Samsung DVD-R120 Progressive Scan DVD Recorder

Product Description

Samsung's two-tone silver/black DVD-R120 puts the power, quality, and convenience of digital video recording and playback at your fingertips. The stylish, slender component stands less than 3 inches tall but delivers everything from triple-format DVD recording (write-once DVD-R, rewritable DVD-RW, and random-access DVD-RAM) to progressive-scan video and playback of MP3 music and JPEG digital-photo files.

Front-panel audio/video inputs offer easy access for connecting external devices such as camcorders, DVRs, and VCRs, and the unit offers both analog and digital DV (FireWire IEEE 1394) inputs for high quality and great flexibility. Now you can edit and share your home-video archives with your family and friends.

Samsung uses its own multi-format technology that allows the DVD-R120 to support three digital recording formats: DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, and DVD-R. DVD-RAM is the most versatile format available to DVDs and can adapt to DVD-RW status for playback on older machines. The recorder's non-contact optical pick-up ensures that each disc will be scratch-free for repeated use. The DVD-RAM format also allows for mixed storage of video, audio, and other types of data from both the PC and AV worlds. The format's non-linear characteristics enable unique features like time-shifting and time-warping. This means you can start watching a program from the beginning while the middle or end is still being recorded. Write-once DVD-R media is widely compatible with other DVD players and PCs.

One-touch and timer recording offers extra convenience (initiating playback at 30 minutes and adding 30 minutes with each additional press of the button, up to the available disc time or 240 minutes, whichever is sooner), while digital noise reduction actually improves upon the quality of incoming interlaced video signals.

During playback, you'll also enjoy live picture pause and replay. And whether your living room is currently home to an HDTV or you're merely thinking of "someday," the DVD-R120 stands ready to deliver the full potential of your DVDs. Progressive scanning, referred to as 480p for the number of horizontal lines that compose the video image, creates a picture using twice the scan lines of a conventional DVD picture, giving you higher resolution and sharper images while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts. Composite- and S-video outputs bring compatibility with nearly any television.

Connections include 2 each composite- and S-video inputs (1 front and 1 rear) with accompanying stereo analog audio inputs (left/right RCA), 1 each composite-, S-video, and component-video outputs, and the component outs are selectable for either 480i or progressive 480p, depending on your TV. A choice of coaxial or optical digital-audio output facilitates hookup with an audio/video surround receiver for exciting multichannel surround sound from Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 soundtracks.

What's in the Box
DVD player/recorder, a remote control, remote batteries, an audio/video cable, an RF video cable, a user's manual, and warranty/registration information.

Product Details

• DVD player/recorder with progressive-scan video outputs and DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, and DVD-R recording
• Plays recordable CDs with MP3 music files or JPEG digital photos
• Time Shift function for DVD-RAM discs enables live-picture pause during recording
• Offers 1-touch recording, timer recording, auto chapter creation, front-panel DV (IEEE 1394) input for direct camcorder hookup
• Measures 17 x 2.3 x 9.6 inches (W x H x D)

Customer Reviews

Works for me

Review Date: September 19, 2005

Reviewer: G. Kemper, Southern California

I had just purchased and returned a Toshiba unit because it wouldn't finalize DVD's. This unit works perfect for my purpose, which is to record to DVD-R's from my DVR. I like being able to pause during commericals and edit them out. It is particular about the media. It took Panasonic DVD-RAM, and TDK 8X with no problem, but wouldn't accept Memorex 4X. At least it will tell you as soon as you insert the DVD if it will accept it or not. Works Great!

Works Just Great

Review Date: November 23, 2005

Reviewer: Juan Gonzalez, Mission Hills, CA USA

I bought the Samsung DVD-R120 when my vcr finally died. I did some research and decided to purchase this recorder. Yes, the OPEN/CLOSE and LOAD functions are slow, but I have not had a problem with my machine. The picture is great, especially if recording at XP speed with a satellite hookup. I have not encountered the problem other users have referred to regarding powering off before finalizing the disk. I primarily use my recorder to record things while I am away from home or asleep. The machine starts and shuts itself off using the timer record funaction. I can always view the recording before finalizing, so maybe the problem was with a few machines? I use both -R, RW, and RAM disks and have encountered no problems thus far. I really, really recommend this machine!

