DVD Recorders

[dynatech]

I know this subject has been discussed before, perhaps more than once, but I am about to buy (maybe thru eBay) a dvd recorder, mainly for transferring my videos to dvd but also it will be used to record from the TV etc, can anyone recommend a machine or make, or alternatively suggest any that should be avoided? There are loads of different ones available - dvd/vhs combi's, hard-drive units, etc etc.... can anyone help?

[Flat_Eric]

dynatech,

I can only speak from my own limited experience, but I'm very happy with my

Panasonic DMR-E50

DVD recorder, which is DVD-R format and which I've had for a couple of years now. There's probably a "very-similar-but-slightly-different" successor model to it now, but that's one I can recommend unreservedly.

More important though (and I can't emphasise this enough) is that you buy decent recordable DVDs (be they DVD-R or DVD+R) and AVOID AT ALL COSTS the temptation to buy cheap, no-name recordable disks.

Thinking that "a DVD-R is a DVD-R is a DVD-R" was the trap I fell into in the early days, and I lost a lot of valuable stuff as a result, having rashly and smugly binned the VHS originals after transferring them.

Recordings on cheap discs may play OK once or twice, but chances are they'll then deteriorate into useless coasters, to the point that your player won't recognise them any more. "Sky" brand discs I found to be the very worst offenders in this - complete fucking waste of money and to be avoided like the plague.

Again I can only speak from personal experience and others may recommend different disks, but I've found Panasonic DVD-Rs to be most reliable, with TDK and Sony a close second.

Another tip is that although DVD-R disks can only be "written to" once and not re-recorded over, they're reckoned to be more stable (and therefore more suitable for long-term archiving) than the rewritable formats (DVD-RAM and DVD-RW for example).

It's all bit for a minefield, what with the compating DVD-R and DVD+R formats (both of whom have their backers and detractors but I prefer DVD-R as it's playable on all normal DVD players, which DVD+R isn't). But hopefully that's of some use to you.

[randyandy]

Only advice I can give is don't do what I did.

Make sure it's compatable with your TV.

Mine does the recording from tape to dvd perfectly but won't let me tune channels in so that I can record 1 while watching the other.

I think it's something to do with scart plugs and the number your TV has available mine has 1 which is already used for cable so I am f*****d.

I'd return it but it was a present, I just asked for dvd player / recorder thinking they just matched TV's like VCR's did in the good old days !oops!

[dynatech]

I've been using TDK, RiDisc and Datawrite discs in the main when burning dvd to dvd using my computer, and the only problems that have occured have been scratched caused by my lack of care (i.e. not putting em straight back in sleeves)

[Porn crackers]

I posted this a while ago. I was looking for a "tapeless" replacement for my VCR. Initially was going for a DVD recorder only, but I am glad (and would highly recommend) getting a built in Hard Disk Drive...HDD.
The extra flexability is really worth it. For example editing out adverts before saving your favourite film to a DVD. Also by transferring your videos to the HDD you can edit the rubbish scenes out, then dub the good stuff up to a DVD .-

"Author: Porn crackers
Date: 03-25-06 22:11

Mines a Sony RDR-HX510 80GB HDD (Analogue tuner).
And funny enough have been doing exactly that today.

My experiences are.

Use good quality DVD media, I use Philips DVD-R 1-8X and 1-16 from Woolworths in UK. Have already had a warranty replacement DVD unit and initially it was hard to decide if it was the other cheap media I was using or the unit playing up.

I would suggest using -R type because they can be more robust than -RW, and compatible on more players, (must finalise the disc).

Dubbing from DVD to the HDD (normally at SP quality) This normally is in real time ie 2hour film takes 2hours to copy to HDD.

Then edit the section you want to the playlist. Then dubb this back up to a DVD-R. I recommend selecting the SP setting, and not using the fast mode.
Again this will dub in real time.

This is because through experience I have seen errors turn up on the fast dubbed copy. What happens is that little sections of the scene before your edit although not visable when played on the HDD, appear on the Fast dubbed DVD.

So I use DVD-R and dub in SP mode and this gives me 2hours of recording on my DVD.

The quality is excellent, even when I copy VHS videos.

BTW good choice on the Sony, I exchanged a Liteon 160GB load of rubbish for my Sony and never looked back, (well except for the DVD drive hickup)

PC"

[steve56]

i have loads of dvs and cds not put back i covers just a bit surface dust thats all.

[mrmcfister]

They cost about ?150 now..at that price you can afford to renew if it goes wrong after a year.They do pretty much standard stuff.Keep your money in your pocket go to Asda or Tesco and buy em there.Dont pay for extra warranty stupid rip off

[steve56]

its better to rent i think,so if something goes wrong its fixed for nothing.

[A-C]

I've got the JVC DR-MV1, which was one of the early ones to come out as video recorder and dvd recorder combined in the same unit. It works well now ... but I'd recommend it only if they sorted a power supply fault that turned up in large numbers of the units. Overheating would cause the sound to crackle on the dvd recorder side, and lot of people had problems with a constant loading message. I had two of them fixed for same problem within guarantee period, costing JVC about ?150 each. With new power supply they work fine, and take DVD R and DVD-RAM format discs.

[Guilbert]

Panasonic have just reduced the price of the DMRES15 to ?129.
You can buy it in Comet and Currys for that price.

This was a lot more earlier this year, I know because I nearly bought one.

I has had excellent reviews whenever I have seen it reviewed.

It can record and playback ALL the DVD formats (which not all DVD recorders can)



I bought one a few months ago, and I am about to go out and buy another one today for my bedroom.

Small review here: