Sky high for Pye!

The PY90DG is manufactured by Funai but sold under the brand name Pye at Circuit City stores. That's the name by which I met it while fishing the CC website for DVD recorders. As an inveterate cheapskate, my head was first turned by the price. And the consumer buzz was impressive, even allowing for the shaky veracity of store site reviews. I also found a British member of some DVD wonk site giving the Pye a big thumbs up, and Frank Moldstad was likewise enthusiastic in his review of its VG (VCR combo) cousin at Consumer Electronics Net.

So, after 30+ hours of recording bliss, let me be the first to tell you here that the PY90DG is the cheapskate jackpot of DVD recorders. Forget Liteon & Cyberhome & Insignia & all those other bidders for your bottom dollar. For that matter, don't let the pricey glamor brands crowd Pye out of your view. This baby gives you a lot more than you pay for.

The Pye just hit the market a few months ago, and I've only had my slice for a few weeks. So I can't vouch for longevity. But it aces every other test of home recording fitness. Performance is dazzling, features are ample, and versatility is complete -- for a non-HD model.

I'll just mention the highlights of my delectation here. I may not have the gimlet eye of the videophile, and in all candor, I've never met a DVD picture I didn't like. That said, the picture quality of recordings at the 2 highest speeds looks sterling to me. And I don't see any obvious diminution at the 4-hour speed I'm using for time shifting. Even the slowest speed wrapped up all the action in a busy scene from "Jurassic Park" without a hitch. Compare that to the slowest speed on my 3-year old Panasonic recorder, which is simply useless for film format.

How many DVD recorders at any price offer a zoom function? And Pye runs up the score with a pan & scan bonus that even my Panasonic player can't match. I'll grant that toons aren't the best test of picture quality, but I was surprised at the clarity of my 4-hour recordings at the 2X zoom setting.

Panasonic's RAM format may be the editor's darling, but it only beats Pye editing by one function: track shortening. And the Pye can achieve the same purpose in 2 steps: divide and delete. And Pye delivers an overwrite function that my Panasonic doesn't have. On DVD+RW, you can start a new recording at any point on an existing recording.

Upstart brands open at a gambler's discount. But this gamble is a sure bet. In fact, the price has already snuck up $10 since its debut (I bought mine at a Turkey Day Madness discount). So if you wait much longer, you may get less of a bargain. But you'll still get one fine DVD recorder.