Sony DVDirect DVD Recorder VRDMC5

by Sony

Product Details

• Item Weight: 5.2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 5.2 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000SML2BQ
• Item model number: VRDMC5
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (190 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: July 2, 2004

Product Description

Sony's newly re-styled DVDirect DVD recorder, the VRD-MC5, allows home video and digital photos to be recorded to DVD without a PC. The VRD-MC5 can be connected to virtually any camcorder, VCR, even Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) for direct recording of video to standard DVDs playable on most consumer DVD players. The MC5 also incorporates memory card slots for the 5 popular camera memory card types and will directly record images from the memory card to DVD as a playable slideshow or just for photo storage. The built in 2.5" color LCD screen makes it easy to preview video or view up to 6 digital pictures at a time. The VRD-MC5 thrusts DVDirect into the high definition world by supporting transfer of AVCHD video to DVD. AVCHD is a high definition camcorder format supported by some Sony Handycam camcorders. For example, high definition AVCHD video can be transferred from Sony hard disk or Memory Stick based Handycam camcorders to DVD in native 1080i resolution and played back on most Blu-ray Disc players /recorders and other compatible devices. The VRD-MC5 can also transfer video from Sony standard definition and AVCHD HDD/MemoryStick Handycam camcorders at up to 6X speed, which translates to 1 hour of video recorded in about 10 minutes. Record all the video to DVD from Sony HDD/MemoryStick Handycam camcorders, just selected scenes, even just the video shot since the last DVD burn. Full support for 4:3 full screen or 16:9 wide screen video and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

278 of 284 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Almost Perfect!, January 23, 2008

By 

Robin A. Turizo "Book Addict" (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sony DVDirect DVD Recorder VRDMC5 (Personal Computers)

Okay - I love this item for what it can NOW do for me and how EASILY it finally ended up doing it. I gave it four instead of five stars because of what I had to DO to get it to work the way I needed it to.

I have fourteen years - wedding, holidays and 3 children - worth of Video Cassettes ranging from 1994 - Sony, HG120, NTSC, Video 8 tapes TO 2008 - Sony, Hi8MP Digital 8 tapes.

My old camera was a Sony and the current camera is also a Sony: Steady Shot Digital 8, Model DCR-TRV460.

The Sony VRD MC5 DV Direct DVID Recorder I have can, and NOW DOES, burn DVDs from my Sony Handycam with both types of tapes via a Sony DV Direct Cable. However - it did not, out of the box, purchased in December 2007, burn my old tape formats to DVD with Audio. The Audio was gone and I could not get it to burn!

I had to waste about ten DVDs trying to figure out what the heck I did wrong. I scoured the manual, I bought two types of DVDs, looked here on Amazon, went to the Sony site. NOTHING on WHY the audio was missing!

When I finally found a way to contact Sony - live chat did not work and I could not get anyone on the phone - via email they went back and forth with me in email telling me that the Software Version on the Recorder had to be updated. They gave me a link that I could not find by navigating the site on my own, thus needing their intervention. I found the download, and followed directions, I tried burning the file to CD in many different ways and STILL the software would not upgrade! They never called me or gave me a number, it took days to try to figure out what was happening and they finally told me how to call someone.

I did it again while I was on the phone with them. Still the Recorder did not recognize the CD I was burning or the file I downloaded from the site. They made me call back, I was transferred twice, someone took my info and it took from 1/11/08 to 1/22/08 to get a CD that they burned at Sony and shipped to me.

I just came up today, followed the very same directions just with their CD and the software upgraded without a hitch. I just burned a tape from 1994 and the audio is there!!

After spending three years and more than $700 in software for my computer, a DVD Burner for my computer and finally a standalone Sony VHS/Camera player and VHS/DVD burner but none, and I do mean NONE of them - were able to do the job. Even the standalone unit never consistenly burned quality DVDs from the Camera and you had to tie up your tv for hours while it burned to DVD only for the "finalization" of it to not "take" so you had an empty DVD which was not R/W. Waste of time!

Please note that I am a technical person so not ignorant. I am just short on time so I wanted something that would get all my old moves onto DVD with a PHD - Push Here Dummy - functionality and the Sony VRD MC5 device did it.

The struggles, aggravation, wasted time it took me to get to today were worth it but PUH-LEASE Sony. Get a grip and put the information out there. Be proactive! Make it available! Communicate! Tell the vendors that sell your product what they are going to have to tell their shoppers do to get it to work. Update your manual. Whatever you have to do - no consumer should have to hunt like I did for weeks to try to find a way to fix something Sony knew about when they shipped the devices.

92 of 93 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simple & Super easy to use, November 12, 2007

By 

M. A. Willis (Saint Louis, Mo.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sony DVDirect DVD Recorder VRDMC5 (Personal Computers)

I wanted to transfer all my old VCR tapes and camcorder tapes of my daughter from years and years ago. I absolutely couldn't believe how easy it was to use. The LCD screen makes it really simple to see what you are recording. Not a lot of buttons to confuse a person. I've hook the VCR up to it and away it goes. I'll be glad when I'm all done with this project, but I 'll know all my memories are safely stored on DVDs. (So much cheaper than taking them to a camera shop!)I would definitely buy this model with the LCD screen as opposed to the previous model which did not have a screen. It's really helpful. Naturally, Amazon is awesome. Click the button, order it, and next thing you know, it's at your front door.

164 of 172 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Does The Job but Beware, September 12, 2007

By 

Jordan C. Fox (Larchmont, NY USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sony DVDirect DVD Recorder VRDMC5 (Personal Computers)

This just arrived and if you are considering purchasing this item know that notwithstanding the description above this burner does not connect to a computer via USB port. Amazon says they got the description from Sony. Sony says Amazon has it wrong but confirms that it is not designed for a computer connection like their previous models.

I'm sure it will work fine as a stand-alone burner but I was disappointed that there was an explicit representation made in the description that is not accurate.