Lite-On LVC-9016G Review

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hollidayp1's Review of Lite-On LVC-9016G

23rd May 2006

Overall Rating

0.5 stars
  • Value for money
    2.5 stars
Good Points

Very good user interface, and easy to use.


Bad Points

Must manually stop recording when copying; Weird format prevents editing or re-authoring DVD's


General Comments

The Lite-On LVC-9016G is a VHS-DVD combo unit that can record DVD's from VHS tapes and VHS tapes from DVD's. It has a very good user interface and is easy to use. However, the VHS tape functions are limited, and so are the DVD functions. Although the unit performs well as a copy device from one media to the other, it is not as good as having a separate VCR and a separate DVD recorder.

A major flaw with this unit's copy function (from VHS to DVD) is that you cannot use the OTR (One Touch Recording) function once you have started copying from VHS to DVD. The problem is that you have to stop the recording manually instead of, for example, setting the OTR to stop the recording automatically after 1 or 2 or 6 hours. This is a real pain if you want to transfer only 3 hours say, of a 6 hour VHS tape. You have to hang around for 3 hours to stop the thing when you want, which is a real pain in the neck.

You are much better of with a $50 VCR and a separate $150 (or less) DVD recorder and a simple A/V cable. At least you will have a full-featured VCR, and if one unit fails you can replace it easily.

Another, and perhaps more serious problem with the Lite-On LVC-9016G (and with other Lite-On DVD Recorder models) is that it records DVD's with a very strange and troublesome format. Basically, when you look at the DVD on a computer with Windows Explorer (and other programs) you will see more than 8Gb (yes, 8 Gigabytes) of files on a 4.7Gb single layer DVD. It appears that Lite-On records extra stuff for some unknown reason that fools most Windows programs. The bottom line about this crazy format is that you cannot ever re-author or edit the DVD! The only thing you can do is make an image copy (say from DVD RW to DVD R), but the copy still shows 8Gb of files that you cannot re-author. This is the main reason that I rate the Lite-On LVC-9016G as NOT ACCEPTABLE and it should be avoided.

By the way, the same unacceptable recording format was found on the Lite-On LVW-5005 and the Lite-On LVW-1101HC1 models, and these are also NOT ACCEPTABLE.

Paul Holliday (May 2006).

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Members' Comments onhollidayp1's Review

  • Nicolashimself on 5th Feb 2007

    I should add that I had the same problem with my Sony RDR VX 420 DVD-Player.
    I bought it to transfert my movies from my VCR to DVD but I can not watch them on my computer.
    I tried many programs to try read the DVD but it's impossible. This is UNACCEPTABLE! AVOID THIS DEVICE TOO. or Probably all SONY DVD Recorders.