Sony DVDirect MA1 Multi-Function Blu-ray Disc/DVD Recorder
The Sony DVDirect MA1 Multi-Function Blu-ray Disc/DVD Recorder affords a quick and easy way to transfer your home movies, VHS and digital photos to stunning Blu-ray Disc or DVD. It does this without the need for a PC. The 2.7" color LCD screen lets you preview video or up to six photos at a time. If you record high-definition AVCHD 1080i video from your Sony camera or camcorder, you can quickly transfer it to Blu-ray Disc. There's also an integrated Memory Stick PRO / PRO Duo card slot, as well as an SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot. The VBD-MA1 is even equipped with high-speed USB 2.0 ports for transferring data from your Sony video/digital camera to Blu-ray Disc or DVD. If you have a computer for editing, the DVDirect can function as an external PC burner by recording your edited movies from your computer onto either Blu-ray Disc or DVD. Essentially, the DVDirect MA1 allows you to preserve your memories from virtually any camera, VHS tape or camcorder - although Sony cameras are recommended. Plus, you can also catalog your home movies and digital stills with theatrical titles, disc menus and even movie chapters - so when family and friends stop by asking to see that one hilarious moment or that fully edited home movie, all you'll have to do is load your pre-made Blu-ray Disc or DVD.
- Versatile Video Recording via Analog or Digital
- Record from almost any camcorder, VCR, or digital video recorder without a PC. Copy your precious moments to Blu-ray Disc media or DVD for archiving or for sharing with family and friends. Use USB and i.LINK for Sony devices, or load memory cards directly into the unit. There's also a composite video and stereo RCA audio inputs to handle a wide range of non-Sony cameras, VHS tapes via VCR, and many other sources 1
- Record AVCHD 1080i Video (Sony Only)
- Use the VBD-MA1's digital inputs to transfer high-definition AVCHD 1080i video from your Sony camcorder or camera to Blu-ray Disc or DVD. For digital inputs, the burner features an iLink connection port and dual USB ports that are compatible with your Sony video/digital cameras only (AVCHD transfer for Sony Memory Card & Hard Drive Camcorders/Cameras only). However, you can also connect your computer via USB and iLink to the VBD-MA1 for external BD writing 2
- Convenient 2.7" LCD Video/Photo Viewing Screen
- The built-in 2.7-inch color LCD screen enables you to preview your videos. You can also use it to preview up to six digital photos at one time
- Memory Card Slots
- Built-in memory card slots support Memory Stick PRO and PRO Duo cards, as well as Secure Digital (SD) cards including SD, SDHC and SDXC card types
- External PC Burner
- The VBD-MA1 can be used as an external BD writer by connecting it to your computer. Movies edited on your computer can be recorded to Blu-ray Disc
- Extended Recording Time
- With the choice of five different quality modes, you can record up to 19 hours of high-definition video on a single disc
- Create Titles, Menus & Chapters
- You can create Blu-ray Disc or DVD menus and titles automatically or choose from four preset menu designs. There is also automatic chaptering every 5, 10 or 15 minutes of recording
| System | NTSC |
| Card Readers Supported | Memory Stick Duo Memory Stick PRO Memory Stick PRO Duo Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo SD/SDHC/SDXC Memory Cards |
| Memory Capacity | Supports up to 6000 photos (max) |
| Recording | High-Definition (HD) Video Recording Standard-Definition (SD) Video Recording Digital Still Image (Photo) Recording |
| Inputs | Composite Video (RCA) x 1 Stereo Audio (RCA) x 2 (Left/Right) USB Ports x 2 (Sony or Computer) i.Link 4-Pin Connection Port (IEEE1394) x 1 (Camcorder Only) |
| USB Port | Yes x 2 |
| IEEE-1394 (FireWire/DV/iLink) | Yes (4-pin i.Link for camcorder connection only) |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 (Wide Screen) 4:3 (Full Screen) |
| Audio Decoder | Dolby Digital (2-Channel) |
| Supported Formats | BD-R, BD-R DL, BD-R LTH, BD-RE, BD-RE DL, DVD+R, DVD+R DL, DVD+RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW |
| Source | USB DV (Recording) Analog (Recording) |
| Recording Time | Approx. 3.0 Hours per DVD Approx. 9.5 Hours per Blu-ray Disc (BD) |
| Encoding Formats | Digital Video / Analog Video: MPEG-2 (Standard DVD) |
| Disc Capacity | BD HD LP-Mode: 9.5 Hours (max) DVD LP-Mode Mode: 9.5 Hours (max) |
| Power Consumption | 30W |
