Gateway AR-230 DVD Recorder

Pros: None.
Cons: Poorly designed - unit can not be programmed without using remote.

Purchased this recorder after Christmas from website which stated it was in stock (it wasn't)when Gateway was offering $50 rebate. After delayed shipping, unit would not function (no menu would appear on screen to program the unit). After 3 emails and 2 phone calls, I finally got permission to return the unit for credit (Gateway has a no questions asked policy to return if unsatisfied within 15 days). I'm still waiting for the credit. The rebate form also never was mailed as promised.

I've been buying products on line from various companies for years. Gateway is by far the worst company I've ever dealt with. Avoid buying any Gateway product.

Pros: good when it works
Cons: it doesn't work

I was interested in a DVD recorder and started looking into them. I went to a variety of electronic stores, and most of them did not know what they were talking about when I asked them about connecting certain devices to the recorder. I went to Gateway and found everything I wanted in a DVD recorder with a great price attached to it.

I bought my AR230 not even two months ago. When first using it, I was COMPLETELY satisfied. The AR230 was capable of recording practically ANYTHING: from other DVDs, tapes, camcorders, etc. The quality was excellent-especially for the price. I had no regrets...until now.

I rarely used the AR230. Now the darn thing won't record ANYTHING nor read ANY disc. Its useless-literally. I can't do a darn thing with it except see what time it is. I figure just buy a more expensive DVD recorder and be satisfied with it. Don't waste your cash.

Pros: DVD quality picture.
Cons: Doesn't work and they will not fix it or acknowledge that it does not work.

Sure the manual is poor but that's not the major problem. I had the AR 230 for two weeks with declining success. At first it would not record and play back about 20% of the time. Later on the success rate reversed. Now it records about 25% of the time. Sometimes, you think you're recording but you're not. It doesn't play back. If it's a non-rewritable, the disk is unusable forever. If it's a rewritable, it wants to format the disk.
I can't use this machine like a VCR if I can't be sure it's going to record A VCR picture isn't as good but at least it records 100% of the time.
I sent it back to Gateway for repairs. They sent it back to me with a note

Dear Customer.
After our extensive testing process, you unit has passed all functionality tests. No problem was found
Thank You
Gateway

Stunning! What am I going to do with this piece of landfill? What do they mean by 'you unit'?

Pros: Nothing good to say about this DVD recorder.
Cons: Poor quality in every sense of the word,customer service a joke.

Shipping was delayed for a month with no notice from Gateway. When I did receive it in less than a month I had to ship the DVD recorder to a repair service that is used by Gateway out in CA. From the very beginning the recordings were very dark...too dark.After a few uses the recorder would not finalize disks, it rendered them useless.

The repair service has had this thing for 2 weeks and claim they never received it from me. I have delivery confirmation. Customer service says daily that they will email the service and get back to me. I have received no call from Gateway at all. I don't expect to get one. Do not do business with this company. Their products will not work as they are advertised and customer service will not help you. Your money will be better spend elsewhere even if you have to pay more.

Pros: None.
Cons: Works like you built it yourself in your garage!

Purchased it. Owned it for 4 days. Went crazy! Recording is inconsistent. If it's not really important for you to rely on your recorder, then purchase Gateway. Returned it and purchased Pioneer DVR-310. Pioneer works like a dream! DVR-310 great recorder - HIGHLY recommend it.

Pros: It's good at collecting dust.
Cons: Bad Graphics, minimal options and does not successfully burn your DVD's!

I bought this Gateway AR-230 DVD Recorder through HSN because it was a great value, and I really wanted to transfer all my home videos to DVD. I bought this unit in January 2004, and I have yet to successfully burn a DVD. It is the most frustrating thing ever. The older units need a firmware update, and after 20 calls to Gateway they finally informed me of this fact. Just today I called and spoke to a very rude woman to obtain assistance with the download, and they refused to help me.
Without the firmware, the DVD will not successfully burn and will not be able to be viewed on other DVD players. Besides the inability to actually create DVD's, the graphics are poor and I don't think the unit offers enough options. Beware of this product!
I wish I had bought a Sony or similar product from a better company.

Pros: ease of use. video quality
Cons: manual

I got an AR230 about a month ago. could not get component
video out to my TV. Called tech support and they helped
me with my problem. Can't have S-video cable connected
and get component video out. I have converted 6
VHS tapes onto DVD without any problems. I have used
both +R and +R/W discs and both seem to work fine. I have
also set up and recorded from cable without a hitch.
Have only used SP mode.

need to add longer title length can only do 8 characters.
need to add a 3 hour mode.
need a better users guide.

Pros: front a/v inputs, including firewire. Good value.
Cons: One needs to know the correct blank media to purchase so there's no dollar waste.

Great picture quality and intuitive programming. Most people with novice knowledge will be able to operate the unit out of the box without the manual (which does come in handy though a lot of the time). Front a/v inputs, including a firewire (not found on comparably priced units), makes recording very convenient. No turning the unit around with a flashlight to try to find the right connections. A little picky on the brand of DVD+R/RW blank media it uses. Overall, though, a unit that is solidly built.

Pros: None - except being a fine coaster maker.
Cons: Problems start a few months into owning the product. Poorly designed.

This product has broken for the second time and created multiple coasters out of my brand new DVD+RW disks. What a pity. This could have been a good product, but it is junk. Get something else.

Pros: Easy to set up and pause acts to "EDIT" recording
Cons: Gateway customer service needs some serious HELP, (from management)!!

I'm making fantastic firewire recording, finally!! The instructions for recording described in the User Manual are incorrect. Why Gateway has not acted to correct this is LAME!! Use the "Pause" button to interrupt recording THEN use the Stop button to end the session. Then bring up Disk Tools and select Finalize to close the session. DVD+RW do NOT have to be finalized!! I've only recorded using Firewire, the quality of the playback is very good. Any questions, rickspencer4@comcast.net

Pros: Price, ease of use, DV inputs, choice of outputs
Cons: Manual leaves out a few important operational details.

I bought the AR-230 for one specific purpose: to transfer all of my old VHS "home movies" to DVD. It does an excellent job and is very easy to use. I was a bit concerned about negative reviews, but Gateway's price of $149 made it worth the risk. Gateway is now shipping the AR-230 R2 with the latest firmware updates already applied. I've had no problems whatsoever and haven't wasted a single disk.
I work in TV production and I've use much more expensive DVD recorders with more features. Yes, you can get better picture quality with the Sony machines that cost $500 wholesale. But if you're starting with VHS tapes, the higher quality is largely wasted and the Gateway is a better choice.
Read the manual before you start recording DVDs. Understand that you have to finalize DVD+Rs. If you invest the time in learning how to use the technology, this machine will serve you well in many applications.
It's a great value for the money and mine has shown no indication of the complaints listed in many of the reviews.

Pros: Price Set Up Guides
Cons: Poor(er)quality of signals, picture regardless of input via tv signal, S-video

PRO's- There are many, easy to set up
Great walk through on screen guide(s)
Front inputs for component and Video Cameras
Fine Tune TV Signal setting
Composite out to TV
Nice Remote Control
Great Price
CON's -Less Quality on recordings from video/tv source's

Pros: None
Cons: Doesn't work anywhere close to as advertised. Horrible support.

Won't accept half the brands of blank +R discs available. If you can find a brand it will accept, appears record fine, then hangs up, and the disk is now corrupted, and un playable. Hangs up on playback. You can skip to the next chapter which works, but will then stall a couple of chapters later. Absolute, utter, piece of crap. Gateway techs are unhelpful at best, with an attitude of "Yeah that happens sometimes, too bad."