There are some other cool features available for extra $ like softphone which lets you use your computer as a phone w/o modem - this means you can take your laptop w/ you wherever and you have your phone w/ same phone number everywhere too (you can do this w/o softphone, but you have to take your VOIP modem around w/ you - not bad if you're going somewhere for a longer trip).

Another really cool thing is virtual phone numbers. You can get extra numbers that ring same phone, but they are local numbers to any area code you want. So if I live in Dallas and have family in New York, I can get a local phone number here and there. That way my family in New York can call a local number (free) and talk to me! Vonage charges $4.99/month for that. I'm not sure about others.

And biggest benefit - IT'S CHEAP! I pay $14.99 plus some tax and such, but not ump-teen taxes, charges, fees, etc. like phone company charges.

Also, if you do a little research/reading, you can set it up to where every phone jack in your house is wired for VOIP. It's little more than plugging output of your VOIP modem into wall jack you already have. Very little more.

Bottom Line

You get lots of good, free features and options for doing/managing a lot more including a lot over web and it's SO much cheaper (at least it is for me!). Being 'average guy' I am, I don't really use all features. Fortunately, it's pretty much a 'set it up and forget about it' type thing except that I save $40+/month w/ it!

I use Vonage b/c that's what I was told about first and it was one of first. There are others and I'm sure they have their strengths, but Vonage has cheapest base option at time I did my research.

Many recorders and players do both, but cost more. I say save some money, pick one (probably DVD-R) and move on. If you pick wrong one, chances are in a couple years you'll be buying a new one anyway. Moreover, you'll probably be able to get a cheap one w/ a built in converter or two trays to duplicate one to other.

DVD-RAM and DVD-RW are rewritable types. They're more expensive and for my purposes aren't worth worrying about.

My Recommendation

I got Panasonic DMR-E55K:

It records to DVD-R like a VCR. I don't use it to record live TV so I don't use VCR+, but it has it. Also, it has TimeSlip which lets you watch something while it's recording (start recording "24" at 8pm and start watching it from begining at 8:20 to speed thru commercials like a TiVo). Again, I don't use this, but it has it.

Plain and simple, it records my TiVo, camcorder, digital camera (RCA cable output), VCR, etc. to DVD - that's what I want it to do and that's what it does. It's easy, creates a good menu w/ thumbnails and my chosen titles, it's a name brand w/ good reviews and was fairly cheap (there was a rebate at time).

Also, it plays CDs and mp3 CDs w/ a good interface so not only does it replace a CD player, but since you can put so many songs on one CD, it replaces a CD changer.

An interesting trick: If you have a digital camera w/ RCA cable output, you can hook it directly into dvd recorder and create a quick slide-show dvd. Many cameras even have a slide show function built in! You can use sound from a music channel, CD, etc.

Summary

If you're going gung-ho into all nitty gritty about DVD recorders, you're either just starting here or haven't bothered to read this far. If you're looking for a good, relatively cheap solution to digitize your tapes, archive TiVo, etc., I recommend Panasonic DMR-E55K.