Need DVD Recorder Suggestion

[Mr. Burn]

As with anything in the electronics field, equipment is changing all the time. When I searched for DVD players under "Lists" I kept getting "not available" so I thought it was time to ask what's the latest and greatest. Actually, I don't need the greatest, just a good reliable DVD recorder that I can record TV shows and play them back on my HDTV.

I'm looking for:
- Good bang for the buck. (Less than $200)
- Digital tuner.
- Reliable hardware.
- HDMI connector. (But that's probably standard by now.)
- Don't want HDVT recording (ie Blueray).

Nice to have:
- Record in MPEG. (To make it easier to edit out commercials, etc. on my PC.)
- Record to RW (re-recordable) media. (I'm surprised that some don't support this.)

I'm in the US. We have Frys, Best Buy, Circuit City, etc. in the area but I don't mind ordering inline to get a good deal.

Thanks

[Marvingj]

The following are good JVC, Pioneer, Toshiba, LG, Panasonic,

Here a link that models were tested...

https://forum.videohelp.com/topic279460.html

[Mr. Burn]

There's a lot of data there and some of the products are a few years old.

I'm looking for specific suggestions for a good recorder/player.

[DVWannaB]

See this post I made here with a link to the AVS Forum concerning the new DVD recorders with ATSC (digital) tuners.

https://forum.videohelp.com/topic329578.html

If I were giving a recommendation or a what-to-do, I would say buy a Toshiba D-R4 or XS-34 DVD Recorder and a Hisense DB2010 ATSC receiver. Paired together they are better than anything that is now being released on the market. You should spend no more than $150-160 (ebay is a good place) for the two combined.

Another ATSC receiver I would recommend is the new Samsung DB-260HF which has the latest 5th generation tuner. Hisense I believe is 4th generation.

[StuR]

I wish JVC would make a HD/DVD model for the UK with a DVB digital tuner. They emailed me no new JVC models for 07 so the 06 range is all thats available which gives you the m150 DVB or the MH300 HD option why no MH350?
Anyway Toshiba seem to be continuing to make new DVDRW and the new range look interesting.
http://www.dvdrecorderworld.com/news/439
'cos that US models whether UK ver will ever arrive is another matter. Maybe wait abit for the RD-97DT to check the prices, analogue and dital tuners, rather thin too.

UK has the 85DT which is the digital tuner ver. of the US's XS35.
Toshiba US models offer some handy input image adjustments.

[Mr. Burn]

I looked over some of the "link adventures" that DVWanaB sent me on. It's a little overwhelming. One thread had 13 pages, another had 62 pages! More than I have time to go through.

However, from what I did read I started to get a picture of the current market. There use to be some good recorders out there with hard drives. The problem is they were analog. When they installed ATSC (digital) tuners in the new models they removed the hard drives. What's more, the new recorders don't pass the HDTV signals on to the HDTV without down-sampling/re-formatting it. It looks like we're in a transition period and in the future the hard drives (and other good features) could come back. Is that an accurate summary?

Because of this, the suggestion is to buy used off of eBay. An analog model with a hard drive such as the Toshiba D-R4 or Toshiba RD-XS34 and an ATSC tuner such as a Samsung DB-260HF or Hisense DB2010 would do until the new line of recorders come out. I'm open to other suggestions too. Are these the "old standby" models or just one person's personal favorites?

[DVWannaB]

Yeah, AVS Forum threads can sometimes be a bit intimidating especially when you come in at the end of the posting frenzy :P

If you are looking for a DVD Recorder with a hard drive, then you can go Toshiba XS34/35 as one option, the D-R4/5 do not have a HDD.

Based on what is being offered currently on the market, that is truly the way to go. If you troll ebay long enough, you can find a good DVD recorder w/HDD brand new. The Samsung DB-260HF should be new as it has been on the market a few months. The Hisense could be new, but used models work just as well as new as long as the model you get has been modified to receive Over-the-air broadcasts. AVS Forum also has a LONG discussion about this receiver.

[trhouse]

Maybe I am confused by what you are trying to do, but I have been testing a LG RC797T combo dvd recorder/vcr with a LG 20LS7D hdtv. The 797T has an ATSC tuner that does downconvert from HD to SD which it records to dvd and upconverts at the HDMI output back to 720p or 1080i just like the current crop of dvd players.

If I want to view the HD signal, I turn off the recorder and the HD signal goes from the "antenna in" out the "antenna out" coax connector over to the HDTV. Why is there a need for a HD receiver and why is the downconvert an issue is you do not want to record in HD?

[Mr. Burn]

I'm just looking for a good, reliable DVD recorder/player. I thought that the new ones on the market (with digital tuners) have some basic features missing - like not passing the HD signal through to the TV. If there's some out there that does this, I'm open to suggestions. It sounds like the LG might work.

It would be nice to have the hard drive but from what I saw on eBay the last few days the few used ones that are out there are going for well over $150. (Of course, then I'd have to buy a $100 tunner as well.)

[trhouse]

Perhaps the word passthrough is what is confusing. All the new units with ATSC tuners do not passthrough their HD ATSC tuner input signal to the HDMI output, but that is not necessary if you have a HDTV ( not a HD monitor which has no tuner ).

The new recorders with ATSC tuners have an ANT ( or cable ) IN coax connector and also a OUT to TV coax connector. When the recorder is turned off, the ANT IN and Out to TV are connected together. Connect a coax from the recorder's Out to TV connector to the antenna input on your HDTV and have the recorder's HDMI output connected to the TV's HDMI input.

This is how I have been using the LG recorder and LG HDTV. Turn off the recorder and select "TV" as the input for the HDTV and it displays the HD input signal from cable. Turn on the recorder and select the TV's HDMI input and the downconverted, recorded input is displayed.

If you buy a SD input hdd recorder, I can see why you would need a tuner. That HD tuner would be needed to downconvert HD to SD for the recorder, which is exactly what the new recorders do.

[Mr. Burn]

Thanks, trhouse, for the information. Yes, I do have an HDTV with a tuner so it looks like a new DVD recorder with ATSC tuner would work for me. I already have a VCR so I don't need a the double unit. Any other suggestions? Is LG a good brand? I thought JVC and Toshiba were better. What are some other forums I can look at for postings on this topic? I would think this is a common question yet I haven't gotten much response. I'm wanting to buy something soon. Thanks.

[trhouse]

I do not believe JVC has a new recorder with a ATSC tuner. Toshiba has some new units but they seem to lack any tuner. LG might have been first with these type of units with the DR787T which is not a combo. There are a lot of them on eBay right now. The only other brand I can think of with ATSC tuners is Panasonic. The models with ATSC tuners all start DMR-EZ...

The LG combo was tested and reviewed here,

https://forum.videohelp.com/topic279460.html

[vhelp]

.. I would say buy a Toshiba D-R4 or XS-34 DVD Recorder and a Hisense DB2010 ATSC receiver..

I agree. For a cheap receiver, this one (IMHO) does a great job. And, I use it to this
day to help me point my antenna. Though sometimes, I use my other receiver because
it has a digital readout and it has faster response time, and is in my bedroom next to
my antenna. But, my Hisense is next to my Hauppague WinTV-HVR-1600 hdtv capture
card, and so, I use it for channel tuning for convenience.

Below are my hdtv receivers -- still in use, today -- I prefer the HD3150Plus for it's fast
response time digital signal strength readout.

** Pro Brand, Digital Stream HD3150Plus DTV receiver
** Hisense, USDigital USDTV DB-2010

PS, if you have to, don't be afraid to setup a roof antenna inside your apt. I have one
in my 2nd floor apt, inside my bedroom. In terms of ATSC reception, your mileage may
vary from location to others' location, etc.

-vhelp 4285

[Mr. Burn]

I have a few questions:

What's the advantage of getting a separate recorder and receiver? Is it just that the D-R4 is a better recorder than those on the market (like the LG) which have ATSC tuners?

Do the stand-alone receivers down-convert the signals better than all-in-one models?