Two years ago I was looking for an affordable, reliable DVD recorder to record my favorite shows directly onto DVD. I went to Wal-Mart and found an Emerson recorder for less than $300. I purchased it, and have enjoyed it ever since. In the two years I've had it, I have only experienced a couple time where the disc did not finalize correctly and I lost everything I'd taped. But like I said, that's only happened a few times.
I have countless number of DVD discs filled with my favorite shows thanks to this wonderful recorder! If anyone is interested in its full description, it is an Emerson -R/RW DVD/VCR combo recorder. It allows you to dub over from VHS in addition to playing regular VCR tapes and regular DVD's for your watching pleasure. I highly recommend it for anyone who's tired of waiting for their favorite shows to come to DVD.