advice on DVD recorders, please!

hi,

Besides converting my VHS tapes to DVD (with the help of a Sima "image stabilizer"), I am also looking to convert my old cassettes to WMA format so I can burn them onto CDs and would like to do this WITHOUT going through my PC. Otherwise no TV-recording planned.

So I was thinking about buying a LiteOn 5005 to do that---it seems to be the only multi-burner on the market as far as I know. (If I've missed something please tell me.) However I have read a number of complaints about this model, but it seemed like most of those complaints involved people trying to record broadcast TV to DVD rather than music to CD or VHS to DVD.

Right now I'm leaning towards the Panasonic DMR-ES20 (seems to get the best reviews at its price point) to record CDs to DVDs and then copy the DVDs onto my PC and then burn CDs on my PC---kind of a complicated 3-step process but I have always had good results with Panasonic products.

The 3rd option is the Sony VRDVC20, which I mainly like for its versatility. However it looks like it can only burn CDs when hooked up to a computer which is a real bummer because I'd have to do the same 3-step deal as with the Panny. Plus it costs about $75 more than the Panny does.

Comments? Suggestions? Has anyone ever used any of these 3 players? Would there be any advantage in me spending a little more for a DVD recorder with a HDD, given that I do NOT plan on recording any broadcast TV/cable?

thanks for your help...