The RDRHX910 combines a large array of features and options with a huge 250 gig hard drive. Unfortunately, an equally huge $1499 price tag and poor integration of many peripheral features detract from what could have been a standout recorder.

The HX710 is an incredibly versatile and customisable recorder, but it can be difficult to use.

It's initially tricky to operate, but the RD-XS34 offers plenty of powerful features and is a gem once you've mastered it.

A couple of minor issues hold the Lite-On LVW-5045 back from stardom, but for the techno-savvy it's still an appealing alternative to the bigger brands.

A wide range of supported formats, combined with stylish industrial design, makes the KiSS DP-558 a great hard disk recorder for the power user who doesn't mind recording in MPEG-2 and archiving footage regularly.

The Pioneer 530H is an excellent recorder, bringing both ease of use and professionalism to the user. Some minor omissions prevent this recorder from realising its truly epic potential.

A slick interface and good encoder make this a quality product, but it's not without a few shortcomings.

While not quite as heavy duty as some hard disk DVD recorders, the pioneer DVR-720H is more user friendly than most.

Its image quality is stellar, and its dubbing superfast. Aside from a cramped remote, there's little to complain about with this Pioneer.