This dvd recorder has masses of features and a big user manual - I haven't sussed it all out yet! All the things you need for quick use are easy to work out even without the manual but things like deleting (without fragmenting the hard drive) and dubbing are a bit more complex (as with all machines I suppose). The picture quality is excellent. It is not compatible with very many disc formats but this has not been a problem so far. Overall it is a great machine.