Sansui VRDVD4005

I had purchased this Sansui VRDVD4005 product from Sears approx 7 years ago. Cost was $330.00. It has been great for recording daily shows on a VHS tape and playing movies. I recently began transferring my 8mm home movies onto a DVD using a new DVD recorder in my basement. I am using DVD-R which is compatible with the VRDVD4005 unit. I have finalized the DVD Disc and the Sansui VRDVD4005 will not read the disc. I expected to be able to play my home movies on the other DVD player as well. FYI-The counter for VCR has recently began to malfunction.

Not exactly user friendly. Takes too long to edit.5 years old. Very seldom used until appx. 2 months ago when I started recording one one hour program a week and all of a sudden it will not read anymore therefore no longer to record or play previously recorded DVD's. Have tried various versions of DVD's.

I have had my Sansui VRDVD4005 for four years and it is just now showing signs of failing. The DVD is repeatedly showing the dreaded "C104" message. I think it may have died at this point but there was no warning. We had watched several commercially produced DVDs on it and then recorded from cable signal. When we tried to go back to playing the mass produced DVD, the "C104" came up. Tried the DVD we had JUST recorded, again it failed to recognize it. Went so far as to insert NEW disk hoping it would default to the "format" option, did not, "C104" again. The DVD drive is supposed to be made by Pioneer, I read the repair shop wanted over $300 to repair, is this a do it yourself project, maybe, I don't know. I know i have made several dozen DVDs on this unit so I can't complain too much, I just hate to think it' breaks down to about $8-$10 each and now I might have to get another one.

If I had read these reviews before I purchased the Sansui VRDVD4005 I certainly wouldn't have. The vcr works but the dvd has the error C104 saying incorrect disc and I know its the correct disc, looks like we all got stuck with a lemon. I agree with taking it back to sears where I purchased it, but I figure I can purchase a new unit (different brand) cheaper than I could to have it repaired.

1. The Sansui VRDVD4005 is a VERY SLOW machine.2. Manual is both complicated and yet still lacking, really a lot of trial and error to work the features. Very poorly worded instructions. Setting it up was a task in itself.3. Timer recordings never worked right.4. One problem after another with this thing, all I can do now is watch VHS tapes with it. It worked for a while playing DVD's and recording some stuff, but the difficulty in using this machine took away from it.

Sansui VRDVD4005 Review - There surely must be more user friendly units available out there these days but it does do what we had basically intended it for..find frequently these days with many products that instructions are inadequate...

It a nice recorder but there a lot wrong with it

To finalize the Sansui VRDVD4005 DVD Recorder to play on other machines:

Press Setup on the remote which is on the right beneath the navigation buttons.

This brings you to the Setup Menu.

Scroll down to System Setup and Select it.

Scroll to Disc Setup and Select It.

Next to Finalize is the word Proceed, scroll down and select this.

Confirm and it will finalize.

When my Sansui VRDVD4005 broke, I took it to Sears, who sent it off for repair. The technician called and left a message saying the total cost would be about $335, with the bulk of that being the cost of a new DVD drive. When I finally reached the technician by phone (they don't like to answer the phone at the repair facility), he said that the manufacturers don't want people to repair these machines; they want us to buy new ones. That is why the DVD drives cost so much to replace. To me, this is outrageous. The manufacturer doesn't want to stand behind the product; they just want to take our money.

The quality of the picture and sound on the first home video I transferred from cassette to disc, with my Sansui VRDVD4005, was excellent. Unfortunately, this was the only time I was successful in recording anything onto a disc. The only disc that has worked in the unit so far has been the TDK-RW included in the packaging with the unit. None of the other DVD-R's or DVD-RW's I have purchased have worked. I've owned the unit for 3 years and only successfully recorded onto a DVD once.