RCA DCR8335 DVR/video tape recorder -- what fails in it?

[larrymoencurly]

I found this RCA combo DVR recorder and VHS recorder on sale for $99, sold under the Curtis brand name with the same DRC8335 model number, but after reading all the negative reviews (80-90% negative, most people reporting outright failure), I'm thinking of taking it back. But does anybody know why these recorders have fail so much and how the failures have been solved, if they have beenl? Neither Curtis nor RCA can tell me anything (I've tried 8 different RCA phone nos.). Several people have reported that replacing capacitor C226 (470uF, 16V, brand mark is an "S" inside a circle -- what's that?) in the main power supply fixes everything, but some say it hasn't helped.

[Wizard]

Re: RCA DCR8335 DVR/video tape recorder -- what fails in it?

It is good idea to do a complete recap on power supply with quality capacitors that we specified here, just do a invertory of the caps in the PSU section of primary and secondary.

Cheers, Wizard

[tvbobbyd]

Re: RCA DCR8335 DVR/video tape recorder -- what fails in it?

I found this RCA combo DVR recorder and VHS recorder on sale for $99, sold under the Curtis brand name with the same DRC8335 model number, but after reading all the negative reviews (80-90% negative, most people reporting outright failure), I'm thinking of taking it back. But does anybody know why these recorders have fail so much and how the failures have been solved, if they have beenl? Neither Curtis nor RCA can tell me anything (I've tried 8 different RCA phone nos.). Several people have reported that replacing capacitor C226 (470uF, 16V, brand mark is an "S" inside a circle -- what's that?) in the main power supply fixes everything, but some say it hasn't helped.

caps are a issue I just had one, wasn't going to tackle, but found shorted zenier diode and resistor open replaced a couple of 470 @25 reset power button now dvd playing hoping for vcr to follow suit??