace the old VCR/DVD combo and get an upconversion DVD player. Both tasks have been accomplished very nicely. It runs very quiet, although it is all the time. I assume it is the built-in fan. Picture quality and sound are great. I definitely would recommend this unit. I give it 4 1/2 stars.

Other info-I ordered it through Amazon from J&R music world ($209) and it arrived in 3 days no problems. I also bought the HDMI cable through Amazon from Eforcity ($3.30 + shipping $8.00 total) It works great as well, and you can't beat the price.

The Philips upconverting DVD recorder records on both DVD-R/RW and DVD+R/RW, but this Samsung only records on DVD-R/RW, which means you have to finalize the disc before playing it on another player (which takes about 10 minutes). This player also costs about $50 more, but the menus and front panel display are much nicer than the Philips, and it plays discs without a hitch. The Philips stalls for 5-10 seconds whenever you try to skip a chapter or FFWD (I tried 2 players, and they both had the same problem). I got both players at Wal-Mart, which means a good price, cheap extended service/replacement plan, and 3 months to return it. I've tried playing discs I recorded on the Samsung on several other DVD players, and they played fine. However, you need to make sure you use the EZ Rec mode, so that the disc automatically gets recorded in DVD-video format, and not DVD-VR, which seems to be the default format otherwise. DVD-VRs only play on the PC. Also, the digital tuner doesn't give the same channel numbers as my Cox digital cable box. The Samsung tuner lists channels as primary and sub-channels if I select 'cable' as my source, so that it's hard to program it to record because it uses different channel numbers. If I select 'antenna' as my source instead, the channel numbers are correct. But it doesn't receive all the digital channels that my Cox cable box does. But it appears that this is the overall best upconverting DVD recorder I can get.

I have had this a few days and it is nice.
I do not have cable or dish so I needed to get a unit with a tuner built in. If you have cable or dish you may not need the tuner and can save a few bucks. The tuner works good and it will get regular analog and HD digital stations. The reception is good. It takes a second or two for stations to come in on digital which is normal because the signal needes to be processed/accessed. The unit is pretty easy to set up and use. It does take a little getting used to the menus because it does so much. You can set chapters, titles, change record speed from 1 2 4 6 or 8 hours. The timer is easy. It even gives you a gudie on HD channels where you can just click a show and tell the mackine to record, or you can program timed recording normally. One note I almost did not buy this since people were saying the fan runs all the time, but THE FAN DOES NOT RUN ALL THE TIME. The unit is quiet and the fan only runs constantly if you set quick record to on, otherwise3 it only runs when needed. It has many inputs and outputs including S video in and out, component out, coax in/out, and HDMI out. I recommend getting whatever cable you need to take best advantage of all these connections. The unit comes with composite 3 wire rca cable. If you have component video get a component cable, S vid get a S cable and for HDMI get that cable. Buy a decent cable not the cheapest, but you do not need the best either. It is a 200 buck machine so buy a 30 buck cable and you'll be fine. Do yourself a favor, and order it now so you can hook everything up when it comes. Ask me how I know to say this. This uses DVD-R or DVD-RW do NOT buy DVD+RW, again ask me how I know.

Overall a nice unit I would buy again.

First off, may I clearify you CAN record DVDs that will play on other DVD Players. By default, it's set to a proprietary Samsung format. A simple switch in a menu sets it to standard DVD-R and viola, you may play it in any DVD player or computer.

As for supported formats, Amazon is incorrect. It only supports MINUS disks. DVD-R, DVD-RW and DVD-RAM. I tried a DVD+R and it spit it back out. It will play back finalized "plus" disks, but not record them.

The HD Tuner isn't true HD. The quality, over-all, is good, but not quite the level of my LCD TV's tuner.

Finalizing speed is sluggish. My previous Panasonic DMR-ES20 would finalize a disk in about 1 minute. This, with only about 10 minutes of video in SP, took about 5 minutes. Nothing major, I'm just not used to it.

Playback is typical. Though I was surprised when it wouldn't play VCDs or SVCDs. Home-made DVDs play fine, and apparently DIVX will too. I had hoped it might be an all-in-one solutions, but I supposed my Phillips will stick around a while longer for playback.

All in all, it's a decent recorder and should be a nice upgrade from my Panasonic. I still think the Panasonic was a better recorder over-all, but it lacked ATSC tuner.

I bought this DVD recorder last Aug. When I got it it worked fine. Then lately I tried using some DVD-RW new disc. and when I put it in it has to format it - it goes to about 20% done then says some message of an error & spits it back out. Now it is starting to do the same thing with the DVD-R when I put it in then it says a message of "disc can not be played" and opens the tray back up. If I retry it it then will accept it, but I am afraid that the recording part is about to quit.
So far it will play a video ok, it is the recording part that is acting up for me. I am trying to use brand new Maxwell DVD-R/RW.

Purchased this recorder in September 2007; used on week-ends, infrequently. Stopped playing in March 2008; mailed to Samsung repair in New Jersey; returned after delays due to not having part in stock. After receiving it back, used a couple of times when it stopped playing again. Disappointed in Samsung quality; won't buy another product from them.

Great ATSC/QAM receivers, records in wide-screen (16:9) at about the same resolution as my Lite-On NTSC recorder (4:3). Records only to DVDD-R, DVD-RW or DVD-RAM.

I almost didn't purchase because of the poor reviews of some folks. Upon further review it appears that they were trying to use it with an analog TV or didn't understand the setup. Buy and connect an HDMI cable and audio to a HDTV, set video to 1080i and you're ready to record wide-screen broadcasts. Only HDMI will display 1080i. No problems experienced with sync issues or loss of signal. Great buy if you can't afford the outrageous price of Blueray or HD-DVD.

I bought mine in October after downloading the instruction manual. I was looking for something for time shift recording that was as easy to use as a VCR, had a tuner so that I could record something while watching something else, and would record on RAM discs. This met all my requirements and I have been really pleased with it. I have read that a lot of people have had problems with theirs, but so far I have had none. Recordings made in the proper format and finalized have played on 4 other DVD players with no problems. I liked it so much I just bought another one to replace the VCR in my home office.

I bought a Panasonic DMR-ES25 from another dealer and was APALLED! Some of the features didn't work, and two buttons on the remote either didn't work or were intermittent. It was very confusing to use as well. When I got the Samsung, I did everything but record from a DVD player without reading ANYTHING! The remote is beautifully laid out and there is NO problem with pressing two buttons at once which was a problem with the Chinese made Panasonic. This machine makes beautiful copies, and I'm looking forward to the arrival of my HDMI to DVI cable tomorrow to try upconverting the DVDs and even trying to upconvert the signal from my SD sat receiver! This machine, as well as the Panasonic and, I've heard, Sony units as well, will NOT copy pre-recorded DVDs. I've ordered a Clearpix "macrovision filter" to take care of that problem. This is the best piece of electronics since I bought a One For All universal remote. Absolutely recommended!

When I got this it worked fairly well. 1 month later it worked 50% of the time. Two months later I can't even play a DVD from B;lockbuster in it, nevermind recording. It constantly rejects discs (no matter how many brands I try), freezes up, spits them out, etc. Called Samsung and did everything they said. Still the same problems. Checked chat rooms and everyone describes the same problem it just gets worse until it doesn't work at all. It's as if the laser is warping, melting or something. Samsung now wants $107 to fix it and in exchange i get a 30 day warranty! No thanks, in the garbage it goes. Better to buy another one (not a Samsung) for $175 with a full warranty.