LIKE THE PROVERBIAL London bus, we have a run on DVD/HDD recorders that offer impressive specifications at competitive prices. While this Samsung doesn't offer the 1080p performance of the newToshiba we have reviewed, but it does offer the equally roomy 250GB hard disk drive and HDMI out. There are other strengths that win it plaudits. A USB 2.0 input allows access to pictures and music you can also play MP3 CDs as well as DivX content and there's a DV connection, too. The whopping hard disk will give you more than 400 hours of recording time, while, should you want to back-up content, the DVD¬SH855M will record to DVD-RAM, DVD-R/RW and dual layer discs.

It will not record to DVD+ R/RW discs, though it will play them back. This is a slick operator in use. The menu systems look worthy of a Rs 25,000 piece of equipment, and the EPG is similarly swish. The Samsung records in 'FR' mode only when recording to the hard disk. This automatically chooses the highest-quality recording option based on the amount of room you have on your HDD. We resent the lack of choice a little, but the huge capacity means you'll be using the best quality mode most of the time. And the results are good. The Freeview tuner delivers decent detail levels, natural colours and, the odd hint of noise apart, a stable picture.



There's some softness to edges, and blacks lack a little insight, but as tuners go, it's none too shabby. Recordings are faithful, losing little detail and remaining stable and clean. Switch to DVD and the Samsung does a decent job, delivering clean images with bright colours. It does lack a 1080p output, though, and can't quite rise to the challenge of the best in its class. This remains a very capable recorder, but a couple of gaps in the specification and a not-quite flawless tuner, mean it can't hit the top of its price class.