The Pioneer DVR-320 - A Solid, Feature Rich Yet Basic DVD Recorder 
(Review 2/21/05) The Pioneer DVR-320 DVD recorder comes loaded with useful features but it lacks
a hard drive it and remains a basic DVD recorder. That said it's one of the best
basic machines out there, very easy to use and would be great for new DVD
recorder users.
Although the Pioneer DVR-320 has no hard drive it does have a "Chase Play" mode. This lets you start watching a show that's already being recorded. You can also watch a previously recorded program while recording another show (if the disc has room for the new program). This is as close as you can get to having a hard drive without having one.
It has the all important FireWire (i.Link) port for dubbing to or from a DV camcorder or computer. The Pioneer DVD recorder includes some basic editing functions for trimming scenes and making menus from your DV camcorder. This Pioneer DVR-320 provides a manual recording mode that lets you fine-tune the recording- time/picture-quality tradeoff in 32 individual levels, with EP equivalent to level 1 and Fine to level 32. The rear panel has antenna/cable inputs for their built-in standard-definition TV tuners, two more A/V inputs for recording from external sources (like a satellite tuner), and dual A/V outputs so you can make a loop-through connection with a cable box or VCR. I’m kind of a remote control critic and have to say its remote is a little cluttered for my liking. On the other hand I’m also impatient with electronic equipment response time from remotes. Happily the Pioneer DVR-320 responds quickly and the on screen displays were clear. This remote has a really cool feature-its Skip and Back keys. The Skip allows you to jump forward by 30 seconds or 1, 2, 5, or 10 minutes, and Back jumps by 5, 15, or 30 seconds or 1, 2, or 3 minutes depending on how many times you press the key. The Fine mode produced results that were close to indistinguishable from the originals. the SP recordings looked almost as good. The SP, LP, and EP recording modes are similar to the VHS modes with the same names. Just like VCR and all DVD recorders today the longer the recording time the lousier the picture. The Pioneer DVR-320 is easy to use. I like the onscreen graphics because they are large and intuitive. Most people will be able to perform the most important recording and editing features without having to read the manual. Unfortunately there’s no EPG (electronic program guide). You have to manually find programs and schedule recordings. Scheduling DVD recording on the Pioneer DVR-320 is easy. This Pioneer DVD recorder allows you to schedule up to 32 programs at a time, a month in advance. Another nice feature is the "Auto Record" mode. The DVD recorder will copy DVDs at the highest quality that will fit on a disc. Wiring up the recorder was straightforward. This DVD recorder supports DVD-Video, DVD-R/W, CD, VCD, CD-R/W, MP3, WMA, and JPEG playback. The Pioneer DVR-320 DVD recorder has record buttons and front-panel A/V inputs concealed behind drop-down doors.
The Pioneer DVR-320 DVD recorder is a solid choice. It is simple to use but will take a small amount of time to get acquainted with the large remote control and all its functions. The manual is written clearly. It has some of the features of a digital video recorder. This DVD recorder is also an excellent DVD player with exceptional picture quality. You won’t need to buy a DVD player with this in the house. In the Dec/04 issue (pp.18-19) Consumer Reports has this to say about buying electronics at Amazon... "In our survey, no retailer received topmarks across the board for price, selection, and service. Amazon.com did receive top marks in the categories in which it was rated-the only outlet to do so.....Consumer Reports readers gave Amazon.com very high marks." If you're interested in this machine I highly recommend Amazon. The Pioneer DVR-320 DVD recorder.
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