Your thoughts or advice on Sony RDR-GX315, please. (1 Viewer)

[Stuart_Gardner]

I purchased a Sony RDR-GX315 today from Circuit City and haven't opened the box yet. The two factors that sold me on this are (1) it handles +RW, +R, -RW and -R, and (2) the price was $249.00, with a mail-in rebate of $50.00 making it $199.00.
Now I've found a couple of reviews on cnet from users who say that this won't record from their DVRs, which seems bizarre to say the least; on the other hand there's a review there from someone who says that it records from his DVR without a problem.
I have cable reception and DVR from Adelphia. The DVR box (from Scientific Atlanta) is an Explorer 8300HD and I've been in love with it for a long time. I don't have a High Definition TV.
My old DVD recorder, a Panasonic DMRE30S, worked like a dream recording from the DVR, and why shouldn't it have? Why shouldn't any recorder?
Am I in trouble here, or am I okay?
Any advice, thoughts, tips, leads, links or money is much appreciated (particularly if you can dumb it down for a technophobe).
Thanks!

 

[Stuart_Gardner]

The Sony DVD recorder is recording from my DVR with no problem, but I think I'm going to take the advice of a friend and return it for a higher-end model. I have $500.00 in credit to use at Circuit City and my buddy points out that since I plan to give the machine a lot of wear and tear (which is true) I should get a better unit.
Of the ten recorders Circuit City carries (yes, I thought they'd have more choices, too), can anyone suggest the machine for a fellow who plans to use it for hours daily? (I'd link the DVD recorder page from Circuit City's site here but I'm not allowed to do that yet, as I'm new to these forums).
I do a great deal of recording and an ungodly amount of watching, and constantly use functions such as zoom, slow, A-B repeat, frame by frame examination forward and back, etc.
I can't afford the Sony DVD Recorder/DVR (RDR-HX715), leaving nine machines to chose from.
Since I don't have an HD television or HD reception, would it be a waste to go with the Samsung HD-Conversion DVD Recorder/VCR (DVD-VR325)? Or would it still deliver a finer DVD image than the other players (although obviously not as fine as I'd get with an HD set, duh).
The Sony DVD Recorder/VCR Combo (RDR-VX515) looks good, and I do have some tapes that need to be transferred; likewise the Panasonic DVD Recorder/VCR Combo with DVD/RAM Format (DMRES40VS).
Any thoughts or help are much appreciated; thanks.