By Far the Best Bang for Your Buck

Review Date: August 8, 2005

Reviewer: E. Moscato, New York

For the money, this is the best DVD Recorder you can buy. I would stay away from the less-well known brands. Samsung is a reputable company and offers great value. I have owned this model for six months and use it everyday with no problems whatsover. I looked at dozens of stand-alone recorders and own two other models. This one offers more features than most that sell at a much higher price point. The timed recording feature is very easy to use. Great for recording programs / the news when I am not around. This is an excellent and easy-to-use DVD recorder for those of you who intend to use this as a way to transfer your old non-Macromedia copyright protected VHS tapes to DVD or as a way to record programs off the television. It has a very quiet fan and is fairly easy to use. The flexible recording speed (FRS) feature is great and rare on the lower-end DVD recorders. It allows you to record for a specific amount of time. Many recorders including this one allow you to record at one, two, four and six hour settings. The problem with squeezing six hours of video onto one DVD is a major sacrifice in quality as you increase the amount of video on the DVD. The four-hour setting is similar to VHS quality. I do most recording at the two-hour setting as I see little-to-no difference between this and the one-hour setting. What makes the FRS feature on this model so helpful is it allows you to record for a more specific amount of time. For example, if a movie is two hours and seven minutes long you can set the time for this exact amount as it will not otherwise fit on the two-hour setting and the four-hour setting will result in a significant loss of quality. This unit allows you to enter titles by keying in letters, numbers and symbols via the remote...a little tedious, but still a nice feature. The unit is also one of the more attractive DVD recorders and has a sleek look to it. This unit also offers a firewire connection (IEEE port) so you can use a mini-DV or HI-8 Digital camcorder to transfer your video to DVD digitally. This is lacking in many more expensive DVD recorders. When the recorder finalizes a DVD-R for playback on all other DVD players, it creates an actual thumbnail of the video clip in each chapter created. This a very nice feature missing in some other recorders. It only takes three to five minutes to finalize an entire disk. As for the disadvantages: 1.) It has no hard drive. This is not a big deal with me as the DVD recorders that come with hard drives are overpriced. It is counter-intuitive that I can buy a quality 80 GB hard drive for my computer for $30 on sale; however, it seems most DVD recorders charge a minimum of a $100 premium for a tiny hard drive. I store everything on DVD-Rs anyway since I would hate to lose data as a result of hard drive failure. This is also one of the relatively few models that allow you to record on DVD-RAM disks in addition to DVD-R disks. Good if you are not sure you want to keep something as you can keep rewriting on a DVD-RAM disk. The only catch is you will need another player / drive capable of reading DVD-RAM (or another DVD recorder) if you want to then transfer video you decide to keep. 2.) This machine is quirky about the type of media it will accept. I recommend you stick with media manufactured by Taiyo Yuden. This includes Panasonic DVD-Rs and the Fuji DVD-Rs made in Japan. Be careful, some of the Fuji DVD-Rs are made in Taiwan and are not Taiyo Yuden. You can also pick up non-branded Taiyo Yuden DVDs from a variety of e-tailers. Using cheap media on this recorder will cause the recorder to lock and enter recovery mode. It is very difficult to get the media out of the player as there is no pin release like you find on many other drives. You can easily find a 50 pack spindle of Taiyo Yuden manufactured DVD-R for under $20 if you shop around / wait for sales.

Samsung DVD-R120 Recorder

Review Date: March 25, 2006

Reviewer: H. R. Tatsapaugh, Greensboro, NC

I have had this unit for four months and have no problems recording to cheap -R disks or -RW disks. Set up is easy for timed recordings and the quality of the recordings on the two and four hour settings is excellent. I had read reviews that one couldn't finalize a disk unless you were there when the recording ended. That is not true. you can finalize the disk at any time after the recording. So far it has workded flawlessly.

A happy buyer.

Review Date: September 10, 2005

Reviewer: John M. Mena, the Center of the world, St.Louis MO

I have had this unit for about a month now and have recorded with it everyday. I has a timer to record shows, but I would never need to use that. I use it to record stuff from my Tivo. I'm very happy with it so far. It dosen't make the nicest menus, but you can rename the tracks. Although it can be a pain at times. I like how you can pause when you're recording, so you can remove comercials. If you stop at a commercial it would create a new scene. I couldn't find in the instructions if its okay to pause while recording, but so far no problems with that. I like that it has S-cable video input. I made some disc with chapters recorded at both best quality and medium quality. I use the cheapest DVD I can afford and they have worked great so far. cheers