BoxRec

I am contemplating entering the world of DVD recorders, as I've seen some bargains out there.

I wanted some advice.

Should I go for a DVD recorder, or just ignore this format and go straight to hard disc recording?

I have an example to go by, a Panasonic DRMHS2 which was originalyl 700 quid, but I've found an open box model for 149.95.

Advice?

jamesmcdonnell wrote:I am contemplating entering the world of DVD recorders, as I've seen some bargains out there.

I wanted some advice.

Should I go for a DVD recorder, or just ignore this format and go straight to hard disc recording?

I have an example to go by, a Panasonic DRMHS2 which was originalyl 700 quid, but I've found an open box model for 149.95.

Advice?

Get a Panasonic or Pioneer Hard disc /DVD recorder. Don't stick with just the DVD recorder, get the HD backup. I would record onto HD first, then if you want to keep it - dub to DVD. If you get videos from the states (note videos) - then get a Pioneer.

Orginally had a DVD recorder (Phillips) with no Hard Drive copacity - if it goes wrong (without backup) thats you f'd, and it did go wrong plenty of times.

Surely then might as well just record everything straight onto a massive external hard drive, and drive it with PC software, or are there some advantages to having a dedicated HDD recorder?

jamesmcdonnell wrote:Surely then might as well just record everything straight onto a massive external hard drive, and drive it with PC software, or are there some advantages to having a dedicated HDD recorder?

I couldn't help you on ease of involving the PC. I just find that for ease in editing, dubbing etc etc in the comfort of the living room its a HDD/DVD recorder.

I wouldn't have the foggiest were to start with putting stuff from the TV onto PC. I do know there are ways to back up video's onto the PC, but not sure how you would go about doing this.

Well seeing as you are recording it to hard disc in the first place, there is surely some way of doing so to a PC hard disc rather than a stand alone unit. Makes sense to me, but there are quite possibly some formatting issues. I'll look into it. If it is a matter of just getting some software, then I may as well do that.

jamesmcdonnell wrote:Well seeing as you are recording it to hard disc in the first place, there is surely some way of doing so to a PC hard disc rather than a stand alone unit. Makes sense to me, but there are quite possibly some formatting issues. I'll look into it. If it is a matter of just getting some software, then I may as well do that.

Well, whatever the formatting - I would definately have the HD back up (whether it is stand alone or PC based). Within 10 minutes of the programme finishing you can have it on DVD anyway, and a spare (safe) copy if something goes a bit wrong.

It seems you can buy a card for the PC which allows you to use your PC hard disk as a recording device, but the question is whether or not you're able to get the signal from my homechoice box to the card so I can record from there instead.

A mate of mine has recently built himself a PC multimedia centre which records programmes to hard drive, all his music is on there in MP3 format, films are burnt to the HD and can be accessed at click of button rather than by using dvd player, its wired into a surround sound and obviously his tv. It's an all in one media centre.
Cases can now be purchased and there is windows software that'll run on there. You also dont need a mouse as the software is compatible with a type of remote which comes with the casing and will allow you to navigate through the windows software. There is also a scrolling ticker on the front which when connected to the internet scrolls with all the latest news etc...
As you can now access broadband internet around the house through your power cables (still needs to initially come through a router connection then its sent through power cables rather than wireless or using cables) its not a problem to have the internet hooked up to the console which can be placed by the tv (less wiring the better and wireless is erratic).

I'm looking into building my own PC, could you ask your mate for the specs of the PC he bulit himself. I have a fair bit of knowledge on a basic level about putting together a PC, I'm guessing he is using windows XP media centre in that case, but the main thing I am interested in is making sure I am able to get the signal from my broadband provider (homechoice) to the hard disk recorder of my PC, which he may not be doing.

At the moment the home content providers are slow at making this possible easily, at present Sky have their sky + boxes, but I don't think these work alongside the PC, they are just stand alone.

I'd be interested to hear what kind of TV tuner/recording card he had, and whether he has a digital home content provider like homechoice or not.

If you could find out Wales, I would be very grateful indeed.

jamesmcdonnell wrote:I am contemplating entering the world of DVD recorders, as I've seen some bargains out there.

I wanted some advice.

Should I go for a DVD recorder, or just ignore this format and go straight to hard disc recording?

I have an example to go by, a Panasonic DRMHS2 which was originalyl 700 quid, but I've found an open box model for 149.95.

Advice?

Best of the lost is a Panasonic DMRE84H. That's the tops for quality. Around £400. With DVD recorders you need a good model, or they will just conk out.

The model above has great picture quality, easy to tune in, you can record to the hard drive in case you run out of blank discs, you can edit etc.

Interesting, I just found this little baby at Maplin.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?Mod ... &doy=18m10

Stand alone Hard Disc drive, which is specifically designed to be plugged directrly into the TV via scart, seems like a very elegant solution for only 100 nicker!

Think I'll be building myself a new PC, rather than spending 400 quid on a top notch DVD recorder, I can get myself a whole new PC, with pretty nice specs with a built in TV tuner/hdd recorder and two hard disc drives including a 200 gb second disc drive for recording on, and a fast DVD burner to convert them.

See a previous thread on this topic:
http://www.boxrec.com/forum/viewtopic.p ... hlight=dvd

Cheers Ric, I knew there was a thread somewhere, ta.

I'd go for a dvd recorder with built in harddisk... I have a Pioneer and its excellent...

I heard a few months back that the compression software used for DVD is heading for a big shake-up. It sounded like the battle lines that were drawn between beta-max and vhs, when vhs won the war. It seemed to suggest that now might not be the time to make a major investment because if the Japanese software won everything else would be redundant. I've heard nothing much since but it's worth bearing in mind.

Thats if you are buying one of these recorders which play high definaition dvds... these are very pricey right now and there are two formats at the moment... best thing to do is stick to the normal recorders as there much cheaper and to be honest the difference in quality with high definition is very small and practically nonexistent if you are watching mainly classic boxing fights etc...

If you just want a basic recorder, this one's okay.

There's also stuff like this refurb about.
And a nice refurb recorder.