| Dimensions | 5.75 x 1.7 x 6.5" (14.4 x 4.3 x 16.2 cm) |
| Weight | 1.2 lb (0.6 kg) |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviews(based on 34 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
74%
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Pros
- Attractive (13)
- Compact (11)
- Easy to use (11)
- Easy to set up (10)
- Simple controls (8)
Cons
- Flimsy construction (3)
Best Uses
- Home (18)
- Professional (4)
- Home theater (3)
- Storage (3)
- Reviewer Profile:
- Power user (15), Enthusiast (13), Casual user (4)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (29)
Most Liked Positive Review
Great product
- Burns Blu-ray discs from PC or Macintosh--Perfect for MacBook Air
- Burns AV without the need for computer, so no capture card needed or CPU-consuming CODEC-based compression
Read complete review
- Burns Blu-ray discs from PC or Macintosh--Perfect for MacBook Air
- Burns AV without the need for computer, so no capture card needed or CPU-consuming CODEC-based compression
- Memory card slot real handy, Sony Memory Stick but accepts SD too (and Sony does not like to support competitors' technology)
- FireWire (OK i.Link) video in for older and Pro cameras of any brand (MacBook Air missing this so makes me & my JVC happy)
- USB port (the larger one) for modern Sony-only cameras, old CyberShot not supported, at least not mine, so, not useful, much better if HDD were accepted by the port. Still a minor thing, just ignore the port if your camera is a Cisco Flip! Mino HD like mine
- Not silent at all, fan is quite noisy, but I don't care personally. Apple PowerBook G4 I used to have sounded like a jet engine when hot
- LCD screen: I would have paid $100 more just for that, just fantastic when you need to know where VHS movies start
VS
Most Liked Negative Review
Good, but could use many improvements
This will be lengthy, so please bear with me. I want to go into detail about what I believe to be the pros and cons of the VBD-MA1, so that you can decide whether...Read complete review
This will be lengthy, so please bear with me. I want to go into detail about what I believe to be the pros and cons of the VBD-MA1, so that you can decide whether or not it is right for you.Several clients have wanted a DVD of footage immediately following an event. [...] each successive DVD recorder I tried had the same poor result—a widescreen image was squeezed into a 4:3 aspect ratio and a 4:3 image was compressed even further (making the image actually taller than it was wide). A combination of DVD player and TV settings could stretch the image back out to the correct aspect ratio, though this also resulted in poor image quality.So I had faint hope when I saw Sony had added this Blu-Ray recorder to their DVDirect line. In my first test, I recorded a DVD using the component out from my Sony HXR-NX5U, then added widescreen footage shot with my old Panasonic MiniDV cam (via the DV firewire in), and then recorded programs in a variety of formats from the component out on a digital TV receiver. When I played the resulting disc back using a Vizio Blu-Ray player hooked up to an HDTV via HDMI, I was dismayed to see the widescreen image compressed to 4:3, and 4:3 double-pillarboxed into a funhouse-mirror image. But then I changed the player settings to present all video as widescreen and, what do you know, the video was now in the proper aspect ratios (both the 16:9 and 4:3 content) and looked great. Then I tested the disc on a 4:3 TV. I would have bet good money it would have displayed incorrectly, but no—the widescreen content was displayed as letterboxed and the 4:3 content took up the entire screen.So, at this point, the recorder has produced a DVD that displays anamorphic widescreen video on 4:3 TVs, but needs some settings tweaked to display correctly on widescreen monitors. Not ideal, but workable.But, seeing as to how this is a Blu-Ray recorder, how were results in that format? I recorded a disc using the component out from my NX5U and then another clip reading the SDHC card from the camera. The resulting Blu-Ray disc played fine in my player, and the footage from the SDHC card looked great. But the footage from the component in/out was subpar, which is expected, as you are not going to get HD quality through that.Which brings up a fundamental problem with this device: the inputs are component, DV (firewire) and USB for Handycam only (though it will also read SDHC cards used in the NX5U—that said, it will not see the FMU128 external drive). Without an HDMI input, your options for recording HD to this device are rather limited.Also, there are no outputs on this device, which disappointed me. There's a tiny screen where you see the video being input, but there's no way to tell if you are capturing audio. I hope future additions to the DVDirect line allow for looping, or pass-through, so that you can see exactly what you are recording.Somewhat countering the cons was the pleasant surprise that this device effortlessly interfaces with my Mac. I had no problems burning a DVD via the recorder using DVD Studio Pro. But as far a burning a Blu-Ray disc, the most recent version of DVD Studio Pro cannot produce these, and the discs I tried to produce via Adobe Encore CS3 would not play in my Vizio Blu-Ray player (and, even then, I could only work around a persistent "primary video stream attributes must be consistent" error by deleting my audio track). Turns out the most recent version of Final Cut will produce a Blu-Ray disc (via the "Share" option on the "File" menu), but as a simple disc from a selection of predefined menus. Admittedly, the quality of the video on the resulting disc was stunning, but this workflow is not ideal.Lastly, if you are shooting with an AVCHD camera, you can only record video straight from your SDHC card to a DVD if you shoot in the lesser-quality FH mode (or lower). Apparently, the recorder cannot record to DVD unless the recording format is less than 18 Mb per second. And the resulting DVD is some bizarre animal that is an AVCHDVD, which will not play on most DVD players (but which did play just fine on the Blu-Ray player). As for footage shot in FX mode, that can be recorded to Blu-Ray. In summary, the VBD-MA1:- records anamorphic widescreen DVD's, though you may need to tweak settings on your DVD player and/or TV to display the resulting video correctly- records FX quality footage via SDHC cards to Blu-Ray or FH or lower to DVD, though the resulting DVD will not play on most DVD playersdoes not have outputs- has component, USB and DV as inputs, which may limit your options for recording to Blu-Ray (I mean, are you really going to record a Blu-Ray disc from component in?)- despite no stated support from Sony, can be used with Macs, though your options to produce Blu-Ray discs from the most recent version of FCP are limited[...], I will now be holding onto the VBD-MA1. It is a strange, and far from perfect, beast, but now I have my solution to record DVD's on-site at events, and I like having the option of offering clients Blu-Ray discs.
Reviewed by 34 customers
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Pros
- Easy Set-Up
Cons
- Poor Connections
Best Uses
- LCD TV
- Office
- Streaming
Comments about Sony DVDirect MA1 Multi-Function Blu-ray Disc/DVD Recorder:
To capture video from player devises via RCA and to burn DVDs. I bought it to capture video from my panasonic P2 Camera but it doesn't work with camecorders other than sony brand.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Excellent Image Quality
Cons
Best Uses
- Home
Comments about Sony DVDirect MA1 Multi-Function Blu-ray Disc/DVD Recorder:
convert from VHS to DVD and burn DVD from DV camcorder.
set up Auto finalize the dis. Then conect the digital cable adn press record. It will go to look for the video and after recording it will finalize itself and ready to watch. You don't need any PC and wait for the disc too.
Need more connector ports as S viedo and different card readere ports as VRD-M6 or previous model. I had already recommended to my friends and send one to my nephew in other country.
Pros
- DVD Upconversion
- Easy Set-Up
- Excellent Image Quality
- Good Connections
- Good Soundtrack Support
Cons
Best Uses
- Home
- Home Theater
- LCD TV
- Plasma TV
Comments about Sony DVDirect MA1 Multi-Function Blu-ray Disc/DVD Recorder:
I opened up the box and briefly read the easy to read book for a few quick instructions and was burning my first Blueray within minutes. The burner is extremely fast and when played on my Blueray player the video was flawless Blueray quality. Excellent buy. It is exactly what was stated.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Backwards Compatible
- Easy Set-Up
- Excellent Image Quality
Cons
- Slow Load Time
Best Uses
- Home
Comments about Sony DVDirect MA1 Multi-Function Blu-ray Disc/DVD Recorder:
I bought this one simply to save all my HD videos from my new Sony Camcorder HDR-CX700V.
