Brother MFC-L3745CDW Colour Laser Multifunction

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.
Lite-On's LVW-5045 HDD and DVD recorder is designed to record broadcast analog TV to either a hard disk or directly to an optical disc. It is compatible with CD-R, CD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-R and DVD-RW discs. It'll even play back MP3, WMA and JPEG files.
The 4.5kg progressive scan model ships with a relatively basic manual, but it does include details of recommended discs to use with the device.
The 43 x 32 x 7cm unit has a silver finish and somewhat boxy appearance, making it resemble an old-style VCR. The front panel displays a basic set of buttons, including Eject, Play, Stop, Record and Source Select. There's even a single toggle to switch between DVD and hard disk, which is basic yet effective. In addition to the buttons, a couple of connectors are available on the front panel to directly connect a digital camcorder, older camcorder or VCR.
The rear panel is a little better adorned, with a pass-through antenna connector, both S-Video and composite inputs, and S-Video, composite, component and digital coaxial and optical outputs.
The machine includes a 160GB hard disk drive, which is good for roughly 66 hours of recording.
The menu system is easy to use and it doesn't take much time before you get the hang of scheduling and recording programs. There is a help key on the remote control in case you get stuck. A feature of this device is the ability to back up movies either from the hard disk to an optical disc or from an optical disc back to the hard disk. This doesn't work on copyrighted material, but is a great way to make quick copies of home movies or friends' productions. You can even perform basic edits.
While the Lite-On device works fairly well, its lack of polish makes it better suited to someone more tech-savvy than the average TV viewer. Still, it's a great alternative to the bigger brands.
This month, PC World is excited to partner with Zero Latency VR. You and seven of your friends will have the chance to win tickets to this experience.
The latest business news, reviews, features and whitepapers
Watch our video news and reviews from around the world
Comprehensive buying guides, features, and step-by-step articles
Dynabook Portégé X30L-G
Ultimately this laptop has achieved everything I would hope for in a laptop for work, while fitting that into a form factor and weight that is remarkable.
MSI P65
This smart laptop was enjoyable to use and great to work on – creating content was super simple.
MSI GT76
It really doesn’t get more “gaming laptop” than this.
MSI GS75
As the Maserati or BMW of laptops, it would fit perfectly in the hands of a professional needing firepower under the hood, sophistication and class on the surface, and gaming prowess (sports mode if you will) in between.
MSI PS63
The MSI PS63 is an amazing laptop and I would definitely consider buying one in the future.
Brother RJ-4230B
This small mobile printer is exactly what I need for invoicing and other jobs such as sending fellow tradesman details or step-by-step instructions that I can easily print off from my phone or the Web.