If you are not much of a video person, and don't believe that you are apt to change ... then I don't think that the differences between the playback quality of a DVD recorder versus a DVD player will be that important to you. What I have seen though, is that previously non-video types become big video fans once they upgrade their TV sets.
If you can track down a copy of What Hi Fi (a British hifi magazine that is carried by Borders or Barnes & Noble or on-line, for that matter) they have tested quite a few DVD recorders in the past few months. Not all recorders use the same DVD recording formats, which should not be a problem, unless you are looking to swap home recorded DVD's with friends. Depending on your budget, you can also get a machine that has a built in hard drive which strikes me as a really desireable feature as then you don't need to be bothered with discs at all.
What Hi Fi is very keen on the Panasonic 55 ($300) as a basic machine and on the Panasonic 85 ($600), which offers a hard drive. Typically, the prerecorded DVD playback on these units offers pictures that are not as sharp and colors that are not as rich in appearance. I have been tempted to make the jump myself, but other than sporting events and occasional PBC concerts, I have not found that much on TV that is really worth recording.
Another option to consider is a service like TIVO.
Regards, Rich