This unit is pretty easy to use. I really like it.
Sony should use USB 3.0 instead of USB 2.0
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
Cons
- Not Backwards Compatible
Best Uses
Comments about Sony DVDirect MA1 Multi-Function Blu-ray Disc/DVD Recorder:
My JVC camcorder was not recognized by the Sony recorder even though the Sony store said it would work by just pushing record on the unit and play on the camcorder. Sony head office confirmed this.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Attractive Design
- Compact
- Easy To Set Up
- Easy To Use
Cons
- Proprietary USB
Best Uses
- Home
Comments about Sony DVDirect MA1 Multi-Function Blu-ray Disc/DVD Recorder:
Stand alone deck worked very well converting Hi8 and digital tapes to blu ray or DVDs. It is unfortunate that the decks USB connection can only be used with Sony camcorders.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Compact
- Consistent Performance
- Easy To Set Up
- Easy To Use
- High Quality Picture
Cons
- PRICEY
Best Uses
- Home
Comments about Sony DVDirect MA1 Multi-Function Blu-ray Disc/DVD Recorder:
Blueray and HD cameras have been out for a long time. A way to save your recordings in HD has been long overdue.There was no point in shooting in HD,if you couldn't download it in HD.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Attractive Design
- Compact
- Easy To Set Up
- Easy To Use
Cons
- No outputs
Best Uses
- Burn bluray from SD cards
Comments about Sony DVDirect MA1 Multi-Function Blu-ray Disc/DVD Recorder:
I would have given it 5 stars if it had HDMI input/outputs. Easy to use. It was $120 off on cyber Monday, EXCELLENT bargain! Works well with both PC and Mac.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Compact
- Easy To Set Up
Cons
Best Uses
- Home
Comments about Sony DVDirect MA1 Multi-Function Blu-ray Disc/DVD Recorder:
very good product
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Attractive Design
- Compact
- Consistent Performance
- Controls labeled good
- Easy To Set Up
- Easy To Use
- High Quality Picture
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Sony DVDirect MA1 Multi-Function Blu-ray Disc/DVD Recorder:
To transfer recordings from VHS Tapes to DVD'S. Transfer movies from digital camera onto a DVD. Insert digital memory card into unit to transfer pictures to DVD.
Its not a big unit and it records very good.
Get those movies transfered to DVD'S from VHS tapes before the tapes get old and loose your valuable movie shots from the past.
Little more work is involved when you want to make a DVD from a digital movie camera manufactured by a different brand. Its hard at first, but it is easy after you learn how to do it.
This product was a birthday gift from my wife and I am very happy with it.
- Was this a gift?:
- Yes
Pros
- Compact
Cons
Best Uses
- Home
Comments about Sony DVDirect MA1 Multi-Function Blu-ray Disc/DVD Recorder:
I am a professional user that travels to remote locations for outdoor filming. I thought that this device might serve as a backup device for my AVCHD video. I currently use a Nexto device but it does not have a solid state drive and is susceptible to humid conditions. There are several shortcomings, for my use, with the Sony MA1. There is no compact flash slot. There is no video out (HDMI or component). Blu-ray disc capacities don't match card capacities. My cards, both SD and CF come in 32 and 64 gig capacities. Single layer blu-ray discs are 25 and dual are 50 gig. This is an inefficient use of disk space.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Attractive Design
- Compact
- Consistent Performance
- Easy To Set Up
- Easy To Use
- High Quality Picture
Cons
Best Uses
- Dorm Room
- Home Theater
Comments about Sony DVDirect MA1 Multi-Function Blu-ray Disc/DVD Recorder:
A cheap unit to preserve the picture quality.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Use
Cons
Best Uses
- Home
Comments about Sony DVDirect MA1 Multi-Function Blu-ray Disc/DVD Recorder:
easy to use
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
Cons
- Flimsy Construction
Best Uses
Comments about Sony DVDirect MA1 Multi-Function Blu-ray Disc/DVD Recorder:
I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS MA1. I have the vrd6 and I thought I would be getting a better version.This is like a toy. I don't recomend.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Sony DVDirect MA1 Multi-Function Blu-ray Disc/DVD Recorder:
This is a nice DVD writer that I use for legal video. It is compact and easy to use. The one thing I didn't like is you cannot record HD from my camera (Panasonic HVX-200a) to it. I am not sure if it works better with a Sony or not.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Attractive Design
- Compact
- Consistent Performance
- Easy To Set Up
- Easy To Use
- High Quality Picture
Cons
Best Uses
- Bedroom
- Dorm Room
- Home
- Home Theater
Comments about Sony DVDirect MA1 Multi-Function Blu-ray Disc/DVD Recorder:
I use this product to burn High Def movies.Also use it to burn 3D movies on Blu-Ray.I like it because it is easy to use.I just dont like the few options of connecting devices to it.
