Which DVD recorder to buy?

[Dougcho]

To be able to view my 1000 VHS movies (mostly B&W)
for the next 20+ years, it looks like the only way to be
absolutely safe and sure is to archive them onto DVD.
For the VHS source machine, I have 8 Sony units
(the same Sony model which was used to record the tapes).
So now, which DVD recorder should I buy?
Also, any recommendations as to the cables I should use?
A Circuit City manager recommends Sony RDR-GX330
(it is multi-format + and -), and Monster Video 2 cables.
He says I really can't record better digital than this,
and later I can buy a better DVD machine for viewing.
Thanks, guys!

[StanleyMuso]

the Panasonic DVD recorder with 250 GB hard drive. I chose this model because it is capable of recording on all currently available disks, ie + & - DVDR and DVDRW, as well as RAM, and it has an upconverting HDMI output, which will be needed when I get a HD TV.

I have not had it long enough to start my transfers, so can't comment on its effectivenes. The cables I use are mainly middle of the road price wise, but good quality and thickness. I don't buy Monster because I, and many others, consider them overpriced for what you get.

I would expect that any machine from a major manufacturer would do the job quite well, but perhaps others more knowledgeable than me on this board could advise you better.

One caveate - if you recorded the tapes yourself off air, there will be no problems in tranferring them to DVD. If they are commercially produced, they could have copy protection embedded which could cause you strife.

[Defshep]

I can never remember the model number, but I bought a basic (no hard drive) Magnavox dvd recorder from Sam's Club for under $100 a couple of months ago. I've burned close to a hundred discs with no (except for human) errors whatsoever. It's the first one I've owned, so I can't compare it to other manufacturers. I looked at Pioneer, Panasonic, Toshiba, etc. All have their share of good/bad reviews, so I took a chance on the Magnavox, since it's compatable with dvd-r and +r, and the low cost was attractive as well. It's basically just a vcr in dvd form, but it's all I needed. WalMart also has the same one, but with a different model number for roughly the same price. I've seen some great reviews on this one.
FYI: It is not made by Philips, like many Magnavox products, but by Funai.