Philips DVDR985 DVD Recorder

I starting thinking about transferring my VHS tapes to Disc back in the year 2000. I started looking into the availability of consumer disc recorders starting at Radio Shack. I was told that those available would cost in the thousands of dollars. I had never used the Ebay website back then, but I received a sales catalog from AAFES(Army & Air Force Exchange Service) and saw a Philips DVDR985 advertised for almost $900. This device would record on DVD+R/+RW only and play various CD's and DVD's so I invested in one.
After receiving my new toy, everything was working fine until several months of recording on both DVD+R/+RW's. Then it just quit recording on the DVD+R's, but was ok recording to the +RW's. I sent it to the nearest service center. They had it for about 5-weeks. Then I called to check on its status. They said that they had found the problem and the unit(under warranty)would have to be replaced. So they arranged for a replacement from the factory(or warehouse).
When I received the replacement it worked fine until sometime in 2004. It too, would no longer record on DVD+R discs. I continued recording on the +RWs until sometime in 2005, when I started experiencing problems recording on different manufactured discs. After putting up with intermittent Disc Errors for some time, I decided to go on Ebay and see what they were going for. I found one fairly reasonable, but its recording ability was questionable. I found out for sure when I received it....Disc Errors, just like mine. Then around June I saw another one on Ebay that showed promise. The seller stated he had recorded on +Rs but had not tried +RWs. So I took a chance and bought it. I was very please when I connected it and recorded on both +R/+RWs. It has continued to work great so far now that we are in 2007. However, I have two bad units, one records once in awhile without disc errors, but with errors most of the time. The other, I completely gave up on. I did a lot of recording on my first two new ones. Perhaps that is the problem....extensive use. I have always treated all my TV's and other electronic equipment with tender loving care. I will end this rating blurb by saying it is a good product when it's working, but then again you can say that about most products. I am currently in the process of upgrading my TV and attached products to the latest HDMI (HD)technology. I will keep the DVDR985 as long as it works, but will also go with a DVD-R/-RW recorder. You just don't see many +R/+RW recorders anymore, though Philips continues that product line. I believe the DVD-R/-RW recording will be around for a long time and out weigh the pluses(+).

This was my first dvd recorder. I love this thing. As in my generation would say "farout". The ease of the menus on this recorder is well thought of, it is user friendly. I don't usually rant and rave about this but this I had to write a review on. The seller is quite helpful about everything. Answers questions in a timely manner and ships a quality product VERY quickly and packed this dvd recorder really well. I would recommend this dvd recorder to folks who have not owned one before (because of it's ease of operation) and also because of the seller as well. Anything will wear out if you use it enough and some folks just seem to realize that but most do. This is a well be recorder and you can order from this seller with now fear of not getting you item and or it being poorly packed or anything of that nature from this seller. You can trust this seller to pack it well and ship quickly also to answer your questions.
May GOD Bless you all.