- Was this a gift?:
- Yes
Pros
- Compact
- High Quality Picture
Cons
- Flimsy Construction
- Inconsistent
Best Uses
- Home
- Office studio
Comments about Sony DVDirect MA1 Multi-Function Blu-ray Disc/DVD Recorder:
I've used this product to transfer video from a video editor hard drive and a video camera. Usually, it works without a hitch but will sometimes lose the input signal. After a few retries, the recording goes fine but can be a time vortex. Some exterior detailing poorly adhered to the chassis.
Pros
- Attractive Design
- Easy To Set Up
Cons
Best Uses
- Home
Comments about Sony DVDirect MA1 Multi-Function Blu-ray Disc/DVD Recorder:
My issues:
1)Power doesn't turn off when I pressed the power button.
2) Making vibrating noise when the dvd is burning.
3) Slot card was broken or doesn't accept. It ejected automatically.
4) The picture image in LCD screen is blurry.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Set Up
- Easy To Use
Cons
Best Uses
- Home
Comments about Sony DVDirect MA1 Multi-Function Blu-ray Disc/DVD Recorder:
- Burns Blu-ray discs from PC or Macintosh--Perfect for MacBook Air
- Burns AV without the need for computer, so no capture card needed or CPU-consuming CODEC-based compression
- Memory card slot real handy, Sony Memory Stick but accepts SD too (and Sony does not like to support competitors' technology)
- FireWire (OK i.Link) video in for older and Pro cameras of any brand (MacBook Air missing this so makes me & my JVC happy)
- USB port (the larger one) for modern Sony-only cameras, old CyberShot not supported, at least not mine, so, not useful, much better if HDD were accepted by the port. Still a minor thing, just ignore the port if your camera is a Cisco Flip! Mino HD like mine
- Not silent at all, fan is quite noisy, but I don't care personally. Apple PowerBook G4 I used to have sounded like a jet engine when hot
- LCD screen: I would have paid $100 more just for that, just fantastic when you need to know where VHS movies start
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Attractive Design
- Compact
- Easy To Use
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Sony DVDirect MA1 Multi-Function Blu-ray Disc/DVD Recorder:
While the unit does burn from many formats and does a fairly good job at it. However it is limited to the media being burned.
While it is a Blu-ray Disc/DVD burner, I find that the advertising is a little deceiving. It will not burn everything to Blu-ray disc. For instance if you have VHS tapes that you want to transfer to a Blu-ray disc, look elsewhere this unit will not do it. It will however do a fairly good job of transferring them to DVD.
You will have to get a software package and use your computer equipped with a Blu-ray burner to be able to do the transfer and conversion, and it will be considerably less to purchase the software then this unit. I have both.
The unit works great for on the move burning and it's nice to have everything in one component. Those are its only benefits that I can see.
To buy or not to buy should be determined according to your need. I just didn't want to carry my laptop around all the time to transfer to Blu-ray.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
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What's in the Box
- AC Adapter
- AC Power Cord
- USB Cable
- 1-Year Warranty
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