The DVDR890 uses the DVD+R and DVD+RW formats for recording. The former allows a once-only record, the second allows the disk to be re-recorded up to 1000 times. Philips claims that any recording made on either type of disk will be able to be viewed on most standard DVD players (so far I have tried on a four year old Wharfdale player and it didn’t work). All their DVD recorders will also play DVD-R and DVD-RW format disks, as well as standard DVDs. DVD RAM is not supported.

The unit is shipped with a multi-function remote control which will also work with a Philips television. All operations are performed via a range of on-screen menus. Initial setup is easy, as the unit will automatically scan for TV stations and store them in its presets. If it is connected via the supplied SCART lead to a Philips TV set that supports the EasyLink function, it will copy the TV’s own station presets automatically.

Once a disk is inserted, it is read to determine content and then the appropriate menu screen will appear. A standard DVD will play as normal. A DVD+R/+RW will trigger the Philips menu to appear. The Philips recorders create a useful preview picture and information box for each recording on the disk. This allows the user to play, edit, rename or erase each recording by simply selecting its picture from the menu. Also provided on this menu screen is an overview of the entire disk, allowing it to be given a name. The preview picture is chosen automatically by the recorder from what seems like a minute or so from the start of the recording. However, you can choose any image yourself after the recording is completed. Most of the time, the program name will also be stored, however this does seem to be a bit hit and miss. Sometimes it will grab the name of the previous program, other times it just puts the channel preset name and the recording start time. This also can be changed once the recording is complete.

After a recording is made, an edit facility is provided that allows chapter markers to be inserted, removed or hidden. The latter feature is useful for getting rid of advert breaks (they are still there, but a DVD player and the recorder will ignore them). You can also use this menu to divide a recording into 2 parts. This feature permanently divides from the current play or pause point and you end up with 2 identically named items on your menu. The main use I’ve found for this feature is to remove lead-in and lead-out recorded material on stuff I want to keep. The unwanted portions can then be deleted from the main menu and the space they occupy is freed up for further recordings. Most of the time, this time is added to the free portion at the end of the disk but occasionally I have noticed that it leaves it in its current menu position as chunk of free space. This is inconvenient, particularly if the chunk is quite small as it is difficult to re-use it.

You cannot append programs together. This I have found disappointing as it would be a useful way to remove commercials and free up the space for re-recording. You can stop a recording manually and add to it further at a later time. This is done by playing the recording to a point at which you want to add to it, selecting pause then when ready select record. This feature seems to work quite well although the recording start is not that accurate.

The unit has most of the features you would find on a quality VCR, including a timer with a choice of VideoPlus or manual settings. It is also PDC compatible and allows weekday and weekly recordings. You can also protect disks from accidental overwriting by locking them (DVD+RW only). This is accessed from the main menu and a disk once locked can be unlocked and re-used if required. You can also erase the entire content of a DVD+RW.

Recording quality very much depends on the recording mode selected. HQ is best but only gives an hour. SP is two hours, SP+ two and a half, LP is three, EP four and EP+ is six. EP+ seems to be about the equivalent to long play on a good quality VHS machine. A good range of inputs are provided for recording from other sources. There are two SCARTs at the back and at the front there’s S-Video inputs and a digital camcorder link.

I telephoned Philips 3 times, Sky twice and my supplier twice and all gave the wrong answers. Eventually I found a decent local engineer who discovered that the video output on the Sky box is not a digital signal. So dont connect that to your Philips recorder. It is meant for ordinary videos, which of course are not digital and gives a composite signal.

Instead take a scart from the TV out of Sky and send it direct to the DVD, then another scart to your TV set.

Eventually I rang Philips and asked them why they had not realised this, the wrong instructions being in black and white. They said they would send a memo to their support people and apologised for the mistake. Not great when the guy at the end of the phone on the support line had been somewhat superior and questioned whether I had connected everything up properly myself.