JVC DR-DX5S

JVC's mouth-watering new HDD/DVD recorder--the first we've seen with an integrated MiniDV deck--comes with an impressive, yet incomplete, set of features.

Nice design; MiniDV deck; well-designed remote; intuitive menus; dubs audio and inserts scenes in MiniDV recordings; burns dual-layer DVD-R discs; HDD pauses and rewinds live TV; flexible recording speeds; six-way dubbing; above-average recording quality.

No electronic programming guide; DV editing tools are relatively crude; no IR blaster; no component-video input; incompatible with +R/+RW discs; limited high-speed dubbing options; high price tag.

JVC's stylish new HDD/DVD recorder--the first we've seen with an integrated MiniDV deck--comes with an impressive, yet incomplete, set of features.