GO-VIDEO's DVR4000:
A Spacesaver for Video & DVD

 James G. DeRuvo, Hardware Editor

     Dual Deck VCR fans will find Go-Video’s DVR4000 a mixed bag of space-saving features.

     Capable of playing DVDs, audio and video CDs, as well as VHS tapes, the DVR4000 allows users to watch a DVD while recording a TV program. This is what we’ve come to expect from Sensory Science, the parent company of the Go Video line. And the DVR4000 is the deck for consumers who wish to save space when putting together a home theater system.

     The Next Generation DVD technology that the DVR4000 features does give a great picture for regular DVD playing. And the VHS portion is what we’ve come to expect. The VCR has a cool feature that can automatically adjust tape speed when the tape is nearing its end. This ensures that the entire program is recorded.

     However, the so-called innovative copying abilities of the integrated DVD and VCR leaves much to be desired and is more hype than function. The press release declares that the DVR4000 allows users to copy certain DVDs to VHS at the touch of one button. What they don’t tell you is that DVD encryption of professional consumer DVDs won’t allow copying of your favorite films from DVD to VCR. Not that you would really want to anyway.

     In fact, the only DVDs that are supposed to be copied are those that contain no copy protection. This would pretty much leave out about 99.9% of all DVDs out there. The only DVDs that would have a chance to take advantage of this copying feature could perhaps be the DVDs created with DVD-R burners which have been all the rage recently since Apple debuted the Superdrive in their G4 with last year.

     But, the DVR4000 can’t even read them! With nearly 90% of all DVD players on the market possessing this ability, it’s sad that the DVR4000 didn’t take the lead in this area considering its pedigree.

     And, at $349, you'd think that it could.

     Make no mistake. For the conventional DVD/VCR market, the DVR4000 is fine. But Sensory Science’s apparent lack of vision with the DVR4000 is troubling since their previous video models have been so cutting edge.

Copyright © 2002 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights reserved.
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Revised: October 15, 2002 02:42 PM Pacific Time.