DVD recorders; these machines copy as well as play, but you may want to wait before buying.(Product/Service Evaluation)

Recorders may be the final nail in the coffin for VCRs. Besides playing video and music discs, the four we tested from Panasonic, Philips, and Pioneer allow you to copy TV programs and home videos onto DVDs. They also "time-shift," letting you record while you're away. But buying a DVD recorder still involves adventure and a cliffhanger or two.

* At $700 to $1,300, prices remain steep, though $500 models may be common in the next few months.

* All use several video-disc formats, some of which work with few other recorders or players; discs you record may not play on a friend's machine.

Knowing which format does what can save you some nasty surprises.

WHAT'S AVAILABLE

DVD recorders use these formats when recording: DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, and DVD-RAM. DVD-R and +R discs can be recorded on once, while DVD-RW, +RW, and -RAM discs can be erased and reused hundreds of times. While video and audio quality are comparable for all formats, each has its pros and cons.

Recordings on -R (Panasonic and Pioneer) and +R (Philips) play on most other recorders or players. Those made on +RW discs with the Philips play on many machines, while those on -RAM discs (Panasonic) play on just a few. But the players that record on -RAM let you watch a program saved on that disc while recording a new program onto it. The Panasonic DMR-HS2 adds a hard drive that plays and records simultaneously, stores up to 52 hours of video, and lets you copy between it and a DVD.