Price Paid:  $0.00 from private

Summary:
Unlike computer-based burners this drives directly from the analogue output of my Seck mixer and I then have a digital master I can edit in Coolpro. No real problems but bulk purchase CDR audio blanks are not too reliable. Successfully mastered a 1000-press charity CD last year.

Strengths:
Direct analogue input from mixer; optical digital from minidisc and soundcard.

Weaknesses:
Not compatible with some CD players.

Similar Products Used:
Nero burner on computer

Summary:
Follow-up: I took this unit to Philips Service Center here in Houston. They want an exorbitant non-refundable $165 deposit. If there is a screw missing or a small part ajar, it will still cost $165. I declined to repair this unit, and would rather put the $165 into a new SONY or PIONEER CDR. No sense in sinking alot of money to fix old technology, with no guarantees that the problem will be fixed. This will be the last Philips unit I ever purchase.

Weaknesses:
Compatability

Summary:
I've had this unit for a few years; it was a gift. It records and plays back fine...until you try to use the disc in a Sony or Yamaha CD player, or any other for that matter. The discs play in my car, but that's about it. Won't play on my computer either. I'm using Maxell CD-R recordable compact discs. Pretty tough to share mixes with friends. I think I'm going to take it in for service or check out. Maybe Philips has an answer by now.

Strengths:
Simple to use; variable input capabilities

Weaknesses:
Compatability

Similar Products Used:
None

Summary:
5 STars! I've made plenty of CD's with this recorder, using a CD source via optical digitcal cable. What other recorder allows us to use $2.00 CDR's for recording Audio?
Beware of the auto-track button, if it's not on (indicated by a microscopic display on the face) you'll end up with one long, 74 minute track.

Summary:
The CDR870 is good recorder but not as good as the CDR880. I don't know what was PHILIPS thinking when they decided to resample the 44.1 Khz. The differences are subtle between the 870 & 880 although the latter does not come close to the Marantz CD-700 but still make better recordings than the 870.
The CDR870 is a good recorder but not for the audiophile listner and is best suited for reproducing CD's for protable DISCman and